Job Search Tools & Techniques
Resumes
The purpose of a resume is not to get you a job. Its purpose is to get you an interview. It should be error free and tailored to an organization, position and/or industry. This is your marketing piece, a presentation of the skills and experiences you can offer an employer.
There are a number of sections that are used to build a resume. Some are easier to create than others. Describing your education can be fairly straightforward, listing your degree, major, school and its location, graduation date and GPA. Effectively articulating what you’ve accomplished in a particular job or activity, however, can be a bit more challenging. This is where you can achieve significant competitive advantage over other candidates, however.
Many students have a variety of work experiences they may not see as relevant. Often, however, even unrelated jobs help you develop skills that are transferable to your preferred career. Look at the impact or contribution you made to the organization and how well you did the job, rather than simply providing a list of job duties.
For example, notice the difference between describing a retail sales job using the phrase, “Sold clothes to customers.” vs. the two following bullet points:
- Consistently exceeded sales goals by providing personalized service to customers.
- Increased sales 15% by marketing new product lines and accessories.
The bullet points have a much stronger impact on the reader and convey that the person was successful in that job.
The format used to describe your work experience can also be adapted to market the skills you derived from your internships, volunteer experiences and co-curricular activities. For internships, be certain to let the reader know what you learned, what you did and, by implication, how you used your education. Sample bullet points from a description of an internship might look like this.
- Developed several Excel spreadsheet macros currently in use that reduce data entry time and automatically cross-reference data to identify entry errors.
- or
- Led a project to convert a mail-based survey into real-time/database driven survey to increase student participation and reduce costs.
Your volunteer experiences may have afforded you the opportunity to take on very responsible roles, including leadership or supervisory functions. Several examples of those types of experience are shown below.
- Coordinated scheduling and assignment of Red Cross volunteers, providing seamless services to families displaced by home fires.
- Established financial program and reports for small, community-based organization.
Like volunteering, participation in student organizations or campus activities can provide you with additional opportunities for real world experience. Think carefully about how you can highlight important skills that you used in conjunction with your student organization work.
- Created all promotional materials, wrote press announcement and marketed annual fund raising event, exceeding the prior year’s donations by 30%.
- Selected as Business Ambassador to represent the W. P. Carey School of Business at recruiting events for prospective students and their parents.
Although this information is just a beginning for you in the creation of an effective resume, be assured that there is individual help as well as online resources for you to use. Additional information and sample resumes are available at the Business Career Center, BAC 119. Also, you may use Optimal Resume, a software application which guides users through the entire resume writing process.
Cover Letter
Your resume is not the only marketing piece you’ll need to create when beginning your job search. Unless specified otherwise, a cover letter should always accompany a resume. It introduces you and your resume, demonstrates your written communication skills and style, and sets the stage for your consideration as a viable candidate. It should be tailored to the specific company/position, indicating your research about each, and why you should be invited for an interview. A poorly written cover letter can knock you out of contention before they even see your resume. Invest time in this document. Create a cover letter that presents your qualifications as effectively as possible.
Format
- A cover letter is a business letter. Keep it professional.
- Include your contact information/address, then the date on the following line.
- Follow with the individual (if known) and company’s name and address.
Salutation
- Do NOT write, “to whom it may concern” or “to sir or madam”.
- Identify the person receiving resume. If necessary, contact the company, look on their website, find an organizational chart, or do whatever you can to ensure the person you want to get your resume does.
- If, after you have done all of the above and you are still unable to find a contact name, address it to a hiring authority. For example, you might use Hiring or Human Resource Manger, Selection Committee, or even the head of the department you’re applying to work in, such as Marketing Manager or Director of Marketing.
First Paragraph, The Introduction
- State why you’re writing. Identify the position, as well as where you found the notice of the opening. Be certain to mention if you were referred by someone, particularly if it is someone who works in that organization.
- Since you’ve already researched the company, this can be a place to demonstrate your sincere interest in and knowledge of the organization.
Second/Third Paragraphs, The Body
- Discuss your qualifications for the position and what you can offer the company.
- Do not restate everything on your resume. Highlight a few skills and relevant experiences.
- Make the connection between you, the position, and the company.
Final Paragraph, The Close
- Reiterate your interest and qualifications.
- Establish what happens next. Be proactive. Indicate when you will be in touch with them to follow up on the status of the interview process.
Follow through and contact the person to whom you have written to discuss your application status. Just because you haven’t heard from a company, do not assume you are no longer in contention for that position. There are many reasons companies delay making decisions. Keep in touch. Let them know of your continued interest and that you will continue to follow up. Until they tell you the position is filled, the opportunity for employment still exists.
Interviewing
The most important edge you can give yourself is to prepare for your internship or job interview. You know how you feel when you go into a class to take an exam. The more you’ve studied and prepared, the chances are, the better the outcome will be. The same holds true for an interview.
Remember that one of the services of the Business Career Center is to videotape students in mock interviews and provide immediate feedback. We welcome the opportunity to assist you in refining your skills.
Research the Company/Industry/Position
- Research the organization. Find out who they are and identify their products, services, corporate culture and future projects.
- Keep up-to-date on what is happening in that field or industry.
- Review the job description the company has posted and know the qualifications and expectations of the position.
Self Evaluation
- Be aware of the skills, qualifications, experience and education you bring to the table.
- Identify the needs you can fulfill and contributions you can make, determined by your company/position research
- Be prepared to sell yourself.
- Practice answering interview questions with a friend or your career consultant in the Business Career Center.
Some typical interview questions you can expect are:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?
- Why should we hire you?
- Why do you want this job?
- What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
- What aspects of your education or training have prepared you for this position?
- How does this job fit in with your overall career goals?
- Can you describe one or two of your most important accomplishments?
- What would you say is the most important thing you are looking for in a job?
- Why do you feel you would be successful at this position?
Behavioral Interviews
Behavioral interviewing is an approach used more frequently than ever before. It is based on the theory that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. The interviewer will ask questions about how you handled a specific situation, looking at certain performance categories that will likely be encountered in the advertised position. Problem solving, decision making, leadership and communication are some of the areas that might be presented, depending upon the job requirements. Draw on your work, academic, internship, student organization or other extracurricular experiences to find specific instances in which you successfully demonstrated the appropriate skill.
Some questions to consider are:
- Tell me about a time when you took action to solve a particularly difficult problem. How did you analyze the information to come to a resolution? What was the result?
- Have you ever led a group or committee from whom you needed to get work? How did you handle it if they were not productive?
- Give me an example of a specific occasion in which you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree.
- Tell me about a time when you took the initiative to set goals and objectives, even though you were not directed by others to do so.
- We all are required at some point to deal with difficult people. When/how have you been successful in this type of situation?
- Give me an example from your experiences in report writing or general correspondence that illustrates the extent of your written communication skills.
- Describe the last time you knew you were not going to be able to meet a promised deadline. What caused the delay, and what did you do about it?
- Tell me about a time when you were dealing with many personality types, all wanting something different and all at the same time.
- Everyone at some point has been informed about a problem in their performance. Please give an example of when you were told of a performance problem and what did you do to correct it?
Case Interviews
Case Interviews
If you are seeking a position in investment banking or in consulting, you can expect somewhere in the interviewing process to be challenged by a case interview. The definition of a case interview is an interview in which the interviewer describes a specific business problem and asks you to provide a recommendation on the spot. Your challenge is to analyze the problem, identify the key issues, describe how you would derive the needed data and/or information, and then provide a solution. To do this well, candidates have to think logically and strategically and apply a wide range of business techniques and tools to arrive at an answer.
The case interview is a dialog between a candidate and interviewer focused on solving the particular business case problem. Candidates are expected to think out loud for the interviewer. Do not be surprised if the interviewer interjects information pertinent to the case at various points in your discussion or stops you frequently to ask for clarifications. This practice allows the interviewer to assess your skills in problem solving, quantitative analysis, creativity and communication. Case interviews also demonstrate your ability to think under pressure and the breadth of your general business knowledge. There are generally no single “right” answers to these cases, but through appropriate questioning and your educational training, you should be able to offer a logical, well supported solution to the interviewer.
- Listen closely to the information presented.
- Paraphrase to make sure you understand.
- Ask clarifying questions and prioritize issues.
- Apply a framework to organize your thoughts.
- Think out loud to let the interviewer see how you approach the problem. You will need to make some assumptions.
- Ask additional questions as you progress through the process.
- Summarize your conclusions and recommendations offering practical “next steps.”
