As a college student, you’ve undoubtedly had to create a résumé. If not, you certainly will need to soon! Now, the résumés you’re thinking of contain things like high school achievements, GPA, college major, projected graduation date, etc. But here at ForRentUniversity.com®, we have another type of résumé in mind – the renter’s résumé! This is something that every renter should have on hand if you live in an uber-competitive rental market or just want your renter’s application to stand out from the pack.
A renter’s résumé is intended to help you market yourself as an ideal resident. Follow these tips to make your own renter’s résumé shine.
First of all, you’ll want your renter’s résumé to look like a traditional one. You can find a résumé template in word to create your document. You may also want to check out your college or university’s career center website. A lot of times, they will have templates and great tips on creating résumés. Check out a sample renter’s resume courtesy of the University of San Francisco.
You should include:
- Contact information.
- Previous residences.
- Personal references (no family) or previous landlords.
- Current employer. If you do not have one, state “student.”
*You can even list your major and graduation date just to let them get to know you a bit better. - Name, weight and breeds of any pets.
- Extracurricular activities.
- Be sure to include the dates that you lived in your last apartment and how much your rent was. You’ll also want to mention why you left.
- For example:
- Location: Sun Valley Commons Apartments
- Dates: August 2014 – May 2015
- Rent: $500/month
- Reason for Leaving: We found an extra roommate, so we needed more space.
If you have them, it can be helpful to include before and after shots of your former property to show that it either stayed the same or improved when you lived there, suggests Bruce Ailion, an Atlanta-based property manager.
Once you’ve covered the basics, make your renter’s resume your own. You may want to include an objective statement that discusses who you are, what you’re searching for (a one-bedroom apartment), how many roommates you may have, and how much your budget will allow you to pay each month for rent and utilities.
Most importantly, be honest! When it comes to a renter’s résumé, you are marketing yourself to potential landlords as a tenant who will take care of the property and not cause any problems. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to have a perfectly clean background when it comes to your rental history. So, if you have any broken leases or past problems with landlords and/or apartments, you will want to address those up front.
On you renter’s résumé, feel free to explain your lifestyle. Do you have a dog you like to take to the park? Do you have a night job you will be at three nights a week? Do you have early morning classes? Do you play an instrument in your apartment? Write whatever you feel comfortable sharing. Consider it another glimpse into yourself as a renter.
Happy apartment hunting!