10 Seconds: What’s Your Resume Say?

Fall 2012

Presented by: Engineering Career Services

Agenda

• Introductions

• Preparation

• Elements of an Effective Resume

• ECS Resources and Services

• Next Steps

• Research the market to determine whether you should negotiate

• Decline all other offers immediately and professionally once you have accepted an offer

• Career counseling

• Resume workshop

• Resume reviews by appointment

• Walk-in resume reviews

• Cover letter workshop

• Cover letter reviews by appointment

• Career fair preparation workshop

• Interview workshop

• Mock interviews

• Workshop • Personal

appointments

• Offer evaluation & negotiation workshop

• Personal consultation by appointment

Related ECS Services

Career planning

Resume Cover letters

Career fairs

Interviews Office visits

Offers Negotiation

• Research industries & companies

• Determine areas of interest

• Develop a resume that outlines your accomplish-ments

• Update your resume regularly

• Write cover letters specific to each company or position

• Emphasize how the elements of your resume apply to the specific company or position

• Meet company representa-tives and learn about available opportunities

• Develop an “elevator pitch” to introduce yourself to companies

• Market yourself and your skills and experience

• Provide employers with evidence that you will add value to their company as an employee

• Meet a number of employees of the company

• Determine if the company is a good fit for your career goals and interests

• Evaluate which offer best fits with your interests and goals

• Ensure that you have your offer in writing

• Accept an offer only when you are ready to commit

Process

Steps

The Recruiting Process

Preparation

• Assess your strengths & weaknesses

• Consider what the companies you are interested in are looking for

• Identify your transferable skills and experiences

• Prioritize what you want to include in your resume

• Remember the purpose of your resume: to get an interview

• Formatting • Name & contact information • Objective (optional) • Education • Experience • Skills • Leadership & activities • Other information • Write accomplishment resume NOT

job description resume

Elements of an Effective Resume

Formatting

• Visual appearance

• Resume quality paper

• Limit to one page

Objective

• Sets tone

• Must be specific

Good example:

To obtain a summer 2012 software programming internship with a leading computer software manufacturer.

Bad example:

Seeking a position that will utilize my computer skills, teamwork, and problem solving ability.

TIME + POSITION + INDUSTRY

Education

• Study abroad information

• Certifications or certificates

• High school information ONLY if freshman

• One of your strongest assets: top 5 college

• Field of study & degree

• Graduation date

• GPA

• Related coursework may be applicable

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign May 2012 B.S. Electrical Engineering GPA: 3.7/4.0

Focus: Power & Energy Systems

Related Coursework:

Analog Signal Processing Electromechanics

Electronic Circuits Digital Signals

Illinois Leadership Certificate, Dec. 2011

Experience

• Most important section

• Company, title, location, time employed

• Bullet point your accomplishments and experiences

• Not limited to employment

• Separate related and additional if necessary

ACTION +

ACCOMPLISHMENT +

RESULT

Experience (job description)

RELATED EXPERIENCE

ALLSTEEL CO. St.Louis, MO

Mechanical Engineering Intern Summer 2011

– Analyzed load distribution and systems strength

– Presented information

– Created detailed documentation packages

Experience (accomplishment)

RELATED EXPERIENCE

ALLSTEEL CO. St.Louis, MO

Mechanical Engineering Intern Summer 2011

• Analyzed load distribution and systems strength for 22 simulated tests

• Presented to a sales team of 30+ members to provide information and training on new product line

• Created detailed documentation packages of industrial rack system in AutoCAD

Experience (job description)

Olive Garden Naperville, IL

Waiter Summer 2010

– Related to customers while taking orders, serving food

and beverages and bussing

– Delivered personalized customer service and conveyed knowledge of menu

Experience (accomplishment)

Olive Garden Naperville, IL

Waiter Summer 2010

– Awarded Employee of the Month in July for superior customer service

– Selected by management to cover more tables and more transactions than any other waiter

– Worked 25 hours a week to help finance college education

• Computer skills

• Foreign language skills

• Special skills

• NOT leadership, teamwork, communication, etc.

• Don’t bury your most relevant skills

SKILLS Computer: Matlab, Mathematica, AutoCAD, C++, Microsoft Office (Word,

Excel, PowerPoint, Access) Language: Fluent in Spanish; Intermediate French

Skills

Leadership & Activities

• Helps to overcome engineering stereotype

• Place at the end

• Does not have to be an officer position

• Elaborate notable accomplishments, contributions, etc.

Leadership & Activities

LEADERSHIP

Society of Women Engineers, UIUC Urbana, IL

Engineering Council Representative Spring 2012

– Represented organization in bi-weekly meetings

– Organized volunteer initiative for 20 members to assist as Career Expo greeters

Honors & Awards

• Similar to leadership & activities

• Can potentially be combined

LEADERSHIP & HONORS President, Physics Society, UIUC, 2011 – Present Illinois Leadership Certificate, Dec. 2013 Sigma Pi Sigma, National Honor Society, 2011 Honeywell Scholar, 2011

Other Tips

• Make the most of limited space

• Elaborate on your experiences

• GET INVOLVED and take on a leadership role

• Participate in on-campus recruiting (career fairs, company presentations, etc.)

Upcoming Events – Mark Your Calendar!

• Aug. 30th : ECS Open House 1:30 – 3:30pm 3270 DCL

• Sept. 4th – 7th Walk-In Resume Reviews 1:30 - 3:30pm 3270 DCL

• Sept. 5th Suit Up – Career Fair Success 4:00 – 5:00pm 1304 Siebel

• Sept. 6th Sell Yourself – Interview Tips 3:30 – 4:40pm 1304 Siebel

• Sept. 11th & 12th ECS CAREER FAIR 10am – 3:30pm Illini Union Rooms A,B, & C

• Sept. 17th –19th Engineering EXPO 9:00am – 4:00pm ARC

** Check Symplicity for the most up-to-date information **

ECS Resources & Services

Resources & services:

• Workshops & seminars

• Job search strategies

• Career resource center

• Online resources & databases

• Career Profiles

• Employer contacts

• Career fairs

• Co-ops & internships

Customized services:

• Career counseling

• Resume & cover letter reviews

• Mock interviews

• Job offer negotiation and evaluation

• Alumni mentors

Next Steps

• Develop your resume using resume guidelines

• Consider using the ECS template

• Schedule a resume review

Engineering Career Services

3270 DCL

Monday – Friday, 8am-5pm

(217) 333-1960

Brandon Grant

Graduate Assistant

bcgrant2@illinois.edu

Connect with ECS

ECSillinois