Your resume is the typically the first connection a recruiter makes with you. Recruiters receive many resumes for job positions and quickly scan resumes before moving on to the next one. Therefore, your resume should include elements that give recruiters a good indication of your potential as an employee. Recent college graduates and individuals with no work experience find it a little difficult to capture the attention of recruiters because of their lack of work history. However, you should know the other elements you can include in your resume to make it look professional and standout from the rest.

Choose the best resume format. Functional resumes serve individuals with no job experience well because they focus more on your skills and accomplishments, as opposed to your work experience. Spend time thinking about the projects you worked on and what skills you developed from the experiences.

Write a strong objective statement. According to information presented on Broward College’s website, you should make your objective statement between one to three lines to briefly explain your career goals. Make your objective statement specific to the job position you seek.

List your academic achievements in detail. Include as much detail about your educational experience as possible. You should include your school name, major and graduation date in the education section. Highlight your GPA if you possess at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and include your major GPA if it is higher than your overall GPA. Add information about any academic accomplishments, such as making the dean’s list.

Include your participation in organizations on your resume. Briefly talk about your membership in student organizations, especially if you held a leadership role. Highlight any volunteer work. Companies desire to hire employees that possess the ability to handle multiple responsibilities concurrently.

Detail your qualifications in a section titled "Qualifications Summary." Include skills or attributes employers find attractive. For example, you can include effective communication and interpersonal skills in this section if you possess them.

List your technological skills. Briefly outline technological experiences you possess, such as basic computer skills and any experience with specialized industry software. For example, if you seek an accounting position, include experience you possess with common accounting software.

Add keywords to your resume so that it easily appears in the search engines and catches the attention of recruiters. According to Kim Isaacs of Monster Careers, keywords are common words that recruiters associate with job positions. Gather relevant keywords by searching job descriptions of positions online relevant to the position you seek.