Showcase Your Education To Secure Your Next Job Interview

Your resume is the perfect place to highlight all that you have achieved during your further education. According to CIPD, there were on average 19 applicants applying for every medium-skilled position and 24 candidates vying for each low-skilled job vacancy during 2017. With so much competition, it’s vital you arm yourself with a high-quality resume which will make you stand out from all the other candidates. So, when you’re fresh out of further education and are preparing your curriculum vitae, this is how to give yourself the best chance of securing an interview.

Make your further education stand out

You should be proud of your further education and the skills it has given you. Your resume provides you with the perfect place to showcase your education, so, be sure to include the things you have done and achieved on it. Remember to include details of work placements, special recognitions and awards received alongside the qualifications you’ve obtained. While, grades look good on paper, experience and accolades obtained during education often tell an employer all they need to know about a prospective employee.

Keep it relevant

Take time to find out about the company you’re applying for and gently tailor your resume to suit their needs. The employer will be impressed that you’ve specifically considered their requirements and will be reassured that you’re not churning your CV out to multiple companies in a bid to secure a job. Highlight the skills, experience and achievements obtained via your further education and point out how these would benefit their business. Keep it concise, though, as too much information will likely put the reader off. Instead, try to balance it so they know enough, but are intrigued to find out more.

What employers are looking for

To give yourself the best chance, ensure your resume looks clean. Consider using a professional resume template as this will prevent you from missing any vital sections. As you’ll have little or no workplace experience, this is the time to take the details provided in the vacancy and showcase how your education makes you the perfect candidate. Companies often seek good communication skills, so make sure you mention the group projects you’ve worked on and any presentations you’ve completed. It’s important that you avoid making common mistakes, too. And, before you send your resume out to any company, read through it to be sure that all sentences are coherent and check for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.

When your further education is coming to an end, the key to gaining a job interview is to have a well presented and informative resume which highlights your education well. It’s also important to share the valuable skills, knowledge and achievements you’ve gained and that you tailor your CV to suit the employer’s needs.

Chrissy Hatfield, Freelance Writer and Editor