28 College Student Resume Examples & Templates to Land a Job

28 College Student Resume Examples & Templates to Land a Job

Struggling to create a resume for a college student that gets the attention of recruiters? It’s not just you! Being a current college student or a fresh undergraduate, you might feel overwhelmed by your lack of experience. Ironically, you have more to offer than you might think.

Whether you’re applying for a part-time job, internship, or your first job after graduating, the right college student resume can open doors. In this guide, we share 28 expert-verified college student resume examples, step-by-step cover letter writing and resume tips, insider’s advice on what to include, and how to avoid common pitfalls. Plus, editable resume samples and answers to all FAQs so you can confidently send your resume.

Ready to turn your student resume, even without experience, into a masterpiece that hiring managers can’t afford to ignore? Come with us.


College Student Resume Example

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College student resume example

Why this college student resume works

  • When looking to land a full-time gig straight out of the academic gates, you must let the potential employer in on what you bring to the table. What if we told you that threading a resume objective into your pitch is a neat little trick to nail that?
    • At the top of your college student resume, have this little blurb about your professional aspirations, experiences, and skills. Notice how, for instance, Sasha shines the light on her passion for developing scalable acquisition strategies through paid advertising and SEO, not to mention how she bosses it up in solo and collaborative projects.

Undergraduate Student Resume

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Undergraduate student resume example with project experience

Why this undergraduate student resume works

  • Your undergraduate student resume must underline your adaptability in every new role you take. Like this example, you want to show your willingness and openness to taking new positions to leverage your skills and gain experience.
    • To impress the recruiter, demonstrate the dedication you have had in your previous posts despite minimal experience.

University Student Resume

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University student resume example with internship experience

Why this university student resume works

  • Your accounting internship can be the perfect opportunity to show what you can offer to the real-world job market. However, you have to pick the right pointers that align with the needs and demands of your potential employers.
    • In that case, your university student resume can capitalize on your analytical skills, which helped identify cost-saving opportunities and cut overall expenses by six percent.

College Student No Experience Resume

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College student no experience resume example

Why this college student no experience resume works

  • Creating a resume with limited experience can feel like biting more than you can chew. The secret to acing it is exploring as many resume templates as possible and choosing one that allows you to highlight your strengths best (read relevant qualifications).
    • For your college student no experience resume, why not try a simple (and modern) template like Janee’s? Ideally, it should house the must-have sections but sprinkle in a couple of bonuses like relevant courses and career objectives. And given your lack of professional experience, don’t stick to the standard “work history.” A detailed projects section that showcases your transferable skills does the job.

Current College Student Resume

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Current college student resume example

Why this current college resume works

  • If knocking the hiring manager’s socks off is at the top of your list (as it should be), consider the reverse-chronological format when piecing together your current college student resume. And it’s not just about making human readers nod in approval; applicant tracking system bots play nicely with it.
    • Recognized as the most popular resume format, reverse chronological order can highlight your experience in recency—perhaps a recruiting internship (your latest role), not forgetting an earlier stint as an HR intern.

First Job College Student Resume

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First Job college student resume example with computing internship experience

Why this first job college student resume works

  • Written one too many applications that have missed the mark? It’s time to switch things up—give your first job college student resume a makeover by crafting a tailored career objective statement that will shine a light on your relevant skills and goals. That way, you’re not just another application in the pile; you’re right up the hiring company’s alley.
    • Leander, for instance, lays it all on the table, highlighting their hands-on experience in simulation projects and robotics optimization and divulging that the job opportunity would present a much-needed opportunity to advance their technical knowledge.

College Student Marketing Intern Resume Example

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College student marketing intern resume example with projects' experience

Why this college student marketing intern resume works

  • We get why you would get cold feet as you apply for that potentially eye-opening internship with such limited experience. But there’s one reason you should walk tall: A college student marketing intern resume highlighting your accomplishments during relevant projects can give you an edge over the competition.
    • Our advice? Take a cue from Nerrisa. Volunteering at Campus Connect and dropping by seminars like Branding Essentials, she uses wins from these moments to showcase her practical experience in marketing—in fewer words, less telling, more showing.

College Student for Internship Resume

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College student for internship resume example with 8 years of experience

Why this college student for internship resume works

  • Contrary to popular opinion, you can effortlessly bag an internship at your dream company. Take our advice and review as many college student internship resume examples as possible; these could be your blueprint for presenting your relevant skills in the best light.
    • The goal here should be to include the right skills on your resume to show recruiters you’re the perfect match. How can I ace that? It’s a cakewalk—read the job description a couple of times and jot down the abilities the potential employer is hunting for. Then, weave them into your work experience section (once you’ve had them steal the show in a neat skills section on the sidebar).

College Student Assistant Medical Laboratory Technician Resume Example

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College student assistant medical laboratory technician resume example with 8 years of experience

Why this college student assistant medical laboratory technician resume works

  • Just because you’re in a science field doesn’t mean you spend all your days in the lab. Keep recruiters in the loop by adding a hobbies/interests section to your resume; it can paint you as a cultural fit, make your sales pitch stand out, and, even better, serve as an ice breaker during the interview.
    • But here’s the thing. You’re not bragging about every fun activity you love to indulge in. The pastimes you put on your college student assistant medical laboratory technician resume must be relevant to the role you’re eyeing. For instance, Isidra goes with beekeeping, volunteer phlebotomist, and MedShare Volunteer, which highlight her love for science and sound much better than dancing and singing karaoke (although there’s nothing wrong with them).

College Student HR Executive Assistant Resume

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College student hr executive assistant resume example

Why this college student HR executive assistant resume works

  • When applying for an entry-level position, we recommend crafting a tailored resume objective statement to accent your career goals, clarify your intentions, and make a strong first impression.
    • Ideally, your career objective statement should be 2-3 sentences long, so remember to keep the fluff at bay. It can include some of the skills on your resume (think active listening, empathy, and HR jargon) and your graduation date to show potential employers your availability for a full-time role. This tiny powerhouse is better off nestled at the top of your college student HR executive assistant resume’s sidebar.

College Student Case Assistant Resume

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College student case assistant resume example

Why this college student case assistant resume works

  • An aesthetically pleasing college student case assistant resume will undoubtedly make a splash and help you score some brownie points with hiring managers. And the silver bullets for creating it? Formatting your resume tops that list.
    • We’re on board with a two-column layout, classic (and legible) fonts (think Georgia, Calibri, Times New Roman, and Arial), and contrasting colors like red and black to dial up the aesthetics and make the essentials leap right off the page. If you’re coming up empty, check out our ready-to-build resume templates and handy Google Docs interactive resumes for inspiration.

College Student Resident Assistant Resume

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College student resident assistant resume example with 3 years of experience

Why this college student resident assistant resume works

  • You’re just getting your feet wet, huh? No worries—a college student resident assistant resume that focuses on your transferable skills (via projects) can go a long way in getting you in the potential employer’s good graces.
    • How about taking advantage of your stints as a secretary in a student association, a racquetball player, or a server to showcase handy transferable soft skills (cue communication, problem-solving, communication, and empathy? Create a checklist from the job description, and don’t hesitate to highlight those abilities in your resume objective section.

College Student Warehouse Worker Resume

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College student warehouse worker resume example

Why this college student warehouse worker resume works

  • Since you’re still learning the ropes as a warehouse worker, we suggest adding solid work experience and project sections to your resume outline. Only then can you paint yourself in a good light and (at least) earn a precious few minutes with the hiring manager.
    • Your college student warehouse worker resume’s work experience and projects sections shouldn’t just highlight your responsibilities—no! Spice things up and boost your credibility and appeal with quantified accomplishments. “Conducted 35+ field and laboratory testings of concrete…” and “Wrote 30+ ECN reports,” and “…built 7 proof-of-concepts” make for perfect examples.

College Student Teacher Assistant Resume

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College student teacher assistant resume example with 2 years of experience

Why this college student teacher assistant resume works

  • The hiring manager, Jane, has seen more applications than you can shake a stick at, and they look the same. How about adding a personal touch to your college student teacher assistant resume to make it stand out and maximize your chances of winning over her?
    • Adding a hobbies and interests section to your resume does more than catch the hiring manager’s eye and show a bit of your personality outside the office; it’s also a slick way to subtly hint at transferable proficiencies that mesh well with the open position. For instance, penning short stories says your creative juices constantly flow while running a local “little free library” screams initiative, organizational, and leadership skills.

College Student Biology Lab Technician Resume

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College student biology lab technician resume example

Why this college student Biology lab technician resume works

  • Flip through examples of successful resumes, and you’ll hit on the fact that they all have more than pops of colors and engaging styles—numbers make them stand out, amplify their impact, and see them sail past the often unfriendly applicant tracking system (ATS).
    • Our advice? Take a cue from Darya and enrich your college student biology lab technician resume with statements like “Collected samples from 310+ participants, ensuring sterile handling procedures to produce accurate lab results” and “…developing ground-breaking results on the physiological makeup of 6 pro athletes.”

College Student English Tutor Resume

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College student english tutor resume example

Why this college student English tutor resume works

  • Have you got your resume formatting right but find yourself lacking work experience? How about tucking in an impressive projects section right above or below your work history? It’s your golden chance to highlight your practical experience and handy skills and gain a distinct edge over the rest of the applicant pool.
    • On your college student English tutor resume, you can feature any project, whether volunteering as a peer editor or participating in a book exchange program. Numbers are handy for an impactful work history that complements your college student cover letter

College Application Resume

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College application resume example with community service experience

Why this college application resume works

  • A compelling career objective is a welcome addition to a college application resume. Typically, it’s a statement outlining the intended direction of your career, but in this case, have it align with the academic program you’re applying for.
    • Suppose you’re applying for a Bachelor of Arts in education. Express your passion for teaching and eagerness to advance your knowledge of education theories and practices. Even better, emphasize your long-term ambition to shape future generations through innovative education methods.

College Admission Resume

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College admission resume example with project experience

Why this college admission resume works

  • For a college admission resume tailored for an engineering program, let the admission committee envision you mastering valuable skills in the real world.
    • Take a leaf from how Brian narrates his stints as a restaurant server, project presenter, and volunteer. Well-described, such experiences paint a picture of a well-rounded character who can take on varied challenges of an engineering program, enhancing their appeal in the eyes of the college admissions committee.

College Freshman Resume

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College Freshman resume example with soccer playing experience

Why this college freshman resume works

  • Since you’re in your first year, no one’s going to keep unreal expectations from you. In fact, this is a good time to show your involvement in sports and contribute to society.
    • Use past projects to advantage here even if they’re only a year long. Clearly state how you used skills such as Canva and Microsoft Teams to make specific impacts during this time. Another great addition to your college freshman resume is any work experience under your belt.

Harvard College Resume

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Harvard college resume example with tutoring experience

Why this Harvard college resume works

  • So, you’re gunning for a scholarship at Harvard and have some experience up your sleeve. Perhaps you rocked as a tutor or your neighborhood’s favorite pet sitter and can recount a school project you aced. Awesome job highlighting that all over your work history and career objective. However, don’t let the excitement culminate in a resume riddled with mistakes — it just won’t do.
    • You see reputable (and free) spell checkers like Grammarly? They’re your backstage crew making sure that your Harvard college resume is polished—no typos, grammatical mistakes, or punctuation errors in sight. And getting a friend or family member to take a peek? It’s always a brilliant move.

College Level Resume

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College level resume example with project experience

Why this college level resume works

  • Now, about that part-time job while juggling college life, cast a spell on the recruiters with a resume that shines a light on your transferrable skills.
    • It’s a piece of cake. Maybe you’ve been a superstar nanny or the quickest cashier around. Identify competencies from these gigs, whether communication, time management, or leadership, and then blend them into your work experience. Simply put, connect the dots in your college level resume, and you’re golden.

College Student Academic Highlights Resume

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College student academic highlights resume example

Why this college student academic highlights resume works

  • Many college students can attest that building a resume without relevant experience can be a tough nut to crack. How do you slam-dunk your way into your dream position? Sometimes, it boils down to flaunting your most significant accomplishments.
    • How about adding an achievements section below your skills in your college student academic highlights resume? And don’t sweat it if these feats don’t directly align with the job description. Mentioning that you won the Who’s Who Award in English, for example, drops the hint that you’re good with words and a goal-oriented leader.

First Year College Student Resume

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First year college student resume example with project experience

Why this first year college student resume works

  • Since you’re just starting out at a university, nobody expects you to have paid experience on your first year college student resume. Still, you can really skyrocket your chances of coming across as a well-rounded individual by including your work with personal or academic projects.
    • Your time contributing to a project is tangible evidence of your skills and experiences. Depending on what you include, it could showcase your communication and organizational skills or more technical abilities, like your proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Freshman College Student Resume

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Freshman college student resume example with project experience

Why this freshman college student resume works

  • Your personal hobbies might not always be relevant to a professional position you’re applying to—and that’s all right! However, if you do spend your own time with activities that align with your academic or professional goals, you definitely want to include them in your freshman college student resume.
    • Do you love gardening or nature photography? Awesome, it shows you’re inherently passionate about biology. Do you spend your time baking as well? It’s a sign that you know how to follow instructions and observe changes over time—skills that will come in handy as a lab assistant.

College Student Education Resume

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College student education resume example with gas station attendant experience

Why this college student education resume works

  • Recruiters are not particularly taken by beginners, considering they’re still picking up the basics. But here’s where you can turn the tables in this internship hunt—capitalize on a killer career objective statement that paints your strengths and potential in your college student education resume.
    • A career objective statement is typically a brief 1-3 sentence pitch that highlights your inspiration for the role (internship, in this case), but with a twist—it’s better custom-fitted to match the hiring company’s needs. Plus, it’s a sweet spot for reiterating your enthusiasm to contribute to the potential employer’s goals.

College Student Social Work Resume

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College student social work student resume example with restaurant server experience

Why this college student social work resume works

  • Pulling together a winning resume when you’re wet behind the ears can be a bit tricky. Unsure about what hits the right note and what falls flat? A smart move is to spotlight your previous successful projects, zeroing in on the transferrable skills and the great results that came with them.
    • In your college student social work student resume, right after your work experience, slide in your Projects section. It’s a good spot to detail experiences like that community outreach workshop or mental health seminar you attended. And when you talk about your wins, throw in some numbers to beef up your credibility.

College Student Business Resume

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College student business resume example with marketing project experience

Why this college student business resume works

  • Gussy up your college student business resume with a tailored career objective section and soon, you might become the poster child for job search success.
    • Ideally, your career objective should be two to three sentences that sum up your professional goals, competencies, and experience. Plus, take it as your chance to shine by connecting the dots between your academic knowledge and how you plan to use it to offer better finance, marketing, and management services.

College Student Criminal Justice Resume

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College student criminal justice resume example with Courtroom Basics project experience

Why this college student criminal justice resume works

  • We get it; you feel like a square peg in a round hole. But what if we told you your limited experience doesn’t have to stand between you and your dream internship? A college student criminal justice resume flaunting your accomplishments during relevant projects can make a splash and score you an interview.
    • You could start strong by highlighting that moment you wowed your class with findings from a courtroom session and then move on to other projects where, for instance, you flexed your muscles in a law debate and soaked up particular knowledge at a law enforcement ethics seminar. For each entry, aim for four points for the bullet points, complementing them with numbers where possible.

Writing Your College Student Resume

Job seeker in purple shirt reviews past accomplishments and statistics to include in job materials

Writing a resume for a college student, especially with limited or no work experience, is intimidating. However, by picking the right resume template and highlighting relevant skills from projects, internships, community service, coursework, and extracurriculars, you can be noticed by recruiters.

The winning strategy here is to emphasize your education and skills rather than your work experience, which you don’t have anyway.

Resume objective or summary (only when necessary)

Before we dive into the difference between a resume objective vs. a resume summary, let’s get some definitions out of the way:

  • Resume objective: A statement of your qualifications, interests, and skills that make you a good fit for the role to which you’re applying.
  • Resume summary: A summary of your past experience detailing your high-level accomplishments and projects.

When you’re applying for a job or internship as a college student, you likely won’t have extensive work experience. So, we’d recommend including a resume objective instead of a resume summary.

The goal of your resume objective is to set the stage for your resume. It should highlight your skills applicable to the job at hand, and it should be specific for each job to which you’re applying.

Most resume objectives are boring and generic. By taking the time to craft a customized and effective resume objective, you give yourself an edge over other applicants and increase your chances of getting an interview.

Before we dive into the rules for creating a strong resume objective, let’s look at some examples.

Sample college student resume objectives

  • “Recent college graduate with a degree in marketing looking for a full-time role where I can utilize my experience in social media and paid advertising to help an up-and-coming brand like Club Z! Inc. spread awareness and acquire more users.”
  • “Diligent college student at the University of Pittsburgh who is equally committed to academic excellence (3.8 GPA) and service (student leader at the local food shelter) looking for an opportunity at Unidos as a part-time employee to utilize these talents to improve customer satisfaction.”
  • “Recent graduate with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) seeking an opportunity within an established management organization to utilize my organizational and quantitative abilities. Epic seems to have a culture of empowering employees to have ownership over their problems, and that culture fits my work style perfectly.”

You can see that all of these resume objectives specifically mention the company that the student is applying to. Tailoring is the golden rule of resume objectives.

Here are some other rules to make your objective the best it can be:

  • Again, take the time to customize your resume objective for each company to which you’re applying.
  • Don’t be afraid to inject your personality. Making an impression will help you stand out among the hundreds of other applicants.
  • Keep it to two to three sentences.
  • Mention any relevant skills or certifications you have for the role to which you’re applying.

College Student Resume Formats

Job seeker reviews qualifications and accomplishments to build job application for next role

One of the hardest parts of using a resume maker as a college student is the blank page. The “getting started” part is overwhelming—you’re unsure what your resume should look like, let alone what should be in it!

When it comes to formatting your resume, the best advice is to keep it simple. You need to convincingly make the case that you deserve an interview for the role to which you’re applying.

In short, your resume should likely contain the following sections:

  • Header: This is your name and job title. Have your job title match the job title to which you’re applying.
  • Resume objective: We talked about this above, a quick summary of your skills and what you’re seeking.
  • Education: As a college student, this should include your anticipated graduation date, the field of study, and relevant classes.
  • Skills: List six to ten technical skills relevant to your career.
  • Work experience: If you have any relevant internships or part-time jobs, mention them here.
  • Projects: Did you do any side projects that demonstrate your competency? Include them!

Not all of these sections need to be included in your resume. Your resume should focus on your strengths.

If you don’t have much relevant work experience, you can omit that section in favor of discussing your projects or classwork.

However, no matter what format you choose, there are a few writing guidelines you should adhere to throughout your resume.

Formatting guidelines for your resume

  • Keep your resume to one page! Your resume should only extend to a second page when you have 10+ years of experience.
  • Avoid any spelling or grammar errors by double-checking your text and having a friend review your resume. Don’t let typos be the reason why you don’t get an interview.
  • Break up your work experience into small, consumable bullet points. Nothing is harder to read than a big wall of text.
  • Use reverse-chronological order to keep your most recent experience/projects at the top.
  • Don’t include fancy images or graphics. It’s highly likely a computer will read your resume before a human ever does, and images are hard for computers to scan.
  • Don’t list more than ten skills on your resume. (We’ll expand on this below.)

Skills to pay the bills

When building your skills section, it can be tempting to list any and every skill you know. You’ll have to resist this temptation.

Before a human reviews your resume, an automated system called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will score your resume based on whether or not it includes the “right” keywords. These filters are largely screening for specific skills.

Doesn’t this mean that you should include as many skills as possible to beat the ATS? Unfortunately, you need to make your resume appealing to both the ATS and a human, and nothing is a bigger red flag to a hiring manager than a candidate with a laundry list of skills!

You’re much better off focusing on six to ten skills you’re an expert in than including more that you kind of know. Generally, if you wouldn’t be comfortable being interviewed on a given skill, don’t include it on your resume. 

Hard skills

Examples

  • Google Slides
  • SQL
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Bloomberg Terminal
  • HubSpot
  • Report writing

Soft skills

Examples

  • Relationship building
  • Time management
  • Attention to detail
  • Critical thinking
  • Collaboration
  • Excellent communication
  • Leadership

Work Experience and Projects

Portfolio of past work experience proving impact on the job with statistics, graphs, and examples

In any resume, no matter the career stage, your work experience and projects should take up at least 70 percent of the overall space. These will decide whether you get an interview or not.

Once you have a few years of experience, then the size of your projects section will decrease as the size of your work experience section expands.

If you have an internship relevant to the job you’re applying for, this should be listed in your “work experience” section. As a college student, your work experience can also contain any part-time jobs you had while in school, even if they don’t seem relevant to the position to which you’re applying.

It’s not easy to balance work and school, so having a part-time job demonstrates responsibility and drive.

When talking about your work experience, there are a few key tips you should follow:

  • Mention the skills you demonstrated on the job.
  • Quantify the impact of your work whenever possible.
  • Talk specifically about your role; avoid being too general.
  • Use action verbs like “owned” or “led” to highlight your leadership abilities.

Numbers truly speak louder than words, especially on your resume. By providing numerical context around your work, you show your ability to contribute meaningfully to your workplace.

Compare these two descriptions of an internship. Which do you think would be more compelling to a hiring manager?

WRONG – general work experience descriptions

Marketing Science Associates
April 2020 – Current, New York NY
Digital Marketing Intern

  • Created testing plan for Facebook ad copy
  • Built key reports for the executive team around KPIs
  • Oversaw the creation of the blog for SEO purposes
  • Worked closely with clients to understand their product positioning to incorporate into ad copy

RIGHT – specific, quantified descriptions

Marketing Science Associates
April 2020 – Current, New York NY
Digital Marketing Intern

  • Created A/B testing plan for Facebook ad copy, improving ROI by 15%
  • Built key reports for the executive team around KPIs such as marketing spend, new leads, revenue generated, and ROI
  • Oversaw the creation of the blog for SEO purposes which grew from 1,000 to 5,000 monthly organic visitors
  • Worked closely with clients to understand their product positioning to incorporate into ad copy, leading to client satisfaction of 99%

Projects can be anything

If you don’t have much (or any) relevant work experience for your resume, don’t fret. You can still create a highly effective resume by showcasing your projects.

As a college student, you’ve likely done a lot of class projects that are relevant to the job or internship you’re looking to get. This is the perfect place to talk about those projects. You can even mention projects you completed outside of class. Talk about your goals, the methods/skills you used, and the project’s outcome.

The key is to include anything that will convince the hiring manager you have the drive, skills, and ability to translate your academic knowledge to the real world and contribute to the roles for which you’re applying.

Here are some potential projects you can work on for different majors:

Project ideas for college students

  • Are you a business student? Detail a case study that you analyzed and presented in a class.
  • If you’re a marketing student, you can write a short blog post about how you’d improve the paid marketing strategy for a company you admire.
  • As a graphic designer, this is a great opportunity to talk about some of the projects in your portfolio.
  • If you’re looking for a data analyst role, talk about how you analyzed stock data to determine areas of opportunity.
  • As a human resources major, you’ve likely created processes for companies as part of a class, so talk about that.
  • Software engineering students complete meaningful coding assignments all the time. Discuss one of those or talk about your side project.
  • If you’re looking to break into product management, discuss a hackathon you were part of or create a case study for a feature your favorite product is missing.

Basically, the projects you include on your resume can be just about anything. They simply have to demonstrate you know what is required of the kind of role you’re applying to, and that you can meet those requirements.

Your Education Section

Two hands rearranging sections on job application materials

As a college student, it should go without saying that you need to include an education section on your resume.

Here’s what you need to include in your education section no matter what:

  • The school you’re currently attending (or recently graduated from). You do not need to include your high school.
  • Your graduation date (or expected graduation date). You can give just the month and year.
  • The kind of degree you’re working toward (bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, master’s, etc.).
  • Your field of study.

Once you include all that, there’s more flexibility. If you have a strong GPA (greater than 3.5), you should include it, too.

If you don’t have much experience yet, then you can add relevant courses or awards to your education section, provided they’re relevant to the job for which you’re applying.

For example, if you’re applying for a role as a data scientist, then it makes sense to include any math, economics, or programming classes you completed.

Here’s an example of an effective education section for a college student looking for a marketing role:

College student resume - education section example

If you received any awards or honors during your time in college, list them here. These can include getting on the Dean’s List, any department-specific awards relevant to your major, or formal recognition for your work or volunteer efforts.

Hobbies and interests (optional)

Hobbies aren’t considered necessary for resumes. They’re better off elsewhere and not on your job application. However, hobbies and interests can significantly impact a college student’s resume. The catch here is they have to be relevant and boost your chances of standing out.

Here’s how to do it right:

When to add hobbies and interests

  • When highlighting transferable skills
  • When they showcase soft skills such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, etc
  • Give the hiring manager a feel of your personality and potential
  • When they align with a scholarship, internship, or first job

What you can include

  • Sports
  • Debate club
  • Youtube channel monetization
  • Blogging
  • Coding
  • Photography
  • Student government

How to list hobbies and interests

Examples

  • College hockey team captain – reached regional semi-finals, improving teamwork and leadership abilities
  • Competitive Shogi player – county tournament finalist, sharpened critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Podcasting – started a YouTube finance podcast with 5000 subscribers and monetized it on AdSense

Dont include

  • Irrelevant details
  • Controversial topics such as gambling
  • Generic things like listening to music and watching movies

Resume Builder for College Students

Yellow and purple computer screens depict career document builders on BeamJobs

There you have it—we’ve discussed the building blocks to help you land a job or internship as a college student!

In summary, here are the keys to making an effective resume as a college student:

  • Inject your personality into your resume objective and customize it for each company to which you apply.
  • Your resume format should include a header, resume objective, skills section, education, and work/ project experience.
  • Include any relevant internships or part-time jobs you’ve had during college and quantify the impact of your work.
  • If you don’t have much working experience, include relevant projects you’ve completed either in the classroom or on your own time.
  • Your education section is your chance to highlight classes you’ve completed that will convince the hiring manager you have the right tools for the job.

Finding a job or internship as a college student can be incredibly stressful. Building anAI resume is a huge first step, so pat yourself on the back. After you’re done with the writing, you can check your resume against our AI-powered tips to see how your resume matches up.

Just remember, it does get easier after you get some experience first. We can’t wait to see where you’ll go!


College Student Resume FAQs

How do I tailor my college student resume for a specific job?

Read through the job description until you understand what the employer seeks. You will find keywords, skills, and qualifications that describe the best-fit candidate as you read. Now, you should tailor your piece to meet those expectations.

How do you do that? Use phrases from the job posting, pack your bullet points with power adverbs, and show skills you’ve gained from coursework, projects, and extracurricular activities.

Some sound advice is always to keep your resume to one page. Recruiters don’t have all the time in the world, and you don’t want to overwhelm them. When done, proofread or have someone review your piece before it’s ready for sending.

How can I make sure my resume is ATS-friendly?

It’s easy to beat online screeners that act as gatekeepers of the hiring world. Start with a simple and professional resume template. We’re talking about a layout that allows you to use a reverse chronology format and allows room for crucial sections such as the resume header, experience/project, education, and skills.

Also, avoid graphs, wild fonts, images, and clutter. ATS doesn’t like these, and they can be the reason your application goes to the trash bin. Keep everything concise by only providing necessary details. Anything that takes up a lot of space should go in your college student cover letter.

But to be doubly sure that your resume for a high school student is ATS-friendly, run it through our AI checker before you send it out. You don’t want to have any doubts about why you never got an interview invite in the first place.

How do I best deal with the lack of experience on my student resume?

You’re a college student, and lack of work experience shouldn’t give you a hard time. You already have more to offer than you think: your internships, projects, volunteer activities, charity work, and sports can add value to your potential.

All you have to do is to demonstrate transferable skills from each of those experiences. Show what you learned and how you can use it in the job you’re applying for.

Your coursework can also compensate for your lack of specific job experience. Showing the competencies in software such as QuickBooks, HubSpot, and Excel can also fill the gap.

Are Extracurriculars any good in my resume?

Activities outside the conventional classroom can give your high student resume the push it needs to get recruiters’ attention. You see that role of college football captain you held? You can turn it into a learning experience and apply the skills you gained in a real-world job.

In such a role, for instance, you learn teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership, all of which are useful in any industry. The secret is knowing how to draw value from such skills and matching them to a job advert.

Should I update my college resume often?

Yes! You should update your resume when you learn something new, complete an internship, or participate in a charity event. It’s a way of keeping up with your growing experience and ensuring you’re current with industry trends.