Between 30 and 50 seconds: This is the average time a recruiter spends reading a resume. This shows the importance of emphasizing the key elements of your career path and, most importantly, avoiding certain mistakes that could prove fatal to you in your job or internship search.
Are you a student and would like to apply for a holiday job, a year-end internship or your first job? So take the time to write your cover letter and resume well, and most importantly, be careful not to make these five mistakes on your student resume.
Don’t give your resume a title
First mistake not to commit, the lack of a title. Because the recruiter needs to know at a glance which position you are applying for. Avoid boat titles like “CV” or “Curriculum Vitae.” The recruiter knows what a resume looks like, but what they want to know is who they’re dealing with. So be precise and concise and include in the title the name of the position you are applying for.
A poorly presented and incomplete CV
The general presentation of your student resume is very important for a recruiter. A CV that is poorly presented in terms of form or content is quickly dismissed. So take the time to look at models on the internet, ask your parents or business friends for advice. An outside perspective is sometimes very helpful in highlighting aspects of your student resume that need revision.
In particular, focus on the following points:
- Appreciate your experience or skills: Even if you don’t necessarily have a lot of work experience as a student, don’t discount yourself or leave gaps. You can highlight the skills you acquired in college or your odd jobs. If your experience doesn’t match the job you’re applying for, try to identify qualities and skills that match the job’s criteria. You really need to adapt as much as possible to the job, school or internship you are applying for;
- Don’t fall into the information trap: if you have little experience, you tend to fill out your student resume with embroidery as much as possible. And that’s a mistake to avoid at all costs. There’s no point drowning the recruiter in too much useless information. Instead, focus on completed missions, what they got you and what’s useful for the coveted offer. Also, avoid lying on your resume by making up responsibilities or skills. This will inevitably be felt at some point, be it during a job interview or once in the mail;
- Don’t use a list of buzzwords or overly technical terms: it’s good to highlight your technical skills, but there’s no point listing a lot of technical terms on a student resume. Keep it short and concise so the recruiter retains important information from your background;
- Air your resume: A page full of information can sometimes lose your reader and make your resume incomprehensible. Try to work in blocks and put the most important information at the top of your student resume. Your resume must fit on one page and allow the recruiter to have some sort of ID of your background. And most importantly, display your experiences backwards so the recruiter sees your most recent experiences first.
- Do not give too much personal information: in the first part of your CV, dedicated to personal presentation, limit yourself to the most important information, namely first name, last name, address, telephone number and e-mail to contact you. You can add your age if you’d like, but don’t include your date of birth, zodiac sign, or social security number! You can indicate whether you have the B license or others if it is important for the desired offer, but there is no obligation in the matter.
An unprofessional photo
If the photo is a non-mandatory element in a student resume, choose it well if you decide to place it. In fact, avoid a photo where you are in the evening or in beachwear. Choose a photo that was taken in a professional setting, or opt for one in a serious outfit. This might seem like a detail, but it’s important when you’re competing with equivalent resumes.
spelling mistake
If the recruiter mainly sees the form of your CV, he will quickly take a look at the substance. And the presence of spelling mistakes will clearly be prohibitive. So take the time to proofread yourself and have them proofread before you send your document. You can also use online spell checkers to help you find the biggest mistakes in your student resume.
Hobbies that are too vague or too controversial
If you decide to add a free time section to your student resume, be careful not to be too general or too honest! Indeed, when you state cinema, sport and music, you should be aware that many other candidates may have said the same thing. However, your CV must set you apart from other candidates. So indicate what time you like, what directors or actors and actresses, what sports, whether you have practiced in a club, what it brings you … Ditto for music, indicate your taste, whether you play an instrument whether you are part of a group… And above all, try to show what has brought you and who could be suitable for the coveted position. Always try to link. On the other hand, avoid more controversial hobbies like hunting or bullfighting, which may offend some recruiters.