How do I get my resume to seem bigger than it is?

Question

I am a college student and want to have a great resume to show future employers. However, I've had the same job for 5 years so my resume looks very sparse. Even with the other activities and skills I've gotten in school it is still less than a page. What other stuff can I do to it to make it seem more impressive?

Answer 1

Get some volunteer experience related to the field in which you want to work.

I'm a new teacher, and my resume looks like this:

Page 1
- Education (two degrees, just dates, no info on GPA or content of program)
- Practicum Experience (what I did in my two most recent student-teaching placements)

Page 2
- Related Experience (two other jobs I've held in the teaching field)
- Additional Qualifications (first aid, language skills, computer skills, etc)
- Professional Affiliations (the career-related organizations that I am involved with)
- Personal Interests (as relevant to the job I'm applying for)

I can barely squeeze all that onto two pages, and I'm only twenty-three years old!

Answer 2

I envy your position. My girlfriend had the same problem so to start, I would use a size 12 font and detail out what your job included. I would also expand on offices held in various clubs that you belonged to. I would not worry about having a resume that is more than half a page but less than a full page. I have the opposite problem. I use a size 8 font and skimp on my job descriptions because of my past work even though I have only been out of college for less than two years.

Answer 3

Having a great attitude, a willingness to work, promptness, integrity, being teachable are very attractive qualities...

With the above, the employer can train you in any position.

Good Luck.

PS: You may need to raise the opinion you have of yourself....No one expects a 20-something college student to have 30 years experience and an Expert in their field.

Answer 4

well try to get a refrence letter from your last employer im sre if you were there for 5 years you could get one.try doing some volunteer work in the mean time and small things go to a hospital or to a old folks home,,, smal groups like SADD students against drinking a driving ) big brother big sister organization go donate some blood... that will make it longer and an employer will see that you volunteer they usually like that

Answer 5

keeping the same job for 5 years is way more impressive than having 20 jobs in 5 yrs

Answer 6

change the format/layout. add line breaks. indent. sub indent. change the page margins.

and don't forget to tailor your cover letter for each employer/position.

having a college degree and a steady job shows a lot more than anything.

Answer 7

To fill up your page, just make up certifications and responsibilities. You may even fill the resume with Bogus information, no one will ever know....plus you will get the job!

Answer 8

Add any clubs or groups you've belonged to. Also, if you've done any traveling for your company. List results of your annual evaluations or any type of merits, acknowledgments or awards you've received.

Answer 9

Include lots of details on each assignment you did

Answer 10

For resume templates and tips, and cover letter tips and samples click these links:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/cuttingedge.htm
http://www.jobstar.org/tools/resume/cletters.php
http://phoenix.about.com/cs/empl/a/coverletter01_2.htm
http://www.careerlab.com/letters/
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/sampleresumes/qt/microtemplate.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101043371033.aspx
http://www.jthomaswood.com/CareerTips_Resume.htm?scr=overture
http://www.free-resume-tips.com/10tips.html
http://resume.monster.com/
http://www.ausable.ca/resume.html
http://www.resumebuilders.net/tips.html
http://www.easyjob.net/resume/free-resume-tips.html