Building a résumé before university

To make you feel better, Clare's high-school résumé looked something like this.

So even if yours looks like Clare's did, don't worry! After working on our résumés for a few years now, we’ve pulled together some tips on how to build a strong résumé before starting university. 

If it’s relevant and true, include it

Lots of people with limited work experience end up creating a very empty résumé because they feel there’s nothing to write about. But a résumé isn’t just about paid work experience! 

A résumé should give employers a clear sense of who you are and what you bring to the table — and that is definitely not limited to any previous jobs you’ve had. You should put anything on there that you feel represents you well. Volunteer experience is great, and so are school leadership positions, but these aren’t the only experiences that can go on a résumé. 

Being a member of a school club, team, or community group, can also say a lot about you. While it might feel silly to include "member of board game club" on your résumé, an employer reading this will know that you’re a problem solver, are used to competitive environments, and are able to commit to weekly meetings. And maybe, if luck is on your side, your interviewer could have a passion that's similar to yours, allowing you to connect with them on a more personal level! 

Make sure you can prove your points

Let’s say you have an interest in machine learning. Maybe you’ve never studied it in school, but you completed a free online introductory course and now understand the basics. You can put this on your résumé! This goes back to what we said before: if what you’re saying is true, include it.  

A bullet point saying “Completed an online introductory course in machine learning and developed a basic understanding of key concepts” is true and will intrigue an employer, especially since it shows initiative.  

Make sure you have examples to go along with everything you include on your résumé. You don't want to risk having an employer ask about a task or hobby, and you're not able to explain it. 

Sections of a résumé

Depending on how old you are and the type of job you're applying for, the sections on your résumé can differ. However, the following sections are common for high school students:

• Your name and contact information (so employers can reach you for an interview)
• Skills and qualifications (which can be a great way of highlighting what you can do if you haven't had many/any previous jobs)
• Previous work experience (if you haven't had a job, see previous point — extracurriculars like clubs can be put here!)
• Volunteer experience
• Education

Some people highlight their career goals or include a quick summary of themselves, e.g., hard worker with an interest in learning, problem solver with creative thinking skills, and/or good communicator who likes working with people.

In your "skills and qualifications" section, brag a little! Maybe you don’t have any official qualifications, but you definitely have skills. You can include anything that’s true about yourself and that's relevant to the job.

Here's an extra tip, take a look at the job posting! It will often list the skills that the employer is looking for, and then you can use it as a guide when deciding what to include.  

Example of a 'skills and qualifications' section

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Great attention to detail
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, social media, and creating videos
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Fluent in French 

It's important to note that while you want to flesh your points out with enough detail, you also don't want to pad them with unnecessary detail. Aim for four or five points maximum, and try to keep each of them in one line.

Once you get to Waterloo, you can meet with a career advisor to help identify your skills and qualifications.

Explain why your experience matters

Remember when we said that when you write "member of board game club" on your résumé, the employer will know that you're a problem solver, you're used to competitive environments, and you're able to commit to weekly club meetings? Well, this might not always be true. There is a possibility that the employer has never played a board game in their life, and therefore, won’t understand the level of commitment it takes to maintain your position in the club. This is why you have to tell them. 

Whenever you put something on your résumé, explain why it is important. Include the details on how this makes you a better employee: what skills you’ve gained, what you learned, what kind of commitment you made, and anything else you think is important. 

For example, under "Work experience," you can outline your role as a member of the board game club and explain its importance in one detailed, but concise, sentence:

• Collaborated with team members to develop and implement in-game strategies, leading to improved team performance and a series of victories in local competitions.

If you’re having trouble coming up with these details, go through this scenario in your head. Imagine I told you that you’ll no longer be able to attend your club meetings (or whatever else you are doing) unless you were able to convince me of how you are growing as a person because of it. What would you say to me? Write that down!

The format is more important than you think

Formatting might seem like a small detail, but it can make a big difference. A clean, well-organized résumé is much easier for employers to read and can set you a part right away. Here are some simple formatting tips to follow: 

• Put your name, contact information, and other details at the top of the page.
• Use clear section headings (e.g., Skills, Experience, Education)  
• List your experiences from most to least relevant, in chronological order.
• Outline any points with bullet points. Be sure not to exceed four or five points if you keep them in one line. If your points go over a line, stick closer to three points.
• Expand the margins. A good résumé is concise, and ideally, doesn’t go over a page. Play around with margins to see how you can maximize the space of the page to fit in all relevant details.
• Pay attention to white space. Note the white space between your sections and keep them consistent — this helps clarify the points on your résumé and overall gives it a clean look.

Tip: avoid dividing your résumé into two columns. Many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan résumés. To successfully pass this process, organize the information on your résumé into one wide, easy-to-read column.

So how do you actually format a résumé?

You can use résumé templates online to get inspiration or ideas, but it’s best to create one of your own! You can ensure the formatting of your résumé is correct and customize it to reflect who you are as both an individual and a potential employee. 

Here's Chloe's example of what a well-formatted résumé looks like.

Customize, customize, customize!

Don’t think your résumé is set in stone once you've finished. As you gain new experiences, update it regularly — even small changes can make a difference overtime.  

Also, you don’t have to use the same résumé for every application! You should always tailor your résumé for each job you apply for.  

For example, if you’re applying for a graphic design role, you’ll want to emphasize your creative skills and possibly include a portfolio showing your work. However, if you’re applying for a finance-related position, you’ll probably want to focus more on your analytical or technical skills. 

In either case, you can include the same experiences but adjust what you emphasize based on what the employer is looking for.  

So, I hope these tips help to get you started! Your first year of university can be very busy and will go by quickly, so you’ll be glad to have already started the process of creating a great résumé for co-op or other career opportunities. 

And remember, when building a résumé, you’ll definitely go through a trial-and-error process, but eventually you’ll have a shining document that shows off all your best qualities.

Building a strong résumé takes time! Focus on developing your skills and experiences as you move into this next chapter of your life — your résumé will grow with you. 

Once you're a Waterloo student

Our on-campus Centre for Career Development offers workshops and events such as "Résumé Tips: Thinking Like an Employer" and "From Apps to Interviews: Your Crash Course to Employment" to help you perfect your résumé. You can also meet individually with a career advisor to review your résumé or work on your interview skills.