Resume or CV is the most important document for the admission process in every university abroad. Many people get rejected due to their poorly written resume. Resume is the one which is going to make or break your admission chances. The basic doubt that everyone gets while drafting a resume for abroad universities is what to include? What not to include? Which template to use? How many pages to write? But you should keep in mind that you have to incorporate everything you have done in your career and you are explaining why you will be suitable for the program to the abroad selection committee. It is not a difficult job to write a resume if you are confident enough. You should write your own resume/CV without using any websites, because you only know everything about yourself and not the computer. If you have interest in applying to universities abroad, then these are the tips you should follow to write your resume. There will be many sections in the resume, each and every section is important as it shows who you are professionally and personally. If you don’t know what to include in each section, no worries. Here are the tips to write a great study abroad resume.
Self Introduction
In the self introduction part, add your professional email id which should also sound professional. If you are using an old college or work email id, make sure that will be active till admission. Make sure to add your Linkedin and portfolio link, which shows that you have built your portfolio. If you don’t have a portfolio, no issues. There are many websites where you can build your portfolio for free.
Education
The best practice is to put your recent education at the top. If you have completed post graduation from a university, put that at the top. While adding your CGPA make sure to mention it with scale, for example 9.5/10 or 4/5. Don’t hesitate to mention if you have passed in first class or you have been in top 10 in your university, which creates an impact in your study abroad resume.
Work Experience/Internship
Just writing the company name you worked with and the position doesn’t add any value to the resume. Focus on the challenges you have faced in the work and what measures did you take to overcome it. Finally, what is the result of the measure? Mention the tools and technologies you have worked with. If your work experience or internship is more relevant to the abroad program you apply for, there is a better chance of getting selected. Keep in mind that you have to prioritize recent experience.
Academic projects
First of all avoid using personal pronouns such as ‘I’, ‘We’, instead use action verbs. While adding your projects, apart from mentioning the title, tools or technologies, timeline of the project, you can mention your guide/supervisor name. If your guide is well known in the research community, then the abroad selection committee may know them and you get a good impression.
Conferences and Publications
It is the very important section in the resume. Many universities abroad select students who are a great fit for the program and have proof of repeated excellence. So to stand out, it is worth mentioning all the necessary details. Include the stage of the publication like’ drafting’ or ‘published’. Don’t forget to add the link to your publication.
Achievements/Certifications
People just mention that they have secured second position or first position, but they forget to mention why they got it. Write briefly about why you got it and among how many participants did you receive. Add certificates you received related to the program and mention from which university/organization you receive it.
Skills and Extracurricular activities/Leadership
Academics is not just books, it is more than that and this is also what the abroad universities are looking for. Add your technical and soft skills. Tell them about the languages you know and you can mention any foreign languages as you are applying for university abroad. Many universities receive a lot of resumes and they don’t get enough time to review all of them and look for keywords. Your volunteering experience, social skills and sports experience, add up your profile. Add your leadership roles and responsibilities relevant to the programme you are applying for. Focus on those aspects
References
It should be the last part of the resume. Here, you will mention your professors, mentors, guide or manager’s contact.
Common mistakes that most of them do in Resume drafting
- No correct space or indentation
- Different font size and font styles in each section
- Repetitive content
- Punctuation errors
Try to avoid these mistakes while drafting your resume.
Frequently asked Abroad Resume doubts
- Which font should I use?
Use any clear and readable font which is not so fancy
- How many points should each section have?
There should be at least 3–4 points in every section
- My resume should be of how many pages?
Most of the universities mention the number of the pages but a 1 page resume is best. But you have a lot more relevant and true information, then you can make it into two pages. If you have drafted the resume for 1.5 pages, don’t try to increase the font size, it is better to complete the resume in one page.
- I do not have work experience, what can I do?
No issues. If you have no work experience, write about you projects and internship experience
- I don’t have internship experience, what can I do?
Write about the course you completed and certificate you received which should be relevant to the programme you are applying for.
- Should I prepare a resume from scratch?
You can prepare a resume from scratch or use any professional and recommended free templates from any website.
Conclusion
After you complete writing your resume, get it reviewed by any professionals or your professors who have good knowledge in it. Don’t rush in this process, take 1–2 days to prepare your resume, as it is the first impression. Establish that you are suitable for the programme. Pay attention to every detail that you write. Never write false information or information that is irrelevant to the programme which may lead to rejection of the application. So don’t wait and start your resume preparation work. All the best!
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