Tips

Your Contact Information

• Your name, complete address, phone/cell number, and email address should be listed at the top of the page.
• Use a larger font size for your name.
• Spell out everything, such as Street for St., Road for Rd., and Avenue for Ave.

Job Objective

• A job objective contains one or two sentences describing the job you are seeking.
• Examples of a job objective statement include: “Seeking entry level position in sales.” or “In search of a position in HTML programming commensurate with my required skills and experience.”
• Your job objective should give the resume reader a sense of the type of job in which you are interested.

Experience

• Include the name of the company, city, state and your job title.
• Emphasize experience in a particular job area.
• Stress your results, elaborating on how you contributed in your previous jobs.
• Mention numerical figures such as monetary budgets, dollar amounts, number of employees supervised, etc. If you use factual statistical information, make sure you have the numbers to back it up in person.
• Slant your accomplishments toward the type of position you hope to obtain.
• The list should include positions you held for at least the past five years. Start with your most recent job and work back chronologically. Account for gaps – travelling or taking a few months off is fine – you don’t need to hide or ignore it.

Education

• Include the name of the school you attended and the city, state.
• Mention degrees, certificates, and special awards received that pertain to the type of job you are seeking.
• Note courses or research projects you participated in that might be relevant to the type of employment you seek.

Skills / Activities

• Include foreign languages you speak, read or write.
• Include computer skills.
• List any other skills pertinent to the job you seek.
• Include activities outside work, e.g. sports, club memberships, community work.
• You can list “References available upon request” at the bottom of the page.
• Not all resumes include references. You can leave this information off your resume if you wish.

Sell Yourself

• Treat your resume as your personal advertisement.
• Be sure to sell yourself by including all of your strengths, don’t sell yourself short!
• Stress all past accomplishments that relate to your chosen employment category such as differences you’ve made to your company or department – anything from saving money and improving results to smashing sales targets.
• Use positive words to describe your personality traits.
• Make the employer want you.

Omit Certain Items

• Don’t include Social Security number, marital status, health, citizenship, age, scholarships, irrelevant awards, irrelevant associations, previous pay rates, previous supervisor names, and reasons for leaving previous jobs.

Proofread / Have Someone Review Your Resume

• Be sure to catch ALL spelling errors, punctuation, and capitalization.
• Have your resume reviewed by someone who is attentive to details, can effectively critique your writing, and will give an honest and objective opinion.
• Get a second, third, and fourth opinion if possible.
• Don’t use humor – what you find funny might not appeal to a potential employer.
• Make the layout as simple as possible. Use short sentences and bullet-points. You can always expand on these at interview.
• Keep it concise – ideally no more than two pages. The average resume is reviewed by the reader for only 15-30 seconds.

Preparing for the Interview

• Know the exact place and time of the interview, the interviewer’s full name, and his or her title.
• Review the company literature prior to interviewing – make sure you are fully prepared. Learn pertinent facts about the company such as annual sales revenue, principal lines of business, and locations.
• Find out why the hiring manager and/or client representative is interested in your qualifications.
• Determine how the opportunity will impact your immediate and long-term career development.
• Know what questions to ask during the interview. The better you understand the opportunity, the more you will be able to communicate your interest in the position.
• Always wear proper attire.

The Interview

• Plan to arrive a few 15 to 20 minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is not excusable.
• If you are presented with an application, fill it out neatly and completely.
• Greet the interviewer by his or her name.
• Give the appearance of confidence as you enter.
• Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and an enthusiastic smile.
• Wait to be offered a chair before sitting down. Sit upright, look alert and interested at all times. Be a good listener as well as a good communicator.
• Always look the interviewer in the eye while speaking.
• Bring a pen and paper to take notes during the interview.
• Try to get the interviewer to describe the position and the duties to you early in the interview so that you can apply your background, skills, and accomplishments to the position.
• Ask your interviewer questions that relate to the business of the company.
• Be able to elaborate on the information in your resume and explain what your previous roles. Be prepared to answer in-depth questions about your accomplishments, strengths and weakness.
• Show passion and interest in your recent jobs and accomplishments.
• Before the discussion ends, ask if you should clarify any points in the discussion.

“Do’s” and “Don’ts”

• Do ensure your cell phone is turned off during the interview.
• Do stress your previous achievements.
• Do conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job you are discussing.
• Do bring at least two copies of your resume in case you’re asked to interview with others.
• Don’t chew gum.
• Don’t answer with a simple “yes” or “no.” Explain your answer whenever possible.
• Don’t lie. Answer questions truthfully and honestly.
• Don’t make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers. When explaining your reasons for leaving, try to keep all comments positive.
• Don’t inquire about salary, vacations, bonuses, retirement, etc. If the interviewer asks what salary you want, indicate what you’ve earned but that you’re more interested in the opportunity than a specific salary.

Closing the Interview

• If you are interested in the position, let the interviewer know. Say something like, “I am very impressed with your company, its products, and the people I have met. I am confident I could do an excellent job in the position we have discussed.  Can I have this job?”  The interviewer will be impressed with your enthusiasm.
• Don’t be discouraged if no commitment has been made. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with other people in the company or possibly interview more candidates before making a decision.
• If you feel the interview is not going well, don’t let your discouragement show. The interviewer may be attempting to discourage you as a way of testing your action.
• Always thank the interviewer for his or her time and consideration.

After the Interview

• Prospective employers appreciate thank you messages. If you send one, you will stand out.

10 Things to Remember.

1. Arrive On Time.
2. Be Prepared.
3. Look Professional.
4. Maintain Eye Contact.
5. Shake Hands Firmly.
6. Never Talk Negatively.
7. Show Enthusiasm.
8. Keep a Positive Attitude.
9. Be Confident.
10. Ask Questions.

• Why are you searching for a new job?
• What do you know about our company?
• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What are your team-player qualities? Give examples.
• How have your educational and work experiences prepared you for this position?
• What work experiences have been most valuable to you and why?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What goals have you set for yourself? How are you planning to achieve them?
• Why should we hire you?
• Why do you want this position?
• Why are you interested in our organization?
• What type of position are you seeking?
• Why have you chosen this particular profession?
• What interests you about this job?
• How does your background relate to this position?
• What is your most significant accomplishment to date?
• Describe a leadership role of yours and tell why you committed your time to it.
• In a particular leadership role you had, what was your greatest challenge?
• Give me an example of an idea that has come to you and what you did with it.
• Give me an example of a problem you solved and the process you used.
• Describe the project or situation that best demonstrates your analytical abilities.
• What types of situations put you under pressure, and how do you deal with pressure?
• Give me a situation in which you failed, and how you handled it?
• What challenges are you looking for in a position?
• What can you contribute to this company?
• What motivates you?
• If I asked the people who know you well to describe you, what three words would they use?
• If I asked the people who know you for one reason why I shouldn’t hire you what would they say?
• When you take on a project do you like to attack the project in a group of individually?
• Describe the type of manager you prefer.
• Tell me about a team project of which you are particularly proud and your contribution?
• Describe a situation where you had to work with someone who was difficult, how did you handle it?
• What type of work environment appeals to you most?
• What other jobs are you considering?
• With which other companies are you interviewing?
• What characteristics do you think are important for this position?
• Why do you feel that this company will be a career for you rather than a job?
• Name two management skills that you think you have?
• What characteristics are most important in a good manager? How have you displayed one of them?
• How would you describe your most recent job performance?
• Why did you choose this college and how did you arrive at this decision?
• What factors did you consider in choosing your major?
• What is your GPA? How do you feel about it? Does it reflect your abilities?
• Describe how your favorite course has contributed your career interests?
• Since you have been at college, what is it that you are proudest of?
• How have you changed personally since starting college?
• If you could change a decision you made while at college what would you change and why?
• Of the hobbies and interests listed on your resume what is your favorite and tell me why?

• What would be a typical day for me?
• Are their goals or monthly quotas?
• What are some of the responsibilities included with this position?
• Why is this position open?
• Will this lead to management opportunities?
• Is this a newly created position?
• What are the companies short and long term goals?
• What do you like most about working for this company?
• To whom would I report?
• With whom will I be working most closely?
• Whom will I supervise?
• Tell me about the training program I will experience.
• What is the company’s promotional policy?
• When can I expect to hear from you?