by Jayden Harlow

Created on: May 17, 2008

Whenever I teach the resume workshop portion of my business communication course, I experience the same phenomenon: the hesitant approach of a student with a sheepish expression and a half-page resume, summarizing the anticipated attainment of a college degree and little else. "It's so short," they tell me. "How can I make it more impressive?"

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to bolster a resume that has little or nothing in the way of paid job experience. But before we get to that, it's important that you understand what hiring companies are looking for. In general, companies want to see two things in an entry-level applicant: 1) that you have already done most of the tasks they are hiring for, preferably in a professional environment; and 2) that you have demonstrated basic job skills, like showing up on time and working well with others. How can you meet these requirements if you've never held a job? Well, there are a number of steps you can take.

REDEFINE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF "WORK EXPERIENCE"

At least half of the students who tell me they've never held a job actually have some employment experience they can use to bolster a resume. So, as a first step toward developing your resume, see if any of the following apply to you.

1. You've held an internship. Internships can be presented on your resume just like jobs. You simply list your job title as "Intern." Companies often regard internships as highly as paying jobs, sometimes even more so because an internship is more likely to be in your field of interest than a part-time, pay-the-bills job.

2. You worked in your family's business. If you worked regular hours in a family-owned store, restaurant or other business, performing tasks that a paid employee might perform (like waiter/waitress, cashier, receptionist, bookkeeper, etc.), you can reasonably list this as work experience, even if you didn't draw a salary for your labor.

3. You worked in another country. International students often mistakenly believe that they can't list jobs they held outside the U.S. You certainly can. Translate the job title and duties as closely as possible, and be sure to note the country where the work was performed.

4. Your jobs aren't related to the position you are seeking. No one expects you to graduate from college with years of previous experience in your field. Even bartending and grocery clerk jobs demonstrate that you have basic general employment skills.

MINE YOUR UNPAID EXPERIENCE

Once you've identified any actual jobs

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