A First-Gen's Guide to Resume Strategies

Resume Handbook

Navigating the professional world without a roadmap can be daunting, especially for first-gen students and graduates. As someone who walked this path as both a first-gen student and now an HR professional, I aim to share the insights and wisdom I gathered along the way. Consider this guide a mentorship session on paper, intended to light your path more brightly than mine once was. 

Kickstarting Your Resume

In today’s digital age, various tools and AI assistants offer a fantastic starting point for crafting your resume. These resources can help you structure and polish your content, ensuring clarity and coherence. However, the key lies in personalization. Utilize these tools to get the ball rolling but make sure to infuse your resume with personal touches that reflect your unique professional journey. This blend of technology and personal insight can create a resume that truly stands out.

The One-Page Wonder

Recruiters often spend only a few moments scanning each resume, so your goal is to make a memorable impact quickly. Aim for a one-page resume. This limitation compels you to focus on the essence of your experiences and achievements, highlighting only the most impactful elements. To aid in this process, utilize free template options available in Word, where you'll find a variety of layouts.

Making Every Word Count

Given the competitive nature of the job market, your resume must be concise and well-organized. Use bullet points wisely—fewer, more impactful ones are better than numerous less significant points. This approach helps in utilizing the limited space effectively, ensuring all relevant information fits within a one-page format.

Attention to Detail and Maximizing Space and Impact

Proper formatting is key. It's essential to use the white space on your resume strategically, making your qualifications easy to read and aesthetically pleasing. This attention to detail demonstrates your professionalism, seriousness about your job search, and distinguishes you as an outstanding candidate.

Step 1: Start With Your Contact Information

At the very top of your resume, prominently display your name, phone number, email, and links to professional online profiles (like LinkedIn) or a personal website/portfolio. By clearly presenting your contact information, you're making it easy for employers to reach out.

If being close to the job location is beneficial, include your city and state as well. However, if distance could be seen as a hurdle but you're open to the commute or relocating, it's okay to strategically omit this detail. What's crucial is maintaining honesty, especially when it comes to discussions around potential commutes or relocation.

Step 2: Detailing Your Education

When it comes to outlining your education on your resume, how you present this information can significantly impact a hiring manager's perception of you. Let's break this down based on where you are in your educational journey.

For Current Students

If you're still pursuing your degree, it's beneficial to include your expected graduation year. This detail informs potential employers of your availability, especially if you're juggling classes and are looking for work that accommodates your academic schedule. It signals to employers that while your current availability might be limited, you'll soon be fully ready to immerse yourself in work post-graduation.

For Recent Graduates and Beyond

Once you're nearing graduation or have already graduated, the need to list your high school and high school achievements diminishes. Focus on your college accomplishments instead. If you've recently graduated and your GPA is a strong point (3.0 or higher), featuring it can enhance your resume. However, if you believe your GPA isn't a highlight or if you've been in the workforce for some time, it's perfectly fine to leave it out. This tailored strategy is about more than just listing your educational background; it's about strategically presenting yourself in the best light.

If you are a college graduate, including your graduation year is optional. Removing the graduation year helps avoid any potential age bias. Despite age discrimination being illegal for individuals over 40, the reality is that biases, whether conscious or unconscious, can influence hiring decisions. The social media trend of omitting graduation years is growing, and for a good reason. It eliminates the chance for snap judgments about your age and level of experience. The goal is to keep the focus squarely on what you can do and what you have achieved.

Step 3: Skills and Certifications

When it comes to setting yourself apart, your skills and certifications take center stage. This section is typically found near the top of a resume, just below the summary or objective section (if you've decided to include one—more on this further along) and above the professional experience section. Here is where your abilities shine, demonstrating your unique blend of talents and industry-specific knowledge. It's your opportunity to highlight how you distinguish yourself, not just as a candidate but as the ideal fit for the role you're targeting. Let's break down how to craft this pivotal part of your resume.

Core Competencies

Think of your core competencies as the DNA of your professional self—a combination of the hard skills you've mastered, the soft skills you embody, and the specific knowledge you've acquired that's relevant to your industry. This mix should not only align with the role you're applying for but also echo the keywords and phrases found in the job description, especially if you haven’t explicitly mentioned them in other parts of your resume. This shows you're a multifaceted professional capable of contributing in diverse ways. Here’s how to approach it:

Hard Skills

These are the technical skills you've honed through education, training, and experience. Whether it's software proficiency, languages you program in, or specialized equipment you can operate, make sure these are front and center if they're relevant to the job.

Multilingual Abilities

If you possess multilingual abilities, highlight this superpower. It's not just about speaking other languages; it's about bridging cultures and enhancing communication within diverse teams.

Soft Skills

Often undervalued, your soft skills are equally important. They're the traits that make you a great team player, leader, and problem-solver. Skills like effective communication, adaptability, and leadership are not just buzzwords—they're attributes that shape how you work and interact with others.

Certifications  

If you've earned relevant certifications, these are gold. They provide concrete evidence of your skills and dedication to professional growth.

Example of Format: Certified Project Manager (CPM) – Project Management Institute

Keep in mind that it's best practice to keep your resume to one page. Be strategic about the sections you include to ensure clarity and conciseness. The following can be added towards the bottom of your resume after your experience: 

Awards and Recognitions

Scholarships, honors, or any awards you've received are worth mentioning. They demonstrate your drive, leadership, and capacity to excel.

Example: Dean's List, Spring 2022 - Fall 2023; Leadership Award, XYZ Volunteer Organization, 2023.

Organizations and Volunteer Opportunities

If you've been part of organizations or volunteer initiatives not covered in your work experience, list them here. It's about showing your willingness to engage and contribute beyond professional settings. List them the same you would detail a role. 

Step 4: Highlight Your Experience

Where to Start on Professional Experience

In this essential section, how you arrange your experience can significantly impact a recruiter's first impression. Start each entry with the title of the role, followed by the company name, location (city and state), and you can also indicate if it was remote, hybrid, or onsite in parentheses. Dates should be clearly marked, starting from the month and year you began through the month and year you ended.

Choosing the Right Format

If your recent experience is directly relevant, maintaining a chronological order is your best bet. However, if your most relevant experiences aren't the most recent, prioritize relevance to catch the recruiter's eye immediately. This strategy ensures the first thing they see aligns with what they're looking for. Afterwards, you can list an “Other Experience” section in chronological order to fill in your professional timeline.

For those just stepping into the workforce, don't underestimate the value of internships, volunteer work, or part-time jobs. These experiences demonstrate your initiative and adaptability. If you're aiming to break into a new field without directly relevant experience, a chronological format may serve you well, allowing you to emphasize the development of transferable skills over time.

Crafting Impactful Bullet Points

Begin each bullet entry with a dynamic action verb that captures the essence of your contribution. Consistency in tense is important—use past tense for previous roles and present tense for your current position. This not only keeps your resume tidy but also makes it easier for recruiters to follow your professional narrative.

A compelling approach to detailing your roles in your bullet points is to focus on what you did, the skills you utilized, and the impact of your actions.

Example Bullet Point: Led a customer service team, implementing new service protocols to reduce wait times that boosted weekend sales and enhanced customer satisfaction scores.

Whenever possible, quantify this impact to demonstrate your understanding of business outcomes.

Example Bullet Point: Oversaw a team of 5, streamlining service protocols to reduce wait times, which drove a 20% uplift in sales and improved customer feedback by 30%.

This example illustrates not just the responsibility you held but also the positive outcomes of your efforts, showcasing your potential to future employers.

Tailoring for the ATS

Many applicants aren't aware of the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) used by companies to sift through numerous applications. Especially for remote positions, where competition is fierce, incorporating specific keywords from the job description into your resume is vital. This strategy significantly increases the chances of your resume making it past the ATS and into human hands.

For a customer service manager position, keywords from the job description might include "team leadership," "customer satisfaction," "service protocols," and "revenue growth.” These keywords align your resume more closely with the job's requirements, ensuring the ATS recognizes your application as a strong match.

Example Bullet Point: Enhanced team efficiency and customer service protocols, leading to a 20% increase in revenue and a 30% improvement in customer satisfaction ratings, aligning with key performance indicators for sales and service excellence.

Understanding and adapting to the ATS is crucial in today's job market. It's not just about having the right experiences but also about presenting them in a way that aligns with both the technological and human elements of the recruitment process. This effort can significantly increase your chances of moving past the initial digital gatekeepers and landing in the hands of a hiring manager.

Step 5: Tailor and Tweak for Each Application

Customize for Clarity

Your resume is not just a document; it's a living testament to your career journey. With each job application, it should evolve to mirror the language and requirements of the job description that you posses. Highlighting your relevant experience and skills in the context of what's being asked for is more than just a best practice—it ensures your application speaks directly to the needs of the employer. This thoughtful customization facilitates your resume's journey through ATS, which are programmed to identify candidates who best match the job criteria. 

If you're lacking in experience but meet at least 60% of the job's requirements, emphasize the soft skills you possess. A study by Hewlett Packard revealed a confidence gap where men apply for a job when they meet 60% of the qualifications, but women often wait until they meet 100%. Recognizing and showcasing your capabilities, even if they don't tick every box, can set you apart.

The Art of Tailoring

Adapting your resume for each opportunity demonstrates diligence and a deep understanding of the role you're applying for. To streamline this process, create a master version of your resume. For each job application, produce a tailored version, naming the file with the company's name. 

The Value of a Professional Summary

Despite some opinions that professional summaries or objectives are outdated, a well-crafted summary acts as your resume’s elevator pitch. It provides a brief yet powerful overview of your skills and experiences, capturing the essence of your professional background in just a few sentences. This section is especially crucial during those first, quick scans of your resume, where hiring managers form initial impressions. I would do this last by highlighting your relevant experience and potential contributions, you're essentially simplifying their job, directing them to see your candidacy in the best possible light. It should encapsulate the core of your professional identity—what you've achieved, how you work, and what you're aiming to accomplish next. This concise section can significantly impact, grabbing attention and framing the narrative of your entire resume.

Tracking Your Applications

In the realm of job hunting, keeping track of your applications is as crucial as tailoring your resume. Maintain a detailed log that includes the date you applied, the company name, the role, job description, any questions asked and your responses, and the current status of your application (e.g., applied, rejected, no response, initial interview, etc.). While it might seem cumbersome at first glance, this meticulous approach is invaluable. It ensures you're always prepared, especially when you're called for an interview. Knowing exactly which version of your resume a recruiter or hiring manager is referencing, along with the specific answers you provided, allows for a more confident and tailored conversation during the interview process.

Final Touches: Formatting and Proofreading

Attention to Detail

Your resume's formatting—consistent fonts and sizes, headings, and bullet point styles—plays a pivotal role in conveying your professionalism. This meticulous attention to detail is reflective of how you approach your work. Ensure everything from the font choice to the alignment is uniform, as this coherence speaks volumes to hiring managers about your diligence and keen eye.

The Power of a Second Opinion

No matter how many times you review your resume, it's easy to overlook minor errors after staring at it for too long. I've been there myself, missing a punctuation mark or two and only realizing it after submission. It's a humbling reminder of the importance of having someone else review your work. A fresh pair of eyes can catch mistakes you've glossed over, ensuring your resume is polished and error-free.

Consistency is Key

When detailing your experience, maintaining tense consistency is important. Use past tense for previous jobs and present tense for your current role. Similarly, if you're abbreviating dates, ensure this is done uniformly throughout the resume. These small but significant details contribute to the overall neatness and readability of your document.

Embrace Creativity 

Depending on the job you're applying for, a splash of creativity can set your resume apart. Designers, for example, have a unique opportunity to showcase their skills through creative templates and tasteful color use. Let your personality and the nature of the role guide you in deciding how much creativity to inject into your resume.

A Well-Dressed Resume

Just as a well-dressed interviewee makes a strong first impression, so does a well-formatted resume. It's your first opportunity to showcase your professionalism and attention to detail. Saving your resume in PDF format ensures that your meticulous formatting is preserved across different platforms, presenting your qualifications exactly as you intended.

The Power of Networking

Never underestimate the value of networking. It’s a potent tool, capable of unlocking opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach. For first-gen individuals, the challenge of building a professional network from scratch can seem daunting. Yet, the effort is well worth it. Engaging with professionals in your field, attending industry events, or joining career readiness programs like FUTURO in Nashville can dramatically broaden your horizons. The professional community is often more supportive than you might think, with many individuals eager to offer advice, mentorship, and opportunities to those just starting out.

Reflecting on the Journey 

Having recently navigated this journey myself, I understand the challenges and uncertainties that come with making one's way in the professional world. I wish I had access to this kind of guidance earlier in my career. It's my hope that by sharing this knowledge, I can make your path a little clearer and your steps a bit more confident.