Trainee Resume Examples

Finding a trainee position is a great way to begin your career on the right foot, but even landing an entry-level job requires a well-written resume. Within this important document, you can showcase the education, work experience, and skills that make you highly qualified for the job.

To put a strong resume together, a good first step is to look at several trainee resume samples within your industry. In addition to that, the information in this guide will help you craft each section and choose the right format for your professional background. Keep reading to learn what should go into your resume and how to steer clear of avoidable mistakes.

Before you start listing all of your skills and professional qualifications, you need to understand what exactly should go into a resume. Keep in mind that as everyone lays claim to different backgrounds and varying work histories, no two resumes are the same, and there is also no one right way to put together this crucial document.

That said, you’ll see in various trainee resume samples that there are a few common sections that exist within most templates. As listed below, you should have these sections in your resume.

• Summary Statement
• Skills
• Work Experience
• Education

The next item up for contemplation is the order in which you place these sections. The two most commonly used formats are the chronological and functional formats.

A chronological format puts work experience as the main focus, which is then followed by education and skills. Professionals with an extensive work history or many years of experience in the industry will benefit from using this style.

Another option is the functional format, which allows the candidate to emphasize his or her skills. If you are starting at the entry level in your profession, which is likely if you’re looking for a trainee position, then the functional style may be best suited for you. This resume type gives you the opportunity to prove your qualifications even if you lack years of experience in the field. Recent graduates are also more likely to pick this format because many of their qualifications lie in education rather than work experience.

Before making your final decision, compare chronological and functional trainee resume samples. You may even find different aspects you like about each format and create a combination resume.

In any resume, no matter the format, you will introduce yourself to the hiring manager with a carefully planned summary statement. Go ahead and reference a few trainee resume samples to become familiar with this section.

The summary statement is a brief passage in which you lay out your professional status and qualifications without using any personal pronouns. It is not necessary to declare any career objectives or that you are looking for a position. The idea is to summarize your main skills and work experience to entice the hiring manager to keep reading your resume.

It is good practice to use the title of the job as an introductory cue. For example, if you’re applying to be an accountant trainee, use this same language in your summary statement. This technique helps the hiring manager envision you as a member of the team.

You’ll then want to pick out a few of your best professional qualifications and weave them throughout your summary statement. If you need help getting started, look back to the job description for the position you’re applying for. The company will often list the requirements for the role, and you can include the skills and experiences if you have them.

Below are a few examples of good summary statements. You can get more ideas from checking out trainee resume samples.

• Highly motivated hotel management trainee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management. Knowledge of the operations within both chain hotels and specialty resorts. Demonstrates excellent leadership with experience in hotel administration.
• Skilled and organized recent accountant graduate who excels in financial accounting and tax laws. Possesses knowledge of auditing and reconciling accounts for small businesses and individuals. Maintains analytical perspective and demonstrates a detail-oriented personality.
• Dedicated legal secretary trainee with a profound knowledge of office procedures and practices. Demonstrates excellent understanding of legal terminology and regulations. Possesses familiarity with legal court proceedings. Excels at prioritizing work and meeting strict deadlines that involve extensive research.

Education is important to include in your resume because you can pick up a lot of skills that are essential to your professional life in various learning environments.

This section doesn’t necessarily have to include just formal education and degrees. There is a range of educational opportunities that fall under this category. In addition to high school, college, and vocational schools, you can include certifications, licenses, and internships. If you’ve attended any training seminars or completed apprenticeships, you can list those under the education section as well.

If you’re writing a chronological resume, the education section will go towards the end of your document. You only need to list each item with some basic pieces of information. Be sure to include the name of the school or organization, the location, and the educational achievement you earned.

On the other hand, you might include more information in this section if you decided to write a functional resume. The education section may also be closer to the top in this format to emphasize its importance. In addition to the basic information, you can include graduation dates, your GPA if you graduated within the last few years, and any skills you learned while enrolled in a program.

Don’t forget to peruse the education sections of trainee resume samples to get ideas for the structure, positioning, and details of this portion. You’ll also notice that your entries should be listed in reverse chronological order to highlight your most recent achievement first.

Hiring managers like to see the types of jobs you’ve held in the past and how they prepared you for the position you’re applying for. So it’s no surprise that the work experience section is so important.

If you’re writing a chronological resume, the work experience section allows you to list your most recent jobs in order to highlight your work ethic. After listing the basic information for an entry (job title, company name, company location, employment dates), you will include four to six bullet points that detail what you did and what you accomplished at each job. Be sure to include a combination of job responsibilities and quantifiable achievements.

If you’re writing a functional resume, you’ll probably only list the job title, company, and location in the work experience section. Even if the entries aren’t within the same industry as the job you’re applying for, including this information shows the potential employer that you have held jobs in the past.

You’ll then use the skills section (or a new accomplishments section) to shed light on the accomplishments and achievements that make you an outstanding candidate for the job. This aspect allows you to omit employment dates (and disguise employment gaps) and rather emphasize transferable skills.

By looking at the work experience sections of trainee resume samples, you’ll see different ways of structuring this section and the types of details to include.

When crafting your work experience section, the bullet points are not simply there to list one-word responsibilities. The best practice is to write short blurbs that capture your big wins and experiences. You can do this by starting each statement with an action verb. Take a look at the list below and at trainee resume samples for ideas.

• Assist
• Help
• Complete
• Calculate
• Advise
• Evaluate
• Collect
• Respond
• Prepare
• Organize
• Investigate
• Learn
• Ensure
• Track
• Provide
• Research

The skills section is the place to include all of your job-relevant qualifications that don’t fall under the education or work experience sections. There are countless ways to structure this section, and the placement varies as well. With that said, compare a few trainee resume samples to see which style you like the best.

In a chronological resume, you can simply list a few important skills that pertain to the position you’re applying for.

On the other hand, a functional resume will feature a more in-depth skills section as the core focus of the document. You can list a greater number of skills and offer more detailed explanations to show how they’ll help you in the job you’re looking for.

When considering which skills to include, you can reference the job description for ideas and look at trainee resume samples to get inspiration. Pull talents from all aspects of your professional life, including education, work experience, and general interests. Here are a few examples to get you started.

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Administrative Experience
• Great Interpersonal Skills
• Bookkeeping Skills

You can use both soft skills and core job qualifications, but just remember to include only skills that apply to the position you want. If you get stuck, think about what the job would require you to do on a daily basis. Consider what skills would be highly useful in those situations, and include the talents that you possess to show the potential employer that you are a good candidate.

Many professionals ask whether or not they should include a space on their resume for references. These contacts are highly important when you’re looking for work; however, there is no need to list them on your resume.

With that being said, there will be a point in the hiring process when the company asks you for references. You can start thinking of who to use while writing your resume so that you are more prepared. Good references include previous managers or supervisors as well as colleagues who are familiar with your professional abilities. If you don’t have many professional contacts, consider teachers or professors who know you well or even fellow students who shared project responsibilities with you in school.

• Do not include personal hobbies on your resume. It is acceptable to list academic clubs or professional associations, but personal interests do not help you look good on a resume.
• Avoid disclosing reasons why you left previous positions. The resume is where you want to highlight your skills and accomplishments. You may be asked for this information during the interview process, so don’t waste space on your resume.
• Never use personal pronouns or slang anywhere on your resume. This document should remain professional, and the language you use should reflect that image.
• Always remember to proofread your work. Read over each section for errors, and then read the resume in its entirety to catch any formatting issues or other mistakes.