Everyone is concerned with “résumé builders” these days, but what exactly does that mean? How can you build up your résumé this summer?

There are lots of things you can do to get your résumé "recruiting ready," and some are things you may not have considered!  “Experience” is a very broad term, and as college students, anything that makes you a more well-rounded individual is positive in the eyes of employers.  The important thing is to avoid doing NOTHING (i.e. sitting on mom’s couch all summer), and vow to do at least one thing that you can add to your résumé to make it stronger.

Here are my top ten pieces of advice for résumé-building summer plans:

1. Get a summer job – any job!  (add to the Experience section of your résumé)

• If you need flexibility, consider signing up with a staffing agency (like BAP sponsor Robert Half), who places candidates in short-term assignments
• Relevant accounting experience is ideal, but by no means a necessity.  Any job will teach you responsibility, but ideally aim for jobs that will expose you to an office environment.

Attend Summer Leadership Programs (add to the Activities section of your résumé)

Take the GMAT – the score is good for 5 years, and this is a requirement for admission to any MAcc program. (If you score a 600 or better, add to Education section of your résumé)

Take an Excel certification course at your local community college (add to the Skills section of your résumé)

Enroll in summer classes to get ahead (and make good grades to boost your GPA)

Do a job shadow or externship (add to the Experience section of your résumé)

• Work experience does not have to be paid to look good on your résumé.  Ask family friends or other people in your network if you can spend a few hours or days watching what they do (unpaid), so you have a better idea of the profession.

Study Abroad (add to the Education section of your résumé)

Study and sit for the CPA Exam (if you are not doing the AU MAcc program and will have 150 hours)

Community Service (add to Activities section of your résumé)

• Habitat for Humanity, church mission trips, food banks, etc. – anything you do to help others in need is a great addition to your résumé!

Review AU student organizations to determine what you’ll get involved in this fall.  Some may even have opportunities to help out in the summer (add to Activities section of your résumé).

• If you don’t have free time to devote to extracurriculars, then consider joining academic honor societies (may not host meetings).