Grad School Resume Examples & Writing Guide
These grad school resume examples will help you showcase your unique skill set and achievements as a current grad student or a recent graduate ready to dive into the workforce.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Grad School Resume Summary Examples
When it comes to writing a resume as a grad student or recent graduate, the resume profile is crucial to let employers know your experience level, skill set and intentions as a budding professional.
There are two approaches you can take when writing this section. If you’ve developed a lot of practical experience during grad school or are planning to stay in the academic field, the resume summary is the best approach.
However, if you’re applying for a professional job with little to no experience in the field, an objective statement where you can state your career plans is best.
Check out this good and bad example of a grad school resume objective statement to better understand what to do and what to omit:
Good example:
“Motivated and compassionate graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology with hands-on clinical experience in diagnosing and treating speech and communication disorders. Eager to apply evidence-based therapeutic techniques to enhance communication skills and improve patient outcomes in a dynamic healthcare environment. Seeking to contribute to a team-oriented clinic where my passion for helping diverse populations can support patient-centered care and professional growth.”
Why this example works:
- Mentions key elements of speech-language pathology, such as clinical experience and evidence-based therapeutic techniques, demonstrating industry knowledge.
- Expresses a clear desire to contribute to patient outcomes and professional development, aligning personal goals with the employer’s mission.
- Focuses on essential skills like communication, patient-centered care and experience with diverse populations, which are critical in the field.
Bad example:
“Hardworking student looking for a job in speech therapy to gain more experience and use my education. Willing to work with patients and learn new skills in a clinical setting.”
Why this example fails:
- The statement is too broad and doesn’t specify relevant skills, techniques or expertise in speech-language pathology, making it sound less professional.
- It emphasizes personal gain (“to gain more experience”) without showcasing how the candidate will contribute to the employer or patients.
- There’s no mention of evidence-based practices, patient outcomes, or working with diverse populations, which are essential in speech-language pathology.
The Fastest Way to Write Your Professional Summary
As a recent graduate or current grad student, showcasing your unique strengths and experiences is vital to making your resume stand out. Employers want to see more than just your education — they want to know how your skills will impact the job. For expert assistance in crafting a compelling professional summary, try LiveCareer’s Resume Builder. This automated tool will help you create a polished resume in 15 minutes!
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Enter the details about the job title you held. The builder comes preloaded with auto-suggested content written by certified professional resume writers (CPRW).
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The builder features professionally written content and resume keywords that you can select!!
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All you have to do is choose the summary phrases that best frame your experience. It’s like having a professional do it for you!
Our Resume Builder is like having a career mentor guide you through the resume-writing process. However, if you want even more individualized help, don’t miss our professional resume-writing services.
Want to ensure your resume is flawless? Resume Check reviews your document for over 30 issues like typos, customization, word length, and formatting, so you can submit a polished resume that will easily bypass applicant tracking systems (ATS).
The reviews are in!
See what they're saying about us on Trustpilot.
Grad School Resume Work Experience Examples
All of our grad school resume examples come with a pre-written work experience section tailored with achievements and skills that are relevant to graduates seeking jobs within or outside academia. When writing your resume, ensure this section is packed with unique achievements instead of generic responsibilities. A good tip to make your work history descriptions more impactful is to start each phrase with a strong action verb that provides context to what you accomplished.
To better illustrate how impactful this section can be, compare the following good and bad examples of a grad school resume work experience section:
Good example:
Student Teacher | Central High School, Chicago, IL January 2024 – May 2024
- Applied theoretical knowledge from graduate coursework to design and deliver engaging lesson plans for 10th and 11th grade English Literature classes, resulting in 15% improvement in average student test scores.
- Developed assessment strategies based on educational research, using formative and summative methods that led to 23% increase in student engagement and participation in assessments.
- Incorporated classroom management techniques studied in teacher education programs, reducing classroom disruptions by 26% and increasing student collaboration by 31%.
Why this example works:
- Metrics like a 15% test score improvement and a 20% increase in engagement highlight the candidate’s effectiveness.
- Shows how the candidate used graduate-level knowledge successfully in real-world teaching scenarios.
- Emphasizes key areas such as improved behavior and collaboration, making the candidate’s impact clear and relevant.
Bad example:
Student Teacher | Central High School, Chicago, IL January 2024 – May 2024
- Created lesson plans for 10th and 11th grade English classes with some input from mentor teachers.
- Used a variety of assessment methods to evaluate students with exceptional outcomes.
- Implemented basic classroom management strategies to keep students on task.
Why this example fails:
- The tasks are vague, offering no details about how lesson plans were designed or tailored, making it unclear what the candidate actually contributed.
- It fails to show quantifiable results or improvements, giving no sense of the candidate’s effectiveness or the benefits to students.
- Phrases like “basic classroom management” are too broad, not highlighting any specialized techniques or improvements the candidate made in the classroom.
Grad School Resume Skills Examples
Across multiple industries, these are the most in-demand skills for college students or recent grads you can find in our grad school resume examples:
- Problem-Solving
- Prg
- Grant Writing
- Machine Learning
- Cloud Computing (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud)
- Regulatory Compliance Knowledge
- Public Speaking and Presentation Designoject Management
- Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Leadership and Initiativees
- Emotional Intelligence
- Creativity and Innovation
- Digital Literacy (social media, cloud platforms, etc.)
- Networking and Relationship Building
- Research and Information Gathering
- Cross-Cultural Competence
- SQL and Data Queryin
As a recent graduate or current grad student, you have the benefit of possessing the most up-to-date knowledge and skills in your field. Therefore, it’s crucial you carefully curate your resume skills section with the most job-relevant soft skills and hard skills to make a strong impression on potential employers.
Examples of Additional Resume Sections
When browsing through our grad school resume examples, you’ll notice that beyond the five must-have resume sections: contact information, summary/objective, work experience, skills and education, we’ll sometimes showcase additional sections.
Here are some examples of additional sections you may find in our resume examples for students and grads:
The extra sections you can add to your resume will vary depending on your desired role and industry. They’re a great way to further tailor your resume to the job and showcase more of your relevant qualifications. However, don’t force them into your resume if they don’t provide valuable information; recruiters don’t appreciate irrelevant or filler information on a resume.
Grad School Resume Examples by Format
Another element to consider when writing your resume is the resume format you’ll use to organize your sections. There are three recruiter-approved formats to choose from: chronological, functional and combination.
These formats differ in that they each focus on different sections. Chronological resumes traditionally focus on work experience. Functional resumes put a stronger emphasis on the skills section. Combination resumes place equal importance on work history and skills.
However, if you’re a grad student applying for a role within academia or a research institute, you might actually be better off with a CV template. If you need help deciding which application document is right for you, check out our CV vs. Resume article.
How to Choose a Resume Format
0-3
Years of experience
Functional formats
- Focus on skills.
- Best for grad students who lack experience.
- May omit details in the work history section.
Organization:
- Skills listed above work experience.
3-10
Years of experience
Combination formats
- Balances skills and work history.
- Ideal for recent grads with some experience.
- Suitable for career changers and people seeking promotions.
Organization:
- Skills next to or above work experience.
10+
Years of experience
Chronological formats
- Put the most focus on work history.
- Ideal for highly experienced graduates.
- Preferred by recruiters.
Organization:
- Work experience listed above skills.
The right format will help you create a resume layout that spotlights your strengths while downplaying any weaknesses. Once you’ve decided on a format, finding the right resume template is easy!
Why Every Grad School Student Should Submit a Cover Letter
Pair your resume with a cover letter and increase your chances of getting an interview for your dream job.
Grad school students and recent graduates face a minor obstacle when seeking jobs: lack of experience.
However, don’t fret. A strong cover letter can complement your academic resume greatly, helping you contextualize your achievements and reassure employers you’re more than prepared for the job.
Because we know writing a cover letter for each job can be time-consuming, we’ve created a Cover Letter Builder that will create a totally personalized letter in minutes!
Writing a cover letter is simpler than you think. You only need a compelling introduction paragraph, share key achievements in the body of your letter, and close with a call to action for a future interview.
You can find hundreds of samples in our cover letter examples library, or if you have already written a letter and what a fresh, professional design, head over to our cover letter templates page.
Similar Resume Samples
Browse additional resume samples for the most common jobs for people who have finished grad school:
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