Quick Fix Resume Tips

by Myrna Paulina Acuna Pineda
(Chandler, AZ, United States)

When applying for scholarships, 90% of the time, they will ask you for a resume! Here are some quick and easy tips to make your resume look professional and well written!

Step 1) Make a cover letter

Scholarship committees use cover letters to determine your interest in a college or scholarship and to assess your written communication skills.

The cover letter should answer the following questions: Why are you interested in this college or scholarship? How are you qualifies? Why should you be admitted?

There are certain guidelines to keep in mind:

Address the letter to a specific individual. Be brief. Use powerful words, concise sentences, and short paragraphs. Don't restate your resume, instead, explain how your experiences meet the specific needs of the college or major you're entering. Keep it to one page. Match the type style and paper (if submitting in hard copy) with your resume. Proof read for spelling and grammatical errors. Keep a record of where you've applied, when you've sent each cover letter, and when you plan to follow up with an email or phone call.

Now on to the fun stuff!

Step 2 Resume time!

The resume can make or break your chances for admittance into the college!

Here are some quick steps to making a great resume!

1) Always include a cover letter

2) Ensure your grammar and spelling is correct throughout your resume and cover letter

3) Make sure formatting is consistent throughout your resume and cover letter

4) Customize every resume and cover letter to the specific scholarship or application you are applying for

5) Ensure there is a correlation between your resume and the major you are applying for! If there is something you can't match up, speak about how your experiences will help you accomplish he responsibility in your cover letter

6) Read anything you can find about the university or organization and speak to how you are a good fit for their values/vision/mission in your cover letter - make sure you actually understand what you are writing!

7) Always get permission from your references to include them

8) Create a separate document which contains every bit of data you may need if you are asked to fill out a scholarship or employment application upon acceptance of your resume.

Here are some DON'TS:

- DON'T lie or over exaggerate your skills

- DON'T go beyond one full page early in your career, as you gain more experience, your resume may take up to 2 to 3 pages, but early in your career, keep it simple.

- DON'T send your resume as a word document! Formatting can be lost, always save as a PDF!

Read more College Student Resume Tips.

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Comment from your friendly team at College Financial Aid Advice

Thank you Myrna for submitting your college student resume tips. These are great tips to help create a winning resume and cover letter. Best of luck to you in your college education.

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