Education

Education is one of the key components of your resume and if you’re a college student, education would highlight your achievement during your time at a university or any college institution. To draw attention to your education, make sure that you have these key components:

• Specify what degree you are pursuing (PhD, MA/MS, BS/BA) followed by a concentration
• Month /year of graduation, whether the degree is expected or received
• List any minors or special academic certificates that you may have
• GPA can be listed if it is above 3.0, otherwise it is optional, depending on employer requests
• Academic achievement such as magna cum laude and summa cum laude can also be listed
• Thesis and dissertation titles can be listed here as well

Study Abroad Experience

Study Abroad is a way to showcase your intercultural competency skills of which can be very appealing to potential employers. While aboard, you are able to experience and learn about different cultures and immerse yourself in a diverse environment. While abroad, consider the following:

• What personal achievements did I attain abroad?
• How can I apply my new language skills?
• What challenges did I face abroad and how was I able to surpass with my personal strengths?
• Did I contribute to any projects, philanthropy or volunteer work while studying aboard?
• How did this experience shape my views of working and living with people from diverse backgrounds?

Think of how this experience will benefit you when you can list on your resume that you have lived and studied abroad.

Internship Experience

When it comes to internship experience, make sure to be specific in describing your accomplishments with a particular organization/company. Provide the reader with ample information that is relevant, precise and significant to the positions that you will be applying. Major details such as projects that you worked on, a budget proposal that you crafted or any developmental plans that you initiated that made an impact should be listed here. Some internship tips for resumes are:

• Highlight your achievement(s)
• What new skills or knowledge did you gain from being an intern?
• Is your internship relevant to the position(s) for which you applying?

Language Experience

Speaking another language or multiple languages can be a bonus to your resume. As there is a demand for speaking more than one language, language proficiency can be crucial if you are applying for a job that calls for it. Here are some of the ways that you can list your proficiency:

• Native: Specify this in your resume if you grew up and living in the country/household that primarily uses this language on a daily basis, considering this as bilingual

• Fluent: If you are capable of holding a conversation at dinner parties, able to converse eloquently and answer questions asked, ability to use figure of speech, idioms or creative language

• Proficient: Capable of forming complex sentences, although your vocabulary may be limited, but you can rephrase sentences that match the situation or questions asked

• Conversational: “An elevator conversation” or “I can order food in another language conversation” is classified as conversational. At this stage you are limited to asking questions with regards to the weather, how one’s doing or simple sentences, but cannot withhold a complex conversation

These are some key components that can help you improve your resume appeal. Don’t forget to consult with Career Services if you have any questions about enhancing your resume.

Good luck!

A Little Piece of Worker’s History

By: Casey Anderson

Many students hear the phrase “Happy May Day” and it triggers nothing more in their minds then “one more month and I’ll be free,” meaning summer is almost here.  May Day however, also called Labor Day, Loyalty Day, or International Worker’s Day, is a mark of the strength and spirit of trade and labor organizations and is celebrated in more than 80 countries.

The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions brought forth the proposal for a Labor Day celebration and worker’s rights exhibition in April of 1886.  May 1^st of that year was to be the first demonstration with strikes and marches, but American business owners refused to comply and police were called to break up the demonstration.  Later named the Haymarket Massacre, it began while a peaceful rally was taking place in support of workers striking for an eight-hour day.  An unknown individual threw a bomb at police as they were acting to disperse the public meeting.  The police opened fire and at least 12 individuals were killed, with many others wounded.  For many years, May Day has commemorated the individuals who lost their lives at this horrifying event.

Although the majority of the world still celebrates International Worker’s Day on May 1^st, President Cleveland moved the day to September because he feared it would be associated with the craziness of the anarchists who were leading many of the strikes.  Oregon was actually the first state to make it a holiday in 1887.  Go Oregon!

The history of the significant holidays and important days in the history of the American workforce are common small-talk topics at holiday parties, networking events, and during office tours when you begin your new job.  It is a good idea to research these events so you can impress your future employees and maybe even discover some additional reasons to celebrate.

Wondering which skills employers are looking for? If you Google “Top 10 Skills Employers Want” you could come up with hundreds of different lists, which probably means there is no one right answer. Each person has their own unique set of skills that they carry with them throughout their life, adding and perfecting skills all the time. Of course, it is always very helpful when writing resumes, cover letters or interviewing to know which skills employers are looking for currently, and which skills to highlight. The NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) in their Job Outlook 2011 surveyed 197 national employers and gathered a list of skills ranked by importance. These are the skills they came up with, which can hopefully help you with your career path:

1. Communication Skills (Verbal) – Even though written communication is in the top 10, verbal communication is even more valuable to employers. Verbal communication includes listening and speaking and how you communicate can say a lot about you. You can practice these verbal communication skills with peers (or do a mock interview), and then when it is time to execute during an interview you will be prepared.
2. Strong Work Ethic – An employee who is motivated to getting the job done and committed to deadlines are prized workers. Going above and beyond the job description will make you stand out and demonstrate that you are a hard worker.
3. Teamwork Skills – Team projects often arise in the workplace whether we like it or not. Being successful with this skill means working productively with a variety of people, utilizing the various skills within the group, and overcoming any differences between members.
4. Analytical Skills – Being able to gather information in order to assess a situation or problem is a highly desirable skill. It might mean visualizing a way to make a procedure more efficient or figuring out how to compromise to make schedules work.
5. Initiative – Assessing a situation and taking action before your employer asks not only saves them time with delegating tasks, but shows you can take charge and lead without being asked.
6. Problem Solving Skills – Employers dislike having to micromanage constantly and being interrupted all the time, thus problem solving skills come in handy, especially when it in turn makes you standout.
7. Communication Skills (Written) – If you can showcase your ability to communicate in your resume and cover letter you will already have shown them you have solid communication skills. Written communication including email, reports, and proposals, are used in an assortment of jobs.
8. Interpersonal Skills – Being able to communicate and relate effectively with your coworkers is not only beneficial to you but your employer as well. Relationship building with coworkers makes work more enjoyable for you and saves your boss from having to resolve conflicts between employees.
9. Computer Skills – According to Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project from 2008, 96% of workers used technology at work, which included online work, email and word processors. Luckily, with school demanding the use of all these technologies, by the time students reach the workplace they already have a solid foundation. In this survey it was reported that computer skills and written communication went hand in hand.

10.  Flexibility/Adaptability – Being able to “go with the flow” has many positive attributes with employers, be it shuffling around projects to make sure one gets completed sooner or rescheduling a meeting. Knowing that you will be able to perform even if the day’s schedule gets messed up gives an employer confidence in your abilities as an employee.

All these skills can easily be displayed in a resume, through the experiences you decide to provide and the use of power verbs. It might give you a leg up if your employer knows you have some of these skills already under your belt. Come in with a resume or cover letter during our drop-in hours (Monday-Thursday 1-4 pm in Kerr Administration Building, Tuesday and Wednesday 6-8 pm in Valley Library and Wednesday 2-4 pm in Milam 116) and we can help you figure out how to represent these skills best, so you can get the job you want!

Posted by Sami Kerzel, Career Services Assistant

To view this job listing, you must be a currently registered OSU student or alum and have an existing Beaver JobNet account. If you are eligible and do not have an account, register now.

Beaver JobNet  is a great way to get your job or internship search started. Meet employers from a variety of organizations as well as from locations around the country and around the world. This program serves students and alumni alike. Employers are seeking applicants for positions including full-time, co-ops and internships, summer camps, national parks employment, and volunteer organizations such as the Peace Corps. Students can access Beaver JobNet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Check out the Career Services website for more information about finding a job or finding an internship.

Job of the Week:

State Department Student Intern
Foreign Service

Every year the Department of State hosts 2000 student interns during the spring, summer, and fall terms. About half serve in Washington, DC, and the other half serve in U.S. embassies and consulates around the world. Our internships are great opportunities to get an inside look into the Foreign Service, the positions and the responsibilities that are possible. Deadlines are early – November 1, 2011 for the summer 2012 program!

For full information please see careers.state.gov, where you can download this brochure about our internship program: http://careers.state.gov/uploads/3b/0f/3b0f315e5f0c1c0fd926893aa9dc1e25/4.0_Student_Intern_brochure.pdf.

You can also attend an information session offered by the Diplomat in Residence for the Pacific Northwest, who’ll be on the OSU campus October 7th in Career Services (B008 Kerr Administration Building). There will be an information session at noon and another at 5pm that day.

Question: Can I include an internship on my resume even if it is unpaid?

Of course! Do not title a section heading “Work Experience or Paid Experience”, instead, title a section heading as “Experience” or “Relevant Experience.” This way you can include unpaid experiences such as internships, volunteer activities, clubs, study abroad, etc.

Question: Should I include a reference page when applying for a job?

Include references if in the job application it asks for them. References should be on a separate page and list 3-4 in order of relevance. Include the same heading from your resume with your contact information at the top of the page and then include the following information about each reference:

First and Last Name
Title – and how you are connected to this person (supervisor, colleague, etc.)
Address
Phone
Email