College and Career: How to Better Your Resume While Working Full Time

Working full-time while attending college can be a strain on the student. You need to work to finance your education, but you also can't neglect your education for your work. The two responsibilities don't have to be treated separately. Your job can help you academically, and your academic accomplishments can help elevate you in the workplace. Your resume is a reflection of you, so use the skills you've developed to show potential employers just how beneficial you would be to their team.

Take Some Online Classes

Getting your degree will do wonders for your resume, but you have to complete it first. Listing a pending degree on your resume doesn't look as impressive as a completed degree. It isn't feasible to attend classes on campus while working full-time, so online courses are your best option.

Online classes offer much more flexibility than traditional classes. You still have deadlines for assignments, but you have a wider window in which to complete those assignments. Many instructors post the assignment schedule at the start of the term, which gives you the opportunity to plan around these dates in advance. You can complete each of these assignments on an individual basis whenever you find the time, and you can also knock out several assignments on one of your off days. This kind of flexibility will serve you well in your goal to complete an online Bachelor's degree.

Make Friends with Your Supervisors

It can be tempting to only interact with your supervisors when the situation demands it, but these people can do more than just review your job performance. Your supervisors obtained their positions by acquiring valuable job skills, and many of them would like nothing better than to pass those skills on to you. Think of them as potential mentors. If you show an interest in learning more than just the essentials, then they might reward that interest with their time and attention. Supervising employees is hard work, and managers don't want to waste their valuable time on someone who has no drive or ambition. They want to make sure that the time they've devoted to their employees is well spent. Don't waste their time, and they won't waste yours.

Ask for More Responsibility

You probably already have a heavy workload, but asking for more responsibility can only help you in the long run. Projects and presentations look good on a resume, so ask to be involved in an upcoming project or assignment. If your supervisors aren't confident in your ability to perform independently, ask for the opportunity to shadow the project's team members. The worst that can happen is you waste a few hours. You might be surprised at what you can contribute to a project when given the opportunity.

Volunteer Your Skills

Volunteer positions always look good on a resume, especially when the volunteer work involves the use of the applicant's work-related skills. For instance, if one of your job responsibilities is typing, you could volunteer to teach a typing class at a tutoring center. If you're a graphic designer, you could volunteer to set up or maintain the website of a local charity. Just because you won't be getting paid for your time doesn't mean that your efforts won't pay off in the long run.

A resume isn't just a meaningless piece of paper; it's a sales pitch to potential employers. Your resume is the key to proving yourself to hiring managers. Don't be content with the resume you have, and always be on the lookout for skills and accomplishments that you can add to it. Working hard in school is important, but utilizing what you've learned to succeed in the workplace is just as important.

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