Job Opportunities

What is a resumé?

A written, one-stop account of your skills, qualifications, and experience

What is it meant to do?

Inform a potential employer of your potential or ability to do the job

Is it a marketing tool?

Yes! Gets you noticed by potential employers, may get you an interview

How long should a resumé be?

One page, or two pages for extensive experience

What should a resumé include?

Contact information, and optionally, a personal objective or summary, skills, education, internship/externship and professional experience, volunteer work, honors/awards

What is Applicant Tracking System (ATS) compatibility?

ATS acts as an automated resumé sorting and screening tool used to streamline the review process by searching for keywords

Reverse Chronology

Experience is listed “present to past” in a systematic way, with current or most recent experience listed first

Functional

Highlights your core skills, aptitudes, and ability more so than your work history or experience (Best used when there is a gap in employment)

Hybrid

Utilizes components from Reverse Chronology and Functional formats

Contact Information (Heading)

• City, State
• Telephone Number
• Email Address
• Relevant Media Links (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)

Objective or Summary (Optional)

• Objective (Entry Level)
• Summary (Experienced)

Skills and Certifications

• Key Words
• Bulleted
• Language Skill Listed First (ex. Bilingual, Spanish/English)

Education

• Reverse Chronology (Present to Past)
• Month/Year

Experience (Internship/Externship, Professional History)

• Reverse Chronology (Present to Past)
• Month/Year

Volunteer Work

• Reverse Chronology (Present to Past)
• Month/Year

Honors, Awards

• Reverse Chronology (Present to Past)
• Year

• Font (Basic, Readable, 20-24 pt. for Header, 10-12 pt. in Body)
• Keyword Use (Pull Keywords from Job Posting, Weave throughout Resumé)
• One Page in Length (ATS Compatibility)
• Grammar and Spelling (Have Your Resumé Reviewed)
• Contact Information (Current Phone Number, Professional Email Address, Appropriate Media Links)
• Month/Year Dates
• Visual Balance
• Bullet Points
• Verbs (Strong Action Words)
• Described Tasks, Methods, and Outcomes

• Columns and Tables
• Flashy Graphics (ATS Incompatibility)
• Unreadable Font
• Complex Format
• Pictures/Selfies
• Poor Spelling or Grammar
• Buzzwords (Over-used Descriptive Words with Little Meaning)
• Unprofessional Email Address
• Personal Pronouns
• Information that Tells Too Much
  • Home Address
  • Information that May Lead to Unintentional Bias or Discrimination (Age, Religion, Marital Status, etc.)
• Listing References on the Resumé (Separate Document)
• Noting “References Upon Request”

Research the company

While you are searching for a job and before your interview, make sure to research the company online. Employers like to know that you care enough about their organization to research it ahead of time. Go into your interview knowledgeable about the company’s products/services offered, mission statement or philosophy, history and growth, and what makes them stand out from their competition.

Practice

Just as a good resume will get you an interview, a great interview is what can get you the job. The purpose of an interview is to allow the employer to get to know you. Each question they ask is designed to give them insight into your skills, abilities, and attitude. It’s a way for them to determine if you will be a good fit within their company. The key to giving a good interview is to practice, practice, practice! Practicing out loud helps you articulate your responses in a professional manner. You can use common interview questions, with family and friends or schedule a mock interview with an OTECH Career Services Specialist.

Dress the part

First impressions are important. Aim for something that looks professional, feels comfortable and that you feel confident in. Make sure you are well groomed, and each garment is clean, wrinkle free and appropriately fitting. A collar shirt, a nice blouse and/or dress pants are all great options. Clean business-style shoes and simple accessories are a classic look. If you’re still not sure what to wear, take your attire a level up from what you would normally wear to the job. Avoid perfume/cologne. Keep your breath fresh with a mouth spray or mint.

Be Prepared

Know who you are meeting with and the job title that you applied for. Plan on a committee interview and bring multiple copies of your resume for each person to review. Stop by the Student Success Center to print your resume on high quality paper for free. During the job interview, you will have an opportunity to ask questions. It’s important to develop questions that focus on the company, their needs, challenges, and expectations. To your interview, bring a reliable pen and notebook that includes the questions you would like to ask.

Tell me about yourself.

To focus your answer, follow the 3 P’s.

• Preparation– What have you been doing to prepare for this job? Talk about your education, skills, trainings, and future goals in that filed.
• Passion– Why did you choose this field? What got you interested?
• Purpose– What you are looking to achieve in the position? Example, “I’m looking for more experience and education”.

Tell me about a strength you can bring to the organization.

List a strength that would be beneficial to the position/company and use an example

Tell me about a weakness.

List a weakness and how you are working on improving that weakness. Employers want to know that you are capable of getting the job done regardless of the challenges.

Tell me about a bad boss you have had.

Or
Tell me about a time you had conflict with a co-worker/customer.

When giving examples to these questions keep these 3 things in mind:

• Stick to the facts and name the behavior. Was a customer yelling at you because they felt you were taking too long? Was a boss micromanaging your very move? Was a co-worker acting unprofessional by spreading rumors?
• Explain how you handled the situation. Communication is key in any relationship.
• Share the result. Did you work it out? Where you both able to complete your work?

Tell me about a time you had to complete a task under a tight deadline.

What do you do when a team member refuses to complete their portion of work?

Tell me about a time you worked under stressful conditions.

Your answers to behavioral questions can indicate how you operate as a team, your ethical decision making, critical thinking and how you handle situations.

Use the STAR acronym:

• Explain the Situation
• Describe the problem/Task/challenges
• Outline the Action you took to resolve the problem
• Talk about the Results and how your actions helped the overall problem

What are your salary expectations?

• Only talk about pay during the first interview if the employer brings it up, otherwise wait until you know they are interested in you by offering you the job or asking you to return for a second interview.
• Don’t give a fixed number, they may assume you are not willing to budge. Have a range or tell them you are willing to negotiate once you have seen the full package (the offered salary and benefits).
• Research other similar job positions in the same area before the interview.
• Turn the question around, “What do you normally pay someone with my experience and training?”
• You can request the insurance information, policies and procedures and the employee handbook via email to review before deciding on accepting an offer.

Allow extra time

Show the employer that you have good time management skills and value their time by being 5 minutes early. Account for possible traffic, weather, parking and give yourself time to turn off your phone and check in at the front desk. Interviews normally can take between 20 minutes to 1 hour.

Body language

Using confident and correct body language is essential in an interview. Sometimes it is non-verbal communication that stands out to the employer even more than what you say or what is on your resume – everything from eye contact to your handshake! Stand and sit up straight and tall, listen attentively, make eye contact when being spoken to, be engaged, and speak loud and clear with confidence. Do your best to bring positive energy into the room, be grateful for this opportunity and share your excitement for the field.

Answering Questions

Review the job posting for job field related questions. Give examples that prove what you say. For example, “I’m a hard worker”. What makes you a hard worker? Do you make sure to get the job done no matter what? Do you come in early, work overtime or take advanced training in your field?

Talk about relevant skills or processes you have learned on the job, in your personal life, or at school that would benefit the company. Have specific examples of projects you have worked on, how you’ve handled difficult people or situations, and why you feel you would be a good fit for the position and the company.

Employers prefer candidates to ask questions, it shows that you are serious about the position and that you want to make sure you would be a good fit. Here are a few questions to ask:

Can you tell me about the team I will be working with?

The work environment is one of the most important aspects at a job.

What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position may face?

This can give you an idea of difficulties you may face.

What would a successful first year look like?

This question shows the employer you want to be successful, and you are thinking long term.

What would be my schedule for this position?

Is there mandatory overtime or am I expected to be on-call?

Make sure the schedule is going to work with your personal life.

This also opens an opportunity to present how available or flexible you are.

What do you like about working here?

This can give you an idea of what you can look forward to.

When can I expect to hear back from you?

You want to give the employer time to complete the interviews but it’s also nice to know when you can follow up if you don’t hear back.

You’ve worked hard preparing your resume, reference page, and cover letter. You had your interview…that was the hard part! So what’s next? Follow up! Send a thank you email to the interviewer within 24 hours after your interview. Sending a thank you shows that you are willing to take an extra step, and it also allows you to add anything you may have forgotten to mention or fix a mistake you may have made during the interview.