ASU Career Fiesta
The
Future Looks Bright
Tuesday, September 20
12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 21
12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sepember 22
12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Memorial Union, Second Floor
ASU Tempe Campus
Career Fiesta Job and Internship Fair
Tuesday, September 20 to Thursday, September 22 Tempe Campus, Memorial Union, Second Floor 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Career Fiesta Job and Internship Fair brings employers to ASU looking for new employees and interns Below is the list of organizations and companies scheduled to appear:
Employers present on Tuesday, September 20
AAA NCNU Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance AmTrust Bank Apple, Inc Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) Auto-Owners Insurance Company Avery Dennison Avogadro Group, LLC (The) AXA Advisors, LLC Baker Hughes BBVA Compass BDO USA, LLP Bechtel Corporation
BHP Billiton C. H Robinson Worldwide, Inc CDW Chase Auto Finance CIGNA Corporation
Civilian Logistics Career Management ClearCall Solutions Cognizant Technology Solutions ConAgra Foods ConocoPhillips Crexendo, Inc CXT Software DHL Express Diageo Dillard s DrFirst, Inc E&J Gallo Winery Eaton Corporation Echo Global Logistics Edward Jones
EMC Enterprise Everest University Online Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Federal Bureau of Prisons FCI Phoenix Federated Insurance (Phoenix Regional Processing Office) FreeportMcMoRan Copper and Gold Freescale FritoLay, Inc (a Div of PepsiCo, Inc ) Gannett Local Globaltranz (CarrierRate com) Hertz Corporation High Impact Careers Ingersoll Rand Company Insight Insight Global Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Intrax Internships Abroad Knight Transportation, Inc Kohl s Department Stores, Inc
Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company - Golden Memorial Agency Marine Officer Programs
Maxim Healthcare Services McCormick & Company, Inc MGM Resorts International Niagara Bottling, LLC Northwestern Mutual
Financial Network Olin Chlor Alkali Products Pacific Islands Club Saipan PayPal Peace Corps Pearson Progressive Insurance Prudential Financial Public Consulting Group Rolls-Royce North America Rubicon Sales Academy, LLC
Safari Books Online, LLC Sherwin Williams Stanley Black & Decker Stryker Sunquest Information Systems Techtronic Industries, N.A., Inc TEKsystems Telvent The Mountbatten Institute U S Army Recruiting U S Department of State - Bureau of Diplomatic Security United States Navy US Airways USAA Vanguard Verizon Wireless W L Gore & Associates, Inc Walgreens Yelp, Inc.
Employers present on Wednesday, September 21
Abercrombie & Fitch ADT Aerotek Allstate Insurance Company American Express Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance Apple, Inc Arizona Office Technologies Arizona Public Service (APS) AVAI BDO USA, LLP Boeing Company
BOK Financial (Bank of Arizona) Buckeye International Chase Auto Finance Civilian Logistics Career Management ClearCall Solutions ConAgra Foods ConocoPhillips Crane
Electronics, Inc Crescent Crown Distributing Crexendo, Inc Danaher Corporation DataSphere Technologies Defense Contract Audit Agency DrFirst, Inc DriveTime E&J Gallo Winery Enterprise Equiant Financial Services, Inc ExxonMobil Global Services Company Federated Insurance (Phoenix Regional Processing Office) First Investors Corporation Ford Motor Company Frito-Lay, Inc. (a Div of PepsiCo, Inc ) Gannett Local GEICO General Mills, Inc - Consumer Foods Sales General Mills, Inc Logistics Globaltranz (CarrierRate. com) GoDaddy com Goodrich Corporation High Impact Careers Hormel Foods Insight jcpenney Johnson & Johnson, a Family of Companies Knight Transportation, Inc Liberty Mutual Group Macy s Credit & Customer Service Marine Officer Programs North Star Resource Group Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Pacific Islands Club Saipan Peace Corps Pearson PepsiCo/Pepsi Beverages Company PetSmart, Inc Prudential Financial Raytheon RollsRoyce North America Rubicon Sales Academy, LLC Rush Enterprises Sandhills Publishing ScanSource Siemens Stanley Black & Decker Starbucks Coffee Company Techtronic Industries, N.A., Inc. Telvent The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program TopLine Strategies Travelers Insurance USAA Vanguard Verizon Wireless W L Gore & Associates, Inc Yelp, Inc.
Top 10 Resume Mistakes
Here is a list of 10 commonly made mistakes in resumes Make sure to avoid these mistakes when creating your resume
1 Too long or too short
One page is recommended for a new college graduate If you have worked for a number of years, it might be appropriate to have a second page On the other hand, a resume that only fills half a page isnt going to have enough information to sell your candidacy to the fullest
2 Disorganized and poor formatting
The look of your resume creates a visual impact Be certain that you adhere to parallel construction standards for format as well as for content Refer to Formatting Your Resume on page seven
3 Too flashy
Steer clear of flashy formatting or overly creative resumes with non-standard fonts or graphics Unless you re applying with an organization known to be highly unconventional, a very professional approach is your best bet
4 Faulty writing style and typos
Overuse of the same adjectives or action verbs, a
Writing a Cover Letter
A cover letter is a marketing piece that introduces you to an employer It also highlights your special accomplishments that most benefit the organization. In that sense, a top notch cover letter sells you and your resume
Cover Letters That Get Results
Both mail and e-mail can be used in a job search Be certain to follow the application procedures set by the organization Most employers accept resumes online but you still have to send a cover letter as well. When sending an e-mail, it s common practice to have the cover letter be the body of the e-mail and the resume as an attachment Put Job Application in the subject line
Before you start writing, ask yourself: Who is my audience? What skills are the employer looking for in a candidate? What do I have to offer and how can I show that my skills benefit the employer?
The Body of the Letter
Paragraph 1
State your purpose for writing, where you heard about the job opening and why you should be considered for the position
Example: Please consider me for the position of that I saw posted on Sun Devil CareerLink Based on my education and experience, I believe that I would be a strong candidate.
Paragraph 2
sloppy layout and errors in grammar and spelling are just some of the factors that result in immediate disqualification from consideration
5 Including unrelated and irrelevant personal information
An accepted standard in resume writing is the omission of words I, me or my Bullet points which describe your work experience are always sentence fragments because they do not have I as the subject Personal information not legal to ask in interviews should not be included in your resume, such as marital status, race, religion, etc
6. Poor descriptions of experience and education
This is where most resumes fail to sell the candidate Capitalize on this golden opportunity to not only describe what you did but to give the reader an indication of the scope of the work AND the quality of your performance
7. Unclear career objective or sending an unfocused or generic resume
Before you begin composing your resume, establish your career goal(s). Then use that focus to develop a specific career objective Customizing your resume
for a specific job will sell your qualifications more effectively so dont rely on one version for every application Update and modify your resume to more closely align with the specific job
8. Repetitiveness
Reading the same action verbs repeatedly in a resume is a turn-off for employers Come up with new ways to say similar things
9. Sending a resume without a cover letter
Even the strongest resume by itself won t compensate for failing to create a personalized cover letter to accompany it Unless you re instructed otherwise, submit all resumes with a cover letter
10. Misdirected cover letter
Too many resumes arrive on employers desks completely unsolicited or directed to the wrong person in the organization Find out in advance to whom to send your resume and cover letter for the job you want
Source:
Highlight your experience and qualifications, keeping in mind the employer s specific needs Think of it as relating facts about yourself and how those facts will benefit the employer This is also the opportunity to indicate why that particular employer is an attractive option Everyone likes to hear why their firm is desirable
Example: Through my communications course work, I developed strong presentation skills These skills would allow me to be an immediate contributing member of the speaking team.
Paragraph 3
Ask for an interview and state that you will follow up within a certain time frame
Example: I would welcome the opportunity to interview for this position and look forward to hearing from you I will be in contact within a week to arrange a convenient time.
Paragraph 4
Thank the individual for his or her time and consideration of your application
Example: Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon In the meantime, I may be reached at
Source: ASU Career Services Online Career Guide
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Formatting Your Resume
There are two primary formats used in resumes: chronological and functional. Both include similar information, but the information, particularly relating to experience, is grouped differently A third type, the Combination, is a hybrid that includes aspects of both
Chronological Resume
This is the most widely used and universally accepted format It outlines your work experience in reverse chronological order
Strengths
Most employers favor this format
It is generally easier for the candidate to prepare
Drawbacks
It reveals employment gaps
It may visually emphasize your most recent experience rather than a job that is most pertinent to your career goal.
Functional Resume
Functional resumes are designed to focus the reader s attention on the skills your have developed, irrespective of how you obtained them Select the general skills necessary for success in the type of position you want Then provide specific examples from any of your work or volunteer experiences that show how you developed or used that skill.
Some possible headings include: Management and Supervision Sales Broadcasting Production Event Planning
Teaching and Training
Budget Management
Counseling
To select the best skill categories for your resume, go back to the starting point: the job descriptions you found in which you re most interested That should help you pinpoint the most important skills for the job
Strengths
This provides the flexibility to highlight the skills relevant for the job
It can de-emphasize job titles
It may minimize employment gaps
It highlights project-based accomplishments
Drawbacks
Some employers prefer to have a very specific list of your prior work experience
This takes longer to prepare
It can be difficult to follow
A clear objective is a must
Combination Resume
It is possible to combine these two formats into a combination resume Simply use the skills categories as you would for a functional resume and add a brief summary of your employment, usually without descriptions of the actual tasks and responsibilities
Resume Writing 101
Think of your resume as your principle marketing document It should be carefully designed to highlight your most pertinent qualifications for the specific job(s) you want
Getting Started
Start by locating two or three job vacancy listings that interest you Note the specific qualifications and experiences that are sought Your goal is to address that employer s specifications to the fullest extent If your employment interests are very different from one another, you will need to customize several versions of your resume to pinpoint the particular requirements of each type of job
Think about the jargon or vocabulary used in the profession you want to enter Inject that language into the descriptions of your experience to demonstrate your understanding of the field
By starting with a specific job goal in mind, you have a frame of reference for decisions that you will make about what to include in the final version of your resume
Organizing Your Resume
There are generally a minimum of five sections or categories of information on resumes They are:
Heading (personal information including name, address, etc.)
Objective
Educational Background
Work Experience
Extracurricular or Volunteer Activities
Depending upon your personal circumstances, there could be a number of others:
Summary of Qualifications
Skills and Accomplishments
Relevant Courses
Honors and Awards
Professional Affiliations
Publications
Special Certifications
Below are descriptions to help you better understand the type of content that should be included in the five most common categories of a resume
Heading
information including a day time phone number, if possible Include an e-mail address, but avoid an e-mail address that isnt professional in nature If necessary, establish another account that you use solely for business purposes Be sure to check it frequently and respond quickly to any request for additional information
Objective
Tell your reader why you have written to them in a succinct statement about what you want The more concrete your statement, the better Examples: Summer internship in marketing Professional counseling position in family social services
A secondary school teaching position in English or drama
Avoid statements that focus on what you hope to get from the job A challenging professional position with the opportunity for advancement doesnt tell the reader what kind of work you want to do Employers will assume that you dont have a clear career focus and are just applying randomly If you have to use the same resume and have multiple career interests, you may omit this section but recognize that it weakens your case
Educational Background
As a current student or recent graduate, this section of your resume is usually your primary qualification for employment Thus, you would typically include this section before your descriptions of prior work experience Here are some standard practices to use when composing this section
Examples:
Exclude mention of high school. Degrees and certificates should be listed in reverse chronological order. Include your degree (example: Bachelor of Arts), your academic major, the full name of the institution, the city and state of the institution, and the expected or actual date of your graduation.
Provide your grade point average if it is a 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
Students with a major in something unrelated to their career goals may include a brief list of relevant courses to strengthen their qualifications in the eyes of a prospective employer
Work Experience
Write this section in as compelling a manner as possible It isnt enough to simply recount a list of your job responsibilities Show the reader how successfully you have accomplished your tasks in your prior jobs Use action verbs to begin each bullet point under your jobs, quantify wherever possible and show your accomplishments
Examples:
To quantify your responsibilities and your accomplishments, you would say supervised a team of 12 customer service workers instead of led the customer service team. Managed a budget of $34,000 for the student group is much more concrete than simply managed the budget. To show your accomplishments, use statements, such as exceeded sales quota by 20% for the last two years or met the zero defect goals for production for six months. Another standard practice is to list your work experience using parallel construction
For example, when writing about your work experience, decide on a format for the job title, organization name, location and dates of employment Use that same format for all of the jobs The same applies to the way you present your educational background if you have completed several degrees as well as your extracurricular activities and other categories of information on your resume Dont forget to carefully review the job description for the position in which you are applying and include those requirements or experiences in your resume where applicable
Extracurricular Activities
Like the work experience section, the way that you describe your activities outside the classroom can be an excellent opportunity to convey to the reader the relevant skills you have developed These experiences can be with student clubs and organizations through the university and with community-based volunteer groups Again, it s best to use parallel construction when composing this section
Source: ASU Career
Find an Internship
How long does it take to find an internship?
Finding an internship could take one day or several months The average search lasts about a month The earlier you start, the more options you re likely to have Some organizations have deadlines four to five months or more prior to the start date of the internship Others review applicants and make offers one to two weeks before the start date
What steps are involved in finding an internship?
Step 1: Contact your academic department s internship coordinator to learn about earning credit if applicable
Step 2: Identify career(s) of interest
Step 3: Develop an effective resume and cover letter
Step 4: Search for leads
Use Sun Devil CareerLink for postings and on-campus interviewing.
Utilize additional recommended online internship resources.
Connect with internship employers at ASU career events.
Meet with a Career Services advisor to get advice and help
Speak with faculty, academic advisors and internship coordinators in your department
Postings of internships are often found in your departmental offices.
Network with friends, family and acquaintances.
Step 5: Apply for internship openings
Create Your Own Internship
It s also possible to create your own internship by contacting employers in your field of interest and describing your qualifications, interests and how you can contribute to their success Descriptions of existing internships are helpful to frame your discussion with a p ho ad or an ha to off pe or iss pr ideas
Internships: Compensation and Academic Credit / Paid vs. Unpaid Internships
Paid Internships
ame your ossible internship
ost Focus on the dvantages to the g nization in hiring n intern, such as aving an extra person assist with projects, f r new erspect ves on g nizational sues and ovide new eas
Over half the internships posted through ASU s Sun Devil CareerLink provide a wage or stipend Most e range of $8 - $20 per hour, depending on r field and level of skill required It is typical disciplines for internships to be paid while the opposite is true Check with your p coordinator to determine what to expect eld of interest
skill development that you re seeking One of the advantages of receiving credit is having an ASU internship coordinator review the internship description and objectives to make sure that it will be a good learning experience
Earning Academic Credit
2. Most, but not all, departments that provide credit do so under a 484 course number If credit is granted, you must pay for that course irrespective of whether your internship is paid or unpaid
3. In order for credit to be granted, the departments require that the internship be directly related to your field of study
Internships
lly nonprofit organizations (including an or social services, and healthcare agen), government entities, small companies, employers in highly sought-after fields r few paid internships There s no direct elation between internship pay and qualf an experience There are many unpaid nships that are of significant value, e there are many paid internships that vide little value You should ask questions mployers during the interview process to d mine whether or not a specific internship ovide the opportunities for learning and
One of the first things to remember is that ASU grants academic credit, not employers It s up to your academic department to determine whether you can earn credit for a specific internship Their decision will be made based on the professional nature of the actual responsibilities and their relatedness to the academic discipline There are some things to keep in mind when pursuing academic credit:
1 ASU academic credit options for internships vary from discipline to discipline
Some ASU majors require the completion of an internship for credit.
Many majors offer credit as an option.
Some majors do not grant credit for internships.
4. Since specific requirements vary, check with you internship coordinator about these possible issues:
Class level and GPA requirements
Prerequisite courses
Number of work hours required per credit
Registration deadlines
Application process
Resources for obtaining an internship
Assignments, usually written, related to the internship
Employer evaluations
Affiliation Agreement requirements for the employer
Five Steps to a Successful Interview
Here are five steps to follow that will help you have a successful interview.
Step
1: Do Your Homework
Learn about the organization before the interview so that you can demonstrate knowledge of 1) the position for which you are interviewing, 2) the prospective employer, and 3) the employer s industry This should include researching the organization s services, products, departments, mission, locations, competitors and reputation
There are lots of places to find this information
Employer Web sites
Current employees
Annual reports
Company literature
Magazines/newspapers
Professional associations
Job descriptions
Before going on the interview, ask the person scheduling the interview what the format of the interview will be, who you will be meeting and approximately how long the interview will last This will help you prepare more effectively
Step
2: Know Yourself
What are your top skills and strengths? Be ready to express why you are the right person for the job by analyzing the job description and matching your skills, education, experience and interests to the employer s expectations Emphasize three or four of your key selling points Choose key points that address the employer s needs Be prepared to back up your key points with specific, relevant examples Questions like these help the interviewer assess your fit for the job and organization:
Tell me about yourself.
Why did you major in ___?
What motivates you?
Why should we hire you?
What are your career ambitions?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Step 3: Be the BEST Candidate
Being the best candidate means conveying professionalism and developing a connection with the interviewer Follow this list of suggestions for success and be the BEST ONE.
Be 10-15 minutes early for an interview
Ensure a good first impression During the first few minutes of an interview, the employer makes judgments about your character and work style based on your dress, demeanor and body language
Smile, make eye contact and use a firm handshake
Take several copies of your resume in a folder to each interview.
Only be positive when describing your experiences Dont speak negatively about yourself or others
Neat, professional and conservative attire is always best
Express confidence and be approachable.
Step 4: Communicate Effectively Be a S.T.A.R.
Many employers use behavior-based or behavioral questions to ask you for specific examples that demonstrate your ability to handle a task, job assignment or situation In responding, you might use examples from work, school, community services or any setting in which you ve had work-related success The theory behind behavioral interviewing is that past behavior is a good predictor of future performance Behavioral questions can include:
1 Please give an example of a time when you had to juggle multiple tasks.
2. Tell me about an experience you had working on a team What was your role and how did you contribute?
3. The position requires meeting deadlines Give me an example of when you had to work under the pressure of a tight deadline.
Strong answers to behavioral questions describe specific situations where your actions are the focus Often, behavioral questions cover specific skills required by the position, such as: Problem-solving
Teamwork
Decision-making
Time management
Communication Leadership
Interviewers want to hear about specific experiences you have had Structure your responses using the STAR Method: Situation/ Task, Action, Result
S/T Briefly describe the context in which the behavior took place
A Explain the specific action(s) you took to handle the situation
R Most importantly, describe the results or impact of your actions
The interviewer may interrupt you to ask questions that will enhance his or her understanding of your work style This gives you an opportunity to clarify your response Review the job description to develop a potential list of the kinds of behavioral questions that the employer might ask Prepare
STAR Example:
Here is an example of a behavior-based question with an appropriate answer
Interviewer: Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult customer. How did you handle it?
Candidate: While working as a salesperson for Deluxe Caterers, I was given an account that had been mishandled by the company in the past When the customer called to place a large new order, she complained about past service and asked me to guarantee superior work this time (Situation)
I wanted to maintain this customer relationship, but I didnt want to promise service that we could not deliver and compound the problem I expressed regret to her over the past service problems and told her that I would review her order with my supervisor and get back to her within 24 hours (Task)
I scheduled a meeting with my supervisor, and we reviewed the customer s requests, identified potential problems and made adjustments based on the food and services we could offer I returned the customer s call, negotiated a new contract with her and e-mailed a copy to her (Action)
The customer was disappointed that we could not provide everything she wanted, but she
appreciated my honesty about what we could do In the end, we worked out an arrangement that satisfied both parties. That dissatisfied customer became a happy one who continues to give business to the company She even recommended Deluxe Caterers to several of her friends, so I gained a couple of new accounts for the firm. (Result)
Step 5: Finish Strong
Ask questions to show your interest in the employer
Do not ask about salary or benefits Wait until the employer makes you an offer.
Communicate your enthusiasm before you leave Project confidence as you shake hands and say goodbye A strong closing leaves a good final impression.
Follow up Ask for the interviewer s card so you can write a brief letter of thanks for the interview
If you dont hear from anyone in a week or so, call to express your continued interest in the position and verify that the organization still considers you a candidate.
Source: ASU Career Services Online Career Guide
at least five STAR stories to share during the interview Practice saying your answers out loud
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