Work Study IS A REAL JOB

1. Work Study IS A REAL JOB Presented by your: CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER Fall Semester 2006

2. What We’ll Cover Today ! • Resume Writing • First Impressions / Interviews

3. Résumé Writing

4. Give You An Understanding of : • The purpose of a Résumé. • The structure of a Chronological Résumé and how to write your Résumé. • The help available to you from the Career Development Center.

5. What is a Résumé? • Your résumé is a marketing tool. • A way for you to “sell yourself” • A good résumé is one that works = getting you invited for an interview. • Reflects your skills, knowledge. • What makes you an ideal candidate? • Used in interview process.

6. Why Do I Need a Résumé? • It gives your future supervisor an idea of who you are and what your strengths/skills are. • It gives you a “fact sheet” for advertising your achievements and skills to an employer. • An essential document when searching for internships, summer jobs and, of course, professional employment after graduation.

7. Your Paper Résumé • Keep it simple, one (1) page. • No templates or wizards !! • Use 21 or 24 lb weight white or off-white paper • Stay away from to much Italics, underlining,script. • Font should be popular (Arial/Times New Roman); font size should be 10, 11, or 12 point • Bullets simple, no images • Spell Check & Proofread. Then Proofread again! • Be consistent with your margins and headings

8. Points to remember… • Your résumé is a marketing tool, not an autobiography. • Any experience - whether paid, volunteer, or extracurricular - is worth considering for your Resume • PROOF-READ carefully for spelling and grammar. Don’t rely solely on spell check • Be consistent and attentive to detail

9. Your Contact Information IMA STUDENT 123 Main Street Newark, NJ 07102 (973) 123-4567 imastudent@pegasus.rutgers.edu IWANNA JOB www.iwanna.com 123 Main Boulevard, Apt. 3 (973) 123-7654 Newark, NJ 07102 iwanna@rutgers.edu

10. The Objective: • Your objective should be concise. • Your objective tells the reader your short-term goal. • Keep things general, but do indicate the type of position, field, and/or skills sought. • You will change your objective to meet the situation you are using it for.

11. Good A part-time position as a work-study in the Library. A summer job that will utilize skills obtained from college study and prior part-time jobs. To secure an internship that will challenge skills obtained from classroom study and work-study experience. Not So Good A job where I can gain a lot of experience. A summer job in a large company in Newark. A job that challenges me and leads to better opportunities. Objective: The Good, the Bad & The Undecided

12. Education • Current students and recent graduates should include this after Objective. • High school info. (first-year students ONLY) • Only list schools where degrees/diploma’s or certificates have been completed • List GPA ( …if over a 3.0 ) • Indicate anticipated Rutgers graduation (correct months = May, October, or January )

13. Education Examples: RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, Newark, NJ Baccalaureate degree, Expected Graduation May 2010 AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL, Hillside, NJ Diploma, with Honors, June 2006 OR Rutgers University, Campus at Newark Bachelor of Arts, January 2008 Major: Psychology Hudson County Community College Associate in Arts, May 2006 Major: Liberal Studies G.P.A.: 3.2/4.0

14. Achievements: What you did……. Indicate number of hours worked…while pursuing full degree program. Financing 75% of college expenses through part-time or seasonal employment. Work an average of 25 hours per week while pursuing degree full-time and actively participating in campus clubs Accomplishments: How well you did… Honors for school or employment. Honor Roll, American High School Who’s Who, American High School Students, 2005 Teller of the Month, First Union Bank, 2006 Achievements & Accomplishments

15. Relevant Experience: • Your experience is listed in reverse chronological order • Include paid and unpaid jobs. All jobs have value ! • Use action words for stating accomplishments • Make sure you use the correct tense • Can be stated in bullet or paragraph form • Bullet format uses action words • Paragraph format uses more space • Never use “ I ”, “me” or “my” .

16. Chronological Presentation of Experience BULLET FORMAT Cashier/Salesperson 2005-Present Pathmark Supermarket, East Orange, NJ • Oversee Cashiers . . . • Recognized for effective . . . PARAGRAPH FORMAT NJPAC, Newark, NJ 6/05 - 7/06 Intern Selected to participate ... Created advertisements … Coordinated several … Consistency is the key!

17. Action Words: What you do, but saying it differently. • Did = Conducted, Produced, Participated, Provided, Coordinated • Helped out = Assisted • Started = Implemented, Maintained, Organized, Planned, Prepared, Researched, Selected, Structured • Action Words on Website

18. Activities and Memberships Volunteer, Newark Hospital, 2005-6 Treasurer, American High School Spanish Club, Fall 2005 Participant, Easter Seal Holiday Fundraising, 2004

19. Skills (Additional Skills) Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel Bilingual: English/Spanish. Some knowledge of Portuguese Leadership: Assumed many academic and professional leadership roles

20. References References Available Upon Request. OR REFERENCES: Available upon request OR References on file at: www.referencenow.com

21. Remember… • Your résumé is a representation of YOU • You do have skills that make you a valuable commodity • Make sure the information is up to date and 100% accurate • This is not merely practice for the real world - it is a REAL résumé for a REAL job !

22. Résumé Review • Please visit the Career Development Center’s Web site to view sample résumés – http://cdc.newark.rutgers.edu • Visit the Career Development Center during Walk-In Hours or make an appointment to have your Résumé critiqued

23. Getting off on the Right Foot:Making a Positive 1st Impression

24. The Interview Doesn’t Start at the First In-Person Meeting! • It begins at your very first contact! Things you should consider: • Telephone Greetings: Right Way vs. Wrong Way • How to properly set-up your meeting: be flexible with your calendar • During the call: Try to get a sense of the kind of person the Supervisor is

25. Why Do I Have To Interview ? • To see if you are a good “match” for the department • To assess your skill sets and determine how they can contribute to the departments goals • To establish the framework of a (hopefully) pleasant and prosperous working relationship

26. Acing The Phone Call • What to do and not to do when someone answers: • POOR: “Hello, the financial aid office told me to call you because I’m supposed to be your new work-study” • BETTER: “Hi, my name is Melissa Withers and I have been instructed to contact your department concerning a possible work-study assignment. May I please speak with the person who supervises work-studies?”

27. What’s Next? • Set-up your interview! • Be willing to meet the interviewer halfway with regard to time. If s/he has specific time set aside for interviews, respect that • Call the department the day before your interview to “confirm” your appointment

28. Interview Don’ts • Arrive late • Dress improperly • Smoke, eat, or chew gum • Bring anyone (friend/parent/child) with you • Place or receive cellular phone calls • Forget to bring your Resume • Forget your manners!

29. What Should I Wear??? • Men: Clean, pressed slacks or khakis. Polo or oxford-style shirt (tie optional). A fresh shave/neatly trimmed facial hair a must! • Women: Dress or skirt with coordinating blouse, dress slacks also acceptable • Both: Polished low-heeled shoes with coordinating hosiery or dress socks; moderate to minimal jewelry, a watch

30. Be Prepared to Answer Questions On: • Personal: Why you chose Rutgers, what you hope to accomplish, any majors in mind; about your high school or community college experience • Skills: What are you good at, what do you enjoy doing, what needs improvement • History: Any current or previous work or volunteer experience • Special Issues: Work habits and preferences

31. Questions You Might Ask: • What skills are valued most • Type of supervision/training provided • A typical day on the job • Their standard for “a job well done” • Policy regarding work during exams/breaks

32. Where to Go from Here… • Take the interview seriously, but don’t stress too much! • Be positive, but honest about your skills and interests • Give the job the same effort you have given to other jobs. Work-Study isn’t free $$$ • Take the opportunity to learn new things • Relax and have fun!

33. Be prepared. • You should be able to discuss any of the content of your resume during the interview. • Example • Technical Skills: Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint • All past employment should be included on your resume.

34. COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR • If you are going to be out for an unexpected occurrence, it is your responsibility to inform your Supervisor of your absence(s) immediately. • If you are going to be out for a planned amount of time (i.e., exams, spring break, study-group, oil change, etc.) It is your responsibility to inform your Supervisor IN WRITING of your absence(s) as soon as you know. • If you are going to be out sick, call first thing in the morning to let your Supervisor know. Leave a message if you get voice mail. Speak clearly !

35. Before We Leave You … • Use the Career Center’s Walk-In Periods to get help with your resume or get help preparing for your interviews • Remember, the Career Center also provides professional career counseling if you are having trouble identifying a major or career • Some Advice about “myspace.com”