Resume Seminars
During our resume seminar we always stress how important it is for your resume to be unique as it is a repesentation of the person and each person is unique. However, when it comes exit interview time, lo and behold everyone's resumes look the same. Any ideas on how to guide each person on creating a unique resume for themselves?
HI Brandy
In our opinion we think resumes should be very uniform and contain the information that employers want to see. This includes just the facts and a good summary of what the person is and what they are looking for. The only time for really creative resumes is when the person is in the arts, graphics, or creative industry. So the format should be the same. The specifics will be different. And the summary should be a picture of who that individual is. So that's our opinion.
Best wishes
Susan
As the director of an art related school, I think it is very important that resumes stand out individually. When I send a group of student resumes into the industry, I'd prefer that they not all look the same. I think if employers wanted resumes to look the same, they would just have perspective employees fill out job applications, not submit resumes. The challenge is to get resumes to look different when everyone has the same amount of industry experience (usually none since they are persuing an art career) and the same education.
HI Chris
Good point. Resumes in the creative professions need to function somewhat as portfolios. In other professions employers just want the facts. I think the creativity comes into play in the summary section of all resumes. Here the grad should be encouraged to write a short paragraph that provides the essence of who they are.
Best wishes
Susan
Hi Brandy,
We do resume building in our Career Focus Classes. Students are shown examples of resumes in their major areas, and then asked to create their own. The Career Service Coordinator and Director then critique the resumes.
There certainly is a lot of work to do when it comes to student resumes. Students use resumes incorrectly, making it their primary tool in the job search with the mistaken belief that employers will be thrilled or have time to read every word about them.
Hi Shirley
Good points about resumes. They have to be written highlighting what employers do want to see. They are an important tool but lots of other tools and strategies needed when looking for a job. Great that your staff does a great deal of hand holding.
Best wishes
Susan
In our school the students receive a brief training during the "core program". They learn how to prepare a good resume, the information it should include, and how to use a computer for these purposes. Also, how to look for information and the correct vocabulary that should be included in it.
At the end of their career programs (let us say, after one or two years)the students are re-trained on this matter again. A workshop is conducted with more information. This part is very important because they will refresh what they learned at the begining, and now they will be able to make an impresive resume.
In fact, all these resumes will look the same format but, the information is unique, depending on their backgrounds.
Hi Maria
Sounds very comprehensive. And we like the idea of career training at the beginning and certainly at the end of the school experience. We have discovered that students need to be reminded about employment skills and the focus of finding a job throughout their training. It increases retention and reminds the student about their goal, which is to graduate. What kinds of employment skills and career awareness training do you think could be added at your school?
Best wishes
Susan
Brandy,
I always stress the importance of staying away from Templates and Wizards...this will help a little.
Kevin
Hi Kevin and Brandy
In our opinion nothing wrong with templates. There are some tried and true resume formats, so why not stick with them. Your grads' resumes will probably look similar. One reason is because most don't have lot of previous experience or much to add. The creative part is portraying their uniqueness. And that can be done within a standard format.
Thanks
Susan
Templates have been a Godsend to me and my students. I have found that templates are good for students who have poor typing skills. All they have to do is click and type. The margins are set and it saves me a lot of time in having to do the resume over myself. Along with the Resume' Packet that I hand out to students during Professional Career Development, I attached a form that shows them how to get into MS Word so that they can utilize the resume templates. After the student has keyed in the information and printed their resume', I sit down with them one on one and critique the resume'. I suggest different ways of phrasing the information on their resume'.
Thanks
Maria
Hi Maria
Sounds perfect to us. Can you share the specifics on the template. What's in it? Where to get samples? Your resources. Thanks, Susan
I do a search on resumes and also provide examples form software and real world resumes from employers and what they like, I also do a role playing workshop where they have to come in and actualy do an interview as though they are going on a job to work out the bugs in their interviewing process. It helps and I try to explain through the rolplaying that this is how you should conduct yourself and good questions to ask
Great, James.
The more role playing and simulating the interview experience the more you can eliminate student fears. You might also want to bring employers in to talk about what they look for during an interview. Practice sessions with real employers is a way to reduce the fear of finding a job. Also bring in successful grads to talk about their job searh experiences.
Best wishes,
Susan
Hi Brandy
I noticed that coming out of school that the education is going to be the same but I try to make sure the objective is customized and the resume stays professional but unique at the same time
Hi James and Brandy
This topic comes up frequently. I don't have a problem with resumes looking the same. There is a standard format that employers look for. The goal is to present the information completely and clearly. The goal is to help the grad see the uniqueness in him or herself in order to convey that in a line or two and during the interview.
Best wishes
Susan
