Hook, line and sinker tips for landing the big, new job
College is the time when most people acquire the education and some of the real life experience they need to make it in the professional world. Not knowing how to organize education and hands-on training, as well as good interviewing tactics, can keep a graduate from landing the big job.
A well-written resume can take all that know-how and form it into a readable document, helping students stick out of the crowd. According to Randy Jensen, the assistant director at the Career Center, a resume is supposed to sale a person.
“A resume ought to be a sales brochure about you, not just a catalog of experiences,” Jensen said. The goal, he said, is to separate someone from all the other candidates for the job.
There are some specific things to include on a resume that will catch an employer’s eye. To start, a resume should come with a cover letter. Jensen said a cover letter is a brief, simple and specific three-paragraph letter explaining why applicants want the job and why they would be good for the job. In the letter, the writer should outline the traits they possess to match what the employer is looking for.
“A cover letter is important because it gives the employer a chance to see what kind of communicator you are,” Jensen said.
Jerry Workman, the event manager for USU facilities, said as part of his responsibilities, he interviews and hires students to work for him. According to him, a cover letter should always come with a resume.
Along with a well-written cover letter, Jensen said he tells students to make their resumes very specific. He said a resume should show an employer what someone has done and how well he or she performed his or her tasks.
“Anything that you put on your resume has to be of value to the employer so they can get to know you,” Jensen said.
Both Jensen and Workman said a resume can’t be written once and be good for all jobs, but instead a resume should be updated and tailored to fit the specific employment opportunity.
To sale oneself to a be hired by a company, Workman said the resume should use good action words to really explain and distinguish a persons past careers. For example, he said words like “developed,” “coordinated” and “managed” paint a better picture.
Good resumes can lead to an interview, and being well prepared and ready for the interview can make the right impression. When Liza Slingerland, the event coordinator for USU facilities, hires people, she looks for confidence as well as someone who demonstrates that they are interested in the position.
Workman said when an employer is conducting interviews, it is very important to work-related experience. He said an individual doesn’t have to have the exact work experience as the job they are applying for, but rather show how the work they have done can relate to the new position. This gives an employer more of an idea what the candidate can do, he said.
For the interview, Jensen said a good rule of thumb to follow is to dress one step above that of normal working attire. “Dress is very big. It shows an employer how serious you take this job,” Slingerland said.
For more help in writing a resume and tips on good interview etiquette, contact the Career Center, located on the bottom floor of the University Inn.
-dwkoecher@cc.usu.edu