Where are all the Jobs?: Resume-Writing Advice for Prospective Interns plus 1 more

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Resume-Writing Advice for Prospective Interns plus 1 more | Career Rocketeer

Resume-Writing Advice for Prospective Interns

Posted: 31 May 2011 03:30 AM PDT

Being an intern is such an exciting prospect! Whether you’re helping with behind-the-scenes public relations for the Walt Disney Company or writing news articles for your college town’s local TV station, there’s something special about being able to participate in the hustle and bustle of an active workforce.
As a prospective intern, there’s no doubt that other students are pushing for the same opportunities you want: the chance to gain experience, networking opportunities and (cross your fingers) some money. So how can you increase your chances of getting your foot through the crowded doorway of an internship?
Round Up Your Experience
As a college student, it’s possible that you have little to no experience—and that’s okay, as long as you know what to do with what you have. Your job is to look at the internship you’re applying for and round up every single bit of experience you do have that looks like it could benefit you in the job.
For instance, if you’re applying at a TV station, you certainly want to mention that you’re a journalism major—and note relevant courses. Also, if you were a news anchor at your high school’s TV station, mention it as this information could take you far.
Think About What the Employer Is Seeking
It may be difficult to think from the perspective of an employer if you’ve never been one or worked for one, so you’re going to have to use your imagination here. Suppose you want to plan a fund-raiser with some friends. You want to make sure the friends you choose to help are reliable and will be able to help you handle any projects you delegate to them.
In choosing, you’re probably going to critique their history to decide if they’re going to be reliable now. In the same vein, employers need your history to determine your eligibility. In thinking about what you should include in your resume for employers to critique, think about what you would want from individuals you would like to help you with your event.
Educate Yourself on Basic Resume Writing
While you don’t want to make it a practice to go out and find resume templates to create your own internship resume, it is a good idea to not only look for resume-writing tips but find some examples of resumes that have gotten people hired.
If this is your first resume, you'll want to know what one looks like and determine the basic components that should be included in one. Then you’ll be able to craft your own with the knowledge you’ve gained.
If you are truly interested in snagging an internship for the summer or school year, then nothing should stand in your way. Take time to create an amazing resume that no hiring manager can refuse. And then enjoy living the life of an intern.

Author:
Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class resumes and cover letters that transform job searches into interviews and ultimately job offers. For more information about professional resume writing or to read more career and job search related articles visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com or call 1.800.991.5187.

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The Final Resume Lesson – American Idol 2011

Posted: 30 May 2011 03:40 PM PDT

This past American Idol season was a revelation for many, including myself, in terms of the overall quality of the 24 finalist performers the judges selected for the competition, and for many fans the outcome over the last 8 weeks and especially the finale was a shocker as well.
However when the music was over, all the votes tallied and the winner announced it validated certain central themes I've been expounding upon in this blog and in my resume writing and career coaching practice about what it takes to craft a winning resume and deliver a powerful job interview — a resume must visually establish a brand and paint a colorful picture with inspiring stories about why you are the best person for a given job, and on a job interview you must validate your resume with a polished verbal presentation.
As much as I am not a big County/Western music fan and I do not think the eventual winner, Scotty McCreery, was the most talented contestant he is the winner because he did all of the above better than his competition.
As Jennifer Lopez said to Scotty on more than one occasion "…I love the way you tell the story in the song." This is what resume writers and job seekers must strive to achieve on paper and in a face-to-face interview.
So here are four lessons I learned from Scotty this season.
1: He immediately identified his core audience and designed a game plan to appeal to them week after week.
2: He established his personal brand from Day One – 'the aw shucks, cute throwback country-western singer' and he maintained his brand integrity throughout the season while continuing to polish and grow his brand.
3: When it came to his on stage performance he didn't deliver just words and music, he told us stories and made an emotional connection with key decision makers that grew exponentially week after week.
4: More than any other contestant Scotty had a likability factor that no other competitor could match.
Combine all four of these factors and you can plainly see why Scotty is the 2011 version of the American Idol with a $1M recording contract. That is the key; he got the job 13 other contestants were vying for.
So how do YOU accomplish this? First you need to identify your audience and determine what stories they want you to tell. Then you begin to mold your resume around the desired profile and paint a positive, colorful picture of who you are and what makes you unique.
If you want specific advice I can send you an MP3 of the Career Studios interview I did last week on resume writing. Email your request along with your current resume to perry@perrynewman.com.

Author:
Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.

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