Tips and Tricks On Job Search, Writing a Resume, and Resources听
Graduation! Seems like 颈迟鈥檚 just right around the corner. It鈥檚听a busy time for those who are graduating this spring. Whether you are applying to a four-year听college听or preparing yourself for a听career听in your field, it听can seem overwhelming. Luckily, we have a few听tips that can help you with your future endeavors.听
Developing A Resume听
Developing a听resume is important听for life after college because听颈迟鈥檚听what employers听expect听when you are seeking a job. A听resume is听also a key document that is used in the hiring听process for hiring managers that听communicates听to them听information about your听background and听qualifications听for听the job you are听interested in.听听
听Here are some steps听for听creating a professional resume:听
- Choose听the听right听resume听format听听
- Chronological: places the professional history section first. This is useful if you听have听a听professional work history.听听听
- Functional: emphasizes the skills section. This is useful听if you鈥檙e switching work industries.听
- Combination: recognizes professional work experience. This is useful when听your听skills and听history are equally as important听
- Include听your听name听and听contact听information.听Be sure to make this prominent and include any additional links that may be听relevant听to your job search. E.g., links to a portfolio, blog, LinkedIn profile, etc.听
- Add听a summary or objective.听This explains your career goals and is good for those who have limited professional experience. It鈥檚 also there to describe听work experiences and skills that are relevant to the position you are applying to.听
- List听your听soft听and听hard听skills.听Consider what skills make you perfect for the job. Consider both hard (technical) and soft (interpersonal) you can use when changing jobs or industry听
- List听your听professional听history听with听keywords听from the job description in your听history bullets.听
- Include听an听education听section
Tip:听If you haven鈥檛 graduated yet, you can听add听relevant course work, leadership positions, and your GPA (if higher than a 3.5)听 - Consider听adding听additional听options.听If there is space on your resume, consider making this an achievement or听interests听section,听especially听if you have little work or educational experience.听
- Format听your听resume.听Is your font size consistent? Did you check your spelling? Are your margins evenly spread out?听
- Tailor听for听each听position.听For each job, adjust some of the keywords in the skills section to what the employer needs. Also, change听what you emphasize in your professional history as well.听
- Proof Read!听Employers are looking for your attention to听detail. Be听sure your resume has听been proofread.听
Tip: Read each word slowly out loud, you鈥檇 be surprised how much your brain auto-corrects your mistakes.听听
听There are a number of free resources online to help you develop your resume, a quick search will lead you to many different sites.听
The Cover Letter听
A cover letter should be unique to each position you are applying听to and should accompany听your resume every time,听whether or not it听is requested. Oh,听and by the way, it should definitely use standard letter format!听
听Your cover letter should introduce you and clearly focus on your qualifications for the position. It should provide convincing and relevant evidence to persuade the hiring manager of your qualifications. Your cover letter should consistently address your听audience’s听knowledge level and concerns about your qualifications as well as address the specific needs of the employer. Finally, your letter should include a conclusion that strengthens your qualifications, thanks to the hiring manager, and provides a method of contacting you.听
Professional References
Many employers require professional references. They听generally听require听current or past co-workers and/or听direct supervisors.听Contact听anyone you want to use as a professional reference听ahead听of time听to get their approval听and ensure that they听will听be expecting a call or email from the hiring manager.听Plan on听having听three to five听people who can provide positive information about you in a professional capacity.听You may also ask them to provide a听recommendation听on听your听LinkedIn听profile.听听
听Tip: Always听contact your references听ahead of time听so they have advance notice they may be called or emailed from a potential听employer.听
Develop Your Public Profile听
The first thing potential employers may do is check out your presence online.听听is听often听the first place they will look.听LinkedIn is a social networking site used by both employers and individuals in order to network, apply for jobs, and much more.听Think of it as Facebook for professionals.听Another online resource is听. Founded in 2013, Handshake is an online networking portal connecting students and recent graduates with employers looking for new talent.听Stay tuned for more information on Handshake as 开元棋牌听gets听closer to launching it this spring.听
LinkedIn allows employers to view your profile, qualifications, skills,听work听experience. Additionally, LinkedIn allows you to network and see who you might know at a company you听are听interested听in, and enable you to learn more about the hiring process before you even apply. LinkedIn also听allows for people you have worked with in the past to leave personal recommendations on your profile, another great bonus that hiring managers will see. You should treat your LinkedIn profile as your digital resume, making sure keywords in your personal summary and your objectives as well as within your work history descriptions. This can be similar, if not, the same as your summary on your resume. Employers will often do keyword searches on LinkedIn in order to find and recruit the talent they are looking for.听听
Tip: Keeping your resume and听professional social profiles听up to date will help you next time you might need it!听
Check Your Privacy
Let鈥檚 talk about your personal brand. If you have other personal social media accounts听–听,听, etc.听–听you may want to take some time to comb through and check your privacy settings. Why?听Employers tend to do background checks and take a look at your social media profiles to see if you are qualified for the job. So,听unless you are ok with your future employer seeing all of your personal pictures and information, it may be time to do a personal brand audit.听
We Are Here听To听Help听
We realize preparing听for life after graduation may be stressful, but we have resources for you! 开元棋牌 offers you tools and services in order to help you with your job search, these include:听
- Assistance听With听Job Search听
- Job Search Tools听
- Salary Negotiations听
- Additional Resume Tips听
- How to dress for success听
- Interview Tips听
For more听information听about our services, visit 开元棋牌鈥檚听Career听Services听at the Office of Advising, Career & Transfer听or to schedule an appointment for a one-on-one session, email听Career Services听or call听978-630-9325听
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