One of college students' first mistakes when applying for jobs is to send the same resume to dozens of employers. Often, these stand out, and not in a good way -- particularly if the cover letter is not personally addressed to the recruiter. Do some research and find out the correct name of the person responsible for the vacancy, and the exact title of the job. Adjust your resume to suit the specifications and requirements for the job. For example, if the role requires a candidate to be fluent in spoken and written Spanish, put this near the top.
Your work experience is one of the most revealing parts of your resume, detailing the roles and responsibilities with which previous employers trusted you. This is a good section to list your volunteer work or unpaid work placements, which show that you have initiative.
Your resume should also include a full list of your skills and qualifications. While you are expected to include information about your academic history, such as your achieved or predicted degree classification, be sure to list any skills that migth distinguish from others applying for the job. Are you a qualified in first aid, for example? If so, make sure that's mentioned on your resume.
There's nothing that frustrates and disappoints a recruiter more than basic errors on a resume. These range from simple spelling and punctuation errors to misleading or inconsistent formatting. Make your resume a simple, plain document, using the same typeface and format throughout. Once you have finished writing your resume, check and recheck it, searching for any errors. If you are not confident in your own ability to make the changes, ask a friend, family member or a member of your college staff, such as the counselor.
For many job applications, a resume alone will not suffice. Many employers also expect a cover letter. This is often the first thing a recruiter reads, even before touching your resume. Make sure your cover letter is formatted correctly, with your return address and contact information in the top right corner, the recruiter's name written formally (Dear Mr. Smith, Mrs. Jenkins, etc.) and signed with a formal greeting (Yours sincerely, kind regards, etc.).