1. Preparing For Your Career Janean Couch, PHR Assistant Director, GVSU Career Center couchja@gvsu.edu 616.331.6708

2. The Process A resume gets you an interview This document is an outline or profile of you Keywords – not paragraphs An interview gets you a position Describe your successes Tell them why they should hire you A position helps you build a career Everyone has to start somewhere Update your resume with every step you take It is not a ladder… it is rock climbing!

3. Spruce up your resume What are employers looking for? Neat – Organized - Consistent Knowledge of Specific Industry and Population Combination of Education and Experience EASY TO READ Goal Oriented: Objective: To obtain the Child Protective Services position with The State of Michigan contributing to protect children and provide resources to families. Demonstrated Experience: No Claims! Provide Evidence

4. Things to Avoid… Errors! Templates Fluffy wording Inappropriate graphics and colors Cramming Too much white space Paragraphs and “I” language

5. Powerful Accomplishment Statements What is the difference between an “accomplishment” and a “job duty”? Start with an Action Verb Directed Planned Coordinated Qualifying or Quantifying Adjectives / Descriptions Supervised a team of 8 volunteers… Provided guidance to at-risk students… Results-oriented … to ensure deadlines are met. … resulting in a 30% increase of participation over last year.

6. Action Statements Start with an Action Verb Coordinated group sessions Qualifiers Coordinated group sessions for adolescent girls Quantifiers Coordinated group sessions for 8-10 adolescent girls Outcomes Coordinated group sessions for 8-10 adolescent girls to provide support and education of dating violence

7. Sample Resume

8. Resume and cover letter go hand – in hand Take the place of face-to-face interaction Opportunity to pique reader’s interest in your resume and you! Show how your background and abilities meet the employer’s needs Show how you’re a good fit for the organization (this takes research) Where you heard about the position

9. Your knowledge of the employer/position Why you’re a strong candidate Your communication and writing skills Your personality and professionalism ◦ Present your professional best! Your motivation energy and enthusiasm Always send a cover letter!

10. Interviewing

11. What will I be asked?? What are some “typical” questions an interviewee faces in the span of a 30- 60 minute interview??

12. 30-60 minutes Thoughtful Response Reasoning and Evidence Grammar and Vocabulary Listening Degree of Interaction Expressiveness Humor / Likability Factor

13. Selling yourself The Sales Analogy You are the product… and the Sales Representative! The employer is a consumer Your resume is the marketing piece The interview is your sales pitch SOAR… or be a STAR Situation Obstacle or Task Action Result

14. Questions?

15. Career Services Help you plan/brainstorm! Resume and Cover Letter Resources Simulated Interviews Career Fairs and On-campus Recruitment Web-based Employment System www.gvsu.edu/lakerjobs