Have you ever heard the phrase "building a resume?"
This is a very realistic metaphor for what it takes to create an outstanding resume. For the majority of careers, you will need some kind of education or certification and relevant work experience to stand out. Besides these pillars of a resume, it doesn't hurt to have honors, involvement, essential skills, professional development and training, and volunteering.
When you get your first job right out of high school--maybe working at a restaurant or retail store-- use your high school education and involvement to build your resume. If you were the secretary of Key Club, use it. If you volunteered at the Humane Society, add it. If you played varsity tennis, serve it up.
When the time comes, finding a job right out of college seems daunting. My best advice is to remove your high school stats and add everything from college. Now, by everything I mean your degree, GPA, clubs, honors, volunteering, and any internships. At this point, you probably don't have relevant work experience in your career field. No worries-- we all have to start somewhere. Internships & campus jobs can add to your experience, even if it's not all "relevant."
When you run out on your resume, that's when the interview comes into play. At the end of the day, a resume gets you the interview, but you get the job. The first step in claiming your interview is setting yourself apart from the applicants with a eye-catching, yet professional, resume. That's when you call us.