Earning Money

Summer has come. It’s time to relax and bask in the sun, sleep in and stay up late. Wait, you did that during the school year too. Oh well. Actually the summertime is a great opportunity to brush up on key things you need during the fall and spring semesters. Anyone vying for a top internship will tell you that am extensive resume is a must. Each resume is different; each chronicling different people’s histories and in different manners. If you are a college student, it is likely that you do not have more than one, at most two different jobs in your employment history. Given this shortage of material to work with, you need to expound on other aspects of your life.

Are you a fast typer? How about your phone skills? Take time to sit down and laundry list things that interest you, or that you think you are exceptional at. Next think over classes you have taken. Did you do a specific exercise that challenged you? What were some of the things you learned that could be applied to the job you eventually want. Keep in mind you may want to change the wording or emphasize certain points over others, depending on the field you want to enter. For instance, if I was looking to be hired with an advertising firm I wouldn’t elaborate on my certifications in database training. They are two separate fields and may discourage your potential employer from choosing you.

When it comes to listing your previous employers, unless you left under duress elaborate on the tasks you performed. You should be clear about what your job entailed as well as any certificates or awards you may have earned. If you last job ended badly, still elaborate on your tasks and be prepared to explain the situation should your interviewer question you about it. Most often they ask “So why did you stop working with __________?” Don’t feel the need to go into detail, merely explain that it was best for you to move on.

References are key when you have a lack of previous employers. You do not want these references to be family if at all possible. Choose professors and long time family friends. List no more than three at the end of your resume, along with their relation to you and their contact information. These people can vouch for you with your interviewer.

Last Tips:

1. Resumes are never more than one page single spaced.
2. Do not leave a lot of white space but do not fill the page with meaningless graphics.
3. Leave a phone number that you can speak to the person on. Make sure that your voice mail message or “ringback tone” are non-offensive.
4. Make sure you have a professional email listed. An employer may be hesitant about hiring “snugglebunny44@….”
5. Do not use Microsoft Word Resume Wizard. Professionals have long since learned all the formatting from this software. It shows a lack of creativity.
6. Do not lie. This should be common sense but if you do not speak a foreign language, do not list that you are fluent in four.
7. Use your university’s career advisor! These people are employed to help you build an outstanding resume. Take advantage of the slow summer months to set up an appointment with them.

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