1. Resume and Cover Letter Workshop You have 8 – 10 seconds to tell your “story”. So what are you going to say, and how? Career Services

2. Resume: Questions to ask yourself Who is your target audience? Does the presentation of the content relate to the job? Is the resume concise? Is the resume easy to look at?

3. Resume: Necessary Sections Name Address/Phone Number/Email Education Experience (can be multiple sections)

4. Resume: Other Sections Objective Profile/Summary Activities/Interests Skills Other (Publications, Athletics, etc.)

5. Resume: Important Points Organize sections in reverse chronological order Make sure your GPA is accurately listed (there are multiple ways to list GPA) Have a short, focused objective (if included) Make sure the resume is readable

6. Resume: Important Points For descriptions, try to show –What you did (responsibilities) –What you accomplished (results) –What you learned (show this indirectly, by mentioned what kinds of things you came into contact with, not by saying “Learned about the banking industry”)

7. Resume: Important Points Avoid “my” or “I” Do not mix fonts Use past tense for positions already completed Do not overstate language ability BE TRUTHFUL Less may be more Proofread many times

8. Resume: Considerations Content: Relevance, Depth, Demonstration of Skills Confidence: State your skills without superlatives Clarity: overall and within content Consistency in format

11. Cover Letter: Structure Your Address Date Addressee Name and Address Salutation Three to Four Paragraphs Closing Signature Name

12. Cover Letter: First Paragraph Introduces you Tells the employer why you are writing Tells the employer how you heard about the job Be concise If you have a connection to the company, state it Include job title and/or number (if applicable)

13. Cover Letter: Second Paragraph Answer the question of why you would be good for the job Do not restate your resume Don’t get bogged down in details Address the concerns in the job description Be enthusiastic Be positive (don’t dwell on negatives-”although I don’t have experience…”)

14. Cover Letter: Third Paragraph Why you are excited about this company/position Show that you know something about the organization Don’t be vague (“I’d like to work in a challenging environment.”)

15. Cover Letter: Fourth Paragraph State what you would like to see happen next (interview, provide additional materials, you will be in town, follow-up with a phone call, etc.)

17. Interviews: the most important part of the job search process! This is a professional conversation Employers already believe you may be qualified for the job Now, you and the employer need to gather enough information about each other to see if it is a good fit.

18. Before the Interview Review the job description Research articles about the organization in the last 3-6 months Find out details about the interview * How long will it be? Will you talk to more than one person? Will you be reimbursed for travel expenses? Know your resume

19. The 3 main things companies want to know How can you contribute to the organization? * What in your experience is relevant? * What in your education is relevant? Why do you want to work for them? * Why this industry? Why this organization? * What are your goals? What are you going to be like once they get to know you? * How do you describe yourself? *How would your friends describe you? * How would a supervisor or a co- worker describe you?

20. The Interview Dress appropriately Arrive at least 10 minutes early Be professional Be enthusiastic Give honest answers supported by examples Ask thoughtful questions about the job, organization or services/products Do not ask about the salary

21. Sample Questions Describe a group work situation where you and your partner were having trouble getting along with each other. How did you resolve the problem? Give an example of a time when you found it necessary to “challenge” authority Describe a situation when you had to learn a large amount of material quickly. How did you do it? Describe a situation when you were faced with a deadline you couldn’t meet. How did you handle it? We have a client that is going to manufacture disposable diapers for the market in China. How many disposable diapers should they manufacture for the first year?

22. Typical Interview Questions Tell me a little about yourself. Why are you interested in this position? Why did you choose this career/industry? What are your greatest strengths? How would you describe yourself? What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort? Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and employee

23. Typical Interview Questions (con’t) What are your weaknesses? What accomplishment has given you the most satisfaction? Why? What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it? Describe example from your past that required you to respond to pressure. How did you deal with it? What are your long-term goals? Describe a group work situation where you and another group member had a disagreement. How did you resolve it?

24. Questions to Ask What type of training is available? Could you describe a typical work day? What are the department’s goals for this year? What are the skills most needed to succeed in this job? Why did the interviewer join the company? What does he/she like most about it?

25. After the Interview Send a thank you letter via email within 24 hours It is appropriate to ask when you may hear from them at the end of the Interview.