A Complete Guide on how to

OPTIMIZE YOUR COLLEGE RESUME

Job O ers Included: Writing a strong cover letter, Standing out with numbers, Proper resume length, What your resume objective says about you, & more

Resume Quality

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Part 1

Chapter 1: Getting Ready to Write Your Resume Chapter 2: Writing Your Summary Chapter 3: The Education Section
The GPA Debate: To Include or Not Chapter 4: The Experience Section Writing a Resume with NO Experience Stand Out With Numbers Proper Resume Length Resume Services Are They Worth It?

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The Resume Objectives Section, Make It Work For You What Your Resume Objective Says About You

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Chapter 5: Youre Done Writing Your Resume Now What?

Tips for Managing Your Online Entry-Level Resume 17 19

Part 2

Chapter 6: The Cover Letter

The 10 Dos and Donts of Writing a Strong Cover Letter Risky Cover Letters Can You Pull One Off? 20 23 Connect With Us! Facebook: /HigherNext LinkedIn: /company/HigherNext *Join the discussion: Career-Minded Business Majors Twitter: @HigherNext Corporate Casual: blog.highernext.com

Part 1: The Resume

Chapter 1: Getting Ready to Write Your Resume

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 Proper Resume Length

The prevailing assumption that most college-aged job candidates tend to carry with them is that the longer the resume, the better it looks. Were here to tell you that this just isnt so. You might even think that a longer resume is more likely to help land you that first interview. Again, not true. Expressed formulaically,

Increased Resume Length Increased Chance for an Interview

Here are three reasons why: 1. Decreased Keyword Visibility The average recruiter spends about 6 seconds scanning your resume at a first glance (assuming it even gets scanned). Having a resume full of content and keywords that are not pertinent to the job for which youre applying can only hurt you here. Ideally, you want your resume to be chock full of only the most pertinent information (and keywords), so that the probability that its seen during the scan increases. 2. Too Much Information (TMI) Sharing too much information is, generally speaking, not a good idea in most aspects of life, and the resume is no exception. The instant that a recruiter sees a totally irrelevant work experience or college activities listed on a 2-page resume, they likely stop reading. This is also a good reason to customize your resume for EVERY job you apply to. Have consideration for the reader and the likelihood that your resume will actually get read goes up. 3. Poor Form Having an unnecessarily long resume also shows bad form on the part of the job applicant. Your resume is a reflection of who you are on paper, so if its not optimized and concise, it could come across as just plain sloppy. A good rule of thumb: If youre unsure as to whether or not to include something on your resume as a matter of length, dont. At the end of the day, resume length is likely not a total deal-breaker for a recruiter, but putting some thought into these points can only help you put together the best resume possible.


All of this said, if you have an abundance of work experience, internships, and were heavily involved in relevant campus activities, go for the 2-page resume. Dont sell yourself short. Remember, the goal is simply to stand out as best as possible on paper.

Resume Services - Are They Worth It?

As a recent or soon-to-be-one college graduate, resume writing can be a little tricky. You often have worked odd jobs to make ends meet, not necessarily something in your desired field, and unless your program included a number of major-specific internships or co-ops, it can be difficult to match your experience with the jobs you seek. In most cases, spending money on a resume writing service will not be the best use of your job search budget. Part of the reason is that there are plenty of people and companies who advertise this type of service, and only a fraction of them are good, experts at what they do, AND have experience working with a newly minted baccalaureate (a fancy word for the BA/BS you get after four years of tuition, fees, room, board, and hard work). A lot of folks try to make money on the side doing resume writing, small printing and copying shops will offer it as a service, and there is never a shortage of offers on the internet. From the time you started school, adults have been telling you that every quiz, homework assignment, paper and math problem was designed to help you get into a good college and get a good job. To be fair, there are a handful of quality writers out there in business for themselves or working for a resume services firm, but they may or may not know how to capture the nuance of your experiences as a new professional. There are certifications that some resume writers and resume services companies can get, but the value of that certification can be a bit murky. Our advice: if youve come this far, take the effort to utilize all of the free information that is out there for you. 1. Fully leverage the career services office at your campus. I realize that not all schools have great talent in these offices, but many do, and most of the resume advice is sound and proven even if you cant get the level of help you would hope for there.


2. Use the appropriate keyword strategy and, within reason, tailor each resume to the position for which you are applying (read our tips for incorporating keywords into the resume objectives section on page 6). 3. Download a copy of our HigherNext Optimized Resume. We put this together based on feedback from recruiters and job search professionals that we trust, and would use ourselves, or advise our own friends and family members to use. 4. Find a quality editor (often a good advisor or friend), who can look for common grammatical and spelling errors. Do not rely on spell and/or grammar check! It almost always offers a false sense of security. 5. Dont confuse the content of your resume with the design. Paying someone to make an aesthetically pleasing resume doesnt make much sense if the text is just going to be copied and pasted into an applicant tracking system anyway (obvious exception for certain artistic and design professionals here). Its fine to make it look good with simple formatting, but you dont want the design to distract from the substance, and the substance is about what YOU bring to the table. Finally, if you are having trouble or feel that you really need the expertise of a resume writing service, do some serious comparison-shopping. Ask for samples of their work and testimonials from real clients. Ask for references if it is a small or local operation (did the people who paid feel that they got what they paid for)? Look for online reviews, but only give weight to those that have a large enough sampling of reviews to even consider taking seriously. Find out what types of guarantees they offer, if any.

Chapter 2: Writing Your Summary

 The Resume Objective Section, Make it Work for You

There is a lot of debate surrounding the resume objective section. Some say its outdated, some call it by other fancy names like, elevator pitch, or just simply summary. Others, still, suggest you move it to your cover letter. If trying to figure out what to do with this section makes you want to scream, youre not alone. So whats the answer? Writing a vague and formal statement of goals and objectives truly is a waste of valuable space and time (its also incredibly boring). The other problem with most resume objectives is that they tend to be too focused on what the candidate wants rather than what the employer needs. Quick Test: Guess what? Employers are no different. Reserve the objectives space for keywords that will make your resume easy to find. A lot of the time, youll be cutting and pasting pieces of your resume into an online application. From there, your application goes into Applicant Tracking System (ATS), and that system is going to sort all the hundreds or even thousands of resumes based on which keywords most closely match what the recruiter is looking for. So, if you cant honestly make the keywords the company is looking for fit your previous internships and experiences, the objectives section may be the place to do it! Heres how: Job Description This is the easiest and most obvious. If the job posting is for an entry-level accountant who will generate invoices, manage accounts receivable, generate aging reports and collection forecasts; state that youre seeking to help companies INVOICE more efficiently, proactively manage A/R (accounts receivable), and better predict AGING and COLLECTION figures. How often do you spend money and time on something someone else wants? How often do you spend money and time on something you NEED?


Include the Job Title If your desired job is Social Media Marketing Manager, why not state that you Seek to help companies better engage with customers through social media marketing? It states both what you have to offer and creates a keyword match! Similar Job Descriptions Do a search for other job postings with the same title. In addition to more keywords that might help you get noticed, some of them might be accurate reflections of a co-op or internship you did while in school. This makes your experience section more powerful, and shows that in addition to meeting the minimum, you might have additional skills that help you stand out. Cloud Words Author and columnist, Leslie Ayres, suggests pasting the job description youre targeting into cloud word software and see how well your resume captures the right keywords with the proper emphasis (i.e. Wordle, WordItOut and Tagxedo). Not Too Many/Not Too Few Like any good strategy, you can over or under-utilize it. Using a keyword two or even three times in your resume (not all in your objective section) can help the hit rate when a machine scans your resume. But remember, if you do make it to the top of the stack, your resume still needs to be readable and professional. So unnaturally forcing a word into a sentence or a bullet just for the hit can cost you later. Let keywords inform your strategy without allowing them to eclipse all of the other good writing youve done. Finally, while it should go without saying, never use keywords in a way that misrepresents your experiences or skills. Your goal is to understand and use current technology to your advantage. Once you make that first cut, you will have an opportunity to show them all the great things a resume cant: your enthusiasm, your work ethic, and your interest in what makes their company special.

 What Your Resume Objective Says About You

While we were in the midst of recruiting for a Marketing Manager we thought wed offer some helpful advice to anyone interested in applying here in the future, or anywhere for that matter. The resume objective section is a vitally important component to an entry-level resume if for no other reason than it's always listed at the top of the resume -- in other words, it's the first thing a recruiter will see when viewing your resume (if you get that far). Despite its importance, it remains, at best, a missed opportunity and, at worst, a negative for most early-career job seekers. Here are some example resume objectives and what they say about you as a candidate: Seeking a position where I can utilize my skills and experience to obtain a job in the field of {enter your major}. This is clearly your first shot at writing a resume objective, and it shows. The rest of your resume likely follows suit by coming across as generic and cookie-cutter. You lack creativity and are a terrible salesperson (so hopefully youre not applying for a sales position!). This is also redundant its very clear that youre seeking a job, no need to say it, twice. This type of resume objective is a definite negative in my book. In this case, its better not to have one at all. Obtain a position at HigherNext where I can maximize my {enter keyword-specific skills and experience}. You punched resume objective sample into Google and copied the first result into your resume verbatim. You took the care to spend 10 seconds entering the companys name at which youre applying. If you similarly took the time to ensure that the skills youve listed out match those listed in the job posting (assuming you have those skills), youve taken a step in the right direction. If not, this example, too, can be a negative. I AM A CONSISTENT, HARD WORKING, HIGHLY MOTIVATED PERSON. I ENJOY WORKING WITH PEOPLE. I FEEL THAT I AM A FRIENDLY, OUTGOING AND DEPENDABLE PERSON. I FEEL IT IS CRUCIAL TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MY JOB DUTIES AND


EXPECTATIONS. I AM LOOKING TO IMPROVE MY POSITION IN THE WORK FORCE, EXPAND MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. I AM ALSO LOOKING TO ESTABLISH LONG TERM EMPLOYMENT IN A FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT. You spilled your favorite drink on your keyboard, thusly managing to stick your caps lock key to the on position for eternity. Never mind the fact that your objective is entirely too long (stick to 2-3 lines) and that no recruiter will get through more than the first line or so, its also difficult to read. You have a high opinion of yourself and enjoy hearing the sound of your own voice. Youre also likely a self-centered individual. Chalk this one up as a negative as well. To create exemplary website content, define an on-campus marketing strategy, and grow social media channels for HigherNexts B2C target market while serving as a their Marketing Manager. First, youve clearly read our job description. You are driven, humble, and intelligent. You get that its not about your career path; its about adding value to the company you want to join. Youve also probably read our blog post about the resume objective section (see previous section). Here, youve maximized the space used on your resume for the objective and the likelihood that it will increase your chances of landing that first interview.

Chapter 3: The Education Section

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 The GPA Debate: To Include or Not

Do you have a 3.0 GPA or above and are debating on whether or not to put your GPA on your resume? Stop debating. You should include it! Now, lets address a more pressing issue: what do you do if you have a sub-par overall GPA (i.e. below 3.0 which is the standard cutoff for most employers)? Here are some strategies to help you address this issue: 1. Use your within major GPA. If youre unsure about whether or not to include your major GPA or not, just follow these simple guidelines to land on one of four potential outcomes: Is your overall GPA above 3.0? If yes, is your major GPA higher than your overall GPA? 1. If yes, include both your overall GPA as well as your major GPA. 2. If no, include only your overall GPA. 3. If yes, include your major GPA only. 4. If no, dont include either your overall or your major GPA. 2. Even if your within major GPA is not up to snuff, usually there are 5-10 courses you can point to that either you scored well, or want to talk about during the interview. Any course you highlight is fair game, so note 2-3 points per course you list about how the professor inspired you, why the coursework resonated with you and what you learned. List out these courses in the education section of your resume under the title relevant coursework. 3. If you can get your hands on the data, see if your department publishes its average GPA. There can be a huge variability between different majors in how the department grades. It looks much better to say: 2.85 GPA (major average 2.76), rather than 2.85 GPA. 4. Ok, so you basically bombed all your courses, then what? Find other academic achievements to highlight. Certifications, clubs and honors can be included on a selective basis. See the

If no, is your major GPA above a 3.0?

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HigherNext Optimized Resume to find out where this information should be listed on your resume. 5. Of course, if the firm you are applying to has a strict GPA cut-off, its hard to overcome. If you had a recent surge in good grades, or had to work and couldnt devote as much energy to studying, use the cover letter to explain mitigating circumstances (in a professional way) and hope the recruiter is sympathetic who knows, you might be surprised!

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Chapter 4: The Experience Section

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 Writing a Resume With NO Experience

All the advice out there claims one of the best ways to land that first job is to have experience. But you need experience to get a first job and therein lies the problem! So, what's the best way to write a resume with no experience? There probably isn't one. The good news is, if you find yourself at graduation with a good GPA and activities but, for whatever reason, no real work experience, there are a variety of strategies you can pursue to fulfill this requirement on a resume while searching for a job. Here are four good strategies to consider if you find yourself in this situation: 1. Volunteer: There are a variety of non-profits that are always looking for volunteers. This has the added benefit of helping others and doing something your care about while looking for a job. Come in with a plan that helps the organization you are working with and furthers your skills in your target industry. 2. Start a Meetup in your area of interest: Meetup.com is great resource to connect with like-minded folks, and you can create granular groups, such as: Folks Trying to Break into the Marketing Field in Milwaukee. Once you get a good group together, invite local industry folks to give talks and advice a great way to network vs. the 15 minute coffee sit down. Check out our list of business networking organizations to get you started with ideas. 3. Apply for internships vs. full-time jobs: This requires some hard work as many companies only target enrolled students for internships but do not let that stop you. Call the HR rep at your target firms and make sure they know your name and story. They might just be in the market for an entry-level role and an internship is a great way to test your skills with a low risk to the firm. 4. Start an independent business: Employers love applicants that show initiative and have project management skills. It does not have to be a full-blown enterprise, but tutoring, cleaning services and even baby-sitting can show you have good organizational skills. The key to this strategy is building a solid website (using free tools such as WordPress or

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Weebly), actually having a marketing strategy beyond asking my Moms friends, and incorporating your business (legalzoom.com is great option for this).

Stand Out with Numbers

Though we're not all math wizards, when it comes to resume builders, numbers truly are your friend! (And no, were not talking about the dreaded GPA, as discussed on page 11.) The proper use of numbers acts as evidence to support your 'value-added' at the position you're describing in the experience section of your resume. Here's a great example... Successfully managed PPC Adwords campaign for multiple accounts and increased website traffic vs. Managed PPC Adwords campaign on three accounts and increased CTR by an average of 1%, resulting in over 5,000 additional hits to each website per month In the second example, the specifics not only provide evidence that the first example lacks, but they also serve to augment your imparted knowledge of the industry as well as an understanding of key metrics. Monster argues that you should think of using numbers in three key ways: 1. Money (...saved the company $1,000) 2. Time (...reduced average call time from 20 minutes to 10 minutes) 3. Amounts (...managed a team of five employees) Obviously, avoid using numbers in situations where it doesn't help you stand out (in a good way). Finally, there's a lot to be said about using less words as well (and not just more numbers). The experience section of your resume should be approached as an 'accomplishments' section rather than as a 'job description' section. Getting overly wordy only ensures that the likelihood of a recruiter actually reading your resume in full will decrease, not increase.

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Chapter 5: Youre Done Writing Your Resume Now What?

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 Tips for Managing Your Online Entry-Level Resume

Youve uploaded your resume to an online service such as CareerBuilder or Monster. So, youre online resume is now complete, right? WRONG. We define an online resume as any information that a recruiter can find about you online. Some call this an online presence or social profile. Regardless of what you call it, its increasingly important to recognize that: 1. Everyone has an online resume AND 2. Its super important to manage it Here are some tips for managing your online resume: Update Your LinkedIn Profile LinkedIn is the go-to place for managing the professional side of your online resume; yet the recent graduate population often waits until they are unemployed recent graduates before adding a picture, profile information, etc. Wed encourage you to create your profile sooner than later, as this will give you time to gain recommendations from internships or professors, join networking groups, and demonstrate that you understand the importance of building connections. A quickly thrown together LinkedIn profile doesnt carry much weight and is often a poor reflection of you as a candidate. Sign up, be active, and build your network. Google Yourself Odds are, an interested recruiter is going to look you up, so beat them to the punch and know whats out there. If your Picasa web album from your spring break trip is showing up on page 1 (or page 2 or 3 for that matter), its time to think about making those pictures private. If nothing is showing up, its time to start a little self-promotion to help get you found (depending on the uniqueness of your name, this can be easier or harder). Make Your Facebook Profile Private

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Its unfortunate that we even have to include this, but the message is still not getting through to many entry-level applicants. It doesnt help that Facebooks privacy settings change frequently and are generally not nearly as straightforward as they could be, but take a few minutes to make sure your Facebook profile is private and that its not popping up in a Google search result. Also, if you remain searchable within Facebook, keep your profile picture G-rated. Start a Self-Promoting Website (i.e. YourName.com) All entry-level job seekers should have a YourName.com website. There are a number of website hosting companies out there that make starting a simple website fast, easy, and cheap WordPress and 1&1 are a couple that come to mind. Bottom line, you no longer need to be technical to have a website. Be sure to include some form of your resume on your website, as well as any other information that lends color to your candidacy and professionalism. Its ok to get creative (and for some positions probably preferable), just remember whom your target audience is (the recruiter at XYZCompany). Create a Blog In the same vein as starting your own website, create a blog to show that youre informed, that you think about important issues, and to show off your writing skills a bit. There are plenty of tools out there for anyone who wants to start a blog, from the technical side of it to how you should structure a blog post and what you should write about. You might be worried about promoting a blog after all, why am I writing this stuff if no one is going to read it? Worry not. Simply adding your blog link to your LinkedIn profile and your resume will ensure that the people who are supposed to read it will get a look (i.e. recruiters, hiring managers, etc.).

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Part 2: The Cover Letter

Chapter 6: Writing Your Cover Letter

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 The 10 Dos and Donts of Writing a Strong Cover Letter

We've already covered: So, what about the cover letter? Here are some tips for creating a strong cover letter if you're an entry-level candidate or recent graduate: Proper Resume Length Page Page Page Page Page 2 6 11 14 15

The Resume Objectives Section

Whether or Not to Include Your GPA on Your Resume?? Writing a Resume with NO Experience How to Stand Out With Numbers

DO
1. Be concise Managers are busy people and the pace of the business world is hectic. Brevity shows that you respect the hiring managers time, and that you know how to convey the relevant and important information succinctly. There is no need to tell them everything. When your awesome cover letter gets you that first interview, there will be time for you to add some additional detail if its applicable and appropriate. 2. Use keywords - Just like the resume objective (page 6) were sure you read about and loved, the cover letter is a shot at mapping your own skills to the position. This is important because some systems scan the cover letter for keywords just as they do the resume. Even when the computers dont scan for those keywords, the hiring manager does and will appreciate the time you took to demonstrate an understanding of his or her needs. 3. Proofread A cover letter is like a work of art. It even has your signature at the bottom of it (or it should)! No artist signs a piece of work until they feel proud enough of it to claim ownership. If you have ever read one of those sites with auto-corrects that went terribly wrong, you should be aware that spelling and grammar check are not always your friends. If you are writing your new resume by opening the file from another cover letter first (see "Donts below), you can easily have a letter addressed to the wrong name, the wrong company (like a competitor Doh!), or the wrong job. Have someone else proof your work,

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look away from the draft for at least a few hours so you see it with fresh eyes, and try reading it backwards. Youll be amazed at the stuff you notice. 4. Demonstrate those communication skills Most employers include written and verbal communication skills in their job postings as requirements. These are key in the professional world and it is just one of many reasons that degree of yours is so important. Your cover letter is the first time you get to demonstrate how well you know your audience, your professional diction and how you will communicate with management, colleagues and customers. 5. Present yourself in 3D Figuratively speaking, a resume is a cold tool - a blunt instrument. It serves a basic function. The reason the cover letter is an important companion to your resume is that prose gives you a golden opportunity to take a two- dimensional review of who you are and generate further interest. This is where what makes you unique from all other applicants can begin to shine through and thats exactly what you want.

DONT
1. Blow it off The job search is admittedly a full-time, and at times, monotonous and frustrating process. After spending so much time on your resume, and adapting it to the job for which you are applying, it is very easy to skip the cover letter (equally as bad: doing it poorly or as a late-night/last-minute rush job). The cover letter is your audition, your first unofficial assignment from a prospective employer. If it looks like a poor effort, your candidacy is over, even if your resume made the first cut. 2. Recycle other cover letters Your cover letter is your first opportunity to directly address the person screening your application. The voice of the letter is usually one-to- one. A good hiring manager can spot a form letter in seconds. Imagine the job youre applying for pays $40,000/year. If the position pays benefits, the cost of your position to the manager's budget might be as high as $50-$60,000/year. If you think he or she is going to spend that kind of coin on a retrofit introduction, think again. Your cover letter should be truly customized for every opportunity.

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3. Repeat your resume Your resume likely got you to the point where someone will read your cover letter. Repackaging your resume in prose just wastes the readers time. The cover letter is a distinct piece of your application even though it is paired with your resume. While it is perfectly acceptable (and even desirable) to augment elements of your resume, repetition gives the impression that you really have nothing compelling to say. 4. Waste words Fluff and euphemism have zero value in your cover letter. I am writing to apply for the position of (If youre the 25th person the hiring manager is reviewing, imagine how you would feel having to read this sentenceAGAIN). By all means, be professional. But any letter that has filler in it looks bad, and even worse may look like a template you simply pasted from the web. 5. Make it about you This is counter-intuitive, but cover letters are usually littered with the word, I. The fact that your application is a representation of you is understood. (Have you ever been on a date with someone who talked about his or herself the entire time?) Your cover letter is where your skills, internships, and years of study should be mapped to the benefits for the employer. Employers pay for talent because of what you can do for them.

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 Risky Cover Letters - Can You Pull One Off?

There's a ton of information on the Internet about how to craft a strong cover letter, highlighting the right things and mentioning the company you are applying to. But what happens when you know the competition is fierce and you are not an exact fit for the role? Is it ever worth it to go outside the realm of the standard cover letter/resume and get cheeky? Sometimes it pays to be risky but it is a VERY fine line between coming across as witty and attractive versus being disrespectful. Below is an example of one of the risky cover letters we received in our search for an executive- level marketing person to be honest, this person did not get the job, but we gave her respect for trying to be different, and months later still remember reading this and at least being entertained. Two things that stood out to me: honesty and humor. What do you think did she go too far or is it pitch perfect? Dear Wonderful People at CBL Exam [now HigherNext], I am responding to a job posting on Startuply for the position of EVP Marketing or anything else that pays a decent living wage. I think that idea of the CBL exam sounds like a great idea! My life and work experience is interesting and does not categorize well into a neat little box. I am hoping to find work in a company that needs and appreciates my jack of all trades expert of none experience. I realize that I have returned from the land of the Holy Grail, Colorado, and to most that seems insane. Why would anyone move BACK East? Do they even work at all out there? The answer of course is my family, as well as a result of a nasty economic downturn. I have entrepreneurial blood pulsing through my veins and I cannot stay away from a startup that I could grow with. My skills are diverse. I am good at everything, but an expert at nothing. I have worked on every conceivable position in business including marketing, management, technology, human resources, planning, financing, business plan writing, spreadsheets, CRM software, SEO

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optimization, developing a web presence, accounting, hiring, firing, employee motivations, accepting awards, writing, sales, plumbing and once even dumpster diving just to name a few. I am tired of writing boring letters to horrific corporations. I am super smart, can learn anything at lightning speed, and am an all-around good time. I want to exchange my cowboy boots for a snappy pant suit. My goal is to attend Happy Hour in Rittenhouse Square. I have an MBA and am good at making presentations as well as analyzing data. I like the definiteness of bookkeeping or the ambiguity of sales forecasting. I can slip away into a room and wrap myself up in numbers, or charm the pants off a roomful of people. I am an excellent employee that works harder than everyone else every time, consistently. I produce more in half the time of most people. I am not even sure how I do it. Despite what this letter might convey, I have loads of common sense which apparently is lacking in 98% of Americans. Call me!

Connect With Us! Facebook: /HigherNext LinkedIn: /company/HigherNext *Join the discussion: Career-Minded Business Majors Twitter @HigherNext Corporate Casual: blog.highernext.com 24