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March 19, 2008
Recruiter Corner: Episode 2
At the internship fair a few weeks ago we asked recruiters for tips and tricks that they might want to share, and they had a lot to say! Over the next few weeks we will give you all of the comments they gave us, but here's the start:
With regards to resumes, the recruiters stressed how important it is to have ONLY the most relevant stuff on your resume. This has two positives:
1) You show your own knowledge of the company and what they need by what you showcase on your resume; and
2) You keep the content to a manageable level.
Keeping the most relevant stuff on your resume also means that you need to keep updating your resume on a regular basis, and in theory, you would actually rewrite your resume every time you send it to someone new. But don't worry, sometimes "updating" isn't too drastic because you might be applying to a single industry that is filled with companies who are often looking for the same things.
A resume that targets its audience is the best kind because it means that everything the recruiter reads is directly making the case for why you are the best person for the job. So keep it relevant!
-Nick
Posted by glauchni at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)
March 11, 2008
No Internship? No Problem
The semester is quickly coming to a close, and I think no one is more excited to be done than I am. For me, a huge part of the excitement is moving on to the next best thing, that is, my plans for the summer.
For some students, that "next best thing" is going to be an internship, which will definitely be an experience to remember. However, if you aren't in that position, there are tons of other things to be doing to build your resume for next year and beyond.
Volunteering is a great thing to be doing over the summer, especially if you are interested in the non-profit sector. Random summer jobs are also a possibility (beyond the golf course from home). There is a great book in the Career Center on jobs like these. Studying abroad is another possibility.
The important thing is to take the opportunity to look beyond your typical set of experiences to see locations to expand in places you might not be already working on. The reality is that summers are a great time to build your resume, with or without an internship.
-Nick
Posted by glauchni at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)
March 05, 2008
Recruiter Corner: Episode 1
So, during career/internship fairs we generally ask recruiters for "tips and advice". Here's one line from one of our surveys:
"Put GPA on your resume".
This is a perennial question that has no right answer, but here are some thoughts.
In my humble opinion, I would err on the side of including a GPA. Anecdotally, I imagine that employers assume the worst if you do not provide your GPA. A rule of thumb is, if you have a 3.0 or above I think you can confidently include your GPA.
An alternative is to include your concentration GPA. For most people that I talk to, their concentration GPA is higher than their cumulative.
If you feel like you need to explain your GPA, utilize space that sometimes exist in applications for "further explanation/additional". Maybe you took a challenging class outside your major, maybe you had a major illness that tanked your cumulative. These details may be valuable.
Also, all this being said...whether or not you put your GPA on your resume is your call. There are many positives and negatives that apply. And at the end of the day, if employers really want to know your GPA, they'll ask.
-Neil
Posted by ntambe at 12:50 PM | Comments (0)