How to Craft a Standout Student Resume (And What to Highlight)

Viraj Shah
Dec 19, 2025
3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Hey there, students! Ready to turn your classroom hustle into a job offer? Landing your first gig—whether it’s an internship or a full-time role—can feel like climbing Everest, especially in today’s tough job market. Many of you graduate brimming with potential but unsure how to market yourself to employers. I get it—it’s overwhelming!

But don’t sweat it. I’m here to walk you through how to create a student resume that grabs recruiters’ attention and gets you that interview. We’ll cover:

A simple, recruiter-friendly resume layout
What to include to showcase your value
What to avoid to keep things professional
Tips to make your skills and experience pop

Let’s dive in and build a resume that screams, “Hire me!”

The Perfect Resume Layout for Students

Whether you’re a high schooler chasing an internship or a college student aiming for your first full-time gig, a clean, clear resume layout is your best friend. Here’s a straightforward structure to follow:

Contact Info

Name, email, phone number, address
Links to LinkedIn, portfolio, or relevant social media

Resume Objective

A short paragraph or 2-3 bullets summarizing your key skills, achievements, or career goals tailored to the job

Education

Degree(s) earned or in progress (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Expected May 2026)
University name, GPA (if strong, e.g., 3.5+), relevant coursework, honors, or extracurriculars

Work Experience

1-2 roles or leadership positions with 1-3 bullets each, focusing on measurable outcomes
Example: Led a campus club fundraiser, raising $5,000 for local charity

Skills

Job-relevant hard skills (e.g., Python, Adobe Photoshop) and soft skills (e.g., teamwork, communication)
Include brief examples, like: Data Analysis: Built Excel model to track event budgets

Interests

2-3 personal passions with a memorable teaser (e.g., Avid hiker who summited 3 peaks last summer)

Additional Info

Volunteer work, student organizations, awards, or certifications

This layout is scannable, professional, and works for both humans and applicant tracking systems (ATS).

What to Include to Stand Out

Your resume’s job is to sell you as the perfect candidate. After analyzing thousands of resumes, I’ve found that the best ones share a few key traits. Here’s what to focus on:

Metrics That Show Impact

Don’t just list what you did—show the value you brought. Numbers make your achievements concrete. For example, instead of saying, “Managed social media for a club,” try: “Grew club Instagram following by 25% in 3 months through targeted content.”

Even if your experience is limited, quantify what you can:

Organized a study group for 15 students, improving average test scores by 10%.
Volunteered at a food bank, serving 200+ meals weekly.

Keywords That Match the Job

Keywords are your ticket past ATS and into a recruiter’s hands. Scan the job description for hard skills (e.g., “Excel,” “graphic design”) and soft skills (e.g., “problem-solving,” “leadership”). Weave these into your work experience and skills sections. Tools like Jobscan can help you compare your resume to the job description to ensure you’re hitting the right terms.

A Link to Your LinkedIn

A polished LinkedIn profile can boost your interview chances by 71%! Include a link in your contact info, but only if your profile is optimized—think professional headshot, detailed summary, and relevant skills.

What Not to Include

Even a great resume can tank if you include these rookie mistakes:

A Photo: It can seem unprofessional and risks bias. Save it for LinkedIn.
Unprofessional Email: Ditch [email protected]. Use something simple like [email protected].
Weird Fonts: Stick to clean, modern fonts like Calibri, Helvetica, or Open Sans. Comic Sans is a dealbreaker!
Too Many Colors: One accent color is fine, but don’t turn your resume into a rainbow. Keep the focus on your qualifications.
Buzzwords Without Proof: Skip vague terms like “hard worker.” Instead, show it: “Coordinated 5 campus events, managing budgets and 20 volunteers.”

How to Highlight Your Strengths as a Student

You don’t need years of experience to shine. Here’s how to make your resume pop:

Use the Layout Above: It’s ATS-friendly and easy for recruiters to scan.
Write Results-Driven Bullets: For every experience or skill, include a measurable outcome tailored to the job. Example: “Designed 10+ event flyers using Canva, boosting attendance by 30%.”
Score Your Bullets: Use a free tool like Teal to evaluate your bullet points and get suggestions for improvement.
Optimize for the Job: Compare your resume to the job description using Jobscan to ensure you’re using the right keywords.
Refine and Repeat: Tweak your resume for each job application based on feedback from the tools above.
Network Like a Pro: A great resume is only half the battle. Connect with people in your target role on LinkedIn (use Hunter.io to find emails) and ask for insights. Getting your resume to a human directly can bypass ATS entirely.