As college students, rare is the occasion when we get to see things from the professional perspective. For example, we so often worry about being prepared for interviews without really knowing what happens on the other side. This semester, however, I have had the chance to sit behind the desk, sitting in on interviews for applicants in both my internship with LACD as well as with Liberal Arts Student Council.
Life on the other side is quite fascinating. You see things from an entirely new perspective (shocking, right?). You realize that writing the ‘perfect’ resume and cover letter isn’t as difficult as you think it is (or all that matters), body language speaks volumes and first impressions are key.
When reviewing my first stack of resumes and cover letters, I found them to be pretty evenly split as far as quality is concerned. I began separating them into three piles: ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’. When going through the ‘no’ pile a second time, I found the common thread they all shared was not necessarily lack of experience (which is common among college students), but grammar. Simple grammar rules that most of us learn in grade school were violated or ignored, weakening these pieces far more than their lack of experience.
If you want to present a strong resume and cover letter, double, triple and quadruple check your grammar! If grammar isn’t your thing, have a friend, sibling or roommate review it. Also, don’t be afraid to make use of the CCO, LACD and other career resources on campus. Be honest and straight forward in what you are trying to accomplish and what you can bring to the table, and you will stand out more than you think.
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but posture is not the strongest for our generation. Many people are completely unaware when they slouch because it has become so natural. In the interviews I helped conduct, posture was one of the first things I noticed of the interviewees. When you walk in the room, keep your head up and shoulders back and keep that posture throughout the interview. I saw more than one person slouched forward on the table with their legs in all different directions. Sit straight and proper without looking uncomfortable and stuffy.
We’ve all heard it before: first impressions are everything. I don’t necessarily like saying that they are everything, but they definitely have an impact on how you will be remembered. In this case, we kind of back track to the resume and cover letter, which are really your first impression. Make sure the person on paper matches the person in the room.
At the end of the day, your qualifications and potential for success should speak for themselves, but making little mistakes like these can overshadow what you have to offer.
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