Cover Letter, Resume, Interview

1. Cover Letter, Resume, Interview PRESENTER NAME AND TITLE GO HERE PRESENTER NAME AND TITLE GO HERE PRESENTER NAME AND TITLE GO HERE

2. Keys to succeeding? • Robust resume • Captivating cover letter • Being prepared for interviews • Research the company • Practiced and concise answers • Professional dress • On-time or a few minutes early • Knowing how to best ‘sell’ yourself

3. What DO Employers Want? NACE’s Job Outlook survey unveiled what employers want in an employee. The top five personal qualities/skills are: Communication Skills – verbal and written Strong Work Ethic Teamwork Skills – works well with group members Initiative Analytical Skills

4. GOOD NEWS!You developed these skills abroad.

5. The Challenge:Helping Your Future Employer See The Study Abroad Difference More Great News! • Having an experience abroad is becoming a selling point for employers • You can succeed / navigate in new or unfamiliar situations But just in case … • Separate your experience from the “backpacking” assumption • Identify transferable skills (consult your LFA handbook for assistance with this) • Highlight topics studied • Market host institution (if a known university)

6. Resume Building: the essential pieces • CONTACT INFO • OBJECTIVE • EDUCATION • EXPERIENCE • HONORS / ACTIVITIES • SKILLS

7. Where do you put study abroad? Anywhere YOU want!

8. Make your experience WORK for you! Formulas for Creating Bullet Statements: Action Verb + Responsibilities + Impact Action Verb + Situation + Results Use action verbs at the beginning of statements to put your skills and responsibilities work No sentences Use a thesaurus for vocabulary diversity

9. Format Reminders • FONTS • Use standard Sans Serif fonts like Arialor Tahoma notTimes New Roman or Courier • MARGINS • Maintain harmony between text and white space • Use ½ to 1 inch margins (left & right / top & bottom equal) • STYLE • Don’t be afraid to bold, use indents or bullet point to direct your reader’s eye • LENGTH • Be concise and realistic about what to include • Every page you use should be filled – no half pages • PAPER • Keep it classy. Only white or off-white resume paper • ERRORS • Be grammatically perfect and free of typographical errors

10. The Elements of an Eye-Catching Cover Letter • Don’t use a form letter • Give details not included in your resume • Demonstrate your writing skills and professionalism • Show that you have researched your field of interest and the company/organization • Convey a sense of who you are – your personality • Summarize your qualifications (skills and education) that are relevant to the specific position • Communicate your interest and enthusiasm for the position and the company/organization • Use positive word choices like “I will, “ “I can,” “I look forward,” as opposed to “If selected,” “I hope,” etc. • Note the skills and knowledge you acquired as a result of your study abroad experience(s) • Proofread your cover letter very carefully – it is an example of your writing ability

11. John G. Student A-Z University, Box 0001, Los Angeles, CA 90000 (301) 123-4567 (cell) Email: jstudent@a-z.edu January 15, 2011 Mr. Noah Gray Human Resources Manager TBWA/Chiat/Day 1111 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90046 Dear Mr. Gray: Jennifer Greenleaf from A-Z University’s Internship Office informed me that TBWA/Chiat/Day is accepting resumes for summer 2011. I would like to be considered as a candidate for the Summer Advertising Intern position. I am a double major in Marketing and Advertising at A-Z University. My long-term career goal is to work for an international company in the advertising arena. This internship will be the beginning of my career path. I am President of the Advertising & Communications Club. I am also the editor of our campus student newspaper, “The Student News.” My education has helped medevelop a strong understanding of interpersonal communication as well as thorough organizational skills. Being active on campus while maintaining a 3.5 grade point average has enabled me to develop abilities in: managing team members, engaging with the public, reaching long- and short-term goals and multi-tasking – skills that match the requirements for the Advertising Intern position. During the spring of 2010 I studied with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. During breaks in the academic program and the months of June and July, I traveled extensively throughout Europe and particularly in Scandinavia, Turkey and Russia. The knowledge and skills I acquired during those six months – independence, problem-solving, the ability to build relationships with individuals from a wide variety of culture - will be an asset as a TBWA/Chiat/Day intern. My resume is enclosed for your review. I believe I am fully qualified for the Summer Advertising Intern position and I look forward to meeting you and discussing the opportunity in more detail. Should you need additional information, I will be happy to provide it. You may reach me at (301) 123-4567. Sincerely, John G. Student • SAMPLE • Concise • Highlights study abroad experience • Basic font • Personalized (Please note: This example is in your handbook)

12. SAMPLE • Basic font • Informative but concise • Easy to read (Please note: This example is in your handbook)

13. Be an interviewing S.T.A.R. S: Describe the specific setting or situation for which the experience took place T: Describe the specific task or project related to the skill sought A: Describe the specific steps or actions you took to complete the task or project R: Describe the results or outcomes resulting from the actions taken

14. An Example: (SITUATION) While studying abroad in Germany, I found that my coursework was extremely different from what I was accustomed to in the U.S. I was used to having assignments due throughout the semester, but for my German courses the entire grade was based on the final with no accountability beforehand. (TASK) During that semester, I was taking a full load of coursework for my major, and I was really motivated to do well during my semester abroad. I knew I had to figure out a way to stay on top of all the information I was learning because it would be impossible to do well at the end of the semester if I left studying all to the end. (ACTION) I had to act as a self-starter, and I set out a structured study plan for myself for the entire semester. I formed small study groups with about 4-5 classmates for each of my classes, and we’d meet over coffee once a week. (RESULT) I developed strong time management skills because of the new type of academic setting I experienced in Germany. Because I kept up with my study plan throughout the semester, I ended up earning A’s and B’s in my classes, and I was able to keep my stress level down before final exams.

15. Practice Makes Perfect This is where the presenters should note what the plan is for practicing interview answers in small groups with the professionals

16. QUESTIONS? Special thanks to: Alison Droster Ann Hubbard Danelle Boone Stephanie Sullivan SIT Graduate Institute – Career Center University of Minnesota, Learning Abroad Center www.lessonsfromabroad.org