Challenges
What have been some of your greatest challenges in assisting students with this type of résumé development, and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenges I have faced with students and resume development is that they do not seem to know how to look for examples of good resumes. The students all have internet access on their cell phones but when I ask them if they have ever googled resumes they seem to not have a clue. Format is a huge issue. When provided with examples they do not seem to be able to replicate them. I try and speak with the students regarding what an employer is looking for when they see a resume. I stress having another set of eyes proofread the information, as well as stressing active voice and trying to quantify experience whenever possible.
Hi Rhonda,
With so much advice out there that can often be contradictory and confusing for students, how do you manage the challenge of encouraging student to use tools like Google for examples while helping them avoid "bad" advice and examples?
Look forward to your thoughts.
I try to have the students think about what skills they would be looking for if they were hiring an employee. I share my preferences for resumes but I also try to get feedback from Human Resource departments about what the are looking for. I want them to try and see why a particular resume "doesn't work".
I have them go to other people for further review
Hi Jamie,
Do you have students go to any other people or certain individuals? Do you ever find conflicting advice, outdated feedback or feedback that is simply contradictory to evidence-based best practices? If so, do you have any specific example you could share and how you've handled it?
Robert Starks Jr.
I know in this regard we generally keep a book of resume guides and resources here in the career center. Its a great resource but we also only really have two programs to demonstrate for.
Hi Amber,
What specific books do you use? There are so many out there, I'm curious which ones you use and how you decided up on them. Resume guide books can be really helpful to get additional ideas about layout, labeling headings, and format among other things.
Robert Starks Jr.
To be honest its a compilation of Google searched material and resumes collected over time. We have two programs we work with and actually have two separate binders with resumes & cover letters specific to both. Because my office does a lot of resume overhauls we usually ask permission of the graduates to make the resume anonymous and utilize it as an example. This way we have general samples of the chronological, functional and compilation as well as specific samples to the field we work with. The handouts that you also had in this presentation will also be used in the binder to assist with putting together additional information for our students and graduates.
Hi Amber,
Whereas many career services departments likely have collected many resumes over time stored on their computers, I wonder how many use that information to create their own resume sample binder/book for their students to use. Great practical idea! Thank you for sharing.
Robert Starks Jr.
One of the biggest challenges I have found recently is that students have never worked a job in their lives so finding things outside of school to fill the page is a challenge. I don't think many massage companies are using the parsing tools so I haven't really had to deal with that aspect.
Hi Jennifer,
Lack of any previous work experience can be quite the challenge. This is a reminder of the importance of early intervention to discuss how to address this issue so that students can develop a plan to gain experience necessary to compete. I am a big advocate of volunteering to create your own experience using relevant skills. The site, www.volunteermatch.org is a great resource to look for opportunities that I have instructed students to use. However, students can target organizations and see if they can volunteer vs. looking for advertised opportunities. Apprenticeships, internships, service learning, and many other types of experiential learning opportunities are also ways to help students get experience to reflect on their resume. How do you address this challenge?
Thanks for sharing!
Robert Starks Jr.
It's interesting that you have binders of past resumes.
I have a question, do you also put resumes that weren't up to par in the binder, to show the students what *not* to do? It seems, to me, that would be a good idea as well. Sometimes, knowing what not to do can be just as beneficial.
My office has actually done several different things. I have created a resume workshop that discusses the items that most employers are looking for (as far as content, format, etc.)
I also reach out to my contacts in the business community to see what they best require. Google is a good tool, but knowing what local businesses want to see in a resume will help students create a resume.
We also stress how important it is to create a resume specific to each position being applied for.
And last, but not least, we also have a template that they can start out with, but we help them customize it to their needs.
When you say you have them go to other people for further review, do you mean just proofreading, or does it also cover how you've told them to format, etc.?
I know we've had the problem that students will go to family members who haven't written a resume in years (if at all), and be given contradictory advice to what we've told them.
It can be frustrating because the student will then think we're giving them wrong instructions because the relative did not like how the resume looked.
The challenge with my students is that they sometimes want to place their information into a template. However, once the resume is completed it doesn't reflect who they are. I have to remind them that if you are not proficient then don’t say that you are.
My biggest challenge has been when someone has never had any job experience and you need to pull information from experiences in life.
Hi Madison,
This is a challenge for everyone because we, as career coaches can help students design and craft their marketing collateral but we can't invent experience! Beyond some of the questions provided in the downloadable resource, are there any types of questions you ask your students who have little to no experience that helps elicit something to work with?
Robert Starks Jr.
The most difficult aspect of resume development at my school is working with young students who don't have any job experience, are not confident in their skills and sometimes unsure of what their skills are, especially soft skills.
I didn't realize how many people had no idea about soft skills until I taught a professional development class. I see that most students don't think about resumes and believe they can create one in a couple of minutes if they need it.
I think that assuming that students understand all the elements needed to market themselves is a big mistake.
Our CS dept does visit classrooms and holds workshops so students are exposed to this information on a regular basis.
Hi Viola,
I agree. Working with young students who are inexperienced both in work and in marketing themselves can be a challenge. Perhaps the biggest challenge is that we must teach them so much in a short amount of time while competing for their attention among so many other things during college. A combination of workshops, one-on-one appointments, classroom presentations, etc. helps tremendously in ensuring career marketing skills are addressed and that students get feedback while building confidence.
Robert Starks Jr.
