Slides from workshops I've conducted on writing resumes and preparing for interviews. Many variations of this were created around different audiences.

1. Implementing Your
Marketing Plan
Resumes and Interviewing
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

2. Agenda
□ Resume Overview
□ Resume Tips, suggestions, samples
□ Formats
□ Exercise
□ Interviewing
□ Introduction and sharing of experiences
□ Discussion
□ Let’s practice!
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

3. A Resume is…
□ Designed to peek the readers interest in you
and create the desire to interview you
□ The first introduction to an employer/school
□ The principle written piece with which you
communicate your goals, experience, skills
and accomplishments
□ Going to create a lasting impression that will
carry through all stages of the
interview/hiring process
□ A Document in progress
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

4. Writing a Professional Resume
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

5. Writing a Professional Resume
□ There is no one right way to write a
professional resume
□ Think of your resume as a written argument
to obtain a goal rather than as a diary
□ Make a commitment to tailor your resume
to a school or potential employer – this does
not mean just write an objective statement
and call it a day!
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

6. Writing a Professional Resume
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

7. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Five prevailing sections of a chronological
resume
□ Heading
□ Objective or Summary
□ Education
□ Work Experience
□ Other Information (multitude of choices here)
□ Other popular sections
□ Profile or “Summary of Qualifications”
□ Academic Experience
□ Relevant Projects
□ Leadership Experience
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

8. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Headings
□ All contact information should go on top
□ Do not include personal information such
as age, marital status, or health
□ Use a permanent address (local if at
school as well)
□ Use a permanent telephone number
□ Use a professional email address
□ Include webpage only if it reflects your
professional ambitions
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

9. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Objective
□ Be specific about the job you want or school
you are applying to
□ Tailor your objective to each employer you
target and every job you seek
□ Let’s go over the writing objective statements
handout in your packet
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

10. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Education
□ New Graduates with little to no work
experience should list education
information first
□ Most recent education listed first
□ Include your degree, major, high school
attended, and your minor/concentration
□ Add academic strengths and GPA
□ Mention academic honors
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

11. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Work Experience
□ To give an overview of where you obtained your
skills
□ Write “Action-Oriented”: Use Action Verbs!
(Provided in handouts)
□ Be specific and concise, no narratives, first-
person writing, etc.
□ Write in “the language of the reader”
□ Include work/school experience in reverse
chronological order
□ Most recent job first, working backwards to your first job
□ Again, transferable skills!
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

12. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Society of Numbers – Results Oriented
□ Specific Results, Responsibilities and
the creation of value to the reader
□ Examples:
□ Advised students regarding their career
plans
□ Provided personal career advising and
planning to approximately 50
undergraduate students per week
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

13. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Continued:
□ Worked as a shift manager
□ Promoted to shift manager after six
months of employment
□ Responsible for scheduling 12
employees, organizing a restaurant with a
200 guest capacity
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

14. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Continued:
□ Performed a feasibility study for a new
area golf course
□ Designed and implemented a feasibility
study for a new area golf course. Public
results of study increased interest by 47%
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

15. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Other Information
□ Seek advice on relevance to your resume
□ Special Skill or competency
□ Leadership Experience
□ Volunteer Experience
□ Clubs and/or Activities, Affiliations, etc.
□ Relevant Projects, Academic
Experience, etc.
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

16. Writing a Professional Resume
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

17. Writing a Professional Resume
□ General Rules to follow..
□ Determine who the reader is
□ Write for the reader
□ Make your resume easy to read and
aesthetically pleasing
□ Bullet job descriptions
□ Write with substance and depth, not
length
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

18. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Formatting Suggestions
□ Keep your resume to one page*
□ Use standard formatting (Times New Roman or
Arial)
□ Standard size, adjustable if necessary
□ Proofread!!!!!!
□ Tailor your comments to each job/application
□ Be selective in what you include and organize
your information logically and strategically
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

19. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Formatting suggestions (cont.)
□ Aesthetically speaking, leave white space on
your resume
□ Aim for 1-inch margins
□ Ivory or white space, no dark or hard to see
paper on original paper
□ Resume is not the place to be fanciful, whimsical
or cute. Avoid colors, thick boxes, or anything
that would be distracting to the content itself
□ DO NOT LIE ON YOUR RESUME!
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

20. Video Clip - Whimsical
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

21. Writing a Professional Resume
□ Exercise
□ Start putting together the pieces
□ Review resume samples
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

22. References
□ A quick note on references
□ Should always be on a separate sheet
□ “References available upon request”
□ Acquiring permission FIRST
□ Changing your reference relevant to the position
□ On reference sheet, be sure to include the
following for each reference:
□ Mr./Ms./Mrs. First Name, Last Name
□ Proper Title, Company
□ Mailing address
□ Phone number
□ E-mail address
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

23. Interviewing
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

24. Interviewing
□ An interview…
□ Offers you and the employer/school the
opportunity to learn whether or not there
is a fit between you and the organization
□ Is a two way street
□ Indicates general qualifications as
demonstrated on your resume/transcripts
□ Takes time and preparation
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

25. Interviewing
□ Regardless of school/employers are
interested in…
□ Communication Skills
□ Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills
□ Leadership Qualities/Potential
□ Organizational Skills
□ Analytical and Problem-Solving Ability
□ Maturity
□ Academic accomplishments
□ Others?
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

26. Interviewing
□ Preparation for the Interview
□ Careful Systematic Preparation
□ Calmer, more organized and articulate
□ Four Critical Areas of Preparation
1. Know Yourself and Your Career Objectives
2. Gather information about the organization
and position you seek
3. Anticipating probable questions and
formulated responses to those questions
4. Come to the interview ready to ask informed
questions
Process of Effective
Interviewing Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

27. Interviewing – Areas of Preparation
□ Know Yourself
□ Results of Self-Assessment
□ Goal Setting
□ Exercises from Project Challenge
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

28. Interviewing – Areas of Preparation
□ Knowing the Company/School
□ Websites
□ Talk with
counselors, family, friends, current students
□ What did I miss?
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

29. Interviewing – Areas of Preparation
□ Process of Effective Interviewing
□ Reading the Interviewer exercise (page 9)
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

30. Interviewing – Preparation Points
to Consider
□ Practice makes perfect!
□ Recording yourself answering questions, etc.
□ Watch for filler words and habits
□ Interview Attire
□ Non-Verbal Body Language
□ Know your goals and what makes you, you
□ Prepare PSR’s, questions and answers
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

31. Interviewing
□ Day of the Interview
□ Environmental and Logistical Factors
□ Personal Preparation
□ Upon arrival and before you meet your
interviewer
□ Receptionist
□ Waiting Room Behavior
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

32. Interviewing
□ Stages of an interview
□ Getting started
□ The Body of the Interview
□ Down to Business
□ Can you do the job? Will you do well in our
academic programs? Will you fit in here?
□ Answering Interview Questions
□ Closing the Interview
□ After the Interview
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

33. Interviewing
□ Answering Interview Questions
□ Listen Carefully to the questions being
asked!
□ Focus on what is really being asked
□ Answer questions briefly and always as an
advantage/credit to yourself
□ Answer the real question by presenting
your related skills and track record
□ Practice answering sample interviewing
questions
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

34. Interviewing
□ Closing the Interview continued…
□ Do
□ Leave the interviewer with a positive image of
you being confident, enthusiastic and
courteous
□ Ask the recruiter when you can expect to be
contacted
□ Re-emphasize your interest in the position
□ Ask for a business card
□ Shake the recruiter’s hand, and thank him/her
for considering you
□ Send a thank you letter within 24 hours
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

35. Interviewing
□ DO Be honest and realistic with your job expectations.
□ DO Be a few minutes early to the interview. Call them ahead
of time if you need to cancel or will be late
□ DO Bring a resume along with you.
□ DO Be respectful of the interviewers and all other employees
you might meet during the interview.
□ DO Make a good first impression.
□ DO Dress appropriately.
□ DO Be prepared.
□ DO Talk about what types of things you've done that have
made a positive impact on your clubs, organizations, church
or other activities.
□ DO Know how many hours per week you can work and when
you can work. Be able to tell them your school and activity
schedules.
□ DO Be yourself.
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

36. Interviewing
□ DON'T Get involved if it seems like a job you might not do well.
□ DON'T Be late for an interview.
□ DON'T Miss an appointment without letting them know you
aren't coming!
□ DON'T Walk into the interview unprepared.
□ DON'T Be shy and quiet.
□ DON'T Act like you just rolled out of bed 20 minutes ago and
you are still half asleep.
□ DON'T Dress like a slob
□ DON'T Come to the interview without thinking about what
possible questions you may be asked or what you want to
□ DON'T Rattle off a list of everything you are involved in without
telling them how you've made a difference in those
□ DON'T Go to the interview with NO CLUE how often you
expect to work or when you are able to
□ DON'T Put on a false show to impress the interviewer. If you get
the job, you will soon be found out!
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

37. Interviewing
□ Follow up notes, letters are critical
□ Common courtesy
□ Make a favorable impression
□ Reiterate certain points that came up in the
interview
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series

38. Interviewing
□ In closing
□ Review information packet for samples
and additional tips
□ Remember the four most important things
in preparing for an interview
□ Know yourself and your career objective
□ Know the company/school and the
position/major
□ Be ready to answer and ask questions
informatively
□ PRACTICE!
Graduate Career Services Fall Workshop Series