Professionalism on Paper and In Person Vamp up your resume and prepare for the career fair! RESUME p. 4-6 (Career Resource Guide): Basic Guidelines for Resume Writing A resume is a very important resource for students of all majors. It outlines a student’s accomplishments, involvements, education, and skills in one page. An employer can use this document to see if a student has the appropriate qualities or past experiences to complete the job. There are five main areas of a common resume: Education, Work Experience, Involvement, and Honors. Heading: The top portion of a resume should include your name, contact information (phone number, email, and your current address.) You really want to emphasize your name. Make it centered, bolded, and in a significantly larger font than the rest of the text. Education: This section outlines the applicant’s information pertaining to school. Included in this section is the name and location of the University attended, major/minor, GPA, and expected graduation date. Honors Program and study abroad experiences can be listed in this area as well. All high school information should be omitted from a resume after freshman year. Education Illinois State University, Normal, IL Bachelor of Science in Accounting Expected Graduation May 2017 GPA 3.7/4.0 Work Experience: This section includes any past or current jobs and internships obtained. This section should include the name of the company, location, starting and ending dates, name of the position, followed by bullet points describing job duties. Use action words in the descriptions. Work Experience Subway, Normal, IL Cashier  Implemented superb customer service  Worked on a team to efficiently prepare and distribute food items 2010-2012 Activities: Extracurricular activities such as RSO’s, sports, organizations, religious groups, and community service are listed in this area. Any relevant involvement outside of classes can be included. Business Week - College of Business President  Conducted weekly meetings for a 22 member team  Solved team member disagreements through compromise and discussion Honors: This section includes any type of awards, scholarships, nominations, or special recognitions earned. This section is optional. Tailor your resume to your experiences. There can also be other sections added to highlight community involvement, certifications, computer skills, and foreign language. You can change the information on your resume to target key skills needed for specific positions. Resume Quick Tips: 1. Proofread for spelling errors/grammatical mistakes. 2. Condense information to one page. 3. Format a. Select a consistent font size (10-12pt) b. Set margins to no less than 0.5 inches 4. Eliminate high school information after freshman year. 5. Show off your accomplishments. 6. Do not include false information. 7. Do not hide your GPA. 30 SECOND COMMERCIAL p. 19 (Career Resource Guide): 1. Introduction 2. Skills and experience 3. Why you are a good fit for their company Example: Hello, my name is John Smith. I am a senior Marketing major, graduating in May 2016. On campus I am very involved in Student Government Association as a student trustee and the president of my Service Fraternity. Through my involvement, I have developed key leadership and time management skills which correlate to this intern position. I would be a good match for your company because the core values of corporate social responsibility and diversity correlate to what I hold important in my life. I am interested in marketing to help develop the company’s brand as well as increase the company’s market share. CAREER FAIR NAVIGATION p. 15 (Career Resource Guide): Before ● Research the company ○ What they do ○ Company culture/values/mission ○ Recent media coverage ○ Available positions ● Research career fair map ○ Plan out which companies you will visit. ○ Select an efficient path to save time. ● 30 second commercial ○ Practice what you will say. During ● Appearance ○ Professional dress (black or grey suit and plain colored tie and shirt)  Do not bring bulky backpacks or large purses.  Wear minimal jewelry and neutral finger nail polish. ○ Portfolio with resumes and student business cards ○ Paper in your portfolio to take notes ● Presence ○ Be confident. ○ Remain polite and smile. ○ Use a firm handshake. ● Actions ○ Ask questions. ○ Wait patiently in line to speak with an employer. ○ Request a business card or contact email. After ● ● ● ● Send a thank you email to anyone with whom you spoke. Apply online to the positions. Ask follow up questions and next steps through email. Prepare for interviews.