LONGHORN LIFE
Friday, April 27, 2012
Page 11
Help! What’s wrong with my resume? Channing Holman LONGHORN LIFE
Students ask this question when applying for internships and scholarships and, more importantly, when searching for a job. Answering this question is far more complicated than students believe because even the smallest mistakes can have the biggest consequences. Monica Choi, internship manager for Communication Career Services said that a good resume is not one-size-fitsall — an appropriate resume for an economics major will be different from one for an advertising major. Before stepping into her current role, Choi was the CCS career advisor and program manager in charge of the Communication Job & Internship Fairs and Graduate School Fairs. She shared with us a few key dos and don’ts to help you spruce up your resume. “Think about your target company — a toy company and a bank will have different approaches.” Familiarize yourself with the employer and the skills the company looks for in entry-level candidates so you can more effectively present yourself as a valuable addition to their company.
Grads
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of a position at Stage Stores. Stage Stores caters to Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage retail companies. It has more than 800 stores nationwide with plans to open 40 more within the year. Pham will assist the buyer throughout the day in the merchandising division to maximize the efficiency of the buying process while developing relationships between vendors and the buyer. Pham applied for the position last fall and after a series of interviews and an orientation in Houston, she received a job offer in February. Although she had interviews lined up with a series of com-
“Don’t have your formatting all messed up! Think of your resume as a stand alone document – use the same style.” Formatting your resume with the same font, style and margins consistently throughout the page makes your resume look professional and well-put-together. Avoid fancy designs on your resume. Keep the content informative but concise by using bullet-point lists. “Keep your resume to one page unless you’re applying to law or grad school.” The average employer looks at a resume for six to eight seconds, scanning the document for only the most relevant and important details. By limiting yourself to a single page you will be forced to include only the most noteworthy accomplishments and skills you can offer to the employer. “Don’t try to cram everything into one page.” It is impossible to list every accomplishment, every organization and so forth with limited space. Instead, delete any irrelevant information to the position you are applying for, such as work experiences that do not pertain to the career you are seeking or a less-than-satisfactory
panies, Pham quickly cancelled them when she received the news she anticipated. “My assertiveness allowed me to stand out against the others. A lot of UT people made it to the second round but didn’t get the job. I did because assertiveness gets results,” she said. She begins working in Houston shortly after graduation. The job begins as a three-month training period before working as an assistant buyer. She plans to remain a Stage Stores employee for at least five years and possibly move up in the company. Pham’s advice: “Focus on your goal and always make progress. Don’t stray away from your goal; finish. Then see what kind of job you can find.” REGGIE WILSON, Corporate Finance will work for: VMG Health “I’m excited to get my feet wet in a skill I’ve wanted to acquire. The opportunity I have in my hands is unbelievable, and I’m in my hometown.” Wilson will take his skills to the office of VMG Health as a Financial Analyst, working on emergency acquisitions. “Companies like to see people that take risks, [have] good communication skills and personality. A lot of the small things make a big difference,” Wilson said. VMG Health is known worldwide as providing leading financial advisers to serve the healthcare system. Financial analysts work on a variety of healthcare engagements and spend
grade point average. A resume should serve as a list of accomplishments instead of a comprehensive job history. “Use action verbs to show what you’re able to accomplish.” Use active words and descriptors to explain to potential employers not just what you did, but what positive outcomes your actions have resulted in. Avoid using slang when listing accomplishments and always double-check the accuracy of any job titles or descriptions. “Place your contact information at the top or bottom of the page.” Necessary contact information for a resume is typically a phone number and email address, but can also include physical address or website. Including profiles and pages such as Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, a personal blog or website is an increasingly popular way to brand yourself and offer a clear representation of the work that you do. “Never send your resume without a cover letter.” A resume highlights your accomplishments and your education experience. And while a resume is imperative in applying for jobs, cover letters allow your
their first year in financial modeling and supporting senior level staff. Looking forward to returning to his hometown of Dallas, Wilson is excited to give back to his community by serving as a role model to students at his former high school. “They think they can’t make it, so students go to community colleges and don’t go off to school. I want to be the voice that they can go off,” he said. Wilson began applying for his position in mid-November, after the job was posted on the McCombs School of Business job database On-Campus Recruiting. He accepted the job offer in early April after interviewing with top executives, partners and entry-level analysts. “The business school taught me how to dress, speak, work with teams, proficiency in Microsoft programs and how to join organizations to build my personal brand and networks. A lot of kids don’t do those things,” Wilson said. He advises students to exercise leadership and communication skills throughout the interviewing processes. Also, “it pays to be persistent,” he said. “Email immediately after meeting with an employer and remind them of what you can bring to the company and communicate what you want in a non-aggressive manner,.” HANNAH WU, Marketing and English will work for: General Mills “UT has thrown a lot of chal-
personality to shine through to employers who read hundreds of applications regularly. Use the cover letter as a way to stand out from the rest of the pool of applicants. “Come to career services and we’ll look over your resume for you. It’s what we’re paid for.” Self-editing isn’t always effective. Similar to writing a paper, a different set of eyes can offer a different perspective to offer suggestions or critiques that you might not always realize on your own. For more personalized assistance, schedule an individual appointment with an adviser through the career services office within your college. A complete list of the contact information and Web links for each college’s career office is available at hiretexas.utexas.edu. After you have created a stellar resume with these suggestions and the help of a career services adviser, print out your polished final draft on a nice, slightly heavier weight of paper with high quality ink settings. Your resume will be an ever-evolving document though, so be sure to update the content accordingly as your professional skills and experiences develop.
lenges at me and it made me tough. I was placed in an environment and had to build myself from the ground up”. Torn between her loves for both marketing and English, Wu chose to double major, further diversifying her skills. The Kansas native branched out to the eclectic city of Austin initially for the McCombs Business School, but quickly fell in love with indie music and the city. Wu accepted her position as Business Management Associate with General Mills in Minneapolis over spring break after a series of interviews, an assessment, a paidfor trip to Minneapolis for two days and weeks of anxiously checking her email for the “we gladly welcome you to the company,” or “we regret to inform you” notes. “They sent me an email saying that
they were having a really hard time making a decision and they would be in touch soon. So, I sent them an email telling them how much I wanted this job and reiterating why I was right for the job. They replied that they really appreciated my email, and I believe that helped me get the job,” Wu said. Wu looks forward to being immersed in the global company specifically dealing with foods in demographics. In an attempt to stand out against other candidates, Wu highlighted her leadership skills gained through several executive boards and positions of power. “I was really passionate about all of my positions and they forced me to consistently use trouble shooting skills,” she said. Each of these grads worked diligently to get the job they wanted. It took networking, persistence in following up and confidence throughout the interview. Go after your dream job and continue to apply until you’ve found a great fit for yourself. In case you are lacking communication skills, enroll in a communication studies class to learn the ins and outs of public speaking, interviewing and how to market yourself. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to leave the great state of Texas — there are many opportunities outside the state lines.
— photos by Rachel Lau