As expected, work experience and education are the go-to categories to include on your resume. They display your skill set, knowledge, and capabilities. However, you are not limited to just these two categories. You can include additional topics to re-enforce your qualifications, and showcase your interests and personality. This can help you to bolster your resume, make it more appealing to recruiters, and set it apart from the hundreds of resumes that recruiters sort through on a regular basis. In a Forbes article, Ashley Faus, highlights which additional areas to include:
1. Community Service
Whether you are working at your local church or dedicating time to tutor less fortunate children, volunteerism is a great display of both your management and organizational skills. You may have to supervise a group, organize activities, or even balance the books, which all demonstrate your leadership abilities and overall competency. Additionally, as with any full-time job, long periods of volunteering show your motivation and your commitment to a long-term goal. Be sure to list your accomplishments and the knowledge you acquired from the experience.
2. Hobbies (That Apply to Your Career)
Be sure to include a few hobbies that are applicable to your career. For example, if you are applying to jobs in finance and you have experience managing your own stock portfolio, include this in your resume. Or, if you are applying to jobs in software development and you have experience computer programming, include it. This will display your ingenuity and your drive to succeed.
3. Life Experiences
A few examples of life experiences to include are studying abroad, learning a new language, or writing a blog. Participating in these activities outside of work are additional ways for you the build your skill set and broaden your worldview. Be sure to list the expertise you attained during the experience including: languages, software, and technical skills. Recruiters will be pleased to see that you are a motivated individual who has taken it upon yourself to try something new and to expand your knowledge.
4. Areas of Interest
Including a few areas of interests such as a sports league you are part of or non-profit you are passionate about, is a great way for recruiters to determine your personality and to see if you would be a good overall fit for the company and its culture. While building your resume, research the company to see if any of your interests match those of the company, and include those. Your interests show your initiative outside of the office and they can also be great talking points during your interview.
Including these additional categories helps the recruiter to see you outside of the usual rigidity of a resume. It will set you apart from your competitors and it will also allow you to further showcase your abilities and expertise. Best of luck!
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