Tips to Build Your Resume During Holiday Break

Volunteering can be an excellent way to build up experience. Even if your volunteer work has nothing to do with your major, it can help you develop some excellent soft skills. Communication, leadership and teamwork are just a few things that many employers want to see, regardless of the industry.

Volunteer opportunities can run the gamut from pro bono work at large companies to general assistance at nonprofits to initiatives you create for yourself. For example, you might become a docent at a museum, walk dogs for a local shelter or teach a basic tech class at an assisted living facility. Focus on your personal areas of interest and look for something that makes you feel excited about the work you’re doing and the larger cause you’re supporting.

The holiday break can be a terrific time to learn something new. You can enroll in an online class or sign up for a workshop in your area. If something that interests you isn’t offered in a formal course setting, don’t give up. You may be able to teach yourself by researching or watching YouTube tutorials on the topic.

If you’re searching for inspiration, don’t feel obligated to stick to skills within your desired career field. You never know where your learning might lead you. Maybe you’ll work beside your future employer in a cake decorating class or impress an interviewer with the fact that you decided to learn Mandarin on your own. Even if it never leads anywhere “productive,” learning for its own sake should not be discounted. Follow your passions and learn something that inspires you.

Many career fields ask for a portfolio of completed work. In some fields, having a portfolio might give you a competitive advantage. Either way, simply going through the process of creating a body of work in the field you want to go into will give you the opportunity to practice and to hone your skills.

If you’re a writer, spend some time writing. You might draft sample articles, poems, short stories, or even start on your first novel. If you’re a web designer, build some sample web pages or practice writing code. If you're an app developer, try to create a new concept for an app. The holiday break is a great time to experiment and strengthen your skills in your areas of interest.

Hands-on learning can help reinforce what you're studying in school. If you're studying engineering technology, for example, try experimenting with switches and routers. Or pick up a home robotics kit and see how many different tasks you can program your robot to do.

Of course, if the subject is new to you, you’ll want to start small. Ask someone you know who’s knowledgeable for help, read up on the subject or watch a few YouTube videos. Start with simple projects and work your way up as you gain experience and confidence.

If your career goals include becoming an entrepreneur, starting a small business can look great on a resume. It shows resourcefulness, organization and dedication to making things happen. The process of starting and running the business can teach you important lessons in areas as diverse as management, finance, marketing or production.

It doesn’t have to be a huge business to be worth your while. In many cases, you can turn your area of study into a small business. Look into freelancing for websites or in local publications or offer your services to small companies. A quick Google search can give you plenty of ideas on ways to connect with potential customers.

Although new habits might not directly impact your resume, they can help you out in the long run. Most students have busy lives and establishing good habits during the holiday break can help you find more balance throughout the year.

New habits to develop can include:

Put your new skills and experience to work by carving out some time to build a new resume or give your existing one a refresh. Google "resume templates" to get some ideas on how to lay it out and be sure to include all the soft and hard skills you’ve worked on during break.

While you’re working on your resume, look at your cover letter to see where you can make improvements. While it’s true that you should customize your cover letter (and your resume) for each potential employer, it never hurts to draft a template to work from rather than writing a brand-new letter each time. Make sure it builds on what you’ve included in your resume and explain in a few short paragraphs why you believe you’re a good fit for the position.