FEBRUARY 1989 Dollars And Sense
U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER 17
FEBRUARY 1989 * Dollars And Sense U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER 17
- The Great
Job Hunt
Extra effort helps
with iterviews,
resume writing
By Sarah Jonas
and Melinda Farris
aker Orange
aker U., KS
Spring is approaching and the time
has come for students to begin thinking
about careers, internships and jobs.
A student should spend a good deal of
time preparing for an interview and
writing a good resume.
Interviewing
An interview is the most important
art of the job search. This means dres-
ag and acting professionally, and us-
ing eye contact to sell yourself.
"The key to a successful interview is
to know yourself," said Jeanne Mott,
director of Career Development at Bak-
er U., Kan. "You should come to each
interview prepared since companies
will ask specific questions directed to-
ward your personal background.
"When going through an interview, it
* important that students ask ques-
'ions," Mott said. Suggested questions:
Describe my first week on the job.
How frequently are your employees
recruited?
What types of new college gradu-
ates are most valuable to your company
- specialized or liberal arts?
Other tips include doing prior re-
search about a business through annual
reports and employment guides be-
cause knowledge, enthusiasm and plan-
ning make for solid preparation.
Resume Writing
A resume acts as a salesperson, in-
forming the reader of what this person
has to offer. Most hiring agents scan a
resume for only 20 seconds so it needs to
be well-organized yet curious enough
"The key to a successful
interview is to know
yourself."
- JEANNE MOTT
for the reader to want to meet the
person.
A resume should reveal qualities of
industriousness, ambition, cooperative
attitude and work interest.
When writing a resume avoid the
word "I." Stress the positive; minimize
or omit the negative.
There are three basic styles of re-
sumes: chronological, functional and
targeted. Chronological lists data in a
reverse dated order. Functional re-
sumes focus on aptitudes or talents.
This style of resume is good for people
with a lot of work experience, career
changes, or liberal arts graduates who
need to link generalized education to
specific job requirements. Targeted re-
sumes emphasize capabilities.
Updating resumes and careful proof-
reading are also important, according to
Mott. "A person's resume is never com-
plete," she said. "Your resume is 'the
paper you.'"
Experience, grades pave different roads to success
By Timothy R. Larue
The State News
Michigan State U.
When job experts talk about the best road to employment,
9ost people fork off into different directions.
"Experience will be the thrust for the 90s," said Thomas
Luten, director of Michigan State's (MSU) Career Develop-
ment and Placement Services. "In the future, employers will
scrutinize an applicant's experience."
But Stan Soffin, journalism chair at MSU, disagrees. "The
indication from recruiters who come to MSU is that grades
are becoming increasingly important, much more now than
in the last 20 years."
Buck Lee, a recruiter for Procter & Gamble, did not resolve
*e conflicting opinions: "Grades or experience? I don't
know. What's the most important leg of a three-legged
stool?"
It would appear from the experts that the perfect job
applicant is one who possesses a 4.0 GPA, has an extensive
resume, exhibits personal communication and leadership
skills and can work well with others.
Unfortunately, Superman is only a comic book character,
so employers must trade a lower GPA for more job experi-
ence or vice versa.
"A 'B' student with special training and research is much
more marketable than someone with a 3.4 with no experi-
ence," Luten said. "I am a major proponent of students
getting work-related experience while still in college. You
need outside activities that complement the classroom. Stu-
dents should perform a job that is in their major or related to
their major.
Lee said he believes grades and experience play equal
roles in a job applicant's marketability.
"The world's full of 'people persons,' " he said. I want to
know what you have done."
Luten said the best ways to pad a resume are volunteer
work, participation in student organizations, research jobs,
co-operative education and part-time jobs.
However, Luten said, "Don't ever discount the importance
of grades. Would you want to be treated by a 'C' surgeon, a
'C-minus' auto mechanic or a 'D-plus' attorney?"
He added employers often look at an applicant's last two
years of education to see how they fared in advanced classes.
Students will be evaluated by grades forever," Luten said.
"Grades are a factor but only part of the puzzle of the employ-
ment process."
Lee said there are four qualities he looks for in an appli-
cant: Goal-striving and achieving, problem-solving and deci-
sion-making, communication skills and the ability to work
with others.
Drug testing on the rise ... One a-
spense Is the growing cancers sser drag ass has
been an increase is the number at emplayers who
screen applicants tar illegal dtog ase. Research by
ge Washingtsn U's CollegePlacement Cs
resale thata ut 0pren tFrtn 0
companies were condacting drag tests by December
1987. Other sources slate the tigare rose to tO
percent by 1ggo. Same campanies will ot permit
re-appicatisn by tailed applicants bats ajit at
Hetchet, Geerge Washingten U., DC
Eu.
discussed at Lehigh U.'s Eaglish Careen Night last
tall. Larry Sechney, Lehigh's assistant director at
career services, said, "Liberal arts majors alteo
possess the throe qalities employment recruiters
aro looking tsr, including communication skills;
organicatianal skills, such as the ability ta arganizesa
large amaunt art inlarmatian; and interpersonal
people." Speakerstike bo Vio President GilSager
stressed the importance af riting: "Yas can't pal a
price on writing skills." m Anne Dentzin, The
Brown and White, Lehigh U., PA
R esume writing keys success . .. A
resume should bo a retlectin at the individual bat
shaald stress the emplvyer's needs, said Northwest-
arm U. Placement Centor Director Victor Lindetuia.
Ho added wits every resamo can't tallow one alas-
dardtaormuta, certain basicstopsshauld beltawed
persanal and sacial grawth. "Cammanicate what
you've dune is the mast pasitive light." said Mar-
garet Smith-Botse, directar at Northwestern's Em-
ployment Office. uJennifer Lach, The Daily
Nertlewestern, Northwesterm U., IL
Conservative attire Is in .. . Often insa
tirst impression to a prospeclive employer. ksaw-
ledge can mean ile and clathos can mess every-
uitey eel gand accessories shoutd be kepti
check. because they can distract tram the basiness-
like naturealfan intorview. "Once they get a job. thy
can see how everyone vise dresses." said Nicki
Steels at Cestral Michigan U.'s Placement Office.
"But tar the interview, they shauld slay canserva-
tivo." Wamen ares't stickiag clasely to the "white
blouse and listle rod tie" style, said Steele, wha
saggestod "maybe a mare leminine blause, but still
pretty canservative." U Linda Weelttn, Cee-
lral Michigan Life, Central Michigan U.
One columnist's advice ... I think creativity
in design shoald be worth sothisg (liko maybe a
couple thoasand dollars more per year). Why sat.
whon applying Is, ah say, Practor & Gamble, shape
yasr rosumo in the aorm at a crescent moos? Or
maybe saporimpase the autliso at a car as the capy
tar Chrysler? . B. Susan White, Old Gold
end Black, Wake Fereat U., NC
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