Beefing Up the Entry-Level Resume

You know what you want to be when you grow up. You can see yourself in your ideal position, and you're great. The only problem is that you're not yet part of this industry and don't really have any experience. In fact, you don't have much experience at all. Maybe you've worked a few hours here and there in retail or you've done well academically in college. How do you turn those experiences into a resume that will land jobs?

It's simple! Start with what you have. Jot down all of the jobs, volunteer work, and major assignments you have completed. Don't get lost in the details; just get the information on paper. Once you have the experience, however meager it may seem, you should think about your objective. Put simply: what do you want? What are you trying to get from creating your resume? You may be looking for a job at a stable company that has a career path. You may be looking for something part-time until you know what you want to do. Whatever it is, be sure that you know what you're after so that you can hone your experience.

When you have your list and objective, begin picking at the list and determining how each activity will assist you. If you are looking to land a job that will lead to a management position, then you will need to focus on the leadership skills you learned as the section leader in band. Are you headed for a career in marketing? That year you worked for the GAP should be front and center.

Knowing the relevant jobs and activities is only part of the battle. You also have to know what to say about each job. Let's go back to that section leader, for example. Saying that you were the flute's section leader isn't enough; you need to put bullet points to let the reader - your potential boss - know how it helped you refine your leadership skills. So your bullet points may be similar to these:

• Taught commands to new members
• Inspected uniforms and instruments at performances
• Led sessions to learn music
• Worked with other section leaders to create a cohesive band environment
• Enforced band policies regarding tardiness, dress, and other issues

Each of these points is important. They demonstrate that you led others while adhering to a higher authority - the band director - and worked with your peers. Pull out the lessons learned from each experience to make sure that your experience, however limited, looks as if it had a substantial impact on your ability to perform well at a job.

Once you know how each position or assignment helped you gain real-world skills, you can tailor your resume to show others how those experiences have made you the perfect candidate for your job.