Writing Résumés (for the resident hype adults)

[reggiebar]

Hm, skipping the title somehow had not dawned on me.

****, references?

You can also change the title to fit the specific job, different resumes for different positions.

 

[Abaddon]

aww...my little Calvin's growing up.

 

[Calvin]

You can also change the title to fit the specific job, different resumes for different positions.

That seems kind of presumptuous though, no? Especially if none of my previous (one) work experiences would indicate such a title.

aww...my little Calvin's growing up.

Kicking and screaming.

Not really though, surprisingly.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

check your e-mail.

 

[Da Docta]

aww...my little Calvin's growing up.

You should too.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Thanks for the example, MM.

You're welcome.

 

[Calvin]

I thanked you as MM on the last page, because I wasn't sure if it was you or Erz. It definitely helps give me an idea of what this should look like. Thanks.

 

[Iceman]

I don't think you necessarily need a title either. I'm sure there are many recent graduates thinking of going into areas that they didn't study for who are in a similar position. It would be useful if you could show evidence of your interest for your chosen field and illustrate how your experiences can contribute to your success in that field.

 

[reggiebar]

That seems kind of presumptuous though, no? Especially if none of my previous (one) work experiences would indicate such a title.

Kicking and screaming.

Not really though, surprisingly.

Oh, your title...I thought you meant the profile that is often included to state what your job oriented goals are, i.e. "....looking for a position where I can use my " " skills and love of " " to advance...."

 

[Abaddon]

You should too.

said the pot to the kettle.

 

[Da Docta]

said the pot to the kettle.

Go watch Lilo and Stitch.

 

[Calvin]

Oh, your title...I thought you meant the profile that is often included to state what your job oriented goals are, i.e. "....looking for a position where I can use my " " skills and love of " " to advance...."

Yeah, all the stuff I'd been looking up seemed to indicate that a title was necessary, but I guess it really isn't.

 

[reggiebar]

Here is a link to a useful Site for college grads who need to create their first resume http://www.collegegrad.com/jobsearch/3-0.shtml

There is a lot of useful info at this Site....good luck!!!

 

[Abaddon]

Go watch Lilo and Stitch.

Go watch anime.

 

[Da Docta]

Go watch anime.

You watch anime.

 

[Abaddon]

You watch anime.

I don't.

 

[dpm07]

Feel free to PM me if you need any assistance. I've taught courses in Report Writing and Career Education Seminars at the university level in the past. If you give me some background on yourself, I might be able to assist.

Instructors are usually pretty good about giving recommendations to students. Personally, I've never turned down any one who's asked, and many times if you ask, they'll actually write a letter of recommendation for you. I've done that before. If you ask an instructor for a recommendation, just remind them what class you had them, as there are so many students. The biggest thing an instructor will remember about a student is the attendance if that was critical for the grade. Other little things that stand out that instructors look for in students were how active the student was in class. You don't have to be the smartest student, but if you participated and tried, that really does make a difference and can be that extra icing to have an instructor go the extra mile for you.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I thought about contributing to this thread, but I was only a few posts in when Ronny Shade and Erzengel's posts were back to back and I became distracted by their Avatars... then all professional input went out one ear while the simple thought "That's gotta be a cool party" entered the other.

 

[jaguarr]

Some thoughts off the top of my head:

Out of college, when you have minimal work experience, the things they're really going to look for are things like internships, clubs and organizations that you belonged to while you were in school, volunteer work that you did, and so forth. You could even take a class project you did that involved working with the public somehow and spin it into a short term volunteer engagement, singled out on your resume'.

Some other things:

Don't lie on your resume'. It will bite you in the ass, guaranteed. Creative description of your previous jobs or extracirricular activities is okay to a point, but don't get carried away.

Don't put anyone down as a reference without their knowledge and permission.

Keep your resume' succinct and down to one page plus a cover letter if at all possible.

Write cleanly and clearly. Think economical and efficient in your writing style. Especially since you're looking at writing jobs (which you should provide writing examples to as part of a portfolio along with your resume' if you have them). If you're too wordy, it won't get read. Remember, they have a kabillion of these applications and resume's to go over. Less is more, sometimes.

Use some nice resume' paper. It can make yours stand out in a sea of white copy machine paper that will invariably be seen by the hiring manager.

Don't be afraid to call and follow up on your resume' after they've had it for a week if you don't hear anything back from them.

Good luck! If I think of more, I'll throw them on the pile, here.

jag

 

[Abaddon]

jag is always so helpful

 

[Tangled Web]

Avatar party.

 

[Calvin]

Alright, well l've got a rough draft done, sans references. I guess I'll have to dig up some old prof emails and ask for permission. Thanks for the help, guys.

 

[Anita18]

I've also just graduated college and I guess I can add my two cents (since I got 2 job offers one month after graduating yay!).

Don't bother with a title unless you're required to. They're stupid. Objectives could be helpful if you're aiming for a position in a large field, and it isn't clear from your resume what you're looking for. I was mostly applying for jobs in biology research labs, and it was pretty obvious that I was doing so since I had "research experience" as its own section. I was also looking for a job related to art, and I thought it would be better if I had some sort of objective listed on that. I tried to make it like my experience and knowledge in science would help in my artistic endeavors...

I mostly applied to jobs online, so the employers can't tell how long your resume is exactly, but keep it short and to the point. My mom even pared down my dad's 3-page resume to 1-page, joking that such a long resume would belie his advanced age. Besides, nobody is ever special enough to deserve a resume more than one page long, LOL.

I suppose it depends on what kind of job you're looking into, but employers would ask for references after they had reviewed my resume. One even wanted to meet me in person before bothering my references. So, I guess putting it onto your resume isn't something that you HAVE to do. Definitely ask your potential references before giving out their contact info. I recommend 3, for a good start.

And I don't know how important references are in general, but for me, glowing references trumped my so-so interview skills and not-so-hot GPA. In science, it doesn't matter how you look or how you project yourself onto clients, but how you work. Past professors will be able to tell your future employers about how hard-working you are and how good you are in lab better than a piece of paper, how you interview, and how you dress. Again, this depends a lot on the field, but it's definitely something to think about. One lab wasn't too sure about offering me a position, but then the coordinator contacted one of my references and then immediately offered me the spot.

I was really lucky though - I went to a tiny college and even my freshman year intro chem prof remembered my name at graduation.

So, I guess the most important thing you can do is think like your employer. If you were hiring someone, what would you look for? What would you deem important? And then tailer your resume/cover letter/whatever accordingly.

 

[Calvin]

Alright, another question. If I'm writing a cover letter to a woman (Salina was the first name, as far as I can tell that's female, at least according to this), is the traditional practice to use "Dear Mrs...." or "Dear Ms..."?

 

[Tsunulia]

Never use dear. I think attention was what takes it's place, BUT NEVER USE DEAR.