how to write a resume for international students

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The international student’s guide to writing a great resume

Tips to help your resume stand out so you can land the perfect job.

20 March 2024

Your resume (also known as a CV which is short for Curriculum Vitae) is your first impression to potential employers, so it’s a very important document. 

Whether you’re looking for part-time work while you study or a full-time job after graduation , this guide will help you write an impressive resume that helps you get noticed.  

Use a template  

Downloading an online template for the layout of your resume will help it look professional and show that you are good with technology. For starters, try these free options: 

• Kickresume.com 
• Microsoft Word. 

These templates also help as a guide to what information you should be adding. 

What to include 

1. a compelling personal statement .

Start your resume with a short overview of your goals and skills. Try to keep it to 2 - 3 sentences or use 3 - 4 bullet points.  

Include your soft skills such as being good with people, working well in a team, communication skills, emotional intelligence, and any personality traits that make you someone who is easy to work with. 

2. Relevant work experience  

If you have worked in jobs before, list them by adding the following information: 

• company name  
• the dates that you worked there 
• your key tasks or responsibilities  
• achievements in that role.  

If you haven't worked in paid jobs before, include:  

• work experience, internships or volunteer work 
• examples from your academic projects or group assignments 
• extracurricular involvement in any clubs or student unions at your place of study. 

Tip: Make sure you list your work experience in chronological order (from most recent to oldest).  

3. Your education and relevant studies 

Your academic qualifications are an important part of your resume. Include details of your studies including: 

• course name 
• majors (if any) 
• place of study  
• how long you’ve been studying for or when you finished your studies. 

If you have taken short courses, you should include them too, especially if they are relevant to the job. 

4. Your visa status and work availability 

It's important to include your visa status on your resume. Write what type of visa you have, the expiry and your work restrictions (if any). This reassures the employer that you’re legally able to work in Australia. 

If you are looking for a part-time job, it can help to include your available days and hours.  

5. Your technical skills 

If the job you're applying for will require computer work, then add a list of your tech skills such as: 

• the Microsoft Suite  
• CRM software that you have used in previous jobs (e.g. Salesforce) 
• Adobe or Canva
• website builders. 

6. Your Interests 

Adding a list of your interests is important as it shows a little bit of who you are as a person. Let them know if you enjoy sports or exercise, reading or any other hobbies.  

Use your cover letter to stand out 

If you lack formal work experience, a well-written cover letter can help by providing additional context to your background. It also gives you the opportunity to sell yourself as the perfect person for the role.  

Make sure you research the company’s mission, values and culture to understand what they’re looking for in a potential employee.  

Tailor your cover letter to reflect how your goals and experience align with their objectives and why you're passionate about working with them. This shows your genuine interest in the role and will set you apart from others. 

Things to include:  

• why you’re motivated to join their company  
• what your soft skills are, including practical examples of how you’ve used them 
• your personality and values 
• a clear description of your professional goals  
• explain your willingness to learn and contribute to their business. 

Write clearly  

Remember that the company will be receiving a lot of resumes, so make it easy to read.   

• avoid being repetitive and going into too much detail 
• ensure your sentences are easy to understand – shorter is often better  
• keep your paragraphs short and relevant. 

Before submitting your resume, it’s important to make sure there are no mistakes, and that the font is consistent. This shows your attention to detail. You could ask a friend, family member or teacher to review your resume and cover letter and provide feedback.  

Tip: Use a grammar checker such as  Grammarly.    

Get support 

There is free, local support available in the major cities. You can contact them for job advice, counselling, events and more.  

Visit your local support services page via the links below:   

• StudyAdelaide
• Study Queensland
• Study NSW (New South Wales)
• Study Canberra
• Study Melbourne
• Study NT (Northern Territory)
• Study Perth
• Study Tasmania

For more information on finding jobs, you can also visit our Work in Australia page .  

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• International Students: Resumes - US Style
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Developing an effective resume highlighting your qualifications for the position for which you are applying is crucial in a successful job or internship search. Your resume is a marketing tool that displays your education, skills, experiences and accomplishments for a specific position.  The Feller Center resume resources  include helpful resources to help you write your US-style resume.

Resume Resources

International student resume example.

International Students:  Resume Example

International students often ask what information to include on the resume they will share with US employers. Your goal should be to highlight the experience you have that is relevant to the position to which you are applying. The tips below address the questions that international students typically have when preparing their resumes. Refer to the attached resume sample for an example of how the tips are applied.

Steps to developing a US resume:

• Work through the Resume Basics module that provides tips for crafting an effective resume in regard to both content and formatting. 
• Draft a resume using what you learned from the module and by reviewing the resume resources on the Feller Center's website.
• Get feedback on your resume. You may schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor in the Feller Center or the University Career Center. Alumni mentors in Terrapins Connect have also volunteered to review resumes. 

Overseas Experience or Education

If including overseas experience or education in your resume, it is helpful to provide a frame of reference for the prospective employer. For example:

• 2nd largest digital marketing firm in China
• #1 ranked engineering program in Switzerland

Resume Example - Construction Notes

Your name is usually the first thing that jumps out to recruiters.  It is important to list your name as it looks on legal documents, but if you have “adopted” an English first name, indicate this in parentheses at the top of your resume. If Americans have found your name difficult to pronounce, you may include the phonetic spelling beneath your name.

The Personal Summary is an optional section.  Here you might highlight your language and cultural fluency, as well as any qualifications that relate directly to the position you are seeking.

There are some major differences between American resumes and resume formats from other countries. Items in the Education Section (see the example above) are listed in reverse chronological order.  Start with your degree in progress.  If you have received degrees from other higher education institutions, you can list those after your University of Maryland degree information. If you list degrees from foreign institutions, provide a frame of reference (e.g. “equivalent to a two-year college”) when possible.  This will help recruiters understand the type of institution you attended.  If you decide to include a GPA from a foreign institution, make sure to convert the number to be consistent with the 4.0 GPA scale commonly used in the US.

Often your resume is the first impression an employer has of your skills and experience when considering you for an internship or other position. Employers determine what you will bring to the workplace by evaluating the skills and qualifications on your resume as they relate to the position for which you are applying.  Account for the variety of ways in which you have learned about American workplace culture by detailing your experiences working and/or volunteering at US organizations.

If you are an English language learner, highlight your ability to communicate in English throughout your resume.  Display how you are actively practicing your English skills to improve your oral and written communications.

Remember to check out the many other resume examples on the Feller Center website as well!

Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

In the US, an undergraduate resume is typically one page in length and highlights your relevant qualifications for a specific position. A CV, however, is one and a half to two pages for an  undergraduate  and may be even longer for  graduate students . It is a detailed overview of your academic background and accomplishments. Use a CV when applying to academic or research positions.

Writing Support

Every resume you submit should be free of spelling or grammatical errors. In addition to having a Career Advisor (the Feller Center offers frequent  appointments ) review your resume, seek a quick review from members of your support network at UMD who are native speakers of English. Signing up for an  English Language Partner  is another option; your conversation partner may be able to help with English grammar. Additional writing resources include the  Writing Center , the  Graduate School Writing Center  and the  Purdue Online Writing Lab.

US-culture guide to resume dos and don’ts:

• A US resume includes:
• A US resume DOES NOT include:
• Personal information such as full name and contact information (cellphone & email)
• Links to personal website, blog, or LinkedIn profile (optional)
• Education (highest degree first)
• Relevant coursework (optional)

Relevant experiences in addition to formal internships or jobs:

•    research experiences
•    course/independent projects
•    student leadership & volunteering
•    skills (language, computer, etc.)

Personal information such as:

• Marital status
• Race/ethnicity
• Home country, International permanent address, or   Immigration status
• English as a language skill
• Grammatical or spelling errors
• TOEFL or SAT scores

Cover Letters

A well-written cover letter is an important partner to your resume for an internship or job application in the US. It is your opportunity to show that you are an ideal candidate for the position by expanding on select experiences on your resume, making connections to the position, showing passion and interest in the position, career field and employer, and demonstrating your clear and concise written English skills.

Cover Letter  examples and tips. 

Writing Resources

Similar to a resume, every cover letter you submit should be free of spelling or grammatical errors. Drafting it in Word to benefit from the spell check features of that program, proofreading out loud, and printing it before reviewing your cover letter again are some best practices. It is a good idea to have a career advisor review it. BSOS Undergraduate students may schedule an appointment with the Feller Center, and graduate students may meet with the University Career Center for individual  appointments .

If you aren’t fluent in English, seek a quick review of your cover letter from members of your support network at UMD who are native speakers of English.

• Signing up for an English Language Partner is another option; your conversation partner may be able to help with English grammar.
• Additional writing resources include the UMD Writing Cente r , the Graduate School Writing Center and the Purdue Online Writing Lab.

• Resume Templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
• Resume Examples Nurse Student Internship Teacher Accountant View all
• Resume Builder
• Cover Letter Templates Simple Professional Modern Creative View all
• Cover Letter Examples Nursing Administrative Assistant Internship Graduate Teacher View all
• Cover Letter Builder
• Resume Help

International Resume Writing Tips

How to write an American resume and what to avoid

The purpose of an american resume, general guidelines for an american resume, the structure of an american resume, things to avoid in an american resume, american resume: final thoughts, how to write a british cv when applying for a job in the united kingdom, the british cv, short format british cv, additional british cv advice.

If you are going for a job abroad and wonder whether international hiring managers have different expectations, you would be right to ask the question. 

While the recruitment process will ask many of the same questions and request the same information in every country, some of the terminology can be confusing.

There are also a few subtle differences within certain countries, so let's explore some international resume writing tips in more detail.

This blog discusses the most common types of international resume rules, challenges, and tips, including:

• International resume introduction
• Why it matters to customize your resume for certain countries or cultures
• American resume
• the British CV
• Asian resume

Spanish resume

Russian resume.

• Writing a CV when English is your second language

Depending on the location of the job you’re applying for, you may want to understand more about an international resume. For example, if you are applying for a job in the United Kingdom, the United States, or Asia there are specific rules to follow and customs that are expected of job applicants. The same is true for Russia or Spain.

Another challenge is if languages like English or Spanish are your second language, then there are aspects of creating an international resume that should be followed in order to improve your chances of getting an interview.

Employee satisfaction affects how well a company can attract and retain top talent. Using Great Place to Work's annual list of the "World's Best Multinational Workplaces" this graphic charts how companies rated from 2011 to 2019

International resume introduction & writing a resume for international jobs

The first thing that you should do when applying internationally is to understand the expectations.

An international resume isn't so much a format, but rather a strategy to follow for aligning your resume with the local expectations and resume standards. The key to writing for an international audience is understanding more about expectations — what format do they prefer, do they want it translated, do they require references, a professional photo, or a portfolio?

There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for an international resume, so be sure to check out the specifics below, do your research, and don't be afraid to ask locals for advice.

Tone is also very important depending on which country you’re applying in. For instance, American-style resumes are expected to be more self-promoting, whereas in other countries, like China, you’re expected to be more modest.

International resume tip — More than any other resume, if you’re applying to a foreign country you need to be clear on your resume about your nationality, visa status, and language abilities. Whereas this isn’t important if you’re applying in your own country, this is critical information for international resumes.

What are some tips for a good resume? The most important tip for a resume is to tailor it towards the role that you are applying for. Every sentence and achievement has to add to your case that you are the person for this specific job. The more irrelevant details there are, the less attention an employer will pay to what else is there.

The American resume

Modern American resumes are now done digitally, typically found in PDF or Microsoft Word format in order to easily upload and email.

Some people believe that an American style resume can only be one page, but that’s not necessarily true. If you have more than 5-7 years of relevant experience or are in an executive function, your resume should be two pages .

The most common form of American resume is the chronological resume , which follows along a structured style starting with your most recent position.

An American resume typically follows the format of:

• Personal information
• Professional summary statement
• Work history (in reverse chronological order)
• Hobbies (optional)
• Certifications (optional)
• References (optional)

American resume tip — Make sure to understand the power of keywords . Many hiring processes and applications in the United States now involve the use of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) . An ATS helps employers organize and screen the hundreds of candidates who usually apply. Companies with high volumes of candidates use their ATS to automatically screen candidate resumes looking for certain keywords and phrases.

Rules, examples, and tips for writing an American resume when applying for a job in the United States. Convert your CV to an American resume following these resume tips and templates for the USA.

While most of the world uses a CV when looking for a job, in America the document most commonly used is a resume.  An American resume differs from a CV in that it is a summary of a person’s work history, skills, education and other items an employer may be interested in.  A CV , in the American sense, is very detailed and chronicles the person’s entire career with details about their achievements, publications, education and other items that are relevant to the job they are applying for. For the rest of the world, a CV is the same as an American Resume.

The only exception to using a resume in America is if you are applying for a job that is in either a technical or academic field. In these cases, you would default to a longer American CV.

In this guide, we will discuss the following critical components of writing an American resume:

• Differences between a resume and a CV
• The purpose of a resume
• How to organize
• Formatting an American resume
• What items you should and shouldn’t include.
• The individual components of an American resume
• How to optimize your resume

When creating a resume, keep in mind its purpose. A resume will not get you a job, rather it is intended to generate enough interest in you to get you invited to an interview .  Surveys indicate that recruiters spend about 6 seconds reviewing a resume. Therefore, it is important that you capture the reader’s attention quickly and make the resume interesting enough so that they will want to continue reading it.

A good way to determine how much of your resume a recruiter will read before they decide about you is to fold the first page in half. This is the most important real estate on your resume, and you need to use it to communicate your qualifications as concisely and clearly as possible.

What are the 4 C's of resume writing?

• Creativity. Every job requires you to make something from nothing every now and again.
• Communication. Getting stuff done with others needs excellent oral and written communication.
• Collaboration. Knowing how to achieve results as a team is key to so many careers.
• Critical thinking. Every problem has multiple solutions - finding the right one is rarely simple.

An American resume is constructed on Letter size, 8.5”x11” paper, in the portrait orientation. Modern American resumes are now done digitally, and are typically found in PDF format in order to easily upload and email.

Typically American resumes are either 1 to 2 pages, based on the length of your career .  New graduates or people with limited experience can easily use just one page to describe their qualifications. People with more experience may need two or even three pages to cover their complete job history, accomplishments , education, skills, and certifications.

A CEO will have a much longer resume than an intern . Simple as that.

When considering the content to include in your resume, a good guideline to follow is that if the information isn’t relevant to the job you are interested in then it should not be in your resume. Employers hire people for one of four reasons.

• You will make them money
• You will save them money
• You will save them time
• You will fix a problem

Keep these in mind when you are writing your resume. Another tip is to include some type of metric (i.e., $, #, %) in every 2-3 sentences. This captures the reader's attention and helps them recognize your contributions, with the assumption that you can do the same for them. There’s nothing worse than a recruiter reading some generic statement, like “Contributed to overall department success and team collaboration.”

What does that mean? What did you contribute and what were the results? What specifically did you do to promote teamwork ? Be as specific as possible.

You can find resources that will help you when writing your resume across the internet. These will provide you with  examples of effective resumes and  templates you can follow while constructing your resume.

Contact Information — The first thing in your resume should be your name and contact information. This should be at the top of the page , should be large enough to be easily seen, and should contain the following.

• Telephone number where you can best be reached, usually your mobile
• E-mail address — preferably your first & last name @ domain.com – don’t use cute or funny emails
• LinkedIn profile

Do not include a home address or links to your other social media pages. You can either put this information on the top of the first page or, better yet, include it as a heading so that it will show up on all the pages

Title — The next part of your resume is the title. This should be the same as the position you’re applying for. It lets the recruiter know exactly what position you’re interested in and sets the tone as they are reviewing the resume.

Summary — It is good to start your resume with a 2 to 3 sentence summary if your skills, experience, or education related to the job you’re applying for. This allows the recruiter to quickly recognize your qualifications and encourages them to read the remainder of the resume.

Professional Experience — You then turn to your employment experience . The section will contain details about the jobs you have worked at during the last 10 to 15 years.  Even if you have more experience, this is all you need to include because anything prior to this is either no longer relevant or has already been discussed in other job descriptions. The jobs should be detailed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent first.

When listing your jobs, include:

• Position or title
• Employer – Location (City, State) – Dates Employed (Month/Year – Month/Year)

You then provide a 1 to 2 sentence summary of your responsibilities and major achievements. This is followed by 3 to 4 bullets that describe significant achievements, key contributions, or specific duties related to the position you’re applying for. If your job title is self-explanatory, then you can skip the 1 to 2-sentence summary and focus on the bullet points.

Skills — After your experience, you can list your skills relevant to the job. These are usually bulleted in the side column of the resume. Modern resumes will display skills in a way that won’t increase the size of your resume and be visually appealing to the hiring manager. Check out this resume for a Financial Advisor as an example.

Include both hard skills related to the job and soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and leadership. The hard skills are usually stated in the job description as requirements. The soft skills enhance your qualifications and distinguish you from other applicants.

Education — You’ll next describe your formal, informal, and continuing education . Start with the most advanced degree and work backward listing other degrees . If your formal education occurred some time ago, you can start with recent certifications you have been awarded or informal training you have that enhances your qualifications for the job.

When detailing your education, list:

• Degree attained (i.e., MBA, BS, AS) and your major and any minors
• The school or institution attended
• Additional activities such as clubs, athletic teams, publications, major projects or internships

Make sure you also include information about any continuing education courses , or certifications you have received, and which are relevant to the job you are applying for.

Hobbies — This is an important section of your resume, and you should be adding them in. Hobbies show the hiring manager more about your personality and personal life, and can also help develop a connection between you and the hiring manager. List out any achievements linked to your hobbies, and provide a little bit of detail instead of blandly listing a one-word hobby.

By listing your personal interests on your resume, you can add a personal touch about what makes you you. In this article, we’ll discuss why it’s sometimes advisable to list interests on your resume.

What are the 3 F's of resume writing?

• Form. Format and style your resume so that it is easy to read and digest.
• Function. Make the resume functional by keeping it relevant and not going back too far in time .
• Effectiveness. An effective resume includes everything to help a hiring manager make their decision.

Items you should not include in your resume are:

Personal information : Examples of these are age, gender, race, or family status. Employers cannot ask about these due to restrictions related to job discrimination. Putting them in your resume could disqualify you from being interviewed, or waste the recruiter's time who reads them.

References : Unlike CVs that are used throughout the world, American resumes do not typically include references. If an employer needs references prior to hiring you, they will request them after you have progressed through the interview process and are being considered as one of the final candidates.

Writing an effective American resume is easy if you follow the guidelines provided. You need to write with the purpose of convincing the employer you can contribute to helping them achieve their business objectives. The objective is to create enough interest in you to incent the recruiter to invite you to an interview.

Following the recommended format and structure of an American resume makes it easy to read and provides a flow. Using the valuable space at the top half of the first page to summarize your qualifications is critical. This gets the balance of the resume read and increases your chances for an interview. Including metrics throughout your resume will keep it interesting and help the employer understand how you can help them to “make money, save money or save time.”

Avoid any mention of personal information in a resume. This may result in automatic rejection, even though you may be one of the better candidates for the job. You should also not include references. These aren’t expected in America and will be requested later in the interview process if the employer needs them.

Finally, remember to write your American resume keeping the job requirements in mind. Any content that isn’t relevant to these may distract the reader from your key message and shouldn’t be included.

Which are red flags on a resume? There are certain things on any resume that may make a hiring manager stop reading immediately. Be careful if your resume contains the following:

• Too many long (and unexplained) employment gaps
• Typos, mistakes, grammatical and formatting errors
• Lack of career progression or evidence of job hopping
• Too much personal information seems unprofessional
• A career path that doesn't fit the vacancy in question
• Inconsistency between your resume and LinkedIn profile

Every country is different! Here is a comprehensive guide that includes tips, tools, and examples for writing an amazing British CV.

Tips, tools, and examples for writing a British CV that lands an interview. If you're looking for a job in the UK, the expectations are slightly different than other countries—there are specific rules to follow with a British CV, and we cover all of them in this comprehensive guide.

As mentioned, the British use CV to denote the same as the U.S. resume. In academic circles (in both countries) CV can also be used to denote a longer form documents with lots of information about your education and professional experience, including additional training, papers you’ve written, conferences you attended, projects you’ve been involved in, and other details which demonstrate your qualifications.

British CV tip — Include references in your CV when applying for jobs in the UK, but don't include their contact details as this goes against data protection legislation. 

If you are looking for work in the UK, a CV will be a key part of your job search process. Any document you use to detail your qualifications is called a Curriculum Vitae, or CV. This also applies to most of Europe and even the Middle East.

Let's keep it simple.

A CV in the UK is the equivalent of a resume in the United States. 

It may have one or two pages, and all of the sections that you would expect in a resume should be present. This is not the academic document that Americans call a CV. In this comprehensive guide, we will show you how to write an effective British CV that helps you land an interview, by outlining:

• An introduction to the British CV
• The components of a British CV
• The short form British CV
• Additional advice when drafting your CV

If you want to tell your ‘life story’ with lots of details about your education and professional experience, including additional training, papers you’ve written, conferences you attended, projects you’ve been involved in and other details which will demonstrate your qualifications, then you should opt for the long format, or detailed CV.

This document can be as long as necessary to include the details of your life which are applicable to the position you are applying to. Keep in mind that modern job applicants bring in over 200 applicants, and hiring managers spend about 7 seconds reviewing each application. So choose a CV carefully, because the time you have to impress the hiring manager is limited.

The content of the long format CV will include the following:

• Name − full name, title, degree (e.g. Ph.D., etc.)
• Contact information - phone, email, LinkedIn profile, personal web page (no social media or home address)
• Summary − a brief description of what you have achieved in your education and profession
• Academic qualifications − your academic qualification; degree(s) (descending, with most advanced first). Include key courses studied, GPA , papers written, studies performed
• Additional training – work-related instruction or courses, conferences attended
• Additional knowledge − skills you have acquired as part of your profession
• Soft skills − collaboration, communication, teaming, etc.
• Languages – native plus any foreign languages you are fluent in, if applicable
• Software tools − applications you use in your profession (Microsoft, Google, CRM tools, etc.)
• Operating system platforms − Windows, Mac, Linux
• Database management system – Oracle, SAP, Siebel
• Experience breakdown − summarized explanation of your experience – employers, title, dates, location, role, and a brief (1-2 sentence) summary of responsibilities
• Achievements – any significant achievements in professional life
• Awards and honors
• A declaration − stating all information provided about the applicant as true
• References – 2-3 references with names, titles, organization, phone, email and the role they played in your professional career (i.e., manager, customer, peer)

The short format or business CV should be 1-2 pages long (A4 format). It only consists of facts, dates, and numbers. The reasons for applying and a summary of your skills which qualify you for the position can be detailed in a cover letter . Remember, recruiters only spend 7 seconds reviewing this type of resume before deciding about your qualifications, so you want to capture their interest.

The content of this type of British CV is:

• Personal information – Name, phone, email, LinkedIn URL and location (not an address)
• Professional summary – key skills, experience, and soft skills aligned with the job you are applying for
• Working experience – title, employer, location, and dates, starting with the most recent job. Include a brief description of the role, followed by a bulleted list of contributions and achievements for each position
• Formal education & training - university, dates, and places, but no grades or courses
• Languages, skills, proficiencies related to the job you are applying for

Both types of CVs include your personal information, education and qualifications, work experience, interests and achievements, skills, and references. The additional information in the long format CV provides details important to recruiters and hiring managers in professions where specific coursework, publications , software skills, and other, more detailed experience and education and work experience is key to selecting a candidate.  Make sure you provide as much detail as possible when constructing a long format CV.

Also, you should always tailor your CV to the job you are applying for. Use a modern but professional format . Few if any graphic elements; these aren’t effective and will confuse Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

It is important to consider including references in your CV when applying for a position in the UK. Employers expect these and a significant majority of them take the time to contact the references you provide. It’s best to provide at least 2 references. As an alternative, you can write "references available on request."

Prior to adding someone's name and information to your CV, you should contact the person to ask their permission to use them as a reference. It is also considerate of you to provide them with a copy of your CV and discuss your job search objectives with them. Remind them of what you did when you worked together and discuss a few contributions you made while there.

The Asian resume

Similar to the long-form British CV, resumes in Asia tend be longer than the traditional American and European resume. The best practices here are to include all the information you normally would: personal information, contact details, work history, academics, skills, languages, and references.

But, you should also include a professional photo. Unlike the United States where it's common to add a photo to your resume only in certain industries, in Asia it is generally expected that you include a photo across every industry. Also include two copies of your resume — one in English, and another in the native language of that country.

Resumes in Asia are expected to be more personal in nature, where you will include your age, gender, marital status, interests , nationality, and visa status. As with a long-form CV, you should expect to be more detailed about your skills and work experience than you would in a short-form American style resume.

Asian resume tip — Even if you don’t know the native language, showing some cultural knowledge and sensitivity by including some wording or greeting will always be appreciated.

What are the three main types of resumes?

• Reverse-chronological. Lists work experience in reverse order with the more recent job first.
• Functional . A resume that focuses on functional skills, with only employers and employment dates listed.
• Combined . An initial section for function skills with a normal chronological work experience afterwards.

Spanish resumes are similar to British ones, but require you to be more clear about your language abilities . This should be front and center in your resume.

If Spanish is your second language, be sure to use templates and examples designed for a Spanish-speaking audience. Generally, Spanish resumes are 1-2 pages and include the following information:

• Contact information
• A professional summary
• Education and GPA information — both high school and post-secondary
• Work experience in bullet points
• Skills and languages (be clear about your native language)

Spanish resume tip — It is important to have someone who is a native speaker read over your resume before you send it to an employer to ensure there are no grammatical or language errors.

Russian resumes are similar to resumes in Europe, in that they include all the basic information such as contact details, a professional summary, work history, education, skills, languages, and references.

Here are a few additional tips for writing a resume to apply for a job in Russia:

• Do not exceed 2 pages in length.
• Place the education section above work experience—this is a common expectation in Russia.
• As with most other countries, it is suggested to list your work experience in reverse chronological order.
• It is common to send along a translated version of your resume with a cover letter to Russian companies or an English version to an international company working within Russia.
• Unless requested, do not include references on your Russian resume.

Russian resume tip — Photos are not required or encouraged when submitting a resume in Russia. Unless it’s specifically requested, do not include a photo.

Writing a resume or CV when English is a second language

Writing an international resume is challenging enough, so writing a resume or CV in English when you're not a native speaker makes it even more difficult. To begin writing your resume in English, you should gather all relevant information so you are well organized. This includes:

• A copy of your current CV in your native language
• Any additional information you need to update your CV
• A description of the job(s) you are applying for so you can understand the types of language and keywords used
• An English dictionary, thesaurus, and / or Google Translate
• Templates to work with or a resume builder

Once you have all these resources, you can start translating. Check out resume examples for inspiration and research to find the right language and wording to use. Make sure to include the keywords that you collected in the job description you are applying for.

Writing a CV in English is different than writing a CV in your native language. English has several nuances that you must be aware of and the sentence structure is often different than what you are used to. However, once you are aware of these differences it is easy to translate your current CV into English.  

Writing resumes for different cultures and countries

What’s good for the UK, isn’t necessarily correct for the US, and what’s best practice in Russia, may not go over well in China. Find out as much about the local job application preferences as possible before you use an international resume to apply to a job.

If at all possible connect with a native person in your industry and ask them for feedback on your resume before you send it to an employer. It's even better if you can connect with a local person in your industry who speaks your native language too. Most often local residents are more than happy to help you get acclimated to a new job market and welcomed to their country.

11 Resume Writing Tips That Work

Your CV needs to stand out among hundreds of applicants. And with these resume writing tips, it will.

Your resume is the first thing hiring managers look at when you apply for a job—that is why it is important to make sure yours shines. Using the right language and formatting, and including the right talking points, can lead to an interview or even a job offer. Follow our resume writing tips for college students and give yourself the best possible chance for landing that job or dream internship. 

1. Find a Resume Template That Works for You 

Finding a good resume template is easy—Google and Microsoft Word are great places to start. Look for an example that fits your personality and your experience. Be consistent with the style you choose, whether it be bullet points or short paragraphs, and use the same formatting throughout your resume or CV.  

2. Summarize Your Qualifications 

Start your resume with a summary of who you are, what your professional track is, and why you are qualified for this job or internship position . Think of the qualifications summary as a three-sentence cover letter. Recruiters often appreciate knowing a little bit about you beyond your experience. Having trouble creating a summary? A career action plan will make writing a resume easier by giving you a better idea of your strengths and qualifications. 

3. Use Action Verbs 

Action verbs—as opposed to linking or helping verbs—are great for communicating responsibility on a resume. Be careful, though, because most experiential bullet points on resumes start with the same set of action verbs, words such as led, handled, or managed. Find creative ways to express your professional responsibilities to help you stand out from the crowd. Try acted as, coordinated, organized, or other synonyms. 

4. Use Numbers Wherever Possible 

Try to quantify your experience wherever you can when writing a resume—it gives the recruiters a sense of the volume and scope of your work. And it shows you can back up your claims with data, something many managers look for. How did you contribute and how much did you contribute? For instance, interning at an IT desk sounds more impressive when you have served over 100 people a day or caught an error that saved the company $50,000.  

5. Do Not Hide Your Education 

Most professional resumes list work experience above schooling. However, if you are still a student, then university is your primary responsibility and should feature prominently on your resume. Include your school’s name, your major, and your GPA. You should also consider listing any scholarships or accolades you have received as a result of your studies. 

6. Start with Relevant Work History 

If you are still in school or just graduated, you might not have much professional experience that is directly related to your prospective position. That is OK—you are not applying for a senior role and are probably not expected to have years of related work history. Align skills you have used in other jobs to the position you are applying to. Include internships, other entry-level jobs, volunteering positions, research projects, and anything else that is relevant. 

7. Focus on Your Achievements and Leadership Experience 

It is OK if your experience does not relate directly to the role, especially if you can list examples of how you were a leader. You can also include your professional, sports, or scholastic achievements. Extracurricular activities and joining a campus club —like being captain of your varsity basketball team or belonging to the debate club—show that you are a team player and know how to lead.  

8. Do Not Forget to Include Your Extracurriculars  

Are you on the swim team? In the chess club? Do you volunteer at a local shelter or regularly participate in some other form of community service? If you do not have the professional experience necessary to fill your resume, include your other activities. Show the recruiter how these activities and interests align with the role requirements in the job description. 

9. Include a Skills Section 

Many hiring managers are checking to see if you have the computer skills required to complete the job. Include the computer languages, applications, and platforms that you have experience with, especially when these tools apply directly to the role. If you have taken any classes or hold any certifications—such as the free Google Analytics Academy certifications—make sure you include those credentials, too. 

10. One Page Is Enough 

Many college students will probably have trouble filling a single page with their work history. If you find yourself running longer than one page, then you should consider editing your resume down to fit. While a one-page resume is not a strict rule—you can go longer if you have the experience to make it work—it is enough for the majority of job applicants. And remember, writing a great cover letter helps you tell the rest of your story and explain your “why me” to the hiring manager.

11. Do Not Forget to Proofread

Last but not least, make sure you read through your resume several times before submitting any job applications. A typo, bad grammar, or inconsistencies can be a red flag for hiring managers in fields where attention to detail is important. Ask a family member or friend to take a look, as well as someone in your university’s career service department. 

As a college student, finding great ways on how to write a resume can be challenging, but there is more to a resume than just work experience. Creating a clear picture of who you are, what relevant experience you have, and why you are the best candidate for the position are the ingredients to a great resume. Concentrating on these CV or resume writing tips will help you put your best foot forward when applying for a job. 

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• August 15, 2020
• Career Advice , International Students , View More

Resume Writing Tips for International Students

UOTP Marketing

When you want to write a resume, in your mind, you’re planning to bring out a perfect product that will get you hired. But how exactly will you write a perfect resume if you don’t have prior experience in building a resume in English? You don’t need to worry about that at all, we’ve thought about you!

So, here are 12 tips for international students on how to write the best resume.

1. Stick to a One-Page Resume

Sometimes, we tend to believe that the longer the resume we write is, the higher the chance to get hired. However, we learned the hard way that it isn’t necessarily so. The trick is to add all the information needed in a brief but comprehensive way. In this manner, the format of a one-page resume is the ideal one.

The one-page resume is what is mostly preferred by recruiters. The reason behind it might be the time limitation they have to read the resumes of all the applicants. Also, a shorter resume will certainly push you to prioritize your strengths and add only meaningful information.

2. Don’t Forget to Add the Basic Information

As a rule, the hardest part of a test or writing piece takes the most time and attention. Sometimes this can result in us forgetting to add the crucial information, i.e., our name. But this shouldn’t happen at all. That’s why writing your name should be the first step in the process of creating a resume. The name should be written in a larger bold font. Also, don’t forget your contact details. You should make sure they’re listed clearly. Your name, together with your contact details—phone number, email address, street name, city, and state, should appear at the top of the resume regardless of the resume format you’re using.

3. Put Essential Information First

While this tip might sound similar to the one mentioned above, this one here focuses on the overall order of the information put on the resume. The most crucial info goes at the top. You start with your contact details, work experience, relevant skills, and educational background. When you talk about skills, try to list the most important ones first.

4. Use Effective Keywords and Titles

Nowadays, many companies are already using digital databases to search for candidates. Meaning that HR professionals will run search queries based on specific keywords. So, if you don’t include the right keywords related to your job position in your resume, you might get lost in the crowd of the candidates. In case you aren’t familiar with these keywords, take a look at the job description and the job ad to find clues about what the employer is looking for.

You should also be careful with the titles you use in your resume. Try to be as descriptive as you can with the job positions you’ve held. They should grab the attention of the recruiters. For instance, if you’ve worked in business administration, you shouldn’t just mention the field you worked in, but also the exact position you had in that company.

5. Stay Away from Jargon or Slang Use

One thing that we know for sure is that slang shouldn’t be used in a resume. Not even technical jargon. You shouldn’t assume that the recruiter knows what you’re talking about. The individual that’s going to read your resume might not have any technical expertise you might think they have.

6. Be True to What You’re Writing

While this might sound like a no-brainer, it’s something that happens quite often. Many people, for different reasons, lie on their resumes. However, even if this goes through your mind, avoid it at all costs. One of the reasons is that most HR departments do a background check before even contacting someone for an interview . That’s why you wouldn’t want to lose your credibility for good.

7. Pay Attention to the Typography

When writing the resume, you should write it with the people who are going to read it in mind. Not everyone’s eyesight is the same. That’s why you should make sure that the fonts you’re using are big enough. The optimal font size you can use in your resume is 12 points. As for the font style, you can choose whichever you like, but the safer choices would be “Arial” and “Times New Roman.” Another thing to keep in mind is not to use capital letters all the time, since that will result in you not communicating the message of the resume as clearly as intended.

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8. Don’t Include Irrelevant Information

Irrelevant information is all the information that won’t be considered in your hiring process. Irrelevant information would include political affiliation, religion, and sexual preference. Not only will this information not help you, but it might also hurt your chances of getting employed.

9. Use Bullet Points

Considering the large number of resumes recruiters receive daily, it’s common sense that they don’t have the time of the world or even the patience to read large chunks of texts. That’s where the use of bullet points is the perfect move. You can use bullet points and short sentences to describe your educational background, experiences, and professional objectives. In this way, you’ll serve recruiters all the information they need to know in a way that won’t bore them.

10. Use Action Verbs

Using action verbs is a standard tip given to students. However, you might be wondering what their function in a resume is. Action verbs are those verbs that will get noticed more quickly, as they describe a mental or physical action. They’re a more persuasive language tool that allows you to be concise and impactful. Additionally, they’ll help recruiters picture you in the role you claim you had.

11. Don’t Use Pictures Unless  You’re Asked To

Sometimes we may feel as though the resume isn’t complete without a picture of us. Regardless of how tempting this might be, you shouldn’t attach a photo to your resume. If you’re not applying for a job where the physical traits are fundamental, or the employer didn’t specifically request it, you should avoid this step.

12. Have Someone Proofread It

After all the time and effort we put into building our resume, it’s understandable we might feel like we did the impossible, and it might look perfect in our eyes. However, this isn’t always the case. That’s why we should get a second or third opinion before submitting it. When we spend quite a bit of time writing, we might become blind to our mistakes or way of reasoning. But a fresh set of eyes will notice what needs to be improved and give appropriate suggestions on how to actually improve it.

There you go, folks. If you’ve been asking yourself what a student should put on a resume or maybe needed a few tips on creating a resume that will get you hired, now, you have them all. Make good use of them. Good luck with your job hunting process. If by chance you happen to need someone to give you a hand with creating a resume, know that we are always ready to help. All you need to do is contact us .

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• INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

6 Key Resume Tips For International Students

• August 8, 2020

Table of Contents

What does a us resume include, 1. keep it simple and informative, 2. beware of the formatting and structure, 3. list with bullet points , 4. showcase educational qualifications & experience, 5. use powerful action verbs , 6. review & check grammar.

Are you an international student looking for tips on how to write a resume for the first time? In this article, we provide some essential tips to help students follow the correct format and craft a standard American resume.

When creating a resume , you need to emphasize your education along with your experience. American resumes are used to give employers a summary of a person’s skills and accomplishments.

First off, let’s see what a resume includes and a brief introduction of what each section should provide. 

Note: unless the job posting specifically instructs you to include them on your resume, do not list references. Instead, you can choose to add “References available upon request”, and be prepared to show them during your interview.

Employers want to know facts, so try to put everything on a single page but keep it organized. For new graduates or those with limited experience, describing qualifications and prioritizing strengths can easily make a  concise resume. 

Employers need to be unbiased and are interested in why you would be a great fit for the job opening. Thus, you should not disclose unnecessary extensive information such as building number, street name, landmark,  age, race, religion, test scores, or any other detail that doesn’t reflect your actual skills. 

Try to include numbers to provide quantifiable information that might catch a recruiters’ eye. Phrases such as “assessed 20-40 articles”, supervised 5-10 students”, or “increased sales by 20%”. Illustrating your capabilities can hold much more power than simply stating the tasks you’ve done.

We mentioned that resumes should look clean and organized. The best way to keep it simple is by focusing on structure and formatting. 

Foremost, your name and contact information should be at the top in a header format. Use standard fonts like Times New Roman and Arial, with a size that is not difficult to read  (11-12, no smaller than 10). It’s best if you avoid going over the top with features such as italics, underlining, shading, or bolding.

If you’re fresh out of school and just starting your career, and you’re worried your resume may look too short, a skills-based (also called functional) resume format might be a better choice. This arrangement focuses more on knowledge and transferable skills and less on the job experience. However, in order for this format to be effective, make sure to craft a rich introduction, and incorporate an in-depth skills section.

Bullet points are used to highlight key accomplishments or experiences. Try to use 2-3 effective bullet points for every header (education, experience..) with information and/or achievements. Readable, standard bullet points like circles or hyphens are most commonly used, still, whichever your preferred style is, make sure to stay consistent throughout the whole resume.

The aforementioned tip to add numbers to your resume is most effective when used in bullets. It helps impress recruiters and helps them picture the impact you’ve made. You should list your bullet points from most important and relevant to the job, to less applicable. 

Many undergraduates and fresh graduates mostly rely on their academic background to get a job, so, they need to highlight their performance in their resume. Following the same structure throughout the resume, list in reverse chronological order all your degrees, diplomas & certifications. Another way of listing can be to keep the qualification most relevant to the job at the top of the list. 

When listing degrees, you should include the start and end year of the program, majors and minors, and extracurricular activities. For jobs, include the position or title, the employer, location, and the dates you started and ended the position (month/year). You can provide a short summary of your responsibilities and major achievements, followed by the effective bullet points mentioned above. When the job title is self-explanatory, then you can focus on the bullet points only.

When it comes to skills, think about the skills and experiences required for the job you’re applying for and try to highlight them by including any internships or jobs where you developed these qualities. Even if your experiences aren’t directly related, think of ways you can connect them with the position. 

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For employers who recruit college graduates, certain skills are in high demand. Be sure to mention what you have done while in college, that will help you be perceived as someone who is familiar with presenting and research, and has writing skills. For example, you might include how projects during your IT degree have made you a problem solver and critical thinker, or how your economics & finance classes have made you numbers savvy and developed communication skills.

When describing your achievements, use action words that present you as an active person. You might see a correlation between this tip and the one with quantifiable information. Action verbs help show your responsibility and Add powerful impressions to your statements. Describing communication, CREATIVE, FINANCIAL, leadership, teaching skills, with action verbs will portray your abilities in an energetic way. 

To start out your phrases, adopt words that imply change like increased or reduced. Other words like Negotiated, found, documented, assisted, aided, delegated, advised, etc, will translate your achievements in a more concise and to-the-point way.

Ex. In charge of design, layout, and implementation of publications on campus.

A clean resume that is error-free will make you look professional. You need to make sure your resume has no mistakes. Check the resume to ensure that it has no spelling or grammatical errors and that the format is correct before you submit it.,.

Check little words such as or, of, it, and is that tend to get interchanged and words that people often confuse, such as there, their with they’re, you’re with your, and its with it’s. To make sure you have not missed anything, don’t hesitate to ask your friends, colleagues, or advisors, for constructive criticism.

Follow these resume tips for college students and keep in mind to update your resume at regular intervals to include new skills and your latest experiences. While submitting a job application you can customize your resume to fit for the given position. Good luck!

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Resume Tips for International Students: Application Deep-Dive

• February 7, 2023

Today, resumes aren’t just for job-hunting. As a supporting document in your study abroad application, a strong resume can help you stand out to colleges or universities. It may also be part of your international student visa application, or accompany a broader portfolio of work. The following resume tips for international students can help you make a great first impression—read on!

Once you’re done with your resume, write a top-notch statement of purpose with these country-specific guides for students applying to colleges or universities in Australia , Canada , or the United Kingdom .

Keep It Simple

Before you start drafting or updating your resume, check your target colleges and universities’ application pages, as they may ask for specific types of information. That said, the following information should be in almost all resumes. 

A resume may include your:

• Education details (the school’s name and qualification you earned)
• Personal contact information (phone, email, LinkedIn profile)
• Related awards and certifications
• Related skills 
• Work and volunteer experience

On the other hand, avoid sharing:

• Interests or hobbies unrelated to your desired field of study
• Personally identifying information (like your age, religion, or political affiliation)
• Too much information—your resume should be one to two pages long

Remember : You have only a few seconds to catch the reviewer’s attention, so make sure they can find key information quickly. Here are some ways to do that:

• Keep your sentences short
• Use a 10-to-12-point font size (sans serif fonts like Arial are easier to read at a smaller size than serif fonts like Times New Roman)
• Use bullet points to make your resume easy to scan

While you might want to let ChatGPT write your resume, it could put your whole study abroad application at risk . Instead, check out these apps to support your writing process .

Focus on Impact

When talking about your past work or volunteer experience, focus on the difference you made instead of listing day-to-day tasks . Try to share your accomplishments both as an individual and as a team member. 

Whether your science fair project won silver, or you helped build an app that boosted the company’s sales in the last quarter, use your resume to highlight what you achieved with your work. It can be hard to narrow these moments down, but talking with instructors, past supervisors, and friends or family can help remind you of what you’ve accomplished.

If you took some time between your studies to work, travel, or care for family, you’ll also need to write a study gap statement. Put your best foot forward with these study gap statement writing tips .

When pursuing your dreams of studying abroad, it might feel tempting to make your work or education sound more impressive than it is… but don’t do it. 

Colleges and universities want to teach students who are willing to learn . So, positioning yourself as an expert in your field, especially if you’ve just finished secondary or undergraduate studies, can make admissions teams less likely to want to give you a seat. Embrace a growth mindset in your application: show you care about learning, and how the course you’re interested in will build on your existing knowledge.

Lastly, if you’re thinking of stretching the truth, remember that both academic institutions and visa officers may ask for supporting documents that verify the claims you make on your resume. If you’re caught in a lie, it can put your entire application at risk. Don’t take that chance!

Curious about the student visa interview process? Check out our tips for interviewing in Australia , Canada , the United States , and the United Kingdom .

Strong study abroad applications effectively share how other people see you. As such, external opinion is more valuable than personal acclaim . Calling yourself a top professional, thought leader, or similar title on your resume won’t help your case, but if you won a related award, add it to your resume’s Awards section. Or, if you’re in an article where you were praised for a reason related to the course you’re applying to , attach it as a supporting document.

Wording-wise, avoid once-popular descriptors like “coding wizard” or “rockstar entrepreneur.” Terms like these won’t impress the reviewers. Worse, other nicknames like “ninja” and “guru” steal from other cultures, and could make your application sound insensitive.

Update the Format

With access to free design tools like Canva , you can easily update your resume style. Application review teams at colleges and universities look at a lot of resumes every day, which can look the same over time. A well-designed resume may inspire them to look closer. 

However, while good formatting and use of a contrast colour can modernize your resume, don’t add more than two or three graphic elements or use unusual fonts . Career blog The Balance recommends most resumes use classic bookprint fonts , like Arial, Verdana, Times New Roman, or Calibri. 

Also, research has found adding a photo to your resume can bias your reviewers , so save that valuable space for text, instead. (A good compromise? If you have a LinkedIn profile, include a link to it in the info section. If recruiters are considering you and look up your profile, they’ll see your picture there.)

Get Other Opinions

If possible, let a friend, family member, or advisor read your resume. They’ll let you know if the font is too small to read easily, and which parts are strongest. They can also catch stray commas or if you used the wrong word. If they know you well, they might even remind you of an accomplishment you’ve forgotten that could help you stand out! So, make sure to save enough time during the application process for this step.

Ready to get started? Check out our top four writing tips for international students .

We hope that these resume tips for international students will help your resume rise to the top of the pile. Best of luck!

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How to prepare an American resume as an international student

When seeking an internship or job in the US as an international student, preparing an American resume is essential to successfully obtaining employment. Every university and college has a preferred template that they like their students to follow. Consider consulting your career office for your institution-specific resume template and formatting advice as you read this article.

Developing a strong US format resume will highlight your education, skills and experiences to US employers and increase your chances of landing competitive roles. Even if you already have a resume, it may differ significantly from what is expected in the US. For example, American resumes generally include less personal information than other nations, contain no photos and test scores, and may differ in their format and content.

Resumes can be used for on-campus jobs, internships, full-time jobs, volunteer opportunities, and even networking and informational calls and events. Every job you apply to will require you to send in a resume, so it is important that your resume’s content and format fits what is expected from US employers.

Resume content

A resume’s content can differ based on what industry or role one is applying to, but US format resumes all typically include several standard sections of content.

• Personal Information: US resumes usually have a page header that includes one’s full name, cell phone number, and email. Some resumes also include a home address, city, personal website, or LinkedIn profile link.
• Education: Your school’s name, location, degree, area of study, and dates attended are the essential pieces to list. You may also want to include your GPA, relevant coursework, or awards and honors achieved, if space permits. Different countries can have different degrees and university-related terms, so be as clear as possible and avoid abbreviations. Additionally, do not list a high school or unnecessary educational information.
• Relevant Experience: In this section, you want to list your most relevant past work experiences, such as internships and jobs. Most relevant experience sections focus on full-time and part-time jobs, internships, and co-ops, but you can also add research experience, student leadership, volunteering, and independent projects. This section is usually the largest, and should include concise but valuable information on each of your past experiences.
• Skills and Interests: Most US resumes include this section, where you can feature technical skills applicable to the role you are applying to. You can also add any international experiences and languages. Some undergraduate students also include several of their interests and hobbies if space permits, as this can add more personality to one’s resume. However, this is not a priority, and transferable skills should be listed first.

Resume format

A resume should be formatted in a way that is organized and easy-to-read. Standard US resumes are usually only one page long, so it is important to keep your resume’s content concise. 

Additionally, US resumes follow a reverse-chronological format, which puts your most recent experience at the top of each section. For example, if your education section includes multiple institutions, you would put the most recent one attended at the top. Similarly, in your relevant experience section, your most recent job or internship should be listed first.

US style resumes should be written in standard American English rather than British English. In terms of font, most US resumes are formatted in a classical font like Times New Roman, Garamond or Cambria. It is also important to have the right font size, with most resumes using 11-12 point font size; this way, you can include detailed information while also keeping the resume easily readable.

Final thoughts

Creating an effective US format resume will highlight your education, skills and experiences to US employers, and increase your chances as you apply to jobs, internships, or research projects. As you search for employment, Interstride’s portal can help you apply for jobs and internships that are hiring international students. Simply log in to have its resources available.

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Resume Writing Center

It’s important to put the work into your resume or curriculum vitae (also known as a CV) when applying for a job as this is what will land you the interview – and get your foot in the door. The hiring company will not only want to know that you are a qualified candidate, but that you will excel in the role and be a good fit for the position.

The InternationalStudent.com Resume Writing Center provides you with all the resources you will need to write the perfect resume, CV, and cover letter. With sample resumes, resume writing tips and help on writing a resume cover letter, all the information is contained here.

For international students it can be very hard to know what to include, what not to include, how to follow up interviews with letters....the list is endless. We have compiled all the information you need to know so that you can construct the perfect resume!

Please visit each section below for more information about your application:

Writing Tips Power Word Lists Keywords on Resumes Cover Letter Guide Cover Letter Design Follow up tips Resume Samples Common Resume Mistakes

Looking for more resources? Check out the following for more information on finding and landing the job of your dreams:

Work Study in the US

Are you looking for a job while studying in the US? It is possible – and we’ll show you how in our Work Study section where we’ll look at visa restrictions, employment opportunities, and how to work with your school to get the correct authorization.

Student Job Search

Finding a job is not easy, which is why our Student Job Search can help you find work outside your home country. Whether you are looking for employment or an internship, we’ve got you covered and will help you along with way.

Work in the USA

If you are not from the US, then there are many important differences that you should be aware of when it comes to both cultural and procedural know-how. Learn more about the application procedure, management culture, and more!

Resume writing tips for international students in Canada

The first thing you need when looking for jobs is a Canadian-style resume . As you sit down to craft your resume, you may have several questions. What can you include in your resume? Does your international experience count? How can you prove you’re qualified for the job without any Canadian work experience ? In this article, we provide tips and advice on how to write the perfect resume as an international student in Canada.

In this article:

Why do you need a resume as an international student in Canada?

• How to write a resume as an international student with no Canadian experience
• What should a good international student resume include?

Eight resume writing tips for international students in Canada

One question many international students in Canada have is, “Do I even need a resume?” If you plan to work in Canada during or after your studies, the answer is a resounding YES .

As an international student, you may be eligible to work part-time while studying to cover part of your living expenses in Canada . Alternatively, your study program may include a mandatory internship or co-op term. Whether you choose to work on-campus, off-campus, or as an intern or co-op student in a professional environment, you will need a Canadian-style resume to apply to these work opportunities.

Often, international students who move to Canada to study decide to stay here and work for a few years after they graduate. To work full-time in Canada after completing your studies, you need to apply for a Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) or an employer-specific work permit. When you start looking for full-time employment after graduation, your resume will be a valuable tool.

Your resume is often your first opportunity to make an impression on potential employers and also determines how your future manager will assess your value. An impressive Canadian-style resume can help you stand out among your peers by highlighting your unique strengths and skills that will help you excel in the workplace.

How to write a resume as an international student with no Canadian experience 

As you prepare to enter the Canadian job market, your Canadian counterparts will likely have an advantage over you in the job search process. Some of them may have worked in part-time or summer jobs since high school and, having grown up here, may already have valuable industry connections. You may need to catch up with them in certain crucial areas in order to be on equal footing when you start looking for jobs.

So how can you, as an international student, make your resume stand out? The prep work for your resume starts well before you put pen to paper, even as early as the beginning of your study program. Here are some key aspects to focus on:

Volunteer work counts as Canadian experience

In Canada, volunteer experience is considered work experience and, where relevant, you should include it on your resume. Volunteering is part of the Canadian culture and can help you gain insight into the Canadian professional environment. It’s also a great way to put your theoretical knowledge to practice, develop new skills, and build your professional network . Not to mention it also gives back to your community.

Download our Networking Guide for insights on why networking is crucial for your career in Canada and tips to help you build professional connections in Canada.

Start building your portfolio

More than anything, what an employer wants to know is whether, if they hire you, you can get the job done. A powerful portfolio is proof of your capabilities, both technical and creative. You should only include your best work or the projects you’re most proud of. Your portfolio can be in the form of a blog, design portfolio, or other samples of your past work. If you have a digital portfolio, include a link to it on your resume and LinkedIn profile .

Focus on the transferable skills you can bring to a company

Think about all the skills you’ve acquired through your studies and how those skills can be beneficial to the position you’re applying for. Even if it doesn’t seem directly related, there may be aspects of your past work, part-time job, academic projects, clubs and extracurricular activities, and volunteer work that are valuable for your new role. For instance, if you worked part-time at a call center while studying, you may have picked up customer service and time management skills or learned new software on the job. If you were the treasurer of a student club, you probably picked up some accounting or fundraising skills. If you coached a sports team, you may be able to highlight the people management skills you developed.

What should a good international student resume include? 

Since each company looks for a different combination of skills and experience, you should customize your resume for each and every company and position you apply for. This will improve your chances of being selected for an interview. Here are some standard elements that a good Canadian resume should include:

• Your name and contact information. Make sure your email address is one you check frequently and is professional (it shouldn’t include nicknames, slang, or, ideally, numbers)
• A link to your LinkedIn profile and/or portfolio. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and reflects your recent accomplishments. Most Canadian employers will go through your LinkedIn profile and other social media accounts before hiring you, so make sure they are professional and optimized for your job search.
• A professional summary or objective. This paragraph should summarize your skills and achievements along with why you would be a good fit for the position.
• Any relevant skills or professional experience. Professional experience can include internships, part-time jobs, projects you’ve done in school, co-ops, or even volunteer experience. You can also include work experience from your home country if it’s relevant to the job.
• Your education and academic accomplishments. Even if your study program doesn’t directly relate to the role, your academic merit can prove that you’re a hard worker and fast learner. 
• Language skills and other relevant interests. If you speak a language other than English, that can potentially be a huge asset. You may also have honed other interests over the course of your studies that are relevant to the workplace or your desired industry. For instance, if you were on the debate team in university, potential employers may see that as evidence of public speaking and analytical thinking skills.

Now that you know what should generally be included in your resume, let’s dive deeper into what a good resume should look like and how you can craft an impressive Canadian resume that will resonate with employers.

1. Choose the right resume format 

There are three main resume formats in Canada : reverse chronological, functional, and combination or hybrid. For students, a functional resume is the most effective format. One of the most common apprehensions international students have while writing their resumes is how to draw attention away from their lack of Canadian work experience. The functional resume format helps solve this problem by focusing on your skills and achievements rather than your experience (or the lack of it). 

On the other hand, the reverse chronological resume lists your work experience from most recent to least recent and is best suited for experienced professionals. If you have prior work experience, you can also use a combination resume, which highlights both your work history and transferable skills.

Download our free Canadian Resume templates and customize them to your profile:

2. Highlight your skills and non-professional experience

Research the role you’re interested in to understand the skills the employer seeks. Your resume should reflect relevant skills you bring to the table and your accomplishments from past professional and non-professional roles. Non-professional experience can include any relevant projects you completed inside or outside of school, or volunteer experience applicable to the position. Use the C-A-R (Challenge-Action-Result) approach to showcase the impact you made and, where possible, quantify your accomplishments.

3. Use keywords from the job description 

Including keywords from the job description in your resume increases your chances of getting past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). This is an automated system that scores and ranks your resume based on how closely it matches the job description. Many Canadian companies, large and small, use ATS to filter applications so that only resumes that are a good fit for the role reach the recruiter or hiring manager.

4. Include relevant technical and soft skills 

Are you a good communicator? Have you led small teams to complete a task or project? Soft skills like communication and leadership are sought after in the Canadian job market and should be included on your resume. Again, read the job description to understand which skills are relevant to the role.

5. Include your foreign qualifications (and ECA equivalents)  

Academic or professional qualifications from your home country may still be useful in the Canadian job market. Often, different countries have different nomenclature for educational credentials. If possible, get your foreign credentials assessed and list their Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA) equivalency on your resume. This will give employers a better picture of your qualifications as they apply to the role in question. It will also improve your resume’s match score when it passes through ATS.

6. Keep your resume short  

As an international student, your resume should not be longer than one page, especially if you’re applying to entry-level jobs. A short resume encourages you to highlight only the most important aspects of what makes you a viable candidate. If you have several years of work experience, Canadian or foreign, and are applying for a mid- to senior-level role, a two-page resume is acceptable.

7. Use standard fonts and avoid design elements 

In an attempt to make their resume stand out, many applicants make the mistake of incorporating fancy graphics and bold colours in their resume. However, tables, design elements, and other non-text content can lower the chances of your resume clearing ATS. Employers want the actual information on your resume, and niche fonts or design elements can be distracting. Keep it simple, at least for this phase of your job search. Avoid using pictures and stick with standard fonts. Be sure to leave ample white space to make your resume more readable.

8. Include a cover letter 

Even if the job posting doesn’t specifically ask for one, always include a cover letter. Cover letters are your opportunity to get a bit more personal about why a specific job is important to you and why you are a good fit for it.

As an international student in Canada, you should familiarize yourself with a Canadian-style resume before you start looking for internships, part-time work, or even your first job after graduation. Your lack of relevant Canadian experience doesn’t necessarily lower your chances of landing your dream job in Canada. As long as you’re able to focus on your strengths, highlight relevant achievements and skills, and make a strong case for why the organization should hire you, you should be able to start your career successfully in Canada.

Things our lawyers want you to know

This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.

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About Arrive

Arrive is operated by Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), the largest bank in Canada* and one of the most reputed banks in the world, employing 80,000 people worldwide. In collaboration with RBC, Arrive is dedicated to helping newcomers achieve their life, career, and financial goals in Canada.

*Based on market capitalization

Disclaimer: This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.

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New year, new role? Here’s all you need to know to write a winning CV in 2024

There’s no better time to learn how to write a CV for students than now.

In the US, the optimistic outlook for the stock market and the economy for the remainder of 2023 into 2024 could have positive implications  for job seekers.

Usually, businesses become more confident, investing more and, thus, creating more jobs.

Of course, that’s not saying it’s easy to get a job — there are still many hoops to jump over and endless rounds of interviews in a company’s pursuit to find the right person.

If you’re applying for a new job this year, be prepared for:

• Many interviews: 47% of job seekers get invited to one or two interviews after submitting up to 10 applications.
• Many applications: 27% of job seekers get a job offer after submitting up to 10 applications.
• A lot of competition: On average, 118 people apply for a single job.

And if you’re a fresh graduate, it can appear that you can’t seem to catch a break.

With little experience and not much knowledge of how to impress recruiters, how do you stand out?

There’s one piece of paper that can help.

Depending on which country you’re applying for a job, a CV and resume could mean the same thing. Source: AFP

What is a CV?

CV — short for the Latin “curriculum vitae,” which means “course of life” in English — is a detailed document highlighting your professional and academic history.

It’s most popularly compared to a resume, which is a formal document providing an overview of your professional background and relevant skills.

Depending on which country you’re applying for a job, a CV and resume may mean the same thing.

In the EU, the terms CV and resume are used interchangeably. Generally, they are a one to two-page career summary document used when applying for jobs.

On the other hand, the curriculum vitae in the US is a very long document (as many pages as needed) that sums up everything you’ve ever done in your career. It is specifically used to apply for positions in academia.

It’s important to tailor your CV for every job application. Source: AFP

What to include in a CV?

There’s really no strict rules as to what you should include in your CV — it all depends on your experience and the position you are applying for.

But we love this advice from Susan Ireland, author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Résumé.”

She recommends focusing on the future, and not the past — and especially not the parts of your old jobs that you hated. Do that, and you’ll only attract new jobs that you’ll end up with new jobs that you’ll only hate too.

Ireland tells us to emphasise experiences that are most relevant to the position you want — and not what you think your past experiences qualify you for.

“Your résumé is about your future,” she said to The New York Times , “it’s not about your past.”

However, some sections are there to stay no matter what role you apply.

At the very least, every CV should include the following:

• Contact information
• CV summary or objective
• Work experience

Depending on your profile, you can also include the following sections:

• Certificates and awards
• Volunteer experience
• Personal projects

When it comes to layout, most choices boil down to personal preference. We recommend your CV look as organised as possible since you only have  seven seconds  to make a strong first impression.

Still, keep these tips in mind when you are formatting your CV: 

• Stick to one page. No recruiter has time to go over more than that. Unless you have a very extensive work history that needs additional space, one page should be enough.
• Keep it consistent. Use the same colours, the right font, and font size for every section and section header. You want your CV to look clean, professional, and organised. To play it safe, use Times New Roman. Avoid Comic Sans at all costs.
• Get the spacing right. There should be enough space between lines and sections so that everything is distinctive and easy on the eyes. Be careful of the other extreme, however. Wide margins and too many spaces might leave your CV looking empty. You don’t want to imply you’re not bringing much to the table.
• Save it in the right format. Some companies might specifically ask you to send them a .docx file. If they don’t, we’d recommend saving your CV as a PDF. This will make sure the formatting remains intact and your CV has a higher chance of getting past Applicant Tracking Systems.

How to write a CV for students: 6 essential headings

1. create a header with contact information.

Having the right contact information on your CV helps to reduce the time it takes for your recruiter to get back to you. 

Generally, the must-have contact information for your CV consists of:

• First name and last name. 
• Phone number
• Email address
• Professional title

All information should be up-to-date and professional. 

This means no funny, confusing email address and no buzzwords in your job title.

Unless you’re applying for a social media role, your TikTok account isn’t necessary.

2. Write a professional summary

How do you convince recruiters you are perfect for the job in just seven seconds?

Use a CV summary or objective.

It is two to three sentences that give the recruiter a glimpse of your skills, motivation in the field, and career goals. 

A good CV objective, for example, goes along these lines: A creative and self-motivated marketing graduate looking for a full-time position as part of a marketing team. I work hard and learn fast. Practical experience in strategic marketing through three internships and two part-time positions.

On the other hand, if you’re an experienced professional with years in the industry, you should be using  a CV summary . 

As the name suggests, a CV summary is a snapshot of your professional history that highlights your experience and achievements in the field. 

Here are some examples of what a good CV summary looks like:

• Knowledgeable and thorough IT security specialist with 8+ years of experience with complex IT environments. Knowledge in scripting languages; eg. Python, PowerShell, etc, Cyber Threats Intelligence, and client and server OS security hardening. Extensive experience developing and monitoring security architectures of cloud-based systems for two major companies.
• Accomplished marketing professional with over eight years of experience developing and executing successful campaigns for Fortune 500 companies. Proven track record in digital marketing strategy, leading cross-functional teams, and boosting brand visibility. Adept at analysing market trends and consumer behaviour to drive impactful marketing initiatives. Seeking to leverage expertise in a senior marketing role to drive growth and innovation.
• Results-driven software engineer with a passion for developing innovative solutions. Proficient in full-stack web development with expertise in JavaScript, React, and Node.js. In the past five year, led multiple successful projects from concept to completion, emphasising clean, efficient code and user-centric design. Recognised for strong problem-solving skills and collaborative approach. Seeking new opportunities to apply technical expertise and lead impactful projects in a dynamic team environment.

Remember to include a section on your educational history in your CV. Source: AFP

3. Detail your education

Since a CV is often used for the academic job search process, it’s important to include a section on your educational history.

List your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent degree first. Include both degrees you’ve earned and those you’re pursuing.

Alternatively, you can list courses you have taken that are relevant to the position you will be applying for.

4. Provide your work experience

Your work experience tells recruiters whether you have the necessary hard and soft skills for the role — it’s the best indicator of what you can do.

What this section consists of can make or break your CV, so make sure you get everything right down to the details. 

Each entry should consist of the following:

• Job title or position
• Company name
• Company location and description (Optional)
• Period of employment
• Achievements and responsibilities

When describing your work experiences, it’s best to focus on achievements instead of responsibilities.

You should show the recruiter you not only carry out your responsibilities, but you also did them well. 

When talking about these achievements, use numbers whenever possible. They make things more concrete and help get the point across. 

Soft skills are related to your personality, communication, and attitude. Source: AFP

5. List your relevant skills

There are two types of skills you can list. 

Soft skills are related to your personality, communication, and attitude. They are attributes that help you adapt to a work environment and communicate with others.

Examples of soft skills are:

• problem-solving

Hard skills (or technical skills) are things that you learn or are taught. They apply directly to your ability to complete a job. Knowledge in Adobe Photoshop, C# or PHP are examples of hard skills.

  Now, soft skills like creativity or adaptability are in  high demand by employers . 

Hence, you’d think it’s a good idea to pack your skills section with soft skills, right?

Well, not exactly.

Most job-seekers use soft skills to fill up space on their CV, even if they don’t have the said skills. At this point, recruiters barely even look at soft skills on your CV. Rather, they evaluate this during interviews.

This doesn’t mean you should completely eliminate soft skills from your CV, though. We recommend mentioning soft skills when you have the experience to back them up.

6. Include additional sections

CVs are usually longer than resumes so you can detail all the achievements relevant to the potential role. Add sections as needed to list all of your accomplishments, including:

Publications

Presentation and lectures

Community service

Grants, fellowships or scholarships

Awards and honors

Professional memberships

Consulting work

Study abroad experience

Conferences

Templates are a great foundation for you to craft your CV. Source: Shutterstock

Should I use templates when crafting my CV?

Using templates can be a helpful starting point when creating your CV. Templates offer structure, guidance on formatting, and help organise your information effectively.

They often provide a standardised layout that makes showcasing your skills and experiences easier.

However, while templates offer a framework, it’s essential to personalise and customise the content to reflect your unique skills, experiences, and personality.

You’re unique, be you and good luck!

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5 essential CV writing tips for international students

Resume/ Academic CV for Students Studying Abroad

Learn how to write a cv that makes an excellent impression during the university admissions process.

• How to format a CV
• Use these 11 top tips for structuring your academic CV
• Should I include my LinkedIn profile in my CV?
• What mistakes to avoid on your academic CV?
• Important to be aware when proofreading your CV

How to Write a Professional Academic CV for a University Application

Universities can be highly selective when it comes to who is admitted into their institution, and nowhere is that more true than when the admissions committee has to review your academic CV, your motivation letter , also your references , and decide who to give one of the limited placements on their programmes.

In order to make an informed decision, universities can ask you to submit your curriculum vitae, so, in this article, you will find useful recommendations about what writing style to use, as well as what to include and under which structure in order to make a strong start with your academic CV.

Let’s briefly refresh ourselves, what is an academic CV?

Academic CVs are typically used to present your previous research, publications, and awards.

It’s important to remember that this is not the same as a CV that we would normally use to find a job , but is instead typically in a longer format and specifically intended to show the reader your academic achievements and trajectory.

The most critical part of any academic application process is writing an academic CV that highlights your accomplishments and shows that you would be an asset to any educational institution you want to enrol in.

As an international student you might be wondering::

Do I need to submit a resume or academic CV to study abroad?

The fact is that organisation and structure of educational programmes varies according to each country, and admission processes are not exactly the same, but in general applicants are only expected to submit a CV when they are applying for Postgraduate experiences, which could include:

• Masters Degree
• PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate of Education)
• Postgraduate Diploma
• Postgraduate Certificate

If you have any doubts about this, you can always contact the university directly to confirm the requirements.

How to Format a CV 

The formatting and presentation of your academic CV has to be attractive and easy to read. 

• Use a wide space for the margins. This makes your document much easier to read.
• It is recommended to use standard font styles . Although it may be tempting to use more creative font styles in order to make your CV stand out, it is likely to just make the document more difficult to read. Your safest option is to use size 11 Times New Roman, although Arial is also considered standard.

• Maintain a consistent style for headings, subheadings and main text . Do not include more than two font types in the whole CV.
• Use bullet points to highlight important information and present your qualifications in a clear and concise way.
• Avoid underlining text , if you want to emphasise, use bold instead.
• Use page numbers and dates whenever possible. Normally, applicants remember that including dates next to their achievements is essential, but many forget that dating the document itself is equally important in order to show the reader that your document represents your current situation.
• It is not necessary to hold back on anything you would like to highlight . Even so, you should focus on your objective to communicate your experiences as concisely as possible. 

If you make the decision to include your LinkedIn profile in your CV, remember that this could serve as the best place to explain your academic achievements more in-depth.

• Save your academic CV in PDF format in order to preserve your layout. Saving your CV in any other format other than PDF can cause your document to lose some or all of the design elements that you so carefully put together. 

11 Top Tips For Structuring Your Academic CV

The following eleven tips will give you a better idea of what the content of each section should be in order to make significant progress on making an impactful and professional CV. 

• Start by displaying your personal information clearly. This includes:
• your full name
• city of residence
• email address, and 
• phone number

Ideally, this information should be visually separate from the rest of your CV. Additionally, always show the date that you most recently updated your CV, to assure the reader that the information provided is up-to-date and reliable.

• An education section is essential for anyone in the academic world. So, here you should:
• highlight your prior academic achievements, starting with the most recent academic degree obtained (in reverse chronological order). For each entry, indicate the institutions you have attended, the degree you obtained and your graduation date.
• go into detail about the project that you completed during your final year of study. Include topics and type of degree obtained.
• This section would also be an appropriate place to include any language skills that you might have.

All these will make readers get a sense of which specific skills you have developed.

• Professional and academic experience. The focus here depends on what you are applying for, due to the fact that the recruiting process for university faculty will expect to see a greater emphasis on your previous work experience. Conversely, those applying for research positions should focus on the extent and variety of their academic and extracurricular activities.
• Technical competencies. In this section you can highlight the technical skills that you have that are relevant to your application, which might include your knowledge of how to use particular software, big data analysis skills, or even competency with Microsoft Office and so on.

• Honours and awards. Always explain what your honours and awards mean and what they were given for. You should try to write this section, and your CV generally, in a way that does not force the reader to search for explanations of terms on the internet. Remember to list the date you received any accolade, the granting institution, and the award name (or some sort of short description).
• Grants and fellowships : providing evidence of grants or scholarships received is a good way to illustrate your achievements. When you list grants or scholarships on your CV, simply indicate the institution that awarded them, along with the year they were awarded and for what purpose.
• Publications and presentations. Divide your publications according to where they have been published, whether in peer-reviewed journals, books, book chapters, book reviews, edited volumes, non-peer-reviewed articles, articles presented as prestigious conferences, forthcoming publications, reports, patents, web publications, and so forth. Make sure to cite your publications correctly.

In the case of having many publications or congress presentations, consider making an exhaustive list of all of them in an appendix.

If you have been invited as a speaker, you should indicate separately the name and location of the institution, the department, the dates of the speech and a brief description (or just the title) of what you have talked about.

For those who don’t have these kinds of accolades to share, admissions committees also value when applicants speak about their blog projects. This is because they are looking for evidence that your academic interests and activity extend beyond the university classroom.

• Extracurricular activities. The most obvious information you can include in this section is your participation in university clubs and societies that are related to your application. However, not all of us have this kind of involvement with clubs, so you can also highlight any community service or volunteer work that you’ve participated in. Always go into detail about the tasks you performed, and the relevance they have to your application.
• Academic and professional memberships. Some examples of these are organisations such as the Royal College of Nursing, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology. University staff are interested in this because it tells them something about how involved you are in the industry.
• References. Make sure that you have permission before including any of your former teachers or employers as references, to ensure that they are receptive to being called by the universities that you’re applying to. The last thing you want is your reference refusing to take the call! 

Perhaps more importantly, data protection laws have to be complied with. For these reasons, always seek permission first.

• A final tip: use metrics! In other words, try to express all of your previous activity and professional achievements in numbers. Don’t leave anything to the reader’s imagination.

If you need some visual inspiration for how to design your CV, you can check out these academic CV samples from UCSF.

Should I Include my LinkedIn Profile in my Academic CV?

LinkedIn offers the opportunity for an applicant to offer information that would be impractical to include in the limited space that a CV allows for, and for that reason is a tool that should not be ignored if you want to maximise your chances.

As a student, the platform gives you the chance to showcase the connections that you have with organisations related to your career, such as any associations or societies that you have been involved with. 

A neglected or unprofessional LinkedIn profile can do more harm than good. If you plan on including a link to your profile in your CV, you should make sure that it’s full of useful and relevant information, including a wide variety of contacts related to your field of study.

Here is a basic checklist for making sure your LinkedIn profile is appropriate to share on your CV:

• Set your profile photo to one that makes you look professional. Your face should be easily visible, without any distracting elements in the background. 
• You should think of your LinkedIn profile as an extension of the CV that you have already sent. In this sense, everything on your profile should complement your CV.
• Make use of LinkedIn’s “Featured” section, which allows you to show people the work you’ve done, rather than just talk about it. Here you can include research projects that you’ve been a part of throughout your studies, or anything similar that comes to mind.
• Many applicants make the mistake of uploading their entire resume onto their LinkedIn profile. A more focused way to approach this would be to expand on the professional and academic experiences that you have had, as your CV only allows for a few short lines to explain what they are. 

• If you want to include your LinkedIn profile on your CV, the last thing you want to do is leave a long and unattractive link in your contact information after making an effort to present everything professionally. Fortunately, LinkedIn provides the option to customise your own profile link in the Edit contact info section.

What Mistakes to Avoid on Your Academic CV

You only have a few seconds to communicate to the reader your academic and professional skills and achievements in a clear, concrete and effective way. For this reason, avoid careless mistakes to hold the reader’s attention.  

Without a doubt, there are many potential mistakes that an applicant can make in their resume or CV. Some examples of these common mistakes include:

• Getting off-topic or taking too long to make your point. Every phrase you include should immediately communicate the relevance that it has to your application, and should not take up too much space.
• Not leaving enough white space between sections and margins . The reader won’t even have to have a proper look at your CV to see that it’s difficult to read if not enough separation has been given between the sections and the borders of the page.
• Only listing what your literal experiences have been. Focus on providing details of your responsibilities that you have had, rather than just including the name of your role or position. If you’ve been the reason behind any exceptional results in your area of work, you should feel free to include this.
• Using phrases that include personal pronouns. Your CV or resume has your name at the top of the page, so it’s not necessary to include words like I, me, and so on! The reader is likely to become disinterested more quickly if they read these words too many times.
• Using written paragraphs. Short and easy to read sentences are the best way to make sure your CV gets read. Long blocks of text make it uncomfortable to skim-read your document, which is the way most admissions officers have to look at your CV due to time constraints. 
• Including your experiences from secondary education. Only include information from your Undergraduate stage of education and beyond. This can be an especially challenging rule for those with limited experiences to share, but try to focus on work experience, volunteering, or extracurricular participation if you need more topics to include on your curriculum vitae.
• Unnecessary capitalisation. 

Important to Be Aware When Proofreading Your University CV

Proofreading is the final step in preparing your professional academic CV, but is something that a surprisingly large number of applicants neglect to follow through with. Very few people manage to write their CV perfectly on the first try , and there are almost always small details that can be improved upon.

We can have significant difficulty in detecting mistakes or imperfections in our own work because the meaning of what we are trying to communicate is clear in our own minds, but not for the reader who has the opposite task of creating meaning from your work.

For this reason, ask your friends and family to lend their critical eye , because they are much more likely to detect your mistakes and design flaws than you are by yourself. Additionally, you may wish to print out a physical copy of your document, to get an alternative view and a realistic idea of what the admissions tutors will really be looking at when they’re reviewing your application.

Of course, the key to being able to take your time with your CV’s proofreading process is starting ahead of time, long before you need it. Make a start today with the tips featured in this guide, and you’ll be on your way to having a readable and attention-grabbing resume. Bear in mind also that a strong CV is boosted when accompanied by at least a couple of outstanding letters of recommendation.

Craig Plunkett

Fabiola López Marín

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QuickSchools Blog

Powerfully simply school management, 5 tips for writing a resume as a first-year college student.

“The early bird catches the worm,” they say. And in the ripple of college and potential career success, your resume is your early bird special.

Think you don’t need one as a freshman? Think again. Even if you’re just starting out, a solid resume can open doors you never thought possible. Internships, part-time gigs, and scholarships—they all want to see what you’re made of. It’s like your personal highlight reel, showing all of your skills, experiences, and potential. 

So, let’s get started on what you need to know about crafting that perfect resume, shall we?

Resume for college freshman

Okay, so many of you’re looking at that blank resume template and feeling a bit…confused. After all, you haven’t exactly climbed the corporate ladder yet. But, even as a freshman, you’ve got more to offer than you might think. And before everything else, try to understand your own underwhelmed feeling, because this isn’t just another Succession episode. It’s about recognizing all the situations you’ve been in before you started thinking about: What can I add to my resume as a college freshman?

Those high school clubs you joined? Leadership potential. That summer volunteer gig? Community spirit. Even that tough AP class you aced? Academic dedication. It’s all about showcasing those transferable skills and showing the world what you’re capable of. 

Remember, making a resume for a college freshman isn’t just a list of past jobs. It’s a glimpse into your future potential. It’s about proving you’re adaptable, eager to learn, and ready to take on new challenges. So, let’s dig a little deeper and uncover all of those hidden gems that’ll make your resume shine.

1. Focus on relevant skills and experiences

Alright, let’s get down to brass tacks. There is no one-size-fits-all resume here. Every opportunity you apply for deserves a tailored approach. Think of it like this: you wouldn’t wear a swimsuit to a job interview, right? The same goes for your resume. Highlight those skills and experiences that show “I’m the perfect fit for THIS role!”

For example, if you volunteer at the local soup kitchen, you can demonstrate your compassion and teamwork. Or even if you ace that biology project, you can showcase your analytical and problem-solving thinking. The point is: don’t underestimate the power of your past experiences, and don’t be afraid. Even seemingly unrelated activities can exhibit valuable transferable skills that employers crave. Just dig into that memory bank and pull out those golden treasures.

Keep in mind that your resume is a living document, not a fusty relic. It should evolve as you do. As you gain new experiences and develop new skills, revamp your resume to reflect your growth. Keep it fresh, keep it relevant, and keep it focused on the opportunities you’re pursuing.

And the most important of all—don’t be afraid to get creative. If you have a unique skill or passion that sets you apart, find a way to showcase it. Maybe you’re a whiz at coding, a talented musician, or a blossoming entrepreneur. These are the talents that make you YOU, so let them shine through. 

So, take a deep breath, grab a pen and paper (or laptop), and let’s start designing a resume that’ll make possibilities come knocking. 

2. Academic accomplishments

Okay, let’s talk brains. You might be a freshman, but you’ve already put in the hard work to get to college. So let’s make sure those academic achievements get the spotlight they deserve.

If your GPA is looking good, flaunt it! It’s a quick and easy way to show potential employers or scholarship committees that you’re dedicated to your studies. But even if your GPA isn’t perfect, don’t worry. You can still highlight relevant coursework that showcases your skills and interests.

Did you ace that advanced math class ? Include it! Were you part of a science club that won a regional competition? That’s definitely worth mentioning. And don’t forget any academic awards or honors you’ve received, no matter how big or small.

Remember, it’s all about painting a picture of your academic potential. So show them what you’re made of.

3. Measure your achievements

Alright, let’s add some punch to those accomplishments. Numbers talk, and they can talk LOUD. So, instead of just saying you were a “dedicated member” of the student council, tell them you “organized four successful fundraising events, raising over $600 for the local food bank.” See the difference? 

Quantifying your achievements gives them weight and credibility. It shows you’re not just throwing around lingo words; you’re actually making a difference. 

Maybe you “tutored 5 struggling students in math, helping them improve their grades by an average of 15%.” Or perhaps you “increased club membership by 20% through targeted social media campaigns.” 

These concrete details make your accomplishments tangible and impressive. 

Here’s another example: If you were a volunteer at a local animal shelter, you could say, “I volunteered 20 hours per week at the local animal shelter, successfully socializing and finding homes for 8 dogs and 15 cats, resulting in a 25% increase in adoption rates during my tenure.” 

Numbers don’t lie, so use them to your advantage and show the world what you’re truly capable of. 

4. Keep it concise and professional

Now, let’s talk about the presentation. Your resume is your first impression, so make it a good one. Think clean, crisp, and professional. No fancy fonts or rainbow colors here. Stick to a classic format and easy-to-read fonts like Times New Roman or Arial.

Also, less is often more. Keep your resume focused and concise, highlighting only the most relevant information. There’s no need to include your childhood pet’s name or your favorite ice cream flavor. Stick to the facts, and make sure they’re presented in a clear and organized way. 

Think of it like a well-tailored suit; it should fit you perfectly, showcasing your best assets without any unnecessary frills. So, let’s ditch the clutter and create a resume that’s both impressive and professional. 

Use clear headings and bullet points to make your resume easy to scan. Employers often have stacks of resumes to review, so make it easy for them to find the information they need. Point out your most impressive accomplishments and skills at the top of each section. This will grab their attention and make them want to read more. The job market is competitive , so you must use every advantage you can.

5. Proofread and send

Now, let’s put some emphasis on the importance of proofreading. Typos and grammatical errors can make you look careless and unprofessional, so take the time to carefully review your resume before submitting it. Read it aloud, use spell check, and even consider printing it out to catch any errors you might have missed on screen.

And don’t be afraid to ask for help. Have a friend, family member, or even a career counselor review your resume for a fresh perspective. They might catch mistakes you overlooked or offer suggestions for improvement. Remember, two heads are better than one, especially when it comes to polishing your professional image. 

Think of it this way: your resume is like a first date. You want to give it a good impression, right? You wouldn’t show up with messy hair and wrinkled clothes, would you? The same goes for your resume. It should be polished, professional, and error-free.

A single typo can be the difference between landing an interview and getting tossed in the rejection pile. So, don’t let a silly mistake sabotage your changes. Take the time to proofread properly, and make sure your resume shines as brightly as you do.

Are you ready for future endeavors? 

So, there you have it. A strong resume isn’t just for seasoned professionals; it’s your golden ticket to unlocking exciting opportunities as a first-year college student. Combine the showcasing of your potential with the mix of your skills, to make a lasting impression.

Don’t wait until you’re knee-deep in job applications to craft your resume. Start building it early, and keep it updated as you gain new experiences. It’s a long way, but the sooner you start with it, every time you update your resume, you’ll be faster and more professional.   

And if you need a little extra guidance, there are tons of resources available to help you along the way. Check out your college’s career center, online resume templates, or even consider attending a resume-writing workshop.

Remember, your resume is your personal brand. Make it shine, and watch those opportunities sliding down (and you use some of them, to freshen up your resume). You’ve got this!

Author : Mika Kankaras

Mika is a fabulous SaaS writer with a talent for creating interesting material and breaking down difficult ideas into readily digestible chunks. As an avid cat lover and cinephile, her vibrant personality and diverse interests shine through in her work.

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