Many people have invested an enormous amount of money, time and energy in obtaining college degrees. The ultimate goal of such sacrifice is a new job – or a better job – in a chosen field.
Job candidates today are faced with the most competitive job market our country has seen since the Great Depression. It’s important for those on the hunt to make sure their résumés and cover letters aren’t standing between them and their dreams.
The résumé has the power to determine whether you will even be considered for job openings. You have come so far toward attaining your objective. Do not blow it by submitting a subpar résumé sure to get tossed into the “no” pile during screening.
The format and content of your résumé will change if you are a traditional college student with little to no experience or a nontraditional student with experience either in or out of your degree field.
College studentsFor starters, for traditional college students, which we’ll define here as those who entered college right out of high school and may be entering their chosen professional fields for the first time, the degree is placed first on a résumé. Consider your education to be your relevant experience. List all classes pertinent to your career goal and provide details regarding information learned based upon the course descriptions. Include any special projects, equipment utilized or additional information applicable to your career goal but not listed in the course descriptions. This also will help during keyword searches conducted by companies on job posting sites, on employer Web sites where résumés are solicited and to help employers weed through high volumes of candidate materials.
Write detailed information concerning jobs held during high school and college. Don’t worry about the fact the positions are probably not related to your career goal. You have acquired many skills that can transfer to the job you seek.
It’s also good to document your school honors and awards. Include descriptive comments about your accomplishments that earned the tributes, because the person who reads your résumé might not automatically understand what the honors mean. List your membership in organizations and state the purpose of the group if it’s not obvious from the name. Note activities and any offices held, with an account of the job duties of the offices, as well as achievements while in the leadership roles. You also may want to list sports-related activities and accolades.
Nontraditional studentsFor nontraditional students, namely those who have returned to school for an additional or advanced degree, the identical rules apply, with one exception: Nothing from high school should be mentioned.
Nontraditional college graduates with relevant career experience in the field of the new degree should place a paragraph or bullet-point summary of your experience first. Next, the degree should be documented, and the candidate should write about job duties and successes in each previous position. As a general rule of thumb, show all jobs in your work history that are relevant. Record organizations and activities last. Be sure your résumé includes buzzwords utilized in your field and the jobs for which you are applying.
For all graduates, the cover letter should comprise four sections.
The first paragraph should be an introduction and statement regarding why you are submitting a résumé. The second paragraph should encompass your education, certifications, specialized training and a summary of your work experience. The third paragraph should outline character strengths, and the final paragraph should thank the reader for reviewing your information.
You have spent a vast amount of your time and financial resources to achieve your degree. You are now in the home stretch. Be sure to cross the finish line and get your materials in the “yes” pile by creating a winning résumé and cover letter, even if doing so requires you to enlist professional help.
Lynne Haggerman, M.S., is president/owner of Lynne Haggerman & Associates LLC, a Springfield firm specializing in management training, retained search, outplacement and human resource consulting. She can be reached at lynne@lynnehaggerman.com.
