(Adapted from Ethan Sawyer’s blog)
It depends. Some colleges require or strongly recommend that you submit a resume along with your application (see UT Austin.) Others forbid it (see UVA.) So check with individual colleges to see what they prefer. However, keeping a professional resume on hand will serve you in a few other ways. How?
Your resume:
Serves as a foundation for the Common App Activities List.
Gives teachers and counselors a framework for their letters of recommendation.
Provides you with a list of ready-made talking points for an admissions interview.
May inspire your Common App essay.
Is a requirement for many scholarships or internship and employment opportunities, and you might as well start it now.
Finally, it’s like having your own business card. There’s a “professional cool” factor when you’ve got a slick resume to slap on someone’s desk.
We recommend checking out some of Canva’s ready-to-use, customizable resume templates. Choosing the right template is kind of like choosing the right outfit for an interview. You want it to look sharp and feel like you. Ultimately, though, the outfit (or template) doesn’t guarantee success — it’s how you rock what you’ve got that matters the most.
You’ve got a slick digital resume. Now what?
If you can, go to your local office supply store and buy some thick, white, or off-white resume paper. Grab a professional-looking folder while you’re at it (no folders with kittens or polka-dots). Print 10 or so copies to keep on hand. When you ask teachers for letters of recommendation, give them a copy. When you walk into an interview, whether it’s for college or a job, bring a copy for every interviewer. Hand one to your significant other’s parents! J/K.
Finally, keep your resume updated. As you gain new experience, skills, and awards, add them! If you stay on top of your resume, sending it out in will be a snap (after all, you’ll be in college — you’ve got better things to do).
Questions? Let’s chat!
Bettina Weil
Founder, Weil Collegeadvising, LLC
info@weilcolleegeadvising.com
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