10.4: Create Job Search Tools
Your Résumé
Every student needs a résumé, whether you are searching for an internship, a part-time job while you are in college, or a full-time job after graduation. A résumé is a one-page document summarizing your relevant skills and qualifications that you share with an employer when applying for a job. The purpose of a résumé is to get you invited for an interview. Unfortunately, too often a résumé is a reason to exclude a candidate. Poor grammar, misspelled words, lengthy listings of irrelevant experience and messy formatting motivate hiring managers to move quickly to the next candidate (King, et al, 2021).
There is no such thing as a perfect format for a résumé, though hiring managers and recruiters generally agree on the following principles (King, et al, 2021):
- A short résumé is generally better than a long one. One page usually should be enough—two pages if you have many years of experience. Use an easy-to-read font like Arial, Tahoma, or Times New Roman in size 11 or 12.
- Focus on your accomplishments, not just the positions you held. Your résumé should point out your strengths. Use dynamic verbs, as described on Indeed.com ( Indeed [www.indeed.com] ).
- Most recruiters and hiring managers look for résumés online and review submitted résumés with software that looks for keywords. To help your resume get noticed by hiring professionals and electronic applicant tracking systems (ATS), tailor your resume to each position for which you are applying. Do this by printing the job description and including the keywords of that job description in your resume.
- Keep information easy to scan and find.
- Don’t include employment references on your resume and instead, see the information later in this chapter about creating a separate reference list.
Deciding what to include in your résumé is where most of the work occurs because the careful wording of the body of your résumé allows you to “sell” yourself for a position. Ideally, you should revise your résumé for each position for which you are applying to include any accomplishments that you would not include in your “general résumé” but that are relevant to that particular job. Do not be discouraged if you have very little practical job experience to include on your resume. That is why you are in college: to gain that experience (King, et al, 2021).
Here is a link to a handout providing tips and samples from HACC Career Services Department on writing resumes: HACC Career Services [www.hacc.edu]
Create Your Resume
After reading over the resume handout from HACC Career Services, develop a resume. Below are some guidelines to follow.
Format
- Use professional, easy-to-read fonts (e.g., Arial, Times New Roman, Garamond, etc.)
- Use a font size of 10-12 point for text, and 14 or larger for name
- Use minimal underlining, bolding, and italics to emphasize categories and important topics
- Keep your format consistent (e.g., font size/type, order of information, layout, etc.)
- Margins are between .75 and 1.5
- Place the most important information first and group related experiences together
- Use action verbs to strengthen your statements
Content
- Heading includes (name, address, phone and email)
- Summary, Strength or Profile: This is a hard hitting introductory statement packed with your most sought after skills, abilities, accomplishments and attributes
- Education: chronological order beginning with your most current, no High School
-
Experience: List work experiences from the last ten years (if applicable) include:
- using bullet points
- work title, company, city, state
- write phrases describing work tasks
- Use NO “I” statements
- Do not include confidential information, such as religious preference, marital status
- Do not repeat information offered in another category
- Do not list references on your resume (instead create a separate document)
Correct Grammar and Error-Free
- PROOFREAD and proofread again
- Ensure there are NO grammar or spelling errors
Elevator Speech
An elevator speech or pitch is a 30-60 second "commercial" or message about who you are, what you're looking for, and how you can benefit an employer. Use your resume to develop a brief elevator speech highlighting your knowledge, skills and abilities and practice giving this brief speech/pitch to others. You can use an elevator speech when networking, and an elevator speech is an excellent way to introduce yourself to employers at a job fair, or to answer one of the most commonly-asked interview questions, "Tell me about yourself." You can learn more about elevator speeches and see an example at Video Elevator Speech [youtu.be]
Draft Your Elevator Speech
To be prepared to market yourself at job fairs, conferences, interviews, etc, you want to draft your elevator speech that will give you a starting point in talking about yourself. The bullet points below give you a starting place:
- I am _________________________,
- graduating with a ______________degree from _______________,
- looking for a position as a ____________________.
- My interests (list relevant interests only)________________in the field of_________________
-
My skills/accomplishments are (let them know what you have to offer, i.e.
- List your strength, credentials, or experience that are required in the field
- List what makes you a great asset in this field
- Make a request at the end = for example: "Do you mind if I connect with you on LinkedIn? Email you? (don't ask for a position or benefits)
Cover Letters
A cover letter may be requested by employers along with your resume and job application. In your cover letter, include the position in which you are interested, how you learned about the job opening and your skills, qualifications and experiences that are relevant to the position. If you are transitioning into a new career, a cover letter is a great place to explain that transition. The purpose of a cover letter is to entice the recipient to read your résumé.
Here is a link to a handout providing tips and samples from HACC Career Services Department: HACC Career Services [www.hacc.edu]
References List
You will need a list of people who can speak about your professional and work-related skills, qualities and behaviors. Aim for at least three references, but having up to five would be useful. Your references should be able to answer questions from a potential employer about work they’ve experienced with you - tasks you can accomplish, strengths you possess and how you conduct yourself in a professional setting. Please ensure you’ve asked permission to list people as references before doing so. That way, potential references can consider their knowledge about you and decline if they wouldn’t have enough information or experience with you to provide a useful reference. Potential references also need to be warned that an employer may be reaching out so they are prepared to answer those questions about you.
For more information about creating an effective reference list, please see this link to a document created by HACC’s Career Services: Developing-a-List-of-References.pdf (hacc.edu)
Interviewing
The saying that “you only have one chance to make a good first impression” is especially true during a job interview. The goal is to present a professional image while communicating to potential employers the skills, education, and experiences you’ve worked so hard to gain. In a job search, nothing is more exciting or more intimidating than an interview. Reaching the interview stage means you are in serious consideration for the position, and the pressure feels cranked up. In this section, you will learn how to prepare yourself to “ace” this process (King, et al, 2021).
Here is a link to a handout providing tips on interview preparation from HACC Career Services Department HACC Career Services [www.hacc.edu]
Interview Formats
In the process of exploring occupations and landing a job, you likely will participate in a variety of interviews. Five types of interviews are: 1) phone interviews; 2) one-way interviews; 3) virtual or online interviews; 4) in-person interviews and 5) group interviews.
Phone Interviews
Prior to scheduling an in-person interview with job candidates, many companies hold a phone or “screening” interview. The objective of this interview is to find reasons to remove, not include, people in a candidate pool. Do not consider phone interviews lightly just because someone other than the hiring manager is conducting the interview. Prepare for your call by reading “ 5 Phone Interview Tips to Master ” from Monster.com.
One-Way Interviews
Instead of using phone interviews, employers are increasingly using one-way interviews. "A one-way video interview is a brief video recording that you send to employers to help with their screening process. Within this video, you typically answer a few preselected interview questions or follow a prompt. Unlike a typical interview, you are only talking to your camera. You do not get instant feedback like you would with a real-time interview with an employer. While this format can be challenging, you can also benefit from the fact that you can re-record your video." (Indeed.com ) If you are successful in your one-way interview, you will likely be asked to participate in a virtual or traditional, in-person interview. To read more about one-way interviews at Job Hunt [www.job-hunt.org]
Virtual or Online Interviews
With an increasing number of employers conducting virtual or online video interviews, jobseekers need to be prepared for this format. Some of the more common virtual platforms being used are Zoom, Skype, Go-To-Meeting, and Microsoft Teams. Familiarize yourself with both the technical aspects of the platform and some considerations unique to online interviewing as mentioned at this link: “ Video Interview Tips for Job Seekers .”
In-Person Interviews
During an in-person interview, you will meet with a hiring manager or small hiring committee at their workplace. This type of interview allows employers to get a better sense of your professionalism and interpersonal communication (verbal and non-verbal) skills. Through a series of questions, the interviewer’s goal is to find out if you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to handle the job for which you have applied. The hiring manager also is looking to get a sense of what working with you would be like and how you would fit into the organization. Expect to be asked a behavioral interview question such as, “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example…” as many interviewers believe that how you handled past situations is a predictor of how you will behave in the future. This type of interview usually is the one upon which a hiring decision is based.
Group Interviews
Group interviews are a type of in-person interview. In a group interview, several jobseekers are interviewed at the same time. Questions may be asked of each person or directed at the entire group. In a group interview, you need to ensure you are communicating your skills, education and experiences to the interviewer(s) in an assertive professional way while not talking over or interrupting other interviewees. This dynamic can be challenging, but you can prepare by having your resume in front of you with relevant items highlighted then ensure you have communicated those highlighted items to the interviewers by the end of the interview.
Preparing for Interview
A little preparation can go a long way toward reducing the stress of an interview and ensuring that you come across it in a professional manner. For practical and helpful tips from Indeed, watch this video at “ Top Interview Tips .” Here are additional guidelines to help you prepare:
Learn about the organization. In almost every interview situation, you’ll be asked “what can you do for this company?” or “why should we hire you” which is the same question. To have a convincing answer to this question, you must research the company or organization. Know the company’s mission, values, products and services, targeted customers, new executives, and major directional changes. Then you can explain how you would support or work to enhance those elements.
Use your network. Do you know anyone who works for or has worked for this company or organization? Contact that person before your interview to learn more. Your competition likely won’t have done their homework as well as you have, and your prospective employer will notice.
Review the job description. Be prepared to explain how your background qualifies you for the job. Did you find the job posting online? Be sure to print a copy and bring that copy with you to the interview. Some companies take weeks to start calling people in for interviews, and by then the job description may have been removed from the site or resource where you found the announcement.
Review your résumé. Think of examples that describe or illustrate your accomplishments. You will be asked about items on your résumé, and you need to be able to support the facts and go into more detail.
Use your interview study guide. Employment interviews, especially screening interviews, do not stray far from a standard list of questions. Find a quiet one to two hours to review the interview study guide provided in this text, prepare your answers, and actually practice answering questions aloud. Your answers should be short but complete.
Trick Questions in Interviews
Trick questions happen to the best of interviewees. The only wrong answer to an impossible question is “I don’t know.” Hiring managers are looking for employees who think through tough challenges. They want to know if you keep your cool under pressure, if you can think on your feet, whether you start rambling or maintain your credibility and how you respond to the unfamiliar. So show them: think aloud. Talk about what you know about the problem; work out the process in front of them. You are being judged not only on your ability to solve problems but also on your intelligence and potential. There is no potential in “I don’t know.”
Prepare yourself physically. Like a final exam, an interview can cause anxiety, and too much anxiety can result in a poor interview. Make sure you eat well and get a good night’s sleep before the interview. Hunger, use of energy drinks, and lack of sleep all contribute to interview anxiety.
Dress to impress. Research indicates many job applicants have unsuccessful interviews because they didn’t dress professionally or in the manner expected by that employer. If you’re not sure how employees dress at that organization, ask the person who schedules your interview about the dress code. A suit or jacket, dress slacks, dress shirt and tie may be expected for men while a suit or blouse and a skirt or slacks maybe expected for women. The recommendation is to dress one notch above that group’s normal attire. If in doubt, a suit is never inappropriate. Remember, you’re going to a job interview, not a casual event. See more recommendations at the links “ How to Dress at a Job Fair - Men ” and “ How to dress at a Job Fair - Women .”
Punctuality counts. Confirm the date and time of the interview a day or two before. Make sure you know how to get there and how long the commute takes. Arrive at least ten to fifteen minutes before your interview. You may be asked to complete an application or other form when you arrive. If not, you’ll have time for some relaxation exercises like deep breathing or muscle tensing/relaxation.
Tips for Success During the Interview
Now is the time to demonstrate your listening, thinking, and communication skills. Avoid unexpected distractions, and turn off your cell phone or use airplane mode before you enter the building. Know with whom you will be interviewing and what his or her role is in the company; if possible, get something in writing from the interview scheduler so you can get the names spelled correctly for follow-up purposes. Once you are face-to-face with the interviewer, do the following:
- Put away your phone or other devices and remove earbuds to give the interviewer your full attention.
- Relax, take a deep breath, and smile. You should be genuinely pleased to be there, as you were selected from a pool of many other candidates.
- Be yourself. That’s whom you want them to hire, not someone you’re trying to act like.
- Keep your tone conversational but not too informal. Avoid slang and expletives. Avoid vocal fillers such as “uh,” “um” and so on.
- Make eye contact but don’t stare. If you are participating in a virtual or one-way interview, look at the camera, not the screen.
- When answering questions, keep your answers focused on your skills and knowledge.
- Avoid one-word answers, but be succinct and direct; don’t ramble.
- Be truthful. Any statements discovered to be untrue are grounds for not hiring you.
- If you don’t understand a question, ask for clarification.
- Listen carefully to the questions.
- If you don’t have the exact fact for which an interviewer is asking, offer to find out and get back to them.
- At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer and say you enjoyed the conversation. If the interviewer hasn’t told you already, now is the time to ask about the next steps.
After the Interview
Be sure to send an email thank you note within twenty-four hours to each person with whom you interviewed as well as to the person who coordinated your interview with the company, even if he or she didn’t interview you. This person often is asked for impressions of you. Keep your thank you notes short but personal; refer to a comment or question from the interview that you found significant.
Career Fairs
Career fairs are an excellent way to network with potential employers and discover internships and jobs related to your major. Career fairs also are great opportunities to build your employment-related communication skills while you meet with recruiters without the pressure of a formal interview. All students are encouraged to attend a career fair, even if not currently looking for a job. HACC students can visit the Career Services website to learn about upcoming career fairs and to see a list of participating employers before the event. Events may be held on campus, online, or both. When you attend a career fair, bring several copies of your updated resume, dress in business attire and prepare to give employers your full and undivided attention by silencing your phone and removing earbuds.