Kyle: I recently had a political internship with the Democratic mayoral campaign. Does the fact that I supported a single person/party hinder or help my chances of getting hired? Should I seek to balance this out by taking an internship with a Republican?
If you enjoy campaign work and you feel that it is providing you with skills that will help you land a future job, then by all means keep at it. Affiliation with a major party should not hurt (or help) you as long as you do not come across as too ideological or extreme: such people are not very good team players.
Of course, you might want to avoid the risk completely and simply mention the candidate’s name and leave off the party affiliation all together. When you think about it, it really isn’t relevant. When a prospective employer is evaluating your qualifications, she is focusing on your skills: what you did, not who you did it for. Leave it off and then you don’t have to worry.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Gurbir: In terms of securing internships and getting jobs in the years to come, should I take relevant courses over the summer [or try to] get an internship?
Your future employers will be looking for clues as to whether you will be successful doing what they want you to do. The closer you can get to performing some of the skills that they will find valuable, the better off you will be.
Two future questions they will ask themselves about you are:
1) Do you have the skills necessary to be successful at my firm?
2) Will you find the work rewarding?
An internship can provide clues to both of these questions. Summer school can only offer insight into the first. An additional idea might be to approach a professor in the field you are curious about and see if you could help her with some of her research. This might shed light on both.
All are preferred to sitting on the couch and vegging over the summer!
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Mac: I don't really want to waste my time with internships or 'research' opportunities. Can I still get a job?
As a college student or first-time job seeker, you need to develop skills that an employer will find valuable. There are many different ways to do this. However, the more related your choices are to the roles for which you will be interviewing, the more relevant they will be to your prospective employers.
If you find yourself thinking that certain internship opportunities are a waste of time, you may be looking in the wrong places. Ask yourself what you really enjoy doing and look for internship or research opportunities that allow you to express these skills. Success is highly correlated with doing things that you enjoy: Richard Branson, Bill Gates... You can see the passion whenever they speak about their companies.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Diane: Uh oh. My resume is 2 pages. The whole thing is in 11-point font, with headlines a bit larger. At what point in one's career, if ever, are 2 pages justified?
The answer to this is somewhat industry and job specific. Generally, after about the 10th year of your career, you have enough relevant information to justify extending your resume to a second page. Mine is a page and a half.
Just make sure that you scrutinize your dated and less important information in the same way that you did when you were trying to fit things onto one page. If the details of one of these older sections have become fuzzy and unfamiliar—so that you cannot defend them during an interview—they should not be there.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Topic: Font Size
A big mistake a lot of resume writers make is that they shrink their font size when they add something new. Yes, you want to keep everything on one page, but never go under 11 point font to do so. By definition, if you have something "new and relevant" to add, something else has just become "more dated and less relevant", and can be minimized or deleted.
A well-organized resume suggests a well-organized worker!
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Ryan: [How should we answer] "What questions do you have about working at xyz"?
The questions you ask at the end of your interview should primarily serve you, and help you decide if the job is a good fit. Culture or work environment questions are good for that. Yes, if you do not ask a question, it could be interpreted negatively, but you should not worry about trying to impress your interviewer with a pithy question to make a strong impression; you have already done this or not!
Just don't say anything risky or inappropriate. I once had a candidate ask me to comment on a recent legal issue concerning my company. I guess she thought that she would win points for doing her homework, but I didn't take it that way.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Ryan: I have always wondered what exactly to say when, during the interview, you are asked something like "Why do you want to work for xyz?"
This is a "bow and scrape" question, and I am sorry that you have to be subjected to this sort of thing. Some interviewers want you to grovel a bit and prove that you are worthy. Nonetheless, you still have to come up with a solid response.
The first thing to recognize is that this is an aggressive question, and aggressive questions should be answered with aggressive answers. Since this is a rather stupid aggressive question, you would be best off tactfully redirecting your response by answering a slightly broader, and better, question. What your interviewer really should be asking is why you are interested in a particular field, not a particular firm. Answering this question will get you where you need to go, but with more useful, honest content:
"From my past work experience and independent research, I realized that my skills are a strong fit for advertising and I am confident it is the right career direction for me. Being an assistant brand manager would be a great way for me to enter this business and I would be very excited to start my career at Acme, a recognized leader in this field."
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Matt: How should I indicate an award on a resume if I only have one?
If it is education-related, you can add a bullet under your "Education" section:
Bachelor of Arts in French with a concentration in Zoology
- Awarded 1st place prize in national French contest
If not, you can simply change your "Interest" section to "Interest and Awards" or "Interests and Accomplishments" and add a line there:
- Los Angeles Times, Paper Carrier of the Year 2010
Just make sure that the award is relevant - if you are thinking about whether to include it, make sure it says something about your character or capacity. The former example speaks to capacity: the latter speaks to character.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Ryan: I've read that you should try to express your enthusiasm for a position through your cover letter. But how do you do that in one paragraph without coming across as a phony?
A good point. The key is not to say that you are enthusiastic; that can sound phony. Instead, let your enthusiasm show through your description of past achievements.
Phony: "I would really love to work for your company. I know that I will excel in its fast pace environment, and if given the chance, I will do a great job".
Genuine: "During my summer internship, I very much enjoyed answering calls and helping solve customer problems. The experience was fascinating; it honed my communication skills and taught me to think on my feet."
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Patrick: What are your thoughts on adding [an] interests section? Some people say it's good because employers are asking themselves if they would want to spend a long plane ride with you. Others say it should be left for the interview.
I am in the former camp. I am always looking for interesting people with a high capacity to learn. An interest section can add a little extra in this regard. Sometimes it can be useful for making a personal connection with your reviewer.
If this happens she will read your resume with a heightened interest. Just be careful and don't add anything too provocative or controversial. "Political argument" is far less risky than "right-wing political argument."
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Patrick: Nearly everyone who applies to jobs [has] the same resume format. What are some ways to stand out?
Your resume format is not how you want to stand out. You want the first thought of your reviewer to be one of familiarity. Definitely avoid the risk of raising any subconscious "red flags".
Fancy fonts and colored text are a good way to get dismissed as immature.
Don't take risks on your resume format. Focus on keeping your content well organized and easy to read. Let your skills and accomplishments differentiate you.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
David: How should we indicate getting a minor on a resume? [Is it worth adding?]
A minor is a good thing. It shows that you are well-rounded and have a high capacity to learn. Definitely, include it. However, I like "concentration" or "specialization" better than "minor". I note concentrations on my resume! Here are two examples:
Bachelor of Arts in French with a concentration in Zoology
or
Bachelor of Arts in French
* Specialization in Zoology
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Patrick: I have a big interview coming up on Wednesday. What are some things I should do to prepare and what should I be sure to do during the interview?
First impressions are key. Make sure that you are on time (which means getting there early!) and make sure that your appearance is smart. This will give you a boost of confidence. Also, practice answering possible interview questions in your head the night before. You want your delivery to be fluid but not scripted.
The most important thing during the interview is to make sure that you answer the question asked and don't ramble. Good luck!
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Henry: I was on another site and it stressed displaying "tasks" [on resumes and cover letters]. You stress "skills" and discourage listing "tasks". What gives?
If you are an inexperienced job seeker (a college student, recent graduate, or someone changing to a new field), it is my opinion that you are better off giving examples of your skills for one simple reason - skills are often transferable to different situations, whereas tasks are not.
For example, if you had a summer job working in a biology lab, your analytical and analysis skills may be similar to the skills needed in marketing, advertising, finance or administration. However, your tasks of running tests and documenting your experiments are specific to a science laboratory and most likely will not be seen as transferable.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Sheila: You discourage people from using words like "excellent" in their resumes. I think I have "excellent" communication skills. Why wouldn't I want to advertise this?
First, your claim that you have excellent communications skills is an opinion. If I am reading your resume (or cover letter), I am not looking for your opinions. I am looking for your skills, and evidence that you are a good fit for the particular job for which I am hiring. I want you to give me the supporting evidence. Then, I will make my own decision as to the level of your skills.
Second, superlatives are a source of risk. People have widely different definitions of what "excellent" means and you will not always fit with their definition. If you fall below their expectations, you have seriously compromised your chances.
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
Polished: Adding Shine to your Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Skills is a complete job search guide written specifically for college students and other first time job seekers.
Here's the official description from my website:
"Written by R. Scott Morris, former CEO of the Boston Options Exchange and Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, Polished outlines the methods for success and the many pitfalls that doom most job seekers.
Scott has been working with the students in the Chicago Careers in Business program at the University of Chicago for the past three years. Polished is the culmination of his teaching and their insight. Many of the examples in this workbook are based on actual participants from this program.
Scott puts his experience to work for you!
Polished reveals invaluable tips that will make employers notice you! Real life examples from a seasoned executive will teach you how to put your best foot forward in all stages of the job search, including
* Cover Letters - create focused, concise prose that highlights your skills and advances you to the interview
* Resume - develop insightful techniques that make it easy for employers to find and understand your key selling points
* Interviewing - leverage the value of your first impression by crafting your appearance and articulating your words for maximum effect
* Career Choice - assess careers and organizations to find the best match with your own personality and professional goals
Polished gives you the tools you need for a successful job search. Author R. Scott Morris tells it like it is from his unique perspective as a hiring decision maker who has seen thousands of resumes and conducted hundreds of interviews. This book puts his experience to work for you!"
Let me know what you think!
Are you wondering How to Get Hired? Join the discussion on my Facebook Group Polished and ask me anything you have ever wondered about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job hunting!
