1. Because You Are the Best: Developing Résumés and Interview Skills
UTeach Conference 2014
Austin, TX
Because You Are the Best: Developing Résumés and Interview Skills
Dr. Maria Benzon
Rebecca Pel
Mbbenzon.wikispaces.com

2. Setting a Purpose Rate the quality of your resume. Think-Pair-Share
0 = non-existent
1 = started, but not willing to show
2 = decent, willing to show
3 = pretty confident, ready for the job interview
Think-Pair-Share
What is a concern you have with regard to resumes and/or interviews?
What do you hope to get out of this session?

3. Agenda Résumés Writing (45 min) Compare/Contrast Résumés
Use ResumeCompanion.com
Action vs. Passive Verbs
MS Word Formatting
Résumés Checklist
Interviewing Skills (30 min)
Overview of Interview Responses
Group Interview

4. Compare/Contrast Résumés
What is similar in the résumés ?
What is different in the résumés ?
What do you like?
What do you not care for?
Share Out: Person who Sat Down First at the Table

5. Overview of Résumés Chronological Resume Functional Resume
Characteristics
Specifics of each job (dates, duties, employer) and educational experience
Presented in reverse chronological order (recent listed first)
Advantages
Easy to read, write and follow
Emphasizes continuity and career growth
Disadvantages
Dependent on past experiences
Characteristics
Focuses on strengths and skills areas and de-emphasizes positions and dates
Skills presented in categories before the Work History section
Advantages
Maximizes impact in important job duties without “paid” experience
More flexibility in organizing information (e.g. interests, skills)
Disadvantages
Plays down direct job-related experience with specific employers
Confusing for employers to read

6. “I don’t know what my job title was.” Solution: ResumeCompanion.com

7. “I don’t know what my job responsibilities were.”
Copy & Paste…. Don’t buy the resume!

8. Passive vs. Action Verbs
Examples with Passive Verbs
Examples with Action Verbs
"Was the boss of a team of six service employees" CONCISE: 10 words (wordy) FOCUS of VERB: was COMMUNICATION: Non-action verb carries no inherent meaning
"Supervised a team of six service employees" CONCISE: 7 words (concise) FOCUS of VERB: supervised COMMUNICATION: Action verb communicates the point immediately and strongly
"Did work with an athletic trainer on heat therapy treatments"
"Assisted an athletic trainer with heat therapy treatments"
"Used new technology to increase learning"
"Introduced new technology to increase learning"
"Utilized lesson plans to lead weekly science-based classes"
"Developed lesson plans to lead weekly science-based lesson plans

9. Action Verbs Communication Skills Leadership Skills Technical Skills
THINK-PAIR-SHARE
On 1 post-it note, write as many synonyms of the word(s) as possible in 1 minute.
Compare ideas with a partner.
Volunteer to share list.
Technical Skills
Teaching Skills
Awards
Organization Skills
Creative Skills

10. Organizational Skills
Action Verbs
Leadership Skills
Communication Skills
Teaching Skills
Technical Skills
Research Skills
Organizational Skills
Creative Skills
Awards
Administered
Appointed
Approved
Assigned
Attained
Authorized
Chaired
Consolidated
Contracted
Controlled
Converted
Coordinated
Decided
Delegate
Developed
Directed
Eliminated
Emphasized
Enforced
Enhanced
Established
Handled
Headed
Hired
Hosted
Improved
Incorporated
Increased
Initiated
Managed
Addressed
Advertised
Arbitrated
Arranged
Articulated
Authored
Clarified
Collaborated
Communicated
Condensed
Conferred
Consulted
Contacted
Conveyed
Convinced
Corresponded
Debated
Defined
Described
Discussed
Drafted
Edited
Explained
Expressed
Influenced
Interviewed
Mediated
Participated
Adapted
Advised
Assisted Clarified
Coached
Conducted
Counseled Critiqued
Demonstrated
Diagnosed Enabled
Encouraged
Ensured Evaluated
Focused
Guided
Helped Individualized
Informed
Instilled
Instructed
Motivated
Persuaded
Set goals
Supported
Tutored
Applied Assembled
Built
Calculated
Computed
Conserved
Constructed
Designed
Determined
Engineered
Installed
Maintained
Operated
Overhauled
Printed
Programmed
Regulated
Remodeled
Repaired
Replaced
Restored
Solved
Specialized
Standardized
Studied
Upgraded
Utilized
Analyzed
Collected
Compared
Critiqued
Detected
Evaluated
Experimented
Explored
Formulated
Gathered
Identified
Inspected
Interpreted
Invented
Investigated
Located
Measured
Organized
Researched
Reviewed
Searched
Surveyed
Systemized
Tested
Catalogued
Categorized
Charted
Classified
Coded
Compiled
Corrected
Distributed
Filed
Generated
Implemented
Monitored
Ordered
Prepared
Processed
Registered
Routed
Scheduled
Submitted
Systematized
Updated
Validated
Acted
Composed
Conceptualized
Created
Customized
Displayed
Entertained
Fashioned
Founded
Transformed
Illustrated
Instituted
Integrated
Introduced
Modeled
Modified
Originated
Performed
Photographed
Planned
Revised
Shaped
Achieved
Completed
Exceeded
Pioneered
Resolved
Succeeded
Surpassed

11. MS Word Formatting VIEW TAB Show/Hide: Ruler REVIEW TAB Track Changes
Display for Review
Final Showing Markup
Original Showing Mark-up
PAGE LAYOUT TAB
Margins
HOME TAB
Paragraph
Show/Hide
Alignment: Left/Center/Right/Justify
Bullets
Indent: Increase or Decrease Indent
Line Spacing
Tabs
Left/Center/Right/Decimal
First Line Indent
Hanging Indent
Font
Effects: Small Caps
Effects: Superscript
Character Spacing: Spacing --> Expanded or Condensed (points)

12. MS Word Formatting: View & Page Layout Tabs
Show-Hide Ruler
Adjust Margins

13. MS Word Formatting: Review Tab
Track Changes
Display for Review
Final Showing Mark-Up
Original Showing Mark-Up

14. MS Word Formatting: Home Tab

16. MS Word Formatting: Tabs

17. Sample Formatting: Tabs

18. MS Word Formatting: Indents
First Line Indent
No Indent

19. MS Word Formatting: Fonts
Font Effects: Small Caps
Spacing

20. Evaluate Résumés w/ a Checklist
Use 12-point font (no less than 10). Avoid fancy fonts.
Use a standard margin width of .75 to 1 inch.
Align dates to the right margin (right justified).
Use a single space after section headings and within sections.
Use a double space between sections.
Check spelling. Avoid abbreviations.
Use consistent format for headings. (Ex: “bold” or “underline." Do not use both or mix.)
Use consistent format for dates. (Ex: “ ” or “June 25, 2012.” Do not mix).
Align and indent bullets consistently throughout the résumé.
Begin each bullet with an action verb.
Use a consistent verb tense and grammatical structure in all bulleted lists.
For cardinal numbers, spell out “one” through “nine.” Use Arabic numbers for 10 and above.
Use consistent format for ordinal numbers. (Ex: “6th” or “sixth.” Do not use mix.)
List experience and education in reverse chronological order.
Do not exceed one page for professional résumés. (References go on separate document.)
Do not exceed two pages for teaching résumés.
Include your name and page number on the second page. (No selfies.)
Teaching résumés use the following headings and heading order: Education, Certification, Teaching Experience, and References. (Additional headings: Highlights of Qualifications, Objective, Volunteer Experience, Related Experience, Honors, Technology Skills, Language Skills)
Work w/ Table for 5 min
Share Out Results:
Who Sat Down Last at the Table

21. Interview Skills How do I best respond in an interview? Be Specific
Be Concise
Answer the Entire Question
Smile

22. Example: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
While I was student teaching, I had the opportunity to take a student aside to help him with a particularly difficult math concept that he was having trouble understanding. When I was able to show him a different way to approach the problem, and he 'got it', I knew that I had chosen the right field!

23. Interview Skills Practice
Break into Groups of 6.
3 People will be the Interviewees
3 People will be the Interviewers who rate the interviewees based on the responses.
Each interviewer will choose 1 question from the list provided to ask all three interviewees.
Switch Roles

24. Interviewee Rubric Criteria 1 – Unacceptable (50) 2 - Acceptable (75)
3 – Exceeds (90+)
Score
Content of Response
Response had minimal substance or relevance.
Response was not concise nor specific.
END of INTERVIEW
No questions asked.
Questions lacked thoughtfulness.
Response was substantive or pertinent.
Response was concise or specific.
One thoughtful question was asked.
Response was substantive and pertinent.
Response was concise and specific.
Thoughtful questions were asked.
Language of Response
Severely deficient grammar, pronunciation, and/or word choice.
Uses more casual or unprofessional language than professional language.
Isolated errors in grammar, pronunciation, and/or word choice that reduces clarity and credibility.
Equally uses casual and professional language.
Free of errors in grammar and pronunciation, and word choice aids clarity and vividness.
Uses more professional language than casual language.
Body Language
Inappropriate gesturing or distracting mannerisms are visible.
Long silences and lengthy explanations.
Appropriate gestures and some distracting mannerisms (i.e., nervousness) are visible.
Some silences or lengthy explanations.
Appropriate gestures and no distracting mannerisms (i.e., nervousness) are visible.
Appropriate silences with appropriate lengths of explanations.

25. Most Common Interview Questions
Need to Self-Reflect
Need to Research
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Describe the best lesson you ever taught.
What is your teaching philosophy?
If you were hired, what type of classroom management structure would you implement?
How have you used, and how will you use, technology in the classroom?
Have you had experience boosting a student's self-esteem? If so, how?
What would you do if a student refused to do his/her work?
What was the worst lesson you taught? What did you learn from it?
Who was your favorite teacher? How did they influence your decision to teach?
What are your three greatest strengths?
What is your greatest weakness?
Why should we hire you?
If we were to hire you, what do you expect to struggle with your first year at this school?
How do you make learning fun?
Create your own question!!!
Why are you a good fit for this job and our school district?
What makes you qualified for this teaching position?
What extra curricular activities would you be interested in sponsoring or participating in after school?
To what extent should students be able to use calculators in the classroom?
Do you have any questions for me?

26. Resume & Interview Debrief
Share-Out & Jot-Down
What was tough?
What was easy?
What do you need to work on? Write 3 tasks for your “To Do” list.
Q & A