Recent College Graduate Resume Templates and Examples for 2024

Recent College Graduate Resume Template Example

PDF

DOCX

Google Docs

Your recent college graduate resume should demonstrate your commitment to continuing education, drive to excel, and success in networking and developing mentor relationships. Also, display your accomplishments in internship or volunteer opportunities in your field of study. This guide provides expert tips to create an accomplishment-driven resume emphasizing the most compelling aspects of your experiences as a recent college graduate.

How To Write a Recent College Graduate Resume

Using a resume template can help you write an effective recent college graduate resume that includes these key sections:

• Contact information
• Profile
• Key skills
• Professional experience
• Education and certifications

Contact information

Provide your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile. Ensure your contact information is current so potential employers can contact you for an interview.

Education and certifications

As a recent graduate, list education and certifications earned before your profile or career objectives section. List any relevant education and certifications you’ve received to show you’re qualified in your field of study. Include the title of the degree or certificate earned, the institution’s name, and the completion date. You can also list continuing education courses or professional development programs you’ve completed.

Profile

In about two to three sentences, summarize your educational background, relevant skills, career objectives, and experience in your field of study as a recent college graduate. Use this section to make a strong, enticing introduction. Highlight your strengths and integrate keywords from the job description to show you’re a good match for the position. You can choose to title this section Career Objectives and share your goals and skills that you’ve developed on the road to attaining them.

Key skills

Display the specific skills that make you a strong candidate for the position. Choose hard skills such as software development and soft skills such as communication and problem-solving. Strategically choose which ones to include. Consider which skills the company is looking for and how you can match them.

Common hard and soft skills for a recent college graduate

Resume writer’s tip: Use strong action verbs

Take a strategic approach with the words on your recent college graduate resume. In the professional experience section of your resume, use action verbs to communicate your job duties and accomplishments. Instead of listing responsibilities, start each sentence with an action verb. Show how you executed your tasks through descriptive words and avoid using first-person language, such as, “I was responsible for…” Consider using the action verbs below to inject some energy into your recent college graduate resume:

Professional experience

This section should list your internship experiences, including job duties, employer names, and dates of employment. Be sure to highlight specific achievements and accomplishments, quantifying your results wherever possible.

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Use numbers and metrics to show the results you achieved in previous roles. Provide context to your academic and field experience, and give recruiters a better understanding of your scope and impact. You can demonstrate your value and potential as a recent college graduate by detailing your contributions to teams.

What if you don’t have experience?

Creating a recent college graduate resume can be challenging if you don’t have real-world experience yet. However, it’s important to remember you still have valuable skills and knowledge from your education and training. Be sure to highlight any relevant coursework you’ve done or certifications you’ve earned.

Consider including volunteer work or internships you’ve completed in your field of study. Focus on emphasizing your willingness to learn, strong work ethic, and problem-solving skills. By focusing on these qualities, you can demonstrate your potential to be a valuable asset to any team.

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

Align your resume with each job description, which will require tweaking your document by incorporating some of the same language and target keywords. Highlight specific skills and capabilities the hiring manager is seeking. This will give you the best chance of capturing a recruiter’s attention and winning an interview.

Check Out Related Examples

Entry-Level Resume Templates and Examples

By: Andrew Stoner

First Job Resume Templates and Examples

By: Andrew Stoner

Teen Resume Templates and Examples

By: Andrew Stoner

Recent College Graduate Resume Template Text Example

Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

A resume should be a forward-looking value proposition that showcases your most relevant accomplishments for a target role — not a rear view summary of your previous roles and responsibilities.