Students blog

Applying for a summer job? Maybe it’s your first time, or maybe you’ve got lots of work experience to include on your resume. Either way, it can be intimidating trying to decide what to write. After all, your resume is part of your first impression when you apply for a position. Let’s break down the process of crafting a resume into a few steps:

1. Compare Your Qualities to the Job Listing

It’s always a good idea to go back and look at the desired skills for a candidate included on the original job listing. For example, if one of the skills on the listing is “good time management skills” and you know that you always adhere to a schedule and always get your work done on time, go ahead and add it to your resume. Make sure that any skills you take from the listing are skills you actually have – don't say you’re proficient in Microsoft Word when you’ve only ever used Google Docs.

2. Decide What Prior Experience to Include

This next step can be tricky if you’ve never had a “professional” job before - but don’t worry! You may still have things you can include in this section: babysitting, mowing lawns, being part of a club or organization, volunteer work, and even being part of a sports team can count as experience. As long as you show that you have dedication and you’re reliable, you’re good to go. You can list accomplishments like “babysat for x number of families” or “utilized teamwork and communication to win games” to show that you’ve gained desirable skills from your past experiences.

If you have had a few jobs before, you don’t need to include all of them on your resume. Only include positions that are relevant to the one you are applying for. Also try not to have repetitive experience on your resume. For example, if you have had 6 retail positions, you don’t need to list all 6 – just pick a few and highlight a different set of skills and accomplishments from each.

You can (and should!) mention your education on your resume. You can list skills and accomplishments there as well. For example, you may want to mention it on your resume if you had a good GPA or won any awards.

3. Create Your First Draft

After you have decided what to include on your resume, you’re ready to start writing! Include a strong introduction or summary statement that tells the reader who you are and what your mission is before they even begin reading about your skills and experience.

General tips and guidelines for resume writing:

1. Keep your resume under one page in length.
2. If you are in college or have graduated from college, you don’t need to include your high school diploma on your resume.
3. Try to avoid using bold colors unless you are applying for a more creative position. In general, stick to neutral colors.
4. Make sure that your font is readable. Don’t make your font too big or too small, and don’t use more than two or three different font styles. For most jobs, you’ll also want to make sure that your font style is in print and does not include wacky designs.
5. When writing about past experiences, write in past-tense. If you are including a job you still have, write about it in the present tense.
6. Be honest. It’s never a good idea to lie about your skills and experience, especially when they are necessary for the job.

These tips should help you create a fantastic resume that will increase your chances of landing that job or getting that internship. Having a quality resume is an important document that you will constantly be revising for the rest of your life as you move through your career. Writing an excellent first draft is putting your best foot forward. Happy writing!

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Many colleges and universities host career fairs during the Spring semester. These fairs offer fantastic networking opportunities for students, however preparing for these events can also be stressful. During the event you’ll typically have 5 to 10 minutes to talk with a recruiter or a company to make an impression. It is very useful to have copies of your resume handy. Once the conversation with the recruiter is complete it is a common practice to give them a copy of your resume so that they can remember you.

Your resume is essentially a marketing document where you are positioning yourself in the best way for the job you want. A resume should also be dynamically changing. It could be a steep learning curve to build one from scratch, but as you get in the habit of updating your resume frequently it becomes a healthy good habit. Here are a few pointers to help you understand more about resume building and formatting, and better position you into taking a stab at creating your first draft.

1. Use A Good Template

No matter how strong your background and experience are, good formatting will make your resume more eye catching to recruiters. If you are not Word document savvy, simply look up resume templates online and download a template that is the most applicable for you. Sometimes your school career center might also have these templates so make sure to look there as well!

2. Grammar

It is very important to have consistent grammar throughout your resume. You want to be as detail oriented as possible on this paper because it is the only medium for a recruiter to know you. A grammatically correct resume will allow you to stand out among peers who might be competing for the same role. Some great methods are keeping the same verb tense, ending every sentence with a period, and making your sentences clear and concise.

3. Design

Some standard resume features are a full single page of content including your name, education, address, contact, work experience, and achievements. You can adjust the resume content depending on what you need to say. You also can add a pop of color, use funky fonts, or even add a great picture of yourself in your resume to convey character. HOWEVER, be mindful on how the recruiter might read into this! Some fields might prefer a “conservative” resume style where content and achievements are the focus. Recruiters in fields like marketing and graphic design might appreciate more creative designs because the resume will demonstrate your skill in creating visually appealing products. Just make sure you understand who your audience is and tailor your resume accordingly.

4. Final Drafts

The resume in a job application is one of the main and crucial components that allows a recruiter or a hiring manager to get to know you and quickly assess whether there is a good fit between you and the potential employer. It is always a good idea to run your resume by your friend or family member to proofread and identify any last-minute errors. If you happen to find yourself stuck, recognize that you have various options and resources to use. The simple yet not so obvious one is your university career services.

5. Evolution

Your resume should be ever evolving. This doesn’t mean just adding your experiences as you progress in your career, but also modifying it from time to time and removing anything that becomes irrelevant. You might take up various career paths so when you are updating your resume for a new position, you probably do not have to list everything you did since high school. Strive to get into the practice of updating your resume after the end of each semester.

Using these tips will help you to be ready to jump on opportunities as they come and to feel prepared for them. Preparing for career fairs to apply for internships or jobs can be intimidating for some students, but it doesn’t have to be. Even if you don’t have a lot to put on your resume, having a high-quality resume is a game changer.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

With the beginning of a new semester comes everyone’s favorite season: recruitment. After applying for a job, sitting down for an interview can be nerve wracking. Whether you’ll be searching for a position for this school year or already looking ahead to next summer, I’m here to provide some insight on how to make this process easier and to help you land a quality job or internship.

Advance Preparations

Once you land an interview, there are some things you need to do ahead of time to be successful day of. These include:

1. Research. The best thing you can do as a job prospect is to research the company prior to an interview. Learn about what they do, what they care about, and how they help the community around them. This is absolutely key for showcasing your interest in the company, which is ultimately one of the first steps in building trust with your potential employer.
2. Prepare. Know your resume like the back of your hand. You will be asked about prior experiences and how they relate to the job you are applying for. Be sure you can answer this and elaborate on any other experiences listed.
3. Ask Questions. Do not be afraid to ask questions! Compile a list of questions in advance to respond to the ‘Do you have any questions for us?’ question. Ask the interviewer what they like about their company, what they would change. This kind of curiosity leads to ideas and eventually greater advancements.

Day-of-Interview Plan of Action

If your interview is in person, be sure to arrive on time and in the necessary attire. Make sure you have a reliable mode of transportation, a second (and third) copy of your resume, and more than enough time to get to your interview location.

If the interview is via video call, consider what will be in your background during the call. Find a spot around your home that looks organized and has minimal distractions. Or set up a virtual background if necessary. Minimize background noise. Check that your Wi-Fi is running, that your computer is functioning, and that you have the link readily available prior to the call. Have an internet outage contingency plan. Could you join by phone if your wi-fi suddenly goes down?

One last bit of advice - always, always, always thank the interviewer for taking the time to discuss your job opportunity. Follow-up with a thank-you email. Time is the most valuable asset in the world, yet it is most often overlooked. If you recognize and appreciate that somebody has taken the time out of their day to help you, it opens up many opportunities to form a quality relationship in the future.

If you are able to follow my advice, I promise you will have a great chance of getting the job!

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us -  click here  to pitch your idea and get started! 

It may feel like the semester has just begun, but Fall career fairs will be here before you know it! Whether you’re a first-time career fair participant or a seasoned veteran, here are some tips on how to get the most from the experience. 

Advance planning

I cannot stress enough how important it is to research the companies that will attend the career fair. Most college career service offices will make their list of participating companies available ahead of time. Make a list of the companies that most interest you and explore each company’s website to learn what makes them unique. This will help you be able to explain why you are interested in their company on career fair day; in addition, you will be able to explain how your personal brand fits in their company. Investigate what positions you may be interested in and consider the skills you have that would make you successful at those jobs. If the company has not posted job information yet, inquire when this information is expected to come out and a rough timeline of their recruiting process. 

Resume required

On career fair day, there is not a specific time that is best for handing the recruiter your resume. Some recruiters will want to have your resume from the beginning to ask you questions based off the resume. Other recruiters will not want to be distracted by the resume and prefer it at the end. There are some companies that do not accept resumes at career fairs at all. Regardless of what situation you end up in you will want to make sure you bring plenty of copies of your resume to the career fair. While not a necessity, your resume will look much better if printed on resume paper rather than on regular copy paper that can be easily wrinkled. I also like to have my resume on top of my padfolio in clear view for the recruiter, so they can feel free to ask for it at any point. 

Engage in the moment

The lines for some companies can be particularly long and they may have recruiters checking people in before approaching the main recruiters. Take advantage of the recruiters who are monitoring the line. They work for the company, too! Ask them how their day is going and what they think of the campus. This is just another opportunity to network with more people and a chance to make another good impression. Make sure you are asking them and the main recruiters questions specific to them and not generalized ones. Also, while you are waiting in line make sure to look engaged. This can mean looking over your notes or talking to others in line. Standing in the line on your phone does not give a good impression to recruiters and they will notice. 

The aftermath

One of the most important parts of a career fair is what you do afterwards. It is critical that you send a thank-you email to each recruiter you spoke to within 24 hours of the career fair. You must remember to ask for the recruiter’s contact information, which in most instances is their business card. Sometimes recruiters will not give this out, but don’t worry – this most likely means they are extremely busy and won’t have the time to get back to you. In this instance, you may need to search the company’s website to find contact information. Avoid sending the exact same thank you email to every recruiter you talked to; this will look generic and lazy. I found it most helpful to take notes after each company I spoke with. Then I could reference something specific in my follow-up email to each person. You think that you will remember what you spoke about with each company but believe me, when you get home it will all feel like a huge blur. 

No matter if you are looking for a job or if you are just there for practice, make it a point to attend career fair. Prepare ahead of time, take your resume, engage with recruiters, and be sure to follow up afterwards. Be confident, enjoy getting to know new people and you’ll be on the path to success!