R ESUMES, C OVER L ETTERS, AND I NTERVIEWING

W HAT IS A R ESUME ?  is a document to market your skills, experience, education and accomplishments to employers  is meant to get your an interview  is NOT your life history  is very concise and easy to scan for information

B ASIC G UIDELINES What’s Barney’s Advice?

B ASIC G UIDELINES  use consistency in your presentation  utilize a 10 to 12 point, plain font  organize your information to make it easy to read  use your white space effectively  start all of your descriptive statements with past tense action verbs  proofread to check for errors

B ASIC G UIDELINES  do not use high school information  place your most relevant information towards the top  include industry related keywords  target it to the career field you are entering  keep your margins even

C ATEGORIES  Objective  Summary of Qualifications  Education  Honors  Related Coursework  Internships  Research  Related Experience  Additional Involvement  Volunteer/Community Service  Skills  Employment  Activities

R ESUME S TATEMENTS  use past tense action verbs to describe what you did in each position or experience  be descriptive and specific – who, what, where, when, how, results action verb + details + results = strong resume statement  look at job postings to get ideas  practice telling someone else what you did in each position or how you demonstrated each skill

P ERSONAL I NFORMATION LEAH M. HELPER 2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN ,

I NTRODUCTION  Objective  states what type of position you are looking for and what you will bring to the position  Summary of Qualifications  highlights your related qualifications for the position

E DUCATION Bachelor of Arts, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN May 20XX Major: PsychologyMinor: Communication Studies GPA: 3.7 Honors: Dean’s List, Psychology Honor Society, Augsburg Academic Scholarship Study Abroad: University of Galway, Galway, IrelandSpring 20XX

I NTERNSHIP ( S ) INTERNSHIPS Intern, Crisis Nursery, Minneapolis, MN, Spring 20XX Selected to demonstrate therapeutic interventions to volunteers at a newly developed parent-child educational and therapeutic group Consulted with another therapists regarding client case management Intern, Washburn Child Guidance Center, Minneapolis, MN, Fall 20XX Taught emotional regulation and social skills to preschoolers in a classroom setting Provided therapeutic interventions for children, ages 2 to 10, who were at risk of neglect and abuse Counseled children and parents with many emotional and mental difficulties to help create a safe home environment

R ELATED E XPERIENCE Student Worker, Augsburg Admissions Office, Minneapolis, MN, Sept. 20XX – May 20XX Promoted the college to prospective students by giving campus tours and providing them with college information Provided administrative tasks including student mailings, filing, and data entry

A CTIVITIES Student Orientation Leader, Augsburg College, Sept. 20XX – May 20XX Served as a mentor for first-year students by introducing them to the college, showing them resources on campus and helping them meet new students Coordinated large on-campus events for 400 students to participate in

C OMMUNITY S ERVICE /V OLUNTEER COMMUNITY SERVICE Volunteer, Meals on Wheels, Minneapolis, MN, Jan. 20XX – Aug. 20XX Sunday School Teacher, St. Edwards, Bloomington, MN, Oct. 20XX – April 20XX

O THER E XPERIENCE Server, Applebee’s, Minneapolis, MN, June 20XX – May 20XX Trained new employees and evaluated their performance Succeeded in providing excellent customer service to six tables of people by multitasking and prioritizing orders

F INAL T IPS  have your resume reviewed by a career specialist  print on good quality paper  look at sample resumes and to get help

C OVER L ETTERS

W HAT IS A C OVER L ETTER ?  is a letter that gives you a change to elaborate on more skills you have that may not be specifically highlighted on your resume  is meant to get the employer to read your resume

B ASIC G UIDELINES  should always accompany a resume even when not requested  needs to be well-written and in a professional tone  do not start all of your sentences with “I”  customize each letter with a job description of the organization you are applying for

H EADING  your name and address should come first  then put the date  next the employer’s name, title, and work address  always address your employer as:  Dear Mr. or Ms. Last Name:

O PENING  indicate the position you are applying for and how you came to learn about the position  state why you are interested in the position  say something you know or admire about the organization  shows you have done your research

M IDDLE S ECTION ( S )  highlight your experience as it relates to the position  provide them with the key skills you have that are mentioned in the job description  be specific about how your achievements and education have prepared you for the position  elaborate more in-depth than what is on your resume

C LOSING  reiterate your interest in the position and thank them for their consideration  state that you hope to discuss your qualifications in an interview  say when you plan to follow-up with them and then do so

F INAL T IPS  sign your letter with sincerely and your signature  do your research on the employer  PROOFREAD!  use the same font and paper as your resume  show enthusiasm for the position

I NTERVIEWING

T YPES OF I NTERVIEWS  Screening Interview  On-site Interview

B EFORE THE I NTERVIEW  Know the job requirements  Know yourself  Research the organization  Prepare questions  Practice  Have your outfit ready  Know where to go

D AY OF THE I NTERVIEW Remember... the interview starts as soon as you walk in the door and ends once you are out the door

D AY OF THE I NTERVIEW  Arrive early  Introduce yourself  Be professional  Watch your eye contact and body language  May bring and use your portfolio  Answer questions  Ask questions  Do not bring up salary or benefits  Get business cards  Close the interview

B EHAVIORAL Q UESTIONS  Prove yourself by telling stories of past accomplishments  Helps predict behavior  Answer according to the CAR method:  C = Context  A = Action  R = Results

S AMPLE B EHAVIORAL Q UESTIONS  Give me an example of an accomplishment you are proud of  Tell me about a time you had multiple assignments to complete and how did you prioritize  Describe a situation where you had a work as part of a team to achieve a goal  Tell me about a time you had to use strong leadership skills  Describe a situation in which you had to work under pressure

O THER S AMPLE Q UESTIONS  Tell me about yourself  Why are interested in this position?  What makes you qualified for this position?  Why do you want to work for our organization?  What are your strengths?  What are your weaknesses?  What are your career goals?

M ORE S AMPLE Q UESTIONS  What motivates you in work setting?  How does your education relate to our needs?  Why did you choose your major?  Why are you interested in this field?  What role do you usually play in group or team situations?  Others????

A FTER THE I NTERVIEW  Send a thank you note  Follow-up

I NTERVIEW S TREAM

Q UESTIONS ?