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OU CLDC: Proofread Your Resumes And Start Applications Early
< < Back to tips-job-applications-and-preparationEmployment season is fast approaching, and with it comes the complexities of job applications. For fresh graduates or adults returning to the workforce, details from resumes and cover letters to professional attires and speech eloquence are being scrutinized. Career expert at Ohio University's Career and Leadership Development Center state that the application process is a long and complex process.
"Looking for a job is a job," said Kimberly Blue, Associate Director of CLDC for Employer Relations. "I always say 'the earlier, the better' to begin looking for internships and also full-time jobs."
Blue said job-seekers need to look at past work experiences to derive their skills, which should be clearly stated in a resume.
"Looking at the jobs that they've had and what are the things that they did on the job that made a difference," Blue said.
Julianne Wallace, a graduate assistant for Marketing and Employer Relations says though a resume should list quality experiences, it should also be personalized to fit the job.
"You're going to want to customize (the resume) towards the job description," Wallace says. "So if they say key words like they need someone who's proficient in Microsoft Excel, make sure that's on your resume."
Blue said a resume is merely a "sales brochure" and that alone will not be enough.
"A resume gets you in the door, after that, you'll have to sell yourself."
Blue also offers other tips including asking the interviewer questions, addressing cover letters to a hiring manager and to always proofread all application materials.
Most importantly and most commonly overlooked, Blue adds, is sending a 'thank you' note after an interview has taken place.
"Sending an email is perfectly fine to get it out quickly but everyone likes a written 'thank you' letter so I say, do both," says Blue. "And sometimes, that can separate two candidates."
The CLDC will be hosting a mock interview session on Thursday and a career fair on Feb. 18.