3 Cheap Ways to Beef Up your Resume

Joining the job market can be a stressful and daunting experience, and everyone has been there at some point. Whether you’re a fresh college graduate or someone who’s just in between jobs – you might feel like your resume is bare bones and in need of some serious beefing up. Thankfully, you don’t always have to stretch yourself too thin to find a happy medium of work experience and juggling real life. You might even find that some of these suggestions end up being enjoyable experiences, or help you find your true calling in the work force.

Volunteer Work

Volunteer work is an excellent way to add to your resume. Not only does it show you’re connected to and care about your community, it also shows you can be a team player. These are invaluable skills that tell a potential employer a little bit about you before you even land that first interview. A simple search online can show you where you can contribute to local charities, which are always in need of volunteers. This can be something as simple as volunteering at a blood drive, to passing out food at a homeless shelter. Also consider how you might custom-tailor your volunteering to match your career choice. For instance, if you want to be a veterinarian, it might be a good idea to volunteer at a local animal shelter.

Join a Club

It doesn’t matter if you’re still in school or long graduated, clubs exist everywhere and are always interested in new members. They’re a fantastic way to network, especially if you’re choosing a club that is relevant to the skills you’re trying to showcase or strengthen. Are you an artist? Join an art club at your school or local recreation center – helpful critique or tutelage can give you that edge you’re looking for. Do you want to be a writer one day? Join a book club. Reading different genres can give you a new perspective in style, and might even inspire your next big piece. Whatever kind of club you join be sure to incorporate how the experience positively affected you in your resume. Selling yourself doesn’t have to cost money, just a little bit of time and effort on your part.

Pick Up a Sport

Similarly to volunteer work, or being a part of a club, picking up a sport shows dedication and a team player attitude. It can also show you have a desire to be health conscious. Resumes need to show not only how qualified you are, but also how you can uniquely add to the company you’re applying to. Just make sure that when you pick a sport, you’re picking one that matches your physical abilities so as to avoid injury. Good ways to find a sport that fits you might be as simple as starting your own team with friends interested in the same sport, working through your school to find a team, or even contacting your local recreation center for teams currently accepting players.

Whatever way you decide to beef up your resume, the most important thing to remember is your value. Everyone has their own unique ways they can add to a company, and a resume is just a piece of paper expanding on and pin pointing your potential. The most important thing is to try to get something out of every experience you put on that page.