Resume Techniques for Students and New College Graduates

Calling attention to an article in our archives with good advice for advance-planners out there.

Although originally posted as a graduation feature, we're highlighting it again first as a way of announcing that the author, resume writing expert Abby M. Locke of Premier Writing Solutions, has joined the team as new regular columnist on THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online's sister-site, IMDiversity Career Center.

We're also resurrecting it now, though, because the editors have been going through drafts of an upcoming feature, providing advice from college career services professionals from all over. Among the countless great tips and cautions, a number of the career office directors observed that students frequently fail to make use of the office's resources available to help them craft the best strategies for presentation to a recruiter -- whether in a resume, an on- or off-campus interview, a cover letter or even, for that matter, in a graduate school application. Even among those students who do consult these reources, many don't do it early enough.

One important lesson in Locke's article is that even students who have had little formal job experience do have real accomplishments and quasi-work experiences that can be made into compelling evidence of skills and potential on a resume. A counselor at your career center can help you recall and craft these items in such a compelling fashion. Similarly, a number of the career directors contributing to TBC point out that the earlier a student starts making use of their career planning assistance -- even in freshman year, and certainly well before second semester of senior year -- the more successful they usually are come the post-graduation job hunt.

So, with graduation coming up sooner than you think, take a look at Locke's advice for your winning student resume.