As a college recruiter, I see a lot of resumes. The candidates I specialize in typically do not have experience in the field they are targeting and are looking for junior or entry-level roles. Everyone must start somewhere, and it is essential to organize your experience in a way that showcases your current skill set. I often share resume tips for college students who are preparing their first professional documents.
Make Your Resume Future-Focused
Think of your resume as a future-focused document—it represents you and should target the job you want next. Too many people think of a resume as a historical document, and while it should be historically accurate, it is not a data dump of everything you have done. Keeping this focus is one of the most effective entry-level resume tips.
Tailor Past Experience to Your Target Role
Be sure the information you include on your resume relates to the job you want. Focus on the parts of your employment history that tie to your goal.
If you want a technical job but your past roles are non-technical, highlight how you used technology as a tool. Everyone uses technology. Consider:
- Is there a system or application that you had to learn to do the job?
- What process did you go through to learn it?
- Did you teach others to use it?
Include these details as bullet points under each relevant job on your resume. These resume tips for tech jobs also apply broadly to anyone pivoting into more technical work.
Showcase Hard Skills Effectively
Every resume should have a section for listing hard skills. Do not waste space listing soft skills like “communication” or “teamwork.”
Instead, focus on technology, systems, and tools you have experience with. For example:
- Include Microsoft Excel and specify the functions or advanced capabilities you know (e.g., VLOOKUP, PivotTables, formulas), plus any projects where you applied them.
- Name specific computer systems you used in jobs or internships.
If you’re wondering how to list hard skills on a resume, group them by category (e.g., software, programming, databases) and be specific about your proficiency.
Build Hard Skills Quickly
If you feel you lack hard skills, take free online tutorials. There are resources that provide introductions to key tools. For example, Microsoft has an Office 365 Training Center where you can hone your Excel skills: https://support.office.com/en-us/office-training-center
You do not have to be an expert to list a skill on your resume. As an entry-level candidate, employers should expect you’re still developing your skill set.
Format for ATS and Recruiter Tools
When considering resume formatting for ATS, small changes can make a big difference:
- First, your resume should be a Word document, not a PDF. Recruiters often look at resumes through an online tool, and many times a PDF will not upload correctly into the system.
- For the same reason, do not put your name or contact information in a header. Often, online systems will not read text in headers, so that information gets missed.
- Make sure to list your contact information, including email and phone number, so you can be reached regarding your application.
- Finally, save the document title with your name and the company name where you are applying. Just using the title “resume” is not enough to distinguish yourself in a crowd of other resumes.
Conclusion
Overall, your resume is a representation of you. Be proud of it. It introduces you to a potential employer and is a key marketing tool for launching your career.
Q&A
Question: Why should my resume be future-focused rather than a detailed history of everything I’ve done?
Answer: Because your resume is a marketing tool for the job you want next, not a complete autobiography. It should be historically accurate, but prioritize experiences and details that align with your target role. Focusing on what’s most relevant helps employers quickly see how you fit their needs.
Question: How can I highlight technical aptitude if my past roles weren’t technical?
Answer: Emphasize moments where you used technology as a tool. Call out specific systems or applications you learned, how you learned them, and whether you trained others. Turn these into concise bullet points under each role. Even if your experience isn’t in a tech job, showing you learned and applied tools signals readiness to pivot into more technical work.
Question: What should go in the hard skills section, and how specific should I be?
Answer: List concrete tools, systems, and technologies—grouped by category (e.g., software, programming, databases)—and be specific about your proficiency. For example, instead of “Excel,” note functions and capabilities like VLOOKUP, PivotTables, and formulas, plus any projects where you applied them. Avoid using this section for soft skills like “communication” or “teamwork.”
Question: What if I feel I don’t have many hard skills yet?
Answer: Start building them with free tutorials and introductory resources (for example, Microsoft’s Office 365 Training Center for Excel). As an entry-level candidate, you’re not expected to be an expert; you can list skills you’re learning, especially if you’ve completed tutorials or applied them in projects.
Question: How should I format my resume for ATS and recruiter tools?
Answer: Submit a Word document rather than a PDF, since PDFs can fail to upload or parse correctly. Don’t place your name or contact info in the header (many systems won’t read it there). Clearly include your email and phone number in the body, and save the file with your name and the company name to stand out and stay organized.
