For many college students, a summer job may feel like an unrelated experience to a future professional career, but it can actually be a strong foundation for your resume and future. Whether you worked at a coffee shop, summer camp or retail store, the key is knowing how to describe your experience clearly and professionally to highlight your strengths and align them with your goals.
So, how do you make a summer job stand out on your resume?
It starts with how you describe your experience. By choosing the right language and adding meaningful details, you can show employers that your work helped you build valuable, transferable skills.
Describe your experience
To begin, include each bullet point with an active, confident verb to show ownership of your responsibilities. Words like managed, led, organized, created, supported and executed help emphasize initiative and contribution. Using these hot words may spark an employer’s interest in you, as it may show the company you already have skills in areas they are looking for in the position.
A retail store example:
- Organized and maintained merchandise displays, increasing product visibility and driving daily sales goals.
Be specific
You don’t want to simply list what you did but explain how you did it and why it mattered. This adds depth and shows skills like problem-solving, communication and time management. If possible, it is best to quantify your experience to show your impact. It is easier to convey a point by giving concrete examples than through vague descriptions.
A summer camp example:
- Created and implemented a week-long themed activity schedule, boosting camper engagement and satisfaction.
Highlight your skills
No matter your major or career path, employers value soft skills, and a summer job is a great place to develop them. From communication, teamwork, problem-solving and time management, these transferable skills help demonstrate that you’re dependable, adaptable and ready to grow. If you were given any leadership roles or additional responsibilities, even informally, be sure to include them. These moments tell employers that you’re someone who steps up, learns quickly, and can be trusted with more.
A coffee shop example:
- Trained and supervised three new baristas, ensuring consistency in drink quality and customer service standards during high-volume shifts.
Whether you’re applying for internships, graduate school or your first job after college, your resume is your story, and your summer job is part of that. With the right language, you can show that you’ve already built the foundational skills that employers value.
For more resume tips and assistance in planning for your next job, contact Ohio University Career Services.