With spring 2021 graduation around the corner, I’m polishing up my resume and getting ready for the upcoming months of putting myself out there. While I’ve had a pleasant college experience, I can’t help but feel that future employers might see my resume as a bit underwhelming. I thought about skills or experiences that I could add, but they all seemed to veer on the unconventional side. Then I thought about how much more fun it would be if our resumes could reflect random, everyday skills or traits about ourselves that might actually prove to be of some use in the office.
For instance, I’m a great thrift shopper. This shows right off the bat that I’m resourceful. This also points to the fact that I’m good at finding hidden gems. Through the endless racks of clothing, I’m able to scope out something that proves to be valuable. I’m also optimistic because let’s face it, you just have to be when you’re thrift shopping. Moreover, I acquired these expert thrifting skills through years of experience.
Apart from thrifting, my caffeine addiction would be another bonus on my resume. I have to drink a cup of coffee every morning! This clearly proves that I’m fiercely loyal to the hand that feeds me. It’s a nod to my consistency and determination to pour that cup of joe over ice, no matter what.
If you thought my thrifting capabilities and caffeine habits were impressive, just wait till you check my Twitter. Alas, if only I could add to my resume that I sometimes get more than 20 likes on my tweets. This could show employers that I’m likable, maybe even dare I say, relatable. Adding this onto my resume highlights my skill of being able to create a welcoming environment even in a virtual setting among people I’ve never even met.
Lastly, I think the quality that I’d most like to feature on my resume is the fact that I’m not 100% sure what I want to do with my life. This is always seen as a huge negative to employers, but I simply can’t understand why. If anything, it lets employers know, “hey, I’m flexible.” It shows that I can go in multiple directions because I don’t have tunnel vision on one specific goal. Now that is a skill!
Unfortunately for me, I can’t put any of these dazzling experiences and exciting skills on my resume. I guess I’ll just stick to things like “organization,” “communication,” “teamwork” and whatever other boring qualities they want to hear — unless you’re a prospective employer reading this. Then those are all great qualities and true too!
