Just about 1,000 candidates attended the 23rd Annual Fall Career Fair last week, with 104 employers to talk to. If you missed the Fair, you can still find the list of employers at the CSUcareerfair.com . website.
If you were there, consult with your career coordinator about the best ways of following up after the fair. It’s OK to send your resume to the companies you spoke to during the fair, even if you gave them one that day. You can always adjust your objective or add some information that is especially relevant to that employer. Explain that you are sending an updated resume, and that you are very interested in the position you discussed during the fair. The employers may have taken home a stack of resumes, but this way, yours will rise to the top.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
I'm creative! Why can't I show it?
Creative fields might include the arts (Dance, Music, Painting, Sculpture, Illustration, Graphic Design, that sort of thing), and sometimes Marketing and Communication, depending upon the person’s goals. For instance, a Communication major may want to go into broadcasting and so might do something different to get attention.
Creative people may be able to get away with breaking the rules of traditional resumes by adding color or watermarks or even photos of themselves. Certainly a headshot is expected for an actor or perhaps a dancer. An accountant, however, should probably forego the photo.
Some people may be able to use a virtual resume, or virtual CV, like the ones available on sites like http://www.visualcv.com. A candidate can post examples of work like documents, spreadsheets, web pages or anything else that illustrates the quality of his or her work. Photos are a prominent part of such a portfolio. One Marketing candidate I know posted a photo of his softball team, showing that he can work on teams of mixed genders and ages.
It is important to show restraint in using creativity in your resume, though, as too much flair will ruin the effect. Select the items that will best illustrate your skills and experience in an engaging way and do not overwhelm your audience. For instance, too many links to websites will distract the reader who may go off on a tangent that the candidate did not intend. So for instance, if you belong to a professional organization, just list it without turning the name into a hyperlink.
For graphic designers, using a stationery of their own design with a distinctive border or layout would be expected. To keep it classy, though, it’s probably best to stay with plain white or cream colored paper. More dramatic colors might come across as garish and difficult to read, especially if the document is sent through a photocopier.
Teachers may also use more creative resumes to show how they would keep their students engaged in lively classroom sessions. Given the more conservative nature of human resources directors in school systems, though, candidates may want to moderate any tendency to go over the top.
So, the Greeks had it right: moderation in all things, but candidates may want to be a little more inventive and show off some originality in order to stand out in crowded fields.
Creative people may be able to get away with breaking the rules of traditional resumes by adding color or watermarks or even photos of themselves. Certainly a headshot is expected for an actor or perhaps a dancer. An accountant, however, should probably forego the photo.
Some people may be able to use a virtual resume, or virtual CV, like the ones available on sites like http://www.visualcv.com. A candidate can post examples of work like documents, spreadsheets, web pages or anything else that illustrates the quality of his or her work. Photos are a prominent part of such a portfolio. One Marketing candidate I know posted a photo of his softball team, showing that he can work on teams of mixed genders and ages.
It is important to show restraint in using creativity in your resume, though, as too much flair will ruin the effect. Select the items that will best illustrate your skills and experience in an engaging way and do not overwhelm your audience. For instance, too many links to websites will distract the reader who may go off on a tangent that the candidate did not intend. So for instance, if you belong to a professional organization, just list it without turning the name into a hyperlink.
For graphic designers, using a stationery of their own design with a distinctive border or layout would be expected. To keep it classy, though, it’s probably best to stay with plain white or cream colored paper. More dramatic colors might come across as garish and difficult to read, especially if the document is sent through a photocopier.
Teachers may also use more creative resumes to show how they would keep their students engaged in lively classroom sessions. Given the more conservative nature of human resources directors in school systems, though, candidates may want to moderate any tendency to go over the top.
So, the Greeks had it right: moderation in all things, but candidates may want to be a little more inventive and show off some originality in order to stand out in crowded fields.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Value of Career Services
Did you know that students who use their Career Services Center four times a semester are more likely to have job offers than those who used it only once a semester?
Can you make more money if you are using your Career Services Center? Apparently so. Read about it here:
http://www.naceweb.org/so09292010/career_services_value/
Can you make more money if you are using your Career Services Center? Apparently so. Read about it here:
http://www.naceweb.org/so09292010/career_services_value/
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