SYE : Bulletin - November/December 2011

SYE BULLETIN -- NOVEMBER 2011

This month's SYE Bulletin is brought to you by Career Services.

DEBUNKING THE RESUME MYTHS!
Britney Fields, Associate Director

It’s fall, the time of year where sophomores are already beginning to prepare for summer plans. Some may be taking summer classes, studying abroad, or getting involved in the community. Others are considering summer research programs, internships, or the like. Whatever your summer plans, it’s imperative to update your resume! As you prepare, let’s take a look at a few common resume myths we’ve heard from sophomores:

I can no longer use my high school information. Sure, you can! More than likely, you don’t have much else to put on your resume, as freshman year is often a year of exploration. Some of those accomplishments from senior year, such as your leadership and community involvement, still have meaning. Feel free to share these experiences with your reader. Just remember that beginning your junior year, this will be the time to remove.
I can use the same resume I used to apply for college as a base for my updated resume. Probably not. In most cases, the “resume” you used to apply for college is actually just a list of your accomplishments by category. And while this is super helpful in helping you remember what you might include, it’s not usually in the correct format.
Sometimes, a resume can be more than one page. In the future, there may be a point where a 2-page resume becomes a necessity, based on the kind of position being applied to, and the years of experience of the candidate. As a sophomore, or even a senior in college, it’s unlikely you’ll need more than a page. Typically, there is information that can or should be removed, or formatting needs to be altered.
I don’t need to get a critique from the Career Center; my friend/mom/neighbor looked it over. Everyone wants to be helpful during your search process, but it’s always a good idea to check with your Career Center advisor for a once-over, even if you’re pretty confident in your finished product. Career Center staff has been properly trained on what recruiters seek, and current practices. Also, what works for a friend may not work for you.
Objectives are really important, so I better get it right! Students spend a lot of time trying to carefully word their objectives, when honestly, most employers say an objective is unimportant and they’d rather it be left off completely. Since no one ever really knows what to write, it becomes more of a hindrance than a selling point. So just skip it altogether!

Did you take advantage of the SYE Resume Challenge in November? Get a head start on polishing up your resume for summer and upload your resume to the Document Critique Service at www.career.emory.edu.

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MAKING PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE EAA
Carolyn Bregman, Director of Alumni Career Services, Emory Alumni Association

Are you looking to build your network for the future? The Emory Alumni Association offers opportunities for you to make professional connections, gain industry and company insights, and learn about the career paths of alumni as you do your own career due diligence.

How can you connect? The EAA’s LinkedIn group is over 6,000 members strong, and is an excellent place to present yourself professionally and make connections with alumni in a broad range of careers. Students may join this group, and we recommend that you take advantage of resources available through The Career Center to make the best use of this tool. (And we hope you attended The Career Center’s LinkedIn program on November 14th!)

Have you ever used the EAA’s online alumni directory available at www.alumni.emory.edu/directory? Registration is free, and you can use this tool to research alumni by city, by employer, even by major! You can filter by “career contact search” to see those alumni who have indicated a willingness to be contacted about their career path or industry, or research alumni in the database generally.

Once again, the EAA is partnering with The Career Center to bring you Emory Network Nights—celebrations of Emory talent. Those quickly approaching are Emory Network Night-Chicago on December 15th and Emory Network Night-DC on January 10th. See The Career Center’s web site for more information and to register for these wonderful networking opportunities with alumni, employers, and fellow students.

Here are a few “dos” and “don’ts” for the most effective contacts:

Work with The Career Center to make sure your outreach email is the best, and most effective, it can be.
Use these resources to make connections to get information—information about career paths, industries, companies or organizations, or possible internship opportunities. Information will help you be more targeted and better prepared as you seek opportunities. Understand that you need to build rapport with someone before asking them to go to bat for you for a job.
If you don’t hear back from someone, try a polite follow-up. Realize that everyone is busy and they may have missed your initial contact. Still no response? Connect with others who may be more available to you.
Stay in touch with your networking contacts. You are building relationships, not making a transaction. Thank your contacts and stay in touch periodically. The holidays are a nice time to update your contacts on your school and career activities and wish them well for the holiday season.

Remember that one day you will be an alumnus or alumna and we hope that you, too, will help others who come after you. The Emory network is powerful and vibrant—be a part of it now and in the future!

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GENERAL RESUME WRITING TIPS

PURPOSE OF A RESUME
The number one purpose of a resume is to win an interview. Your resume is an advertisement (a brochure about you) that will allow you to effectively market yourself. The resume succeeds if it helps you pass the initial screening process. This document is more than a history of your past.

OTHER REASONS FOR A RESUME
• As an outline of your skills and experiences that clarifies direction, qualifications, and strengths.
• Used to apply for internships, graduate or professional schools, fellowships, or scholarships.
• Also as a tool to provide background information to job-hunting contacts and professional references or to give to contacts during informational interviews.

TIPS TO REMEMBER
Your resume has to sell you in short order. While you may meet all the requirements for a particular position, your resume will not win you an interview if the employer does not instantly come to the conclusion that you "have what it takes." The first hurdle your resume has to pass--whether it ends up in the "consider file" or the "reject file"--may take less than thirty seconds. The most effective resumes are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the employer's stated requirements for the position. The more you know about the duties and skills required for the job--and organize your resume around these points--the more effective the resume. Your resume can reflect your own style, although there are some components of the resume you must include.

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MID-SEMESTER EVALUATION

The holidays and the end of classes are right around the corner so what an opportune time to take a few minutes out of your day to reflect on the past three months of the Fall semester! As you start thinking about your plans for next semester, consider some of the following questions…

What do you enjoy doing? What do you value? Believe?
Who are the important people in your life? What goals do you have?
What are your goals for this semester?
What are your goals for next semester?
What activities/self-practices will help you achieve your goals?

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SYE BULLETIN -- NOVEMBER 2011 This month's SYE Bulletin is brought to you by Career Services. DEBUNKING THE RESUME MYTHS! Britney Fields, Associate Director It’s fall, the time of year where sophomores are already beginning to prepare for summer plans. Some may be taking summer classes, studying abroad, or getting involved in the community. Others are considering summer research programs, internships, or the like. Whatever your summer plans, it’s imperative to update your resume! As you prepare, let’s take a look at a few common resume myths we’ve heard from sophomores: I can no longer use my high school information. Sure, you can! More than likely, you don’t have much else to put on your resume, as freshman year is often a year of exploration. Some of those accomplishments from senior year, such as your leadership and community involvement, still have meaning. Feel free to share these experiences with your reader. Just remember that beginning your junior year, this will be the time to remove. I can use the same resume I used to apply for college as a base for my updated resume. Probably not. In most cases, the “resume” you used to apply for college is actually just a list of your accomplishments by category. And while this is super helpful in helping you remember what you might include, it’s not usually in the correct format. Sometimes, a resume can be more than one page. In the future, there may be a point where a 2-page resume becomes a necessity, based on the kind of position being applied to, and the years of experience of the candidate. As a sophomore, or even a senior in college, it’s unlikely you’ll need more than a page. Typically, there is information that can or should be removed, or formatting needs to be altered. I don’t need to get a critique from the Career Center; my friend/mom/neighbor looked it over. Everyone wants to be helpful during your search process, but it’s always a good idea to check with your Career Center advisor for a once-over, even if you’re pretty confident in your finished product. Career Center staff has been properly trained on what recruiters seek, and current practices. Also, what works for a friend may not work for you. Objectives are really important, so I better get it right! Students spend a lot of time trying to carefully word their objectives, when honestly, most employers say an objective is unimportant and they’d rather it be left off completely. Since no one ever really knows what to write, it becomes more of a hindrance than a selling point. So just skip it altogether! Did you take advantage of the SYE Resume Challenge in November? Get a head start on polishing up your resume for summer and upload your resume to the Document Critique Service at www.career.emory.edu. ^ back to top MAKING PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE EAA Carolyn Bregman, Director of Alumni Career Services, Emory Alumni Association Are you looking to build your network for the future? The Emory Alumni Association offers opportunities for you to make professional connections, gain industry and company insights, and learn about the career paths of alumni as you do your own career due diligence. How can you connect? The EAA’s LinkedIn group is over 6,000 members strong, and is an excellent place to present yourself professionally and make connections with alumni in a broad range of careers. Students may join this group, and we recommend that you take advantage of resources available through The Career Center to make the best use of this tool. (And we hope you attended The Career Center’s LinkedIn program on November 14th!) Have you ever used the EAA’s online alumni directory available at www.alumni.emory.edu/directory? Registration is free, and you can use this tool to research alumni by city, by employer, even by major! You can filter by “career contact search” to see those alumni who have indicated a willingness to be contacted about their career path or industry, or research alumni in the database generally. Once again, the EAA is partnering with The Career Center to bring you Emory Network Nights—celebrations of Emory talent. Those quickly approaching are Emory Network Night-Chicago on December 15th and Emory Network Night-DC on January 10th. See The Career Center’s web site for more information and to register for these wonderful networking opportunities with alumni, employers, and fellow students. Here are a few “dos” and “don’ts” for the most effective contacts: Work with The Career Center to make sure your outreach email is the best, and most effective, it can be. Use these resources to make connections to get information—information about career paths, industries, companies or organizations, or possible internship opportunities. Information will help you be more targeted and better prepared as you seek opportunities. Understand that you need to build rapport with someone before asking them to go to bat for you for a job. If you don’t hear back from someone, try a polite follow-up. Realize that everyone is busy and they may have missed your initial contact. Still no response? Connect with others who may be more available to you. Stay in touch with your networking contacts. You are building relationships, not making a transaction. Thank your contacts and stay in touch periodically. The holidays are a nice time to update your contacts on your school and career activities and wish them well for the holiday season. Remember that one day you will be an alumnus or alumna and we hope that you, too, will help others who come after you. The Emory network is powerful and vibrant—be a part of it now and in the future! ^ back to top GENERAL RESUME WRITING TIPS PURPOSE OF A RESUME The number one purpose of a resume is to win an interview. Your resume is an advertisement (a brochure about you) that will allow you to effectively market yourself. The resume succeeds if it helps you pass the initial screening process. This document is more than a history of your past. OTHER REASONS FOR A RESUME • As an outline of your skills and experiences that clarifies direction, qualifications, and strengths. • Used to apply for internships, graduate or professional schools, fellowships, or scholarships. • Also as a tool to provide background information to job-hunting contacts and professional references or to give to contacts during informational interviews. TIPS TO REMEMBER Your resume has to sell you in short order. While you may meet all the requirements for a particular position, your resume will not win you an interview if the employer does not instantly come to the conclusion that you "have what it takes." The first hurdle your resume has to pass--whether it ends up in the "consider file" or the "reject file"--may take less than thirty seconds. The most effective resumes are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the employer's stated requirements for the position. The more you know about the duties and skills required for the job--and organize your resume around these points--the more effective the resume. Your resume can reflect your own style, although there are some components of the resume you must include. ^ back to top MID-SEMESTER EVALUATION The holidays and the end of classes are right around the corner so what an opportune time to take a few minutes out of your day to reflect on the past three months of the Fall semester! As you start thinking about your plans for next semester, consider some of the following questions… What do you enjoy doing? What do you value? Believe? Who are the important people in your life? What goals do you have? What are your goals for this semester? What are your goals for next semester? What activities/self-practices will help you achieve your goals? ^ back to top