Resume Reminders

Recently, all I can think about is applying for jobs. With several career fairs next week, I’m spending most of my time preparing all of the important documents that I’ll bring with me. When getting ready for job fairs or sending out applications, one of the most important things to think about it your resume. After you leave, it’s what the recruiter is left with to remember you by. The following are a few tips that I’ve learned on how to construct a resume that makes an impact:

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•      Even if your resume is really full, do NOT put your name an contact information in the header space. Often times when companies go to print out resumes that get e-mailed to them, the printer doesn’t recognize the header and leaves it off entirely. These resumes with no name and no contact information quickly get thrown away.
• ·      Don’t include a campus address and a home address. Not only does this instantly identify you to the company as a recent graduate or a student, but you also never know who the resume is getting passed along to. You don’t want someone creepy ending up with your address. Including your address also might limit you when applying for jobs out of state where the company won’t want to pay for relocation expenses.
• ·      Make a separate email account for your resume. Only students use accounts that end in .edu, and gmail accounts seem just as professional as ones linked to an institution. The only case where you would want to keep your Purdue address is if someone influential in the company is a Purdue alum or likes to hire Purdue grads. Then, use your email address to your advantage!
• ·      Tailor your resume for every job you apply to. Although you can’t really do this for career fairs since you don't know exactly what companies you may run in to, if you’re applying online make sure you read the job description and highlight the characteristics they’re looking for in your resume. Make sure bullet points you’re listing correspond to traits that you have, and use quantitative statistics whenever possible.
• ·      Don’t be afraid to break from the traditional resume style if you’re applying to a company that’s non-traditional. Feel free to play with the formatting, and use original graphics as branding materials that tie together all of your documents and represent a style that’s uniquely you. Make sure it still looks professional and the alignment makes sense, but a resume that really stands out from the rest can help you stand out as well.

For more tips on all things resume, don’t forget to check out the Career Handbook on the LACD homepage. It’s full of great advice on how to construct a powerful resume, and things more specific to students pursuing a career in a liberal arts field rather than just campus wide tips. Hopefully these tips can help you land your dream job!