How to Write an Introduction to Your Resume
The first step you should take in the college recruiting process is to put together your sporting achievements in a resume you can e-mail to college coaches. In this blog, we cover how to write a really great introduction to your resume.
The Next Step is Following up With More Personalization and Doing Some Research About Their Program and University
Specifically, you want to talk about their roster and how you think you will fit into their recruiting needs as well as referencing any area where you would like to focus your studies. If you have a specific major such as engineering or premed, you should research that school’s academic programs to make sure they have the academic program of your interest. If not, you are just wasting that coach’s and your own time. Likewise, do some research about an athletic team’s graduating class and incoming recruits. If you are a lacrosse goalie and you see a program that has just recently signed several goalies, it’s likely that a coach will not be able to offer you a scholarship.
The Third Piece of Information to Include is One to Two Sentences About Your Best Attributes
If academics are your strong suit, lead off with your academic achievements. Highlight things like your grade point average, standardized test scores (SAT or ACT), honors/AP classes, favorite subjects, and any potential majors of interest. Many athletes think because they are good at a sport a coach does not care about their academic profile. The NCAA is increasing its academic standards, and team academic performance is now more important than ever. Coaches are looking for athletes that will help raise their team’s overall academic profile. If you fall under this category, coaches want to know it.
The Most Important Thing is to Personally Address the Resume to Each Coach
Coaches prefer personalized e-mails as opposed to a generic one. If you send a generic resume, it is tough for a coach to determine your level of interest in their university, which makes them less likely to respond.
If athletics are your strong suit, then start off by describing your athletic profile. Talk about your history and experience as an athlete. You should highlight your athletic achievements on your high school team and club team. College coaches love to see athletes play on club or AAU teams because the level of competition is generally much higher. This is a good place to mention any awards you have received. Coaches will also want to know your height and weight and what position you play or what your personal best times are if you play an individual sport such as track and field or swimming. Doing some research on a school’s athletic graduating class and past season as well as discussing it in your introduction is a good way to personalize your introduction.
Finally, the introduction to your resume is a great place for you to put a link to your highlight video. You should upload your highlight film to a video-hosting site like YouTube. Putting the link in between the academic and athletic paragraphs is one of the best ways to get a coach to see your video. Just say, “Link to online video: (place video link here).”
Do you have questions about your resume for college coaches? Ask them in the comments section below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.
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