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Make it Happen

Make it Happen. Part 1: Resumes, Cover Letters, Dressing to Impress. Resume 101. In most cases, applying for a job, internship or scholarship starts with a resume. This is the first impression employers may have, so make it count!. Resume 101. What’s in a resume? School information

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Make it Happen

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  1. Make it Happen Part 1: Resumes, Cover Letters, Dressing to Impress

  2. Resume 101 • In most cases, applying for a job, internship or scholarship starts with a resume. • This is the first impression employers may have, so make it count!

  3. Resume 101 • What’s in a resume? • School information • Work history • Extracurricular activities • Community service • Anything else that can make you stand out to employer or scholarship officer

  4. Planning Your Resume • Brainstorm • List everything that you have done, from your GPA to your activities. Even volunteering at a church (or at the Hispanic Youth Symposium) counts. Employers want to see that you do more than just go to school.

  5. Planning Your Resume • Remember: • Stay professional. • Do not lie! It’s pretty easy for your employer to fact check most things (such as GPA) and contact your current or previous employer. • Proofread. Have a teacher, mentor, friend or anyone else with experience in writing resumes to help you fix mistakes before you send it out to the world.

  6. Planning Your Resume • Research • Writing a resume is kind of like a blind date. Just as it can give you the edge to know beforehand that the other person prefers chocolate over flowers, making the first impression is very important.

  7. Planning Your Resume • Employers use the resume to get information about you. In turn you should research them in order to make the best impression. Use details about the company from brochures, job postings and their website in your cover letter and objectives.

  8. Writing Your Resume • Organization is key • You can visit sites such as Mahalo or Jobstar (and you can do your own Google search) to see examples of well-made and organized resumes. Although most word processing programs (e.g. Microsoft Word) come with templates, try not to use them. It can sometimes be very obvious that you used a template and did not put the time in to build your resume to your experience and to the job.

  9. Cover Letters • Cover letters give you a face and personality to companies, that they otherwise wouldn’t get from your resume. This is your opportunity to stand out even more and show them that you know who they are and that you are the best candidate.

  10. Writing Your Cover Letter • Your cover letter puts all your experience, awards and accomplishments together in a way that relates to the job. • This is your chance to explain how your grades show that you are hard-working, or that being a member of a school club can show you are responsible and have leadership experience.

  11. Writing Your Cover Letter • Resources • Jobsearch.about.com • Virginia Tech’s Guide to Cover Letters • Quint Careers

  12. The Interview • Congratulations! You’ve made it to the interview stage. The company has read your resume and has chosen you to interview and see if you will be a good fit for the company. This doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed a position, but this is usually the final stage, so put your best foot forward!

  13. Dress to Impress • Interviews are serious business. Dress professionally- not casually! • Navy blue or gray are usually the way to go. They are neutral colors and are easy to match with your accessories (shoes, belts, ties, etc) and aren’t too loud.

  14. Dress to Impress • The Do’s • Make sure that your clothes fit you well. Consider tailoring your suit (pants, jackets) to fit your body if they don’t already. (For ladies, skirts or pants shouldn’t be skin tight). • Make sure you are groomed: includes neat hair, shaving (including goatees), etc. • Wear subdued, conservative colors. Make sure you are the center of attention, not your clothes.

  15. Dress To Impress • Don’ts • No sneakers, loafers or slip-ons. Lace up shoes for men and heels for women! • No jeans! • Remove all piercings beforehand. • Keep jewelry to a minimum. X

  16. Dress to Impress • See these websites for more tips and guides to dressing to impress: • Dress for Success (for women) • GQ Guide for Men • Collegegrad.com

  17. The Interview • Be ready to give answers, and lots of them. Be prepared to explain and give detail about anything in your cover letter and resume.

  18. The Interview • Monster.com has a list of 100 questions commonly asked by employers. Since they already know what you did and when you did it (because of your resume), they will want to know what you learned and how you will apply it.

  19. The Interview • Remember: • Be confident. Even if you are nervous try not to show it. • Know where you’re going! • Be early. You want to make sure that you give yourself enough time in case of traffic, bus/train issues, etc. • Eat breakfast. You want to focus on the interview, and not food!

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