4 posts tagged “resumes”

So, you're graduating in a few months and wondering, "How am I going to get a job in this economic climate?"  Or maybe you've already graduated -- or are mid-career -- and have already experienced the tightening of the employment world.  It's certainly true: employers are reducing hiring at this point.  Well, many of them are.  Others are holding steady or, surprisingly, increasing hiring.  But we'll get to that in a minute.

So, you're graduating in a few months and wondering, "How am I going to get a job in this economic climate?"  Or maybe you've already graduated -- or are mid-career -- and have already experienced the tightening of the employment world.  It's certainly true: employers are reducing hiring at this point.  Well, many of them are.  Others are holding steady or, surprisingly, increasing hiring.  But we'll get to that in a minute.

Since it's almost baseball season, it seems apropos to think of the career search framed in the metaphor of a baseball game.

A season = a job (some players get traded to other teams)
A team = company or organization you work with/want to work with
A game = cycle of a job search
An inning = one phase of a job search
Strike = challenge
Strike out = setback
Hit = opportunity
Home run = job offer
Grand slam = successfully negotiated job acceptance

Now, I'm not a huge baseball fan, but I did spend my adolescence in St. Louis, attending Cardinals' home games once or twice a year, so I know a few things about baseball.  The metaphor may not be perfect, but it'll give us a lens to take a look at some of the details of the career search process more closely.

First of all, as any sports fan knows, you have to know the stats of the team (and the players) you're cheering to victory.  If you don't know their stats, how can you be sure the team (or player) will go the distance?  In the career search, the players put their stats into a document called a resume, a "first impression" on paper.  For more information about how to format your personal stats page and its importance in the career search, start with Dean Tracy Jobs blog on recruiting topics.   Make sure your stats stand out on the top of the pile!

Next, and I can't emphasize this enough, learn everything you can about the team and players you want to join.  You really need to do this step before you can write your resume -- and here's why: the more you know about the other team, the more you can tell them what skills, attributes, and experiences will make you their next MVP!  Help them see you as one of their new teammates by tailoring your background and qualifications to the team's needs.

Where can you find out about the team and players?  There are obvious places: company/organization websites and newspapers (online and print) that will tell you.  You can often learn about the background and mission of a company from its website and, depending on whether it's public or private, sometimes financial reports will be online.  Newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal will give you a sense of how a company sizes up against competitors, what the trends are, and what you might be able to expect in terms of growth and stability.  Besides obvious resources, check your library or career center for access to databases like Hoover's, Lexis Nexis, Vault, and CareerSearch that will search more specialized company information. 

Then, go beyond the obvious . . . look at company blogs to find the culture of the company.  Read what the company itself says -- and what it's team members say.  This is called transparency -- an important communication tool in the Internet era.  You need to know how you will fit in with the team culture so read about the values of the team, the corporate goals and mores, the stories that employees tell (and the stories between the lines) about working together.  Behind-the-scenes info is invaluable in sizing up the team and deciding how to sell yourself as their next team member.

So, work up those stats . . . that's the first step to success.  Next time, we'll talk about some next steps to take in earning a place on the team bench. 

The poem "The Road Less Traveled" by Robert Frost is one of my favorite poems because it encapsulates my career path.  My undergraduate degree is in General Studies -- and I do mean general.  Although I had sufficient credits to earn concentrations in Psychology, History, Sociology, English and minors in French, Education, and Theatre, there was no rhyme nor reason to my course selection.  I took History of Furniture in one of my last semesters -- and it was one of my most challenging classes.  I also took Basic Marketing as well as Personnel Management.  One of my most unique history classes was History of the Five Civilized Tribes.  I did a practicum in Technical Theatre and worked in the costume shop as well as building sets.  I took voice classes, participated in Master's classes, and took two semesters of Opera Workshop -- great experiences to extend my vocal training, not to mention my set-building experience, albeit no practical relationship to my career aspirations.  Actually, at that point in my life, I don't think I even had career aspirations.  I have definitely taken a circuitous road, if not a less traveled one.

Since college, I have had careers in teaching (middle school/elementary), youth ministry, non-profit governance, librarianship, and now career counseling/web programming/higher education.  That's all in the scope of 14 years.  Time flies when you're having fun.  All this to say . . . the career decisions you make at eighteen (or any age) don't have to last a lifetime, they just have to get you started.  Also, your degree area doesn't limit you to the area of your degree; think broadly about where the degree can take you.  I know a lady with an Art History degree who went to work in venture capital.  I know guys with Psychology and History degrees who are now in IT and web programming.  I know a French major who is a library professional and an Art major who is a technical administrator for a call center.  How did these people get into these jobs?  Some took special training or studied on their own to gain needed skills.  Many of the people, though, looked at their transferable skills -- and used them.

Transferable Skills
*  Communication skills
*  Leadership
*  Teamwork
*  Problem solving/analytical skills
*  Project management
*  Technology skills

This is a short list to get you started!  Which of these skills do you have?  How will they be important in different careers/jobs that interest you?  Your goal is to use your resume/cover letter to showcase your transferable skills.