Didn’t make it to our meeting last Wednesday? We heard resume and job search tips from Dean Mundy. Here are six things we learned:
There is no one correct way to do a resume. You’ll get lots of conflicting advice as you seek feedback from instructors, professors and career advisors. The most important thing is to make it your own and do what works for you in order to create a resume that best reflects your personal brand.
Not sure where to start? Put your education either at the beginning or the end, depending on whether it’s the most important part of your life right now. If you have extra space on your resume, use it to create a summary of your qualifications or a short bio rather than an objective. Create a “Community Engagement & Leadership” section for the organization you are involved in, including sororities and fraternities, volunteer experiences and PRSSA membership. Under “Skills,” include any applicable experience acquired through coursework with the most unique first.
The style of your resume should be unique and reflect your personal brand. That being said, make sure the style isn’t overdone. Use a bold typeface to lead the reader’s eye through the resume. Make sure your cover letter matches the look and feel of your resume.
Tailor your resume to each position. Identify the key terms in the job posting and use similar words to describe yourself. Use this list from the Career Center to find active and powerful verbs to replace the overused and dull verbs on your resume.
Keep in mind: Employers only look at your resume for an average of 15 seconds. Remember that this is the only thing they know about you so brand yourself. Ask yourself: what sets you apart?
Create timelines for yourself. Start with the date you need a job by and work backwards through the application process, giving yourself about four months to create your application materials and start applying for jobs.
Questions? Connect with Dr. Dean Mundy on Twitter or by email.
Join us for our next meeting on February 11 for our Winter Workshop on interview tips and networking with professionals!