How to Create Your First Resume To Actually Land A Job (And Get You Out of Your Mother’s House)

Byfirstclassuni.com

Congratulations! You’ve survived the stress of university life—random fee increases, sad, overpriced cafeteria food, and professors who acted like your life and death depended on one mind-bending question they intentionally devised to torture you and inflate their egos. 

Now, reality has arrived: you need a job. But before you can even dream of escaping unemployment or avoiding a depressing life as a waiter at that loud family restaurant near your mum’s office, you need a resume that won’t immediately end up in an employer’s recycling bin. 

Because if you have to suffer through four years of mental beatdowns, you should be able to get a cushy job at a nice office and make just enough to complain about the price of eggs.

Let’s get into it.

The Job Market is a Jungle—Prepare for Battle

First things first: job hunting is like sending a text to your crush—sometimes you get a reply, sometimes you’re left on read, and sometimes you just have to double-text. A solid resume is your main wingman, hyping you up and trying to convince employers to give you a chance. With thousands of fresh graduates flooding the market every year, you need to stand out. But how do you do that when your only work experience is serving as a class rep and handling your department’s group chat?

Breathe. I got you.

Step 1: Start With the Basics—Your Contact Information

Your name should be at the top of the page, bold and clear. Below that, add your phone number, professional email (no mscheeksfuturehusband@gmail.com type nonsense), and LinkedIn profile (yes, you should have one). If you have an online portfolio or personal website, include that too.

Example:

Spongebob Square pants
 📞 803-123-4567
📧 spongebob.squarepants@gmail.com
🔗linkedin.com/in/spongebobsquarepants

NOTE: LinkedIn is like professional social media that’s for formal, work-related content only. It’s a great tool for job seekers and employers, so it’s a good idea to create a LinkedIn account and start posting content there. But if you don’t have one yet, you can apply for jobs without it.

Step 2: Write a Killer Personal Statement

This is your resume’s pickup line (How you doin’). If it’s weak, the recruiter swipes left. Your personal statement should briefly highlight who you are, what you can do, and what value you bring. Make it clear and confident, but keep it short (3-4 sentences max).

Bad Example: “I am a fresh graduate looking for an opportunity to learn and grow in your organization.” (Yawn.)

Good Example: “Detail-oriented and creative graduate with a strong background in social media management and content creation. Passionate about helping brands grow their online presence through strategic marketing. Skilled in Canva, SEO, and customer engagement.”

Step 3: Education—Because HR Loves Certificates

This is straightforward. List your degree, institution, and graduation year. If you had a strong CGPA (e.g., first class or high second class upper), include it. If not, let’s not talk about it.

Example:

B.Sc. Mass Communication
University of Bikini Bottom, 2024
CGPA: 4.2/5.0 (Optional)

Step 4: Work Experience—Even If You Have None, You Have Something

Now, here’s where many fresh graduates panic. “But I’ve never worked before!” Relax. Employers care about skills and experience, not just formal jobs. Did you run a small business in school? Manage your faculty’s social media? Organize events? All of that counts!

Example:

Social Media Manager
Faculty of Arts, University of Bikini Bottom (2022 – 2024)

  • Grew department’s Instagram account from 200 to 5,000+ followers in one year.
  • Created engaging content, increasing student engagement by 60%.
  • Managed social media campaigns and responded to student inquiries.

But if you literally have NOTHING to put on your resume, it’s time to find some work experience and find it FAST. I suggest freelancing for that. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and the like have thousands of jobs available and don’t require a resume or work experience to get started. 

Freelance Graphic Designer
Self-Employed (2021 – Present)

  • Designed over 50 logos, flyers, and branding materials for small businesses.
  • Worked with clients across different industries, delivering high-quality designs on time.
  • Tripled warm leads for Krusty Krab by designing eye-catching coupons for BUY ONE, BUY ONE FREE krabby patty promos.

Notice how each experience uses metrics and focuses on achievements instead of duties? “Tripled warm leads”, “increasing student engagement by 60%”. 

Employers don’t care about what you’ve done, they care about what you’ve achieved and what you can help them achieve.

Step 5: Skills—Your Superpowers

List skills that are relevant to the job you want. Don’t list every random skill (“Can cook fried rice in five minutes” is not relevant, my dear—unless you’re applying for a sous chef position). Focus on technical and soft skills.

Example:

  • Digital Marketing (SEO, Social Media Management, Email Marketing)
  • Graphic Design (Canva, Photoshop)
  • Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Communication and Teamwork
  • Content Writing & Blogging

Step 6: Certifications & Training (Optional But Powerful)

If you took any online courses (Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning), mention them. Recruiters love seeing proactive candidates who invest in learning. Bonus points if you completed the course and got a certificate. You can include a link to your certificate in your resume, but don’t upload the actual thing.

Example:

  • Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certification (Google, 2023)
  • Social Media Marketing Course (HubSpot Academy, 2022)

Step 7: Extracurricular Activities & Volunteering

Employers love well-rounded candidates. Did you volunteer for a cause? Were you part of a debate club? Did you tutor classmates for extra cash? It all counts. Volunteering and extracurriculars show that you’re a hardworking person and give employers the impression that you wouldn’t scam them.

Example:

  • Volunteered at Bikini Bottom Food Bank, helping distribute stolen Krabby patties to 500+ people.
  • President, Campus Writing Club—Organized 10+ writing workshops and events.

Step 8: Keep It Short & Sweet

Your resume should be one page. Nobody has time to read your 3-page life story. Use bullet points, keep descriptions concise, and make sure it’s easy to skim. Only include experience relevant to the job. If you’ve worked as a social media manager where you edited some posts and designed graphics for social media, only talk about designing graphics. Don’t talk about how you used Instagram trends to grow an account or how good you are at selecting hashtags. That’s valid experience, but it’s not relevant to graphic design.

Step 9: Make The Actual Resume

Okay. So now you know what to do and how to do it. But where do you do it? Easy. There are a million tools for creating resumes. Here are a few I recommend:

  • Google Docs: It’s free. Major plus. It’s easy to use, and you can design your own resume template (if you know how) instead of using their premade templates.
  • Canva: You’ll get hundreds of resume templates here, and you can adjust them however you’d like. The free version of Canva offers pretty good resumes, but I recommend getting Canva Premium to get access to the REALLY good stuff. (Designing your own template on Google Docs still beats Canva though, in my opinion.) 
  • Upwork: If you want a professional resume, but don’t know how to put your experience into sexy terms that attract employers, paying someone to do it for you is a great option. On Upwork, you can find freelancers who offer specialized resume creation services at affordable prices. 
  • Fair warning: Not every resume writer is a good resume writer, so do your research before hiring anyone. 

Final Touches: Format Like a Pro

  • Font: Use professional fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman (Size 10-12). And don’t use a colored background for your resume, you’re not Elle Woods.
  • Keywords: Use keywords that are listed in the job description of the job you’re applying for. If the job description has things like “Must have 2 years of experience, proficient in Canva, etc, your resume should include something about Canva, and your years of experience.
  • Alignment: Keep things neat with proper spacing. Make good use of white space (the empty spaces in your resume). 
  • Save as PDF: Never send a Word document unless specifically requested. PDFs maintain formatting. Always pay attention to the details in the job description.
  • Proofread: Grammar errors can ruin your chances. Use Grammarly or ChatGPT, or ask a friend to proofread for you. A smart friend please, not an idiot.

Now, Go Secure That Bag!

With this resume, you’re no longer just a fresh graduate—you’re a strong candidate. Send it out, follow up on applications, and don’t let rejection break you. The job market may be tough, but you’re tougher.

Now, go forth and get paid. Your haters will be shocked!

Wishing you peace and funds,

Dee

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