Are you looking for ways to spice up your resume, but can't think of anything good?
Summer is coming to an end, and school is beginning to start up again. You might feel like you haven't done much this summer, yet you still want your resume to look amazing.
Thinking of ways to improve your resume can be challenging and stressful, especially since your mind is filled with thoughts about school. An important part of building your resume is knowing what you can potentially add. You have to know what you want to do, both in the summer and school year. One of the best things you can do is think about what to do now to jump-start the end of your summer and relieve unease for the school year.
Depending on what you want your resume to look like, your choices on what to do can vary. This article may fit your needs or it might not, and that is perfectly fine. The main idea is to start thinking about your options and opportunities.
So without further ado, here are 5 easy ways to boost your resume as summer ends!
1 - Personal/passion projects
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Personal/passion projects can help demonstrate your dedication and showcase your ability to learn and hone skills. I don't think there is a definite definition of “what is a personal project”, but personal projects usually deal with innovation, learning, or personal enjoyment that will make you stand out in any way and strengthen your skills and experience.
Passion projects look best when centered around your field of interest(s), so keep that in mind when thinking of passion projects that best fit you! There are a wide range of projects you can do for yourself, but here is a list of some of the most common personal projects!
- STEM research and creating 3D models
- Writing reports and research papers about a topic
- Arts & crafts
- Getting a “project car”
- Graphic design
- Build a website/brand
- Write a (poetry) book
- Design an app
- Create a photography collage
- Write a reflection on global culture
- Learn an instrument
- Learn a language
- Start coding
- Start a new club
- The list goes on…
2 - Reach out to organizations
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It can be hard to find organizations that include teens, but this will level up your resume! With so many organizations online and in-person, there are a multitude of ways that reaching out to organizations can be useful for your resume.
The focus is to find opportunities within organizations!
You can reach out to an organization for numerous reasons, some of the most common being:
- Volunteering
- Getting a job
- An internship/apprenticeship
- Joining a team
- Competitions (music, art, writing, language, etc.,)
- Submitting pieces of work
Based on your skills and interests, you'll have to search for an organization that works for you. If you're passionate about writing, I would suggest you research magazines, writing contests, publications, and literary magazines for submitting your writing or applying to be a part of their team!
A high school sophomore said this about working for a magazine: “Working at a magazine really helped me get an introduction into the writing industry, and it's really cool to work with other people who are interested in writing, like me. It helps me get more involved in what I want to do in the future.”
Below are a few ways to get in contact with writing/literature organizations.
- Apply to be a writer for The Teen Magazine
- Submit artwork/writing and/or apply to join the team of NOVA, Write4Change's literary magazine
- Libraries often have youth program pamphlets available to teens
- Local establishments near you
3 - Volunteer
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Taking some time to volunteer for local and/or online establishments is a great way to form connections with other communities, gain new skills, and help showcase your individual work ethic!
In your city or town, there may be various businesses and establishments looking for volunteers! Here is a short list of places that generally accept volunteers:
- Food pantries
- Humane society/animal shelters
- Recreational organizations involving sports
- Preforming arts centers
- Libraries
- Hospitals
- Charities
- And more!
A tip to keep in mind is to make sure that your local places accept volunteers of your age! If you can't find places locally, you can always search for organizations online searching for volunteers based on your skills, interests, and age.
Popular online organizations that accept teen volunteers include but are not limited to:
Also, the National Honors Society requires a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work as one of their requirements to be inducted!
I would suggest you volunteer if you have a lot of free time in your hands!
4 - Research school opportunities
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You've probably heard this a million times, but your school is a great doorway for activities!
Talk to teachers, peers, upperclassmen, look up online, etc., about what your school offers for students! Every school is different, and it's important to know what YOUR school offers so you can start planning ahead. Here are some things you may find at your school!
- Various clubs and sports
- Student aide positions
- Youth apprenticeships
- Mentorships
- Educational academies
- Foreign language speaking competitions
- Science and math contests
- Forensics
There are also other programs that schools may offer; however, most of these usually have specific requirements that can take up to multiple years to complete. Some examples of these are National Honors Society (NHS), French National Honors Society (SHF), Spanish National Honors Society (SHH), Global Scholars Program (World Cultures), and more.
5 - Online courses and learning for your enjoyment
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Whether it's for school or your own enjoyment, taking online courses or studying on your own time can showcase your dedication, engagement, and willingness to learn.
Study topics that interest you!
Learning doesn't have to be complicated, it can be as simple as watching a video about a topic that interests you. Personally, I love watching videos about linguistics, space, and biology when they come up on my feed. The more interest you have in a subject, the easier you'll be able to remember it.
Online courses or programs can also refine your skills and help you dive deeper into subjects you are passionate about! Personally, I have been prepping for my incoming school classes by learning the basics of them online!
Here is a list of popular places to find courses/programs in a wide range of subjects!
- Khan Academy
- Textbooks
- YouTube videos
- BYJU learning
- edX
- For Dummies website and textbooks
Extra tips:
- It is always helpful to write down what activities or accomplishments you have in a notes app or notebook, even if some don't specifically apply to your career or resume goal in mind. This is so then when you want to make a specific resume for college/job/organization/etc., you can pick out what relates to the goals and values of that place.
- Being a well-rounded student is valuable, but honing in on 2 to 3 skills/areas of interest is a stellar way to further make yourself look better on your resume!
- Looking for some of these organizations or opportunities can be challenging, I have found the most success by some of these following ways: Google, Instagram, LinkedIn, local fliers/emailing local places, and talking to friends or peers!
