The main points I took from reading Chapter 15, Starting Your Career, were effective methods and examples of how to create a top notch resume, cover letter, portfolio, and how to have a successful interview.
I found the sections on the cover letter and portfolio to be the most helpful. I am sure that most of us have had experience or even taken a class to help with making effective resumes, but I have never focused on making a portfolio or cover letter. I also liked the section on active vs. passive voice and using a nonbureaucratic tone. Using the active voice always implies that you are a worker, and I have gotten a few jobs on the simple fact that my employers know I work hard. I think being a little more casual with your conversation also shows your potential employer that you are easy to get along with and that you don’t put yourself over other. Nobody likes to be friends with people who are stuck up and certainly don’t want to work with them.
The chapter also repeatedly mentioned making sure your resume and cover letter are perfect. I know at the job fairs at Purdue, where students wait in line for an hour to talk to a company, it doesn’t take much for them to throw your resume aside if it is not up to par with the rest. I also agree with their advice to leave your GPA off your resume if it is below a B average. I have found if you leave if off and get a good connection with the human resources representative, they will sometimes let it slide. On the same note, I have included my GPA in my resume and been turned down before we could really get talking.
I also would have liked this chapter touch on the fact that a lot of companies value hard work over having the best technical skills. I think if there is anything you can put in your resume to convey your work ethic or sense of urgency it will set you apart. If you graduate from Purdue it means you can do the math and you have good technical skills, but a strong work ethic will put your resume above the rest of Purdue degrees.
Hardwork v. Knowledge
I wish that there was some easy way to put, "Hey I work really hard. You should hire me." into words on your resume without sounding like your boasting or making stuff up. I almost wish an employer could shadow me at work and see that yes I do work hard, communicate, do all the things that they are looking for. I mean athletes who want to get recruited to could colleges have tape showing them workout/play so why can't I have tape showing how hard I work? In a way that's what I hope my references will be able show. While I might not have the best technical knowledge, I hope that having my references vouch for me that I'm a hard-worker, motivated, etc. will make up for that fact.
Andy
Hard Work
One way I have found to show my hard work on a resume is to show previous jobs, no matter how they are related to the job I am applying for. Like Chapter 15 said, it shows you can show up on time, hold a job, and get along with people. Luckily I have worked construction for most of my like, which almost no one will say is easy work. This shows that I am not scared to be out in the sun and put on a roof, or pour concrete or set steel. I think if an employer sees that you can handle this kind of work, they realize that an office setting or even some field work will be a walk in the park.
Response
I completely agree with both of you about putting hard work, and in some sense, your personality into your resume. I do wish the chapter would have talked about how to display hard work in your resume, or how to show that your personality and/or motivation would make you a better candidate than others. I wonder about references, though. I would love to have potential employers talk to previous employers and other references, but sometimes I wonder how often potential employers actually do contact references. I think most of the references I have ever listed would tell me if they were contacted, and I have never heard that any of them have been. I suppose the interview is all that's left to show this, or maybe there would be some way to put it into your cover letter if you have a great scenario or example that demonstrates your work ethic.
Kristin
Response
I feel for you when it comes to employers not actually using the references. It sounds like we both have some pretty good references we could use. I have found that most employers that ask for references will not actually contact them, but just want to see if you can come up with five previous employers or people who will vouch for your work. I know none of my references have ever been contacted. My father has been a sales manager for nearly twenty five years and he told me has never once called a reference in for a potential employee. Personally I try to bring hard work and experience up in my interview to take the focus off other less impressive details.
G.P.A. is a Killer
That is a good idea to not include your G.P.A. Unfortunately I had an experience where I had an hour phone interview and then a lunch meeting which concluded with them showing me the office and introducing me to a few people. Mind you this was all with the guys I would be working for. I told them I wanted the internship and they said great we will get Human Resources in contact with you. Talked with human resources and was sent the copy-paste email once they found out my G.P.A. It wasn't a 3.0 but it was higher than a 2.5. That experience really sucked. I also have to agree with Andy, I also wish I could put “I work really hard and want to learn. Hire me!” on a resume.
Jeff
Response
I'm surprised to hear about your experience, Jeff. I'm a Business Writing tutor in the Writing Lab on campus, and some of us in the lab have had a discussion among the tutors about whether or not students should include their GPA's on their resumes. It seems like an overwhelming amount of people have found that you should only leave your GPA off if it's under a 2.5. I've been told that if you don't list your GPA, people reviewing your resume have to automatically assume that you have an average/middle of the line GPA (which is a 2.5) so it's in your best interest to put it if it's higher than that. Personally, I think it says something if you leave your GPA off, and I would include it, particularly if it's higher than a 2.7 and definitely a 3.0 and above.
Kristin
GPA
I also feel like every single time I have taken the time to write out or type all of my previous employers and bosses that I know that they will never ever be contacted. It is frustrating to have to write out all that information, whether it is good or bad, and to pretty much know that it will never be used.
To me, not putting your GPA on a resume really proves a point. If you are not going to put your GPA on a resume it shows that you either have bad grades, or you are not proud of what you have accomplished. It is college people; you SHOULD know that your GPA will affect what job you get when you graduate. There should not be a reason to worry about putting your GPA down, and if you do then you should know you probably will not get the job.
Response
I feel the same way about placing information about your previous employers. I think it would be good if they actually contacted previous employers. You are right on with your thoughts about putting your GPA on your resume. I think that it is better for you to put your GPA on your resume. I think when you do place your GPA it will look much better to an employer than just not including it at all. When you don’t include it I’m sure it probably makes employers wonder why you didn’t include it and feel that it is lower than it may actually be.
-Chris