How to build resume for grad school

During the years in college, you would try to be involved in all the activities, internships, and courseworks to build your resume for life after college. Now, looking forward a little bit.

You have started working but is thinking about switching a career or applying to grad schools. But everything on your resume are outdated since you have graduated, other than the current job experience and some skillsets.

How can someone avoid a situation like this? What are some relevant activities or things people can do to show employers or schools that the job they have had since graduation isn't just the only thing you have done career wise? Would it still be "okay" to put on awards or organizations you have be involved with in your college days from several years ago?

 

Build a life, not a resume.

If you focus on hauling ass doing what you enjoy (at work and outside of work), the resume will take care of itself. You may not get the exact brand names and awards to satisfy your inner boy scout, but a lot of hard work + talent + a positive attitude towards going after what you want will in the long run result in a pretty damn impressive biography.

The resume is a BYPRODUCT of what you do, and not the reason for what you do.

Most of the overachievers in this world aren't resume builders. The people you meet whom are the most impressive aren't those who take a contrived approach to "what will look good for others."

The guy who serves his country by putting on a military uniform didn't do it because it looks good on a resume.

The gal who sacrificed so much of her childhood to train in the gym so she could be a nationally ranked or world class competitive athlete didn't do so because it would look good on a resume.

The person who sunk a crapload of money to produce a documentary film about b-boy dance crews didn't do so because it would look good on a resume.

The person who spent the past 5+ years volunteering as an activist for a political/social organization didn't do so because it would look good on a resume - but because that person was almost evangelical about what that org stands for.

Nothing great that is accomplished (that you're proud of) comes without a lot of sacrifice, struggle and failure that precedes it.

Ask anyone who has accomplished a lot or impresses you - and ask them how they got there. It's never easy, and involves a lot of hard work.

Even those with the standard "blue chip resumes" that you may drool over. Those kids have spent a LIFETIME hauling ass. It wasn't just handed to them. Getting that job at Goldman? Chances are, they went to a top undergrad (or if not, they went to a non-target but worked that much harder and had exceptional grades). To get into a top undergrad, they needed to be a top student in high school and completely rock the SATs. In college, they worked their butts off (whether at a target or a non-target) to maintain good grades - because to get consistently good grades isn't about smarts - it's about discipline and hard work, and spending that extra time studying when others are busy playing beer pong. And work backwards from there. To be a top high school student means to also work harder than your classmates. To put yourself in a position to be seen as "the nerd", to sacrifice that all-important position on the high school pecking order for the sake of your future. A lot of people who have blue chip resumes worked their asses off since they were kids to be in a position where they are today.

No one likes to admit that they work really hard. There's a bit of a "dorkiness" to admitting that. But those who do achieve the things that impress you DO work a lot harder than they may admit to you.

That's why if your focused on building a resume, NOTHING you do will amount to much. That is a guarantee. Because nothing you do that's for a resume will require the conviction you'll need to go through all that sacrifice, struggle and failure to be in a position to succeed at something you're proud of.

Anything meaningful you want will cost a pound of flesh.

Alex Chu www.mbaapply.com
 
Best Response
MBAApply:
Most of the overachievers in this world aren't resume builders. The people you meet whom are the most impressive aren't those who take a contrived approach to "what will look good for others."

This guy's objective is not to be an overachiever. His objective is to best position himself for grad school admissions. While I agree that running around resume building is not the way to become successful, it may be effective in accomplishing the short term goal of getting into b-school. For this reason, I wouldn't discourage folks from volunteering or any other resume builder, even if their hearts aren't in the right place.

My personal advice:

1 - Volunteer Work: If you can't find people who want free labor, then you aren't even worth the $0/hr that you'll get paid to volunteer. 2 - Athletics: Join a weekend / nighttime sports team. They have teams for all levels of play, so don't worry if you suck at first. Besides, if you work a lot, this can be a great alternative to going to the gym and a great way to meet people. 3 - Hobbies: Pursue something that interests you, but actually do it. If you want to learn a language, don't just learn how to say common phrases, put in the effort and time to produce results. The same goes for any other hobby you may pick up.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

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