Career Services January Newsletter

Career Connections Newsletter • January 2008

Career Topic of the Month: Resume Writing
Career Resource of the Month: Career Library
Spotlight on Success: SNC Alumni Profile
Career Tip of the Month: Personal Internet Presence
Internship of the Month
Upcoming Events

Career Topic of the Month: Resume Writing

Employers take on average 20-30 seconds to read a resume. 20-30 SECONDS! You never get a second chance to make a first impression, therefore your resume needs to highlight your skills and experience in a clear, concise, easy to read format. The purpose of the resume is to communicate your value to the employer and motivate the employer to interview you. It is never too early or too late to start working on your resume. If you are a Freshman, Senior or anywhere in between, the following Resume Writing Guide will help you in creating or updating your resume.

Resume Key Components:

Basic Identification
- Name
- Street Address
- Phone Number
- E-mail
- Suggestions:
- - Include a campus and a permanent address if you will be in different locations during your job search
  - Be consistent with abbreviations and formatting
Objective
- Conveys key information to the audience as to why the candidate has submitted the document
- Tell the audience why you are writing and what you hope to contribute to the company or organization
- 1-3 lines in length
- Suggestions:
- - Avoid obvious comments such as: challenging environment/position, progressive company, or opportunity for growth, etc.
  - Try to include 1-3 qualifications you can offer of interest to the employer
Education
- Name of college
- Location (city, state)
- Degree Level (B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., etc.) and graduation date (month, year)
- Majors, minors, concentrations
- Certification/licensure (if applicable)
- Begin with your most recent educational experience
- Suggestions:
- - GPA if > 3.0 and if proud of (Ex: 3.0/4.0)
  - Relevant Coursework
  - Honors and Awards (could be in own section)
  - Study Abroad Experience (could also be in own section)
  - High school education should not be included
Experience
- Position Title
- Organization Name
- Location (city, state)
- Dates of service (month, year)
- Description of responsibilities or achievements
- Include employment, internships, volunteer work, significant leadership experience, research projects, etc.
- Describe your skills, accomplishments and responsibilities listing those most relevant to the employer first
- Reverse chronological order (start with most recent) is most common format
- Suggestions:
- - No personal pronouns
  - The experience does not need to be paid
  - Write in short phrases
  - Begin each statement with an action verb
  - Include skills used or skills gained
  - State present positions in present tense and past positions in past tense
  - Consider separating experience using headings such as: Marketing Experience, Communications Experience, Leadership Experience, etc.
  - Avoid the term “Responsible for”
Additional Information
- Additional categories to consider adding to your resume: Leadership, Activities, Honors and Awards, Community Service, Skills, Related Projects, Presentations, Publications, Professional Development
- Suggestions:
- - Format using columns or bullet points
  - Be sure to include any offices held
  - Include foreign language skills, computer skills etc.

Formatting and Appearance:

Printed on quality resume paper
Color: White, off-white, gray
Matching paper for resume, cover letter, envelope
ONE PAGE for recent college graduates (exception for Education majors)
Type size: 10-12 font (name 16 font)
Avoid overcrowding
Do NOT use templates
Follow examples or be creative
Have it critiqued

For more information on writing resumes, please view the online Resume Guide or attend the Resume and Cover Letter Writing Workshop being held Wednesday, January 30, 6:00-7:00 p.m. To register for the workshop, login to Career Connections and click on Career Events. Please contact Career Services if you have questions regarding your resume or would like to have your resume critiqued. Good Luck!

Career Resource of the Month: Career Library

Did you know that Career Services has a Career Library of more than 300 books? These books can be checked out in the same way you check out other books from the library. The library is updated yearly, with new editions and new topics added.
Topics include:

General Interest: Resume Writing, Networking, Interviewing, Internships, Self-Assessment, Life After SNC
Graduate School: Admissions, GRE/GMAT/LSAT/MCAT Test Prep, Essay/Personal Statements
Career Fields: Art, Business, Communication, Government, Ministry, Science, Sports

This is just a sample of the vast array of topics available in the Career Library. Come see for yourself the great variety of library resources available in Career Services!

Spotlight on Success: SNC Alumni Profile

Michael Kempf, Biology and Chemistry, 1994
Biotechnology and Planetary Protection, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

Click here to learn about the work experience and career path of this successful SNC alum.

Check out our growing list of Alumni Profiles to learn more about their career paths, experience and to envision what you can do with a degree from St. Norbert College.

Career Tip of the Month: Personal Internet Presence

As the popularity of social networking sites, such as Facebook and Myspace, continue to increase, it is essential that you are aware of your own Personal Internet Presence that is portrayed on these sites. Contrary to popular belief, employers can and do look at these sites and may make a hiring decision based on the content of your profile. As you create your profile, be aware of the content you or your friends are posting and also be aware of your privacy settings. Ask yourself, "Is this something I would be willing to show my mother, grandmother, potential employer, etc?". If the answer is NO, then keep it off your profile page. Take the Personal Internet Presence Self-Audit to determine the level of professionalism of your presence online.

Internship of the Month: IS Customer Support Intern

Why intern? Internships are a great opportunity to apply classroom theory to real life work and to acquire experience to make yourself more marketable for future employment. It can also be one way to "test" your chosen career area to determine if it is a good fit for you.

IS Customer Support Internship, Schreiber Foods, Inc., Green Bay

Description: Provide help desk and/or support coverage and partners with hardware, software, application or process issues, to ensure productivity of all SFI partners.
Qualifications:
- Major field of study: Computer Science, MIS, or Business (with an IS emphasis) preferred.
- Excellent customer service skills and positive attitude.
- Solid knowledge of computer equipment and software
- Ability to communicate effectively over the phone or in person.
- Ability to work successfully both independently and in teams
- Ability to learn quickly
Contact: If you are interested in this unique internship opportunity, please send your resume to: careers@schreiberfoods.com.

For more information on this internship and to search for additional internships, please login to Career Connections.

Upcoming Events

To register for an event or workshop, login to Career Connections and click on Career Events.
Click here for the complete Spring 2008 Calendar of Events.

Developing Your Job Search Strategy
Tuesday, Jan. 29, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Cofrin 15

Resume and Cover Letter Writing
Wednesday, Jan. 30, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Cofrin 15

Interviewing Skills
Thursday, Jan. 31, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Cofrin 15

Teach for America (ALL Majors Welcome!)
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: Alumni House

Developing Your Internship
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Location: Career Services