Summertime Body Building… Your Resume, that is!
Ahhh…summer! The sun and sand await you. But, sometimes it takes some serious work to get that surf-side body in shape. While you’re working on your “six-pack” and soaking up the rays, you might also want to start “body-building” your resume while you have the time and the opportunity. After all, your resume probably needs as much work as your thighs. But, how do you “body-build” a resume?” You do it by incorporating valuable leadership and professional experiences into it. Here are five steps to a leaner, meaner resume:- Nail that internship! An internship can be very valuable to your career – more so than your typical hourly job. Internships are a great way to develop skills, professional networking contacts, and opportunities for future full-time employment. And, if your bank account can handle it, consider an unpaid internship. There are no doubt many more of them in this economy. Also, unpaid internships can sometimes count for academic credit. Many companies need interns throughout the school year, so if your schedule allows it, consider an internship while you’re still taking classes. Online resources such as Indeed, SimplyHired, Monster, CareerBuilder, LinkUp and Craigslist can help.
- Volunteer. Giving back is what it’s all about. Service trips through community, school or church groups not only look good to employers, but they provide leadership opportunities. Volunteer for an animal shelter or hospital, tutor local students, or donate time at a food bank, for a charitable organization or church in your area. One good resource is Idealist , an online global directory of volunteer opportunities.
- Be entrepreneurial. Employers place tremendous value on employees who are entrepreneurial. They typically have a strong business sense and aggressively look for innovative ways to grow businesses. So, be as creative and entrepreneurially-minded as you can – and emphasize those efforts on your resume.
- Get involved in extracurricular activities. Whether you’re still in school or launching your career, actively pursue extracurricular activities that interest you. They can offer leadership experience which, in turn, can help build up your resume. Invest time in these groups, and accept additional responsibility and leadership positions when the opportunities arise.
- Embrace social media. If you’re not already, get acquainted with Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites that interest you – especially from a business angle. Start a blog on career-related issues. It’s a great was to brand yourself as a “subject matter expert” – something to sell about yourself in interviews. To launch your own blog, consider using Google’s Blogger and Wordpress.
Finally, after you’ve body-built your resume, “flex your career muscles” and join LinkedIn. It’s a great way to show off that newly toned resume and make some heavyweight connections. Good luck!
Labels: internship, resume tips, social media, summer, volunteering
Posted by Seymour Jobs on 8/14/2009 03:21:00 PM
|
|
Comments (3) |
Permalink
3 Comments:
My thoughts exactly -- see my entry "(100, Give or Take) Days of Summer" for more information and opinions on the subject.
Internships provide invaluable experience that every student should take advantage of while in school. In my program, we are now being told that TWO internships are what employers are looking for. Although that statement admittedly worried me initially, I now understand just how much one can learn in just a few months of working for a great company. Your school's career services and program advisers are great resources to start looking!
Universities have loads of information that can be useful when building your resume. Many universities offer resume building workshops and have websites designed to get students involved on campus and in the community. You'll be surprised at how many resources your university offers you and how many opportunities there are to get involved!