Most college students wait until their final year before they start thinking seriously about their job search. At that point, they begin to worry about their resume and the interviews they will take. These students know that many employers review resumes first, to determine which students they will interview.

With this in mind, students often spend hours trying to craft a resume that will impress prospective employers. They consider the various resume styles, fonts, white space and struggle with the words they will use. Although not paying attention to these details may knock them out of the process, these items seldom help to land a job. They are simply expected of every applicant.

Employers want more than a good looking, well written resume. They much prefer applicants who have been active and have the battle scars to prove it. Students like this are able to impress employers with the accomplishments, achievements, successes and positive results that they have accumulated. These students have consciously and methodically worked, participated and led others. They understand that a great resume is built slowly, throughout the entire college experience.

Think about this. If one “B” student has been actively involved on campus, at work or in the community while another “B” student has simply attended class, which student is more likely to have a list of accomplishments, achievements, successes and positive results? Every employer wants to learn about a student's ability to get things done and make things better. They believe that if the student was able to improve something in the past, they will be able to do the same for them in the future. However, when a student is unable to offer examples of their ability to achieve results, the best employers will move on to someone who can.

“It's your accomplishments, achievements, successes, positive outcomes and results
that will interest employers, not your resume.
Your resume is nothing more than a vehicle for presentation.”

To build a great resume, students must get involved with the things that they love. By accepting responsibility for completing a task, students will gain confidence and build their knowledge and skills. As their confidence and capabilities grow, students can take on greater and greater responsibility. The size and importance of an achievement will always interest the best employers. They know that the size of the accomplishment is determined by the size of the student's capabilities. That's why it is important for students to grow their capabilities through participation. Few capabilities are enhanced by sitting on the sidelines. Students must get their hands dirty, make a few mistakes, build a few bridges and fight a few battles.

Resumes that don't emphasize a student's accomplishments and results will ring hollow with employers. It's the accomplishments that bring the resume to life. To see what I mean, compare these two statements.

1. I was responsible for recruiting new members for the Marketing Club.

2. I increased the Marketing Club membership from 18 to 31 students. This resulted in a
$2,000 increase in club revenue and allowed us to sponsor a club visit to IBM, where we
spent time interacting with the Marketing Staff of the Electronic Systems Division.

Example #2 is much more interesting and powerful. Remember, accomplishments are the results of whatever you did. Because of what you did in example #2, the number of Club members increased from 18 to 31; Club revenue increased by $2,000; and, your Marketing Club was able to interact with members of a marketing department within IBM.

“Never Mistake Activity For Results”

The best employers are interested in the results that students can achieve. They know that many students work hard and try hard but don't accomplish much. That's why a resume must tout the student's capabilities. Every student can do that by describing their most significant accomplishments, achievements, successes, positive outcomes and results.

When students don't take the time to build a list accomplishments throughout their college experience, their good looking but sterile resume won't help them get a job. Savvy students understand that it's their accomplishments that impress employers, not their resumes.

“A well written resume is a poor substitute for an impressive accomplishment.”

In college, opportunities are all around. They exist in the classroom, around campus, at work and in the local community. To impress the best employers, students should seek out and accept responsibility, perform in an exceptional way, overcome obstacles and achieve outstanding results. Everyone can find something they love to do and get involved. When students find ways to make something better, they are on their way to creating a great resume, one built on positive outcomes and impressive results.