I just graduated college, what do I put on my resume?

Question

I have been waiting tables full time to put myself through school. I graduated with a degree in finance, but don't have any internships or practical experience. I basically havn't had time for any type of extracurricular activities. What can I put on my resume, so it won't be completely blank?

Answer 1

I did exactly what you did -- worked my way through undergrad waiting tables and bartending. I went on to law school and had little to no "practical" experience when I started applying for jobs. I found that it doesn't hurt to put on your resume that you waited tables. Often employers are looking for responsibility as much as actual experience. So if you can show that you were responsible enough to hold down a job AND go to school simultaneously, that shows a lot to an employer.

I would also include relevant courses that you took in undergrad and even a description thereof. Interestingly, I was picked for a number of interviews from a section I put on my resume that included just general supplemental information -- including things like I had lived overseas, had a radio show, had an interest in the options trading, etc. I think employers are looking for competence (which you demostrate with your degree), responsibility (which you can demonstrate by holding down any job -- even waiting tables) and personality (which you can demostrate by adding supplemental information about yourself).

My law school has some resume tips as well as some sample resumes that may be useful: http://law.wlu.edu/career/page.asp?pageid=218

Also check http://www.resume-resource.com/samples.html for sample resumes
Best of luck.

Answer 2

Make an honnest resume, include what you excelled at in school, your best subjects things like that. Include your degree, and hopefully a referance or two from your teachers. Put your resumes out absolutly everywhere, the fact that you worked full time and managed to get a degree speaks a tonn so include the waiting job on their too.

Answer 3

List the years you attended and relevant classes to the job you are seeking. If you did not graduate, just don't make a false claim that you did or got a degree. People who did or got a degree will list it. Many people take classes but do not necessarily get a degree. If the interviewer asks if you graduated, say "not yet, I still need XX number of hours".

Answer 4

I have worked for 46 years; and I can tell you that no one will fault your for working your way thru college.

Be Honest.
Be straight forward

1999-2003: While attending College
Employer: Jon J. Mitchell, Owner, Jon's Coffee Shop
address
phone

This is the real world. Employers know you just graduated and that College is very expensive. They will all be proud of you for completing college and trying to stay financially responsible at the same time.

Good luck to you and Congratulations.

Answer 5

Monster .com
great place!