It can be nerve-racking to apply for jobs straight out of university. As a fresh graduate, your work experience has not yet started, so how does one go about finding their first real job?

We have compiled a few ways to make your resume look spick and span. Below is a cheat sheet on how to show your value to a potential employer.

1. Start With a Concise Overview

Introduce yourself in three short sentences. The average hiring manager or recruiter will only spend a few minutes looking at your resume. This will help you stand out by providing them with an at-a-glance overview of yourself. Include your skills, experiences, and achievements. Examples include sales skills if you had a part-time job for instance. Or if you have had an internship, mention the most relevant one to the job you are applying to.

2. Include Your Academic Achievements

Academic results are not the be-all, end-all, but they can help to show your knowledge. A good understanding of a subject can be a positive sign to an employer that you have basic foundations. They can be assured that you will be able to apply what you have learned in the real world.  Mentioning projects or academic achievements you have worked on can show your capabilities. The employer will also be able to get a good idea of your personality. They can then make a decision if they think you will be a good fit for the team.

3. Use Keywords to Highlight Your Skills

Nowadays, recruiters are finding more ways to make the hiring process more efficient. This includes scanning candidates and can involve the use of technology. Some tools identify keywords in a curriculum vitae, so you will want to include some. Do research on the kind of terminology and keywords used in the industry you aim to work in and are applying to. This is also beneficial to the employer who manually scans a resume, as they will most likely skim read.

4. Add Value to The Workplace

Elaborate on experiences and bring details to the table. This will help the hiring manager better envision your skills. Talk about projects you have worked on that demonstrate leadership skills for instance. Another example is being specific about how you have solved a challenge and what the outcome was. This shows problem-solving skills and this is applicable to the workplace. You can add value in many ways, think about your strengths, and highlight them within your resume.

Top Tip

You might be thinking about what kind of skill sets you have learned along the way. If you dig deep enough, you will find that there are a great many transferrable skills that you can apply.

Solving a problem shows critical thinking. Collaborating on a project shows teamwork skills. Being the head of the debate team shows effective communication. Leading a team could show time management skills. These are soft skills that show you are more experienced than you think you are. It also shows great character and that anything is applicable.

Some examples of hard skills include coding, statistical analysis, cold-calling, and public speaking. These speak for themselves and stand out on their own. Make sure you mention skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for. The employer wants to know that what you have can be fused together with the role at hand.

The Takeaway

The key to your resume, no matter how short, is to stay relevant. This means showcasing what you have that can be tied to the job position. Focus on what you can bring to the table and how you can add value. By doing so, you will sound career-ready.

Landed an interview? Start preparing for the next step with "The 9 Best Questions To Ask In An Interview."