Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
PASSP ORT
2008
2009
CAREER PASSPORT
A publication of the Career Services Network
C A REER S ERVICES
Kelley Bishop, Executive Director
@ the stadium
Theda Rudd, Associate Director
290 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.884.1300
careernetwork.msu.edu
@ stude nt service s
Linda Gross, Associate Director
113 Student Services Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.355.9510
careernetwork.msu.edu
L E A R CO R P O R AT I O N C A R E E R
SERVICES CENTER
Georey Humphrys, Director
21 Eppley Center
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.432.0830
careernetwork.msu.edu
edito rial te am
Courtney Chapin, Managing Editor
Eric Doerr
Linda Gross
Renee Hall
Tammison Smith
Contents
WELCOME TO CAREER SERVICES
@ MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
The MSU Career Services Network. . . . 10
A map for nding the resources
youre looking for
Career Advising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Where it happens and how to make an
appointment
Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
A menu of oerings to jump-start
your career
Career Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Course listings and instructor contact info
i l lustratio n
Tom Rufey
Career Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Schedule of 200809 career events
l ayout/design
Charlie Sharp, Sharp Des!gns, Inc.
Job Shadowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Spend time on the job with a pro
to see what its all about
Informational Interviewing . . . . . . . . . 27
Meet professionals to get insider information
Career Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Not really tests, but they can help you
Michigan State University is an afrmativeaction, equal-opportunity employer.
nd some answers
Featured
Employers
3M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Aetna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Alcoa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Aldi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Ameriprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Capitol Area Michigan Works! . . . 23
Caterpillar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Action Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
demonstrate accomplishment
job opportunities
Resume Makeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
An example to help you take your
resume to the next level
Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Basics for writing a great cover letter
and a sample to get you started
LEAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Dress to Impress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Tips to build your wardrobe
Denso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
and more
Dart Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Enterprise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
employers
Cooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
CNA Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
LiquidWeb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Metavante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Michigan Health & Hospital
Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
MSU Administrative Information
Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
MSU Human Resources Dept.. . . . 71
Oshkosh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Seagate Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC
Sircon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Spartan Motors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Teach for America . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Techsmith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Terex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Union Pacic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
US Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Ave.
igan
h
c
i
M
Linton
Brody
KELLOGG
CENTER
MUSEUM
LIBRARY
Olds
Admin.
BRESLIN
CENTER
1
2
Intl. Center
12
Wonders
Case
Wilson
10
Communication
Arts & Sciences
Holden
THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION provides career support to Alumni Association members.
Trowbridge Rd.
10
11
Engineering
Wells
Harrison Rd.
SPARTAN
STADIUM
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
& NATURAL RESOURCES
121 Agriculture Hall
Jill Cords, jcords@msu.edu
4
Berkey
Gran
Student
Services
Natural
Sciences
Agriculture
5
6
d Ri
ver
Ave
.
10
COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
ARTS & SCIENCES
Club 181: CAS Center for Jobs & Internships
181 Communication Arts & Sciences
(To be announced)
Paul Jaques, jaques@msu.edu
11
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
The Center for Spartan Engineering
1340 Engineering Building
Jennifer Jennings, jjenning@msu.edu
12
Mason/Abbot
7
Giltner
Kedzie
Phillips/Snyder
Bessey
AUDITORIUM
Kresge
Van Hoosen
Farm Lane
Bogue St.
Shaw Lane
Holmes
McDonel
Owen
Hagadorn
Shaw
Erickson
Eppley
Center
WHARTON CENTER
Akers
Hubbard
Wilson Rd.
Fee
careernetwork.msu.edu
11
MySpartanCareer
Career Services sta will keep you
informed about opportunities based
on your prole information.
Keep your resume(s) updated
and current.
Access current job postings, on- and
o-campus jobs, internships, and
interview signup through personalized
search criteria. Try a mock interview!
Never miss an opportunity create
search agents and nd out fast when
jobs that meet your criteria are posted.
Expand your search by tapping into
the national and international reach
of the NACElink network.
Get information on what employers
are out there!
Keep track of your scheduled
interviews and interview requests
so you never miss a meeting with
an employer.
Stay up-to-date on career fairs, events,
workshops, and employer info sessions to make the most out of every
opportunity.
Browse events in a calendar format by
day, week, month, or year. Mark events
for your personal calendar.
12
Career Resources
CONNECTING INTERESTS, SKILLS & VALUES TO CAREER OPTIONS
BridgesChoices Planner: Assess and examine your interests, work
values, and beliefs about your work skills. Search for information on
careers, compare your assessment results with the career information
provided, create a career goal plan and save it all in your own on-line
portfolio.
RESEARCHING EMPLOYERS, FIELDS OF INTEREST,
AND GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS
CareerSearch: Fast access to almost 10 million key contacts,
including: company descriptions, addresses, names, titles and many
e-mail addresses. Search by industry advertising agencies, health
care providers, manufacturers, museums, nonprots, publishers and
more! Use CareerSearch to nd potential employers in your targeted
geographic areas to start uncovering the hidden opportunities in your
eld of interest.
WetFeet: Famous Insider Guides for industries, top choice employers,
and career management strategies in addition to proles on real
people, careers, industries, and cities. Use WetFeet to learn what
professionals do, how much they earn, what industries and employers
are all about and watch CareerTV videos to put it all in focus!
INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES
american firms operating in foreign countries: The authoritative
source of information on American rms with branches, subsidiaries,
or afliates in foreign countries. American companies listed have
a substantial investment in overseas operations wholly or partially
owned subsidiary afliate or branch.
foreign firms operating in the u.s.: The authoritative source
of information on foreign rms (non-American) with branches,
subsidiaries, or afliates in the United States. Foreign companies
listed have a substantial investment in American operations wholly
or partially owned subsidiary afliate or branch.
going global: Resources for those interested in expanding their job
and internship search outside their home country. View country and
USA city career guides, job and internship listings, key employer
directory, and connect with professionals around the globe!
PRACTICING INTERVIEW SKILLS
Perfect Interview: Use Perfect Interview to experience a mock
interview 24/7 in the comfort of your own room! Practice simulated
mock interview questions based on your experience level. This is
great for practicing an interview for the rst time or brushing up on
hard-to-answer questions. Includes tips from an interview coach in
case you get stuck.
car eer passpo rt 2 0 0 8
careernetwork.msu.edu
13
Were
advising, workshops & courses
Advising
Career advisors can help at every stage
of your planning for life after MSU. We
focus on helping you connect your academic and co-curricular experiences to
life after college, whether your plans
are employment or graduate study.
Just getting started? The Career
Services Network has advisors
skilled in early stages of career
planning and development.
The Lear Corporation Career
Services Center provides career
advising for all students interested
in business-related careers.
2 NEWS FEED
Everything the Career Services
Network has to oer is available to
recent graduates for one year after
graduation. Services, including
MySpartanCareer, are available
to members of the MSU Alumni
Association who are more than
one year past graduation.
14
Here to Help!
Workshops
Resume writing
Step-by-step career planning
Eective job campaign
Orientation to the Career Services Network and
MySpartanCareer
Dressing for success
Business careers for non-business majors
Interview and communication skills
Networking
Preparing for career fairs
Researching an employer
Internship and summer job search strategies
Applying for graduate/professional school
What can I do with a major in . . . ?
Presentations with featured speakers including alumni,
employer representatives, faculty, and other experts
Courses
job search strategies Looking for a course that focuses
on nding a job, internship, or career-building experience?
If so, you may want to consider a course that can help you
narrow areas of interest, develop strategies for eective
professional communication, research companies, market
your skills and experiences, network with professionals, and
present yourself eectively in interviews and at career fairs.
ssc 490
2 credits
Kristi Coleman
colem239@msu.edu
2 credits
spring
gardnerp@msu.edu
3 credits
spring
gardnerp@msu.edu
careernetwork.msu.edu
15
Career Events
Fall Semester 08
8/27/08. EARN, LEARN & INTERN
Looking for part-time employment this Fall? Searching for an internship to help you develop your professional skills? Update your resume and attend the Earn, Learn, and Intern Fair. On-campus employers, along
with local businesses will be present to talk with students about part-time job and internship opportunities.
10/1 & 2/08. CAREER GALLERY
The largest fair of the yeara two-day event! Over 250 employers and 4,500 students attend.
COMMSCI-TECH EXCHANGE (Oct. 1) For students interested in the corporate sectors of engineering,
science, R&D, biotechnology, computer science and information technology, advertising, media, retail
and telecommunication.
BUSINESS EXCHANGE (Oct. 2) For students interested in business-related jobs. Employers represent the
automotive, manufacturing, agribusiness, service, consumer products, retail, insurance, transportation,
and nance industries.
10/14/08. AGRICULTURE CAREER FAIR
2 NEWS FEED
Career Fairs give you an opportunity to speak directly with
employers about openings,
learn about career elds, and
gain advice on job and internship searches. Events are open
to all enrolled students check
out what weve got planned for
this academic year!
For students seeking internships or full-time employment in agribusiness, agriculture communications, sales and marketing, research, production agriculture, or the green industries.
Employers represent the agronomy, dairy, equine, fruit, horticulture, livestock, turf grass,
and vegetable industries.
10/15/08. GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL RECRUITMENT FAIR
Over 100 institutions oering graduate programs in law, health, science, business, public
aairs, arts, and humanities. Past participants include Notre Dame Law, Harvard School
of Education, Ohio State School of Optometry, and George Washington School of International Aairs.
11/4/08. HOSPITALITY BUSINESSCAREER EXPO
16
Targeted toward students with a particular interest in pursuing management careers in the
hospitality industry. Employers recruit for permanent management positions and internships. Prior to the evening career fair, industry leaders present professional development
workshops in a variety of topics. This event is coordinated through the department. For
more information on this particular event, call 517.353.9747.
11/7/08. CREATIVE ARTS FORUM
For students considering a more creative career path. Come to meet professionals and
learn more about what it takes to begin a career in elds like writing, editing, curation,
lm, design, arts management, publishing and other creative arts areas. This event is an
information-sharing and networking opportunity, not a recruiting event.
Spring Semester 09
1/22/09. DIVERSITY CAREER FAIR
This inclusive event attracts over 2,200 students and 140
well-known employers representing a variety of industries.
Our largest Spring Semester event, this fair is part of a
year-long series of workshops, networking receptions,
and employer information sessions related to workplace
diversity.
1/29/09. CAREER SUMMIT
Brings together student leaders from all majors and
campus student organizations to network with alumni and
professionals in an interactive format. Workshops at this
conference will help students build upon their leadership
skills, gain ideas for professional development and transitioning into a career. This is an information-sharing and
networking opportunity, not a recruiting event.
2/11/09. GOVERNMENT & NONPROFIT CAREER FAIR
For students interested in public service careers. Employers represent federal, state, and local government as
well as nonprot agencies. Past participants include U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
State Department, and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
2/11/09. ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCES
CAREER FAIR
An informational fair for students exploring government
agencies, nonprots, and policy interest groups involved
with environmental and natural resources issues.
2/18/09. SUMMER EMPLOYMENT & INTERNSHIP FAIR
For students looking for a full- or part-time seasonal job or
internship. Over 80 employers attend past participants
include the Ofce of the Governor, Cedar Point Amusement
Park, Palace Sports and Entertainment (Auburn Hills),
Comerica Park, Target, Kraft Foods, Citadel Broadcasting,
and over 40 summer camps.
2/20/09. SPEED NETWORKING
Youve heard getting a job is about who you know, and
speed networking is your chance to meet professionals
with careers in advertising, media, information technol-
1 LINKS
Not sure what to do at a Career Fair? Go to careernetwork.msu.edu
and read our quick guide to Career Fairs! or go to pages 6263
to read the section Get Results at a Career Fair.
1 LINKS
Check to see which employers you want to
meet on MySpartanCareer!
careernetwork.msu.edu
17
Playing by the
18
Rules
your responsibilities for professionalism, honesty & ethics
Policies
FALSIFICATION OF INFORMATION
Students and alumni registering and submitting their resume and data are certifying that the information
is truthful and accurate. Those found providing false information in any way risk becoming ineligible for
on-campus interviewing and Career Network services.
RENEGING
1 LINKS
careernetwork.msu.edu
19
24
Career Assessments
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Strong Interest Inventory are indepth assessments available through your career advisor and require a minimum
of two advising sessions. The MBTI helps you to assess how your personality
preferences might inuence your career choices, and helps you to understand
yourself and your interactions with others (at work or in your personal life). The
Strong Interest Inventory helps you clarify and reect on
NEWS FEED
your interests so you can better understand and expand on
possible career options.
College is about exploration and discovery . . .
careernetwork.msu.edu
25
Job Shadowing
26
Informational Interviewing
Talking to current professionals is a great way to
determine if a career eld is for you. An informational
interview is a 1030 minute conversation with someone
working in a position or eld that interests you.
WHY SHOULD I DO AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW?
TO LEARN. If you want to nd out what a specic
career path has to oer, what the positives and
negatives are within an organizations culture, or
which academic major will best prepare you for a
selected career path, why not ask the people who are
already working within that eld?
TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. In a recent national
survey, 70% of respondents reported they got their
present position because of a personal contact. The
earlier you start building relationships with people in
your eld of interest, the stronger they will be when
you actually begin your job hunt later on.
HOW DO I CONDUCT AN INFORMATIONAL INVERVIEW?
An outline for conducting informational interviews can
be found at careernetwork.msu.edu.
Sample informational interviews are available through
MySpartanCareer in Wetfeet (see page 13).
2 NEWS FEED
Taking risks broadens your vision for the future . . .
Experiment with electives and Study Abroad programs.
Talk with faculty about their research and eld
experiences.
Take a tour of a business, nonprot, or government
organization.
Go on an Alternative Spring Break program.
careernetwork.msu.edu
27
28
Some things to consider to help you become the star hire that all employers hope to nd:
. SET GOALS.
. HAVE FUN!
Learning about your chosen eld can be an
enjoyable experience. Connect with other students and employees both inside and outside
of the work environment. Take it upon yourself
to organize after-work social activities if they
are not planned for you. Remember to exhibit a
strong work ethic throughout your experience,
and you will be respected by those you work
with.
. FIND A MENTOR.
If your employer does not provide you with
someone who will coach you and answer your
questions, seek out employees who will agree
to serve in that role.
2 NEWS FEED
Students who complete internships while in school are preferred
by employers, graduate, and professional schools. Entry-level
salary oers to students who have internship experience are
higher than to students without internship experience.
careernetwork.msu.edu
29
30
a Career . . .
section of the job listing. Look for positions that seem interesting, regardless
of what the title is, or the preferred
degree. You may in fact possess many of
the qualities theyre looking for:
COMMUNICATION SKILLS, both
written and oral (remember the
countless papers and presentations?),
the ABILITY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY (how about all those group
projects and community service
projects?),
and LEADERSHIP SKILLS (ever
held a leadership role in a student
organization or been responsible
for training or supervising others at
work?).
These skills are all often part of the
desired qualications section of entrylevel positions.
If you can demonstrate in your
cover letter and resume that youre
as qualied as someone from the
employers preferred major, you have
just as good a shot at landing the job!
Its all about how you put the whole
package together.
careernetwork.msu.edu
31
32
1 LINKS
For more information, visit
www.idealist.org.
HOW DO I APPLY?
The federal government has its
own application system and what
sometimes seems like its own
language. Once you understand the
procedure of applying and some
special terminology, the application
is fairly straightforward. One of the
most helpful sites on the Web for all
aspects of the federal job search is
the Partnership for Public Service.
1 LINKS
Visit the Partnership for Public Service at
MakingTheDierence.org to access resources
for college students and recent grads.
careernetwork.msu.edu
33
NEWS FEED
1 LINKS
You can nd a list of factors to
consider in choosing a graduate
school, information on personal
statements, and more at careernetwork.msu.edu.
34
careernetwork.msu.edu
35
lets
2 NEWS FEED
Intimidated by the prospect of
writing your resume? . . .
Confused about why you even
need one in the rst place? . . .
Youre not alone!
38
If youre considering a variety of career options and applying for many dierent kinds
of positions, youll need to customize each
resume you submit. Its important to tailor
your resume to the particular position
as much as possible. Incorporate
language from the job description
into your headings and action bulwhenever you can.
Formatting Essentials
There are no rules about what a resume ought to look
like, or what it should or shouldnt include. It all
depends on the job youre applying for, the kind of
employer, and the image of yourself that you want to
project. But, there are some general formatting rules
you should always remember . . .
RESUMES ARE NOT A LIST OF EVERYTHING
YOUVE EVER DONE.
Use the job description to guide what you include
on your resume, and what you leave out. Employers
are interested in what youve done recently. Include
only experiences that youve had since youve been in
college dont include your high school education or
activities.
Its not necessary to list all the courses youve ever
taken. If employers really care about your coursework,
theyll ask for transcripts. If you have coursework that is
directly relevant to the position, you could include that
as a bullet point in your Education section.
For a recent college undergrad applying for an entrylevel position, stick to one page. (Exceptions are for
federal or education resumes, which tend to be longer
because of additional material required.)
One-inch margins (all the way around) are standard
for resumes.
Be consistent with your format throughout the
document. Use the same line spacing, font, font size,
etc.
Avoid italics and underlining, since they can be
misread by optical scanners that are used by many
employers for scanning resumes into electronic
database systems. Use ALL CAPS and bold to make
your important words and phrases stand out.
Choose a font that is easy to read. Good fonts include
Arial, Times New Roman, Palatino, Tahoma, and
Verdana. Use no less than 11 points for smaller fonts;
larger fonts can be easily read at 10 points.
Make headers and contact information larger than
body text.
Dont use templates or resume programs to create
your resume. Anyone who spends time looking at a
lot of resumes can spot them a mile away.
Use action verbs to begin bullet points whenever
possible. This way, an employer will easily see your
skills (analyzed, organized, wrote, solved . . .) just by
skimming over the rst part of each line. Check out
the action verbs list (page 42) for more ideas on what
kinds of language to use in your resume.
careernetwork.msu.edu
39
Resume Types
CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME
Lists your work history in reverse chronological order
(most recent rst).
Is the format preferred by many employers. It is also the
preferred format for undergraduates.
Works best for those who have progressed in titles and
have a good work history.
FUNCTIONAL RESUME
Centers around skill areas that relate to the position for which youre
applying.
Works well for those with limited education, signicant employment gaps,
lack of work experience, or experience in a dierent eld. This format can
be used both by recent grads and career changers.
WARNING! This format isnt well received by many employers for a variety
of reasons. If youd like to use a functional format, seek assistance from a
career advisor for feedback. If you like the idea, but think its just a little
too much, you might consider a combination resume.
40
COMBINATION RESUME
RESUME-ZILLA!
Resume Donts
In a recent survey of over 2,500
recruiters in the U.S. and Canada,
ResumeDoctor.com collected
feedback on their 20 biggest pet
peeves when it comes to resumes.
Surveyed recruiters represented
many dierent industries/specialties. Below are the top ten results
from the survey.
1 Spelling errors, typos, and poor
grammar
2 Too duty-oriented; reads like
a job description and fails to
explain what the job seekers
accomplishments are
3 Dates not included, or inaccurate
dates
4 Omitted or incorrect contact
info or unprofessional e-mail
addresses
5 Poor formatting boxes,
templates, tables, use of headers
and footers, etc.
6 Functional resume as opposed to
chronological resume. (Remember, many conservative employers dont like this format!)
1 LINKS
RESUMES IN THE DIGITAL AGE
What if an employer asks me for a scannable resume
or wants me to send a resume electronically?
Nearly 70 percent of all employers have an electronic
resume system, according to the National Association
of Colleges and Employers. This means that the rst
person to see your resume will probably be a computer!
For information on scannable resume formatting and
electronic resumes, check out the resume resources at
careernetwork.msu.edu.
careernetwork.msu.edu
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42
validated
veried
COMMUNICATION
addressed
apprised
arbitrated
attested
authored
claried
communicated
composed
convinced
corresponded
drafted
edited
explained
informed
interpreted
lectured
marketed
persuaded
presented
promoted
publicized
queried
reported
spoke
summarized
translated
wrote
CREATIVITY
brainstormed
constructed
designed
engineered
envisioned
fabricated
illustrated
produced
shaped
visualized
FLEXIBILITY
accommodated
adapted
adjusted
altered
amended
balanced
converted
grew
improvised
tailored
ORGANIZATION
arranged
assembled
budgeted
calculated
catalogued
centralized
charted
classied
collected
compiled
consolidated
correlated
indexed
linked
orchestrated
2 NEWS FEED
organized
oriented
planned
processed
purchased
recorded
regulated
scheduled
systematized
tabulated
INITIATIVE
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
acquired
advanced
bolstered
boosted
built
coordinated
created
dedicated
demonstrated
enriched
established
expanded
expedited
implemented
improved
increased
initiated
innovated
inspired
introduced
launched
minimized
mobilized
modernized
modied
multiplied
overhauled
pioneered
revamped
revised
spearheaded
stimulated
suggested
updated
upgraded
LEADERSHIP
administered
advised
allocated
allowed
appointed
approved
assigned
authorized
chaired
coached
delegated
designated
directed
educated
elicited
employed
empowered
enabled
encouraged
endorsed
enhanced
facilitated
fostered
founded
guided
hired
inuenced
instructed
interviewed
judged
led
moderated
monitored
motivated
ofciated
recruited
sanctioned
supervised
trained
TEAMWORK
assisted
collaborated
contributed
cooperated
mediated
participated
partnered
PROBLEMSOLVING
aided
alleviated
ameliorated
augmented
counseled
customized
debugged
eased
elevated
enlarged
extended
extracted
nalized
fullled
generated
identied
interceded
invented
lightened
polished
procured
reconciled
rectied
reduced
rened
reformed
rehabilitated
reinforced
rejuvenated
relieved
remedied
remodeled
repaired
restored
retrieved
revitalized
revived
settled
solicited
solved
streamlined
strengthened
supplemented
transformed
. . . AND MORE!
acted
activated
added
admitted
apportioned
appraised
approximated
attained
audited
certied
commissioned
committed
consented
contracted
disbursed
dispatched
displayed
enlisted
excelled
executed
exercised
familiarized
gured
guaranteed
indicated
instituted
involved
issued
licensed
maintained
operated
performed
prepared
programmed
realized
related
reserved
reviewed
satised
screened
secured
served
set
smoothed
sought
specied
submitted
surveyed
sustained
traced
transacted
transmitted
valued
careernetwork.msu.edu
43
Resume Makeover
the dos & donts of resumes
Whats wrong?
This is an MS Word template! Using
a template or resume program can
cause an employer to think that
you dont have the computer skills
necessary to create, format, and
organize your resume or that
you dont have the initiative to
gure out how to do one on your
own. Show employers that you can
think for yourself and use word
processing software skillfully.
Employers can spot template
resumes right o the bat.
The contact information here is
too small one of the downfalls
of templates. One of the most
important things on your resume is
how to get in touch with you. Make
sure employers will be able to read
your contact information easily.
Never include personal information
like your Social Security number,
birth date, height, weight, etc.
Dont use an unprofessional e-mail
address! Set the tone for your level
of professionalism from the very
beginning of your interactions with
a potential employer.
If youre including an objective
in your resume, keep it short and
employer-focused. Its great if you
want to advance your skills, but
employers care more about what
youll do for them rather than
what theyll do for you. A better
44
Whats right?
Name and contact information is
large and easy to read. Both current
and permanent addresses are
listed. It can sometimes be months
before an employer follows up on
DOB: 01/01/1987
SS# 999-00-1111
Paige Turner
CURRENT : 3130 Green Drive, East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 555-1234
PERMANENT : 999 Snowy Lane, Escanaba, MI 49829 (906) 555-7890
turner9p@msu.edu
Paige Turner
OBJECTIVE
EXPERIENCE
Sept. 2006present
Spartys Deli
East Lansing, MI
Assistant Manager
Manage staff.
Ordered supplies and inventory.
Prepare customers orders and provided customer assistance.
Aug. 2005May 2006, Generic Sports Bar & Grill
Waitress
Took orders and served food.
Cleaned bathrooms and lobby and performed side-work.
Summer 2005
Sports Unlimited
Sales Associate
Assisted customers with purchases.
Stocked merchendise.
Worked cash register and handled transactions.
EDUCATION
20052009
MSU
B.S. in Zoology.
Deans List every semester but one.
Study Abroad, Summer 2006
Okemos, MI
Escanaba, MI
East Lansing, MI
INTERESTS
REFERENCES
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Zoology
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Additional concentrations in zoo and aquarium science and Japanese
Deans List (5/6 semesters)
EXPERIENCE
Assistant Manager
Spartys Deli, East Lansing, MI
Supervised and trained serving staff of 10
Ordered $7,000 in weekly supplies and inventory
Increased sales by 10% during tenure as assistant manager
May 2009
Sept. 2006present
President
Aug. 2007present
Zoology Club, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Organized and supervised work of 3 sub-committees
Allocated annual budget exceeding $5,000
Interacted with university, city and state officials in service and lobbying projects
Increased membership by 23% during presidency
Study Abroad: Advertising in Asia
Summer 2006
Japan and China
Studied interactive advertising management theory and practice in Tokyo, Beijing, and
Hong Kong
Visited 9 advertising rms and gained insight into creative, sales, and management
practices in major Asian markets
Completed team advertising project using digital media and gaming for cell phone
distribution and presented to panel of advertising and business executives
Sales Associate
Summer 2005
Sports Unlimited, Escanaba, MI
In charge of direct sales of athletic shoes, accessories and apparel
Determined product display placement and arrangement
Selected and ordered products based on understanding of consumer demand
Involved in most aspects of managing a retail store including: scheduling, store security,
customer relations, opening and closing, as well as coaching employees to increase sales
results
COMPUTER SKILLS
Skilled in MS Word and electronic research systems, including Internet
Proficient in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Photoshop
Working knowledge of MS Access, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and Adobe Illustrator
PORTFOLIO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
careernetwork.msu.edu
45
Combination Resumes
Ling S. Wu
May 2010
EXPERIENCE
Riding Instructor
Summer 2008
Camp Linden, Girl Scouts of the Huron Valley Council
Instructed campers in barn safety, horse care, and riding
Evaluated campers riding skills and placed them in appropriate groups
Presented to groups of up to thirty about horses, safety, and camp history
Supervised safety and well-being of over 500 children ages 7 to 12
Volunteer
January 2007present
Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center, Lansing, MI
Worked one-on-one with special-needs riders to improve their balance and control
Handled horses calmly and confidently in new and diverse situations
Used shared interest in horseback riding as means of connecting with people of different
abilities
Server
July 2006present
Soups On Caf, Okemos, MI
Quickly learned procedures for preparing food in proficient and safe manner
Improved communication skills through interaction with customers
Monitored register drawer and cash box, and processed daily bank deposits
Trained new employees for opening, middle, and closing shifts
ACTIVITIES
Volunteered for Michigan Womens Historical Centers Annual Picnic on the Lawn fundraiser
Ten (10) years of active involvement as member of Irish dance companies
Eleven (11) years of horseback riding experience, including English Hunter/Jumper, some
Western, and experience as instructor
Experienced in campsite preparation and set-up, outdoor cooking over open fires and using
propane camp stoves, and trail creation and maintenance
46
CREATIVE PORTFOLIOS
A creative portfolio contains only samples of work relevant
to your particular eld. Just like a professional portfolio, your
creative portfolio should be organized and presented in a
quality format. Many creative elds also expect a title page,
essay, or artist statement and biography. Talk with people
working in your eld about the specic expectations for this type
of portfolio.
careernetwork.msu.edu
47
Cover Letters
2 NEWS FEED
Any time you mail a resume or application to
an employer, you should include a cover letter.
Whenever youre not face-to-face with an employer, your cover letter is your introduction.
THE OVERVIEW
Write a separate cover letter for every position. The best
cover letters are customized for the employer receiving
them.
Dont just talk about you. Your resume talks about you.
Demonstrate youve done your employer research and
show them how youre the best candidate for them. This
means talking about them and how youre a t for what
they need/want.
Demonstrate professional, simple and direct writing
style while also expressing personal interest and
excitement.
As with your resume, your cover letter is a writing
sample. Proofreading for grammatical and spelling
errors, typos, and content/style is just as important.
Mistakes can wreck your chances of moving forward.
Think of your cover letter like a response to a personal
48
THE DETAILS
Your resume and cover letter should match in both style
and appearance.
Fold them together and mail in a matching envelope or,
because employers are increasingly scanning resumes,
send your cover letter and resume unfolded in a large
envelope.
If youre e-mailing your resume as an attachment,
its not necessary to also attach a cover letter. The
e-mail message itself serves as a cover letter. Write it
accordingly.
Address the letter to a specic individual.
Ling S. Wu
1234 Eastside Dr., Okemos, MI 48864 H: 517.555.5678 C: 517.555.0912 wuling@msu.edu
DATE.
name, if possible.
SALUTATION.
Ling S. Wu
Ling S. Wu
Enclosure
careernetwork.msu.edu
49
Communication
telephone, mail, and e-mail
50
Essentials
Thank-you Letters
Always send a thank-you letter after an interview or other
personal interaction. Show the people you met that you
appreciate their time and attention. Thank-you letters can
be sent via e-mail, a hand-written note, or formal letter.
Wondering whether or not e-mail is the best way to
send a thank-you note? As with most things, it depends
on the organization. More conservative employers will
likely prefer a formal letter. Employers who have a
high-touch approach to customer service or a high level
of relationship development with clients are more likely
to prefer a hand-written note or card. But any employer
with a quick turn-around time between interview and
oer (you interview on Thursday and they tell you they
plan to make a decision on Monday) should get an e-mail
thank-you letter.
Be sure to send the thank-you promptly its best to send
it within 24 hours of your meeting or exchange.
The bottom line is that you want the letter to reach them
before theyve made their decision. If they havent told you
what their timeline is, thats one of the things you should
ask before leaving the interview!
To avoid burning bridges that might be useful later on, you
should even send a thank-you letter to an employer with
whom youve decided NOT to accept a position.
For more information on thank-you letters, see the
resources available at careernetwork.msu.edu.
Eective E-mailing
Dont use an unprofessional e-mail address (e.g.,
sexykitten@hotmail.com). The recipient could delete
the message thinking its spam or porn.
Always include a meaningful subject line that makes
it clear what will be covered in the message, such as
Jos Vega Conrming Friday Interview Time or
MSU Food Science Junior Seeking Information.
Always include your full name and contact information
in each e-mail.
Remember that there is no guarantee that an e-mail is
private.
When replying to a message, always include the
previous message in your response. Keeping the
thread of the discussion together will help both you
and your contact to follow the course of your e-mail
discussion.
Always re-read and spell-check every e-mail before
you hit send!
2 NEWS FEED
Every time you communicate with an employer,
be as professional as possible. Always use correct grammar when speaking or writing.
Even if e-mail is your preferred way of communicating, check with your contacts to see what
their preferred contact method is so you can
communicate with them most eectively.
careernetwork.msu.edu
51
54
Friends or relatives
Alumni or school
placement contacts
Cold contact with
an employer when
no job was posted
Newspaper or web ads
48%
23%
24%
5%
International Students
and the Job Search
We want to help you make your job search as
productive and stress-free as possible. But as
is probably becoming evident, the job search
is rarely, if ever, a quick and easy process. It
can be stressful even for those who have a clear
idea of what they want to do, where they want
to do it, and for whom. And for international
students studying at MSU or at any other university, there are additional issues to overcome.
There are both legal and cultural barriers involved in international students job searches.
Visa and work authorization processes can be
complicated and the cultural dierences in
resumes, interviews and other aspects of the
search can be unsettling. It can also be difcult
to look for a job in your home country from
hundreds or thousands of miles away!
To help meet the particular needs of international students, MSUs Career Services Network
has partnered with MSUs Ofce for International Students and Scholars to provide a centralized online resource. Visit careernetwork.
msu.edu/students/international for access
to information specically for international
students job search needs.
1 LINKS
For more information on services and resources
available to international students at MSU, please
contact the Ofce of International Students and
Scholars, 103 International Center, 517.353.1720,
oiss.msu.edu.
careernetwork.msu.edu
55
2 NEWS FEED
You must look more like a great potential colleague than a desperate job
seeker! There are plenty of desperate
job seekers; it is your job to understand
your top companies needs and
place yourself in situations where
you can demonstrate your abilities.
To know if youre on the right track, you should conduct informational interviews with people working in your eld of
interest (see page 27).
Check out industry guides and other resources in WetFeet.
Find specic eld resources at careernetwork.msu.edu.
CareerSearch provides fast, accurate, up-to-date information
on potential employers and contacts in a wide range of
industries and elds nationally and internationally.
56
ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS
GET THE MOST OUT OF
MYSPARTANCAREER.
1 LINKS
2 NEWS FEED
Check interview schedules daily, and look ahead to dates
for the whole semester.
If you submitted a resume for a pre-select interview, note
when you should check to see if you have been chosen.
Make sure you note the date, time, and especially location
of your interview. Some may be held in the centers at
Student Services, Spartan Stadium, and Eppley Center.
careernetwork.msu.edu
57
Graduate
58
PH.D. PLACEMENT
Unknown
Private sector
Education
Other
Government
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Non-U.S. educational
institutuion
U.S. preschool,
elementary, middle,
secondary school or
school system
U.S. university-aliated
research institute
careernetwork.msu.edu
59
Dress to Impress!
2 NEWS FEED
You know that thing about never getting a second chance to make
a rst impression? Well, its true. Its just as true about a blind
date as it is about meeting a professional contact for the rst
time. Regardless of the circumstances, you want to make the best
impression you can the rst time around or you might not get a
second chance!
Professional dress matters because it helps you to project an
image that lets the employer see you in the professional role you
are seeking. The whole working world doesnt revolve around
dark conservative suits. What you wear for a professional encounter depends on the career eld youre pursuing.
1 LINKS
Find more detailed information about dress dos and donts at
careernetwork.msu.edu.
60
khakis
dress pants
dress shoes
button-down shirt
sweater
blazer
loafers
careernetwork.msu.edu
61
2 NEWS FEED
Depending on time and crowds,
you might want to consider approaching an employer towards the
bottom of your list to start o. This
gives you an opportunity to actually use your prepared introduction
with a real recruiter and work out
any last-minute nervousness before you visit the employers youre
most interested in, where you can
least aord to be nervous.
62
Your name
Your MSU program/major
When youre graduating
What youre looking for (more information, full-time employment, an
internship or co-op, etc.)
Your area of interest with the organization and how your skills (or
personal qualities or experience) relate to that area
Fair
At the fair . . .
GET ORGANIZED.
Pick up a map showing where organization booths are. You
might also want to take a quick walk through the space to get
a feel for the layout of the fair. Then what?
APPROACH AN ORGANIZATION.
It can be intimidating to approach and introduce yourself to
a recruiter. Students often say introductions at career fairs
are weird, unnatural, or forced. It helps if you remember the recruiter is here to meet you, so dont be shy! Oer a
rm handshake, and then give your commercial. Remember,
be direct. If youre interested in a certain position, let them
know.
careernetwork.msu.edu
63
Interview Basics
WHATS THE POINT OF AN INTERVIEW?
The purpose of an interview is to exchange information.
The employer evaluates your ability to do the job. You
look for a match between your interests and the work.
1 LINKS
You can nd a list of
sample interview questions at careernetwork.
msu.edu.
64
P
A
R
K
1 LINKS
Use Perfect Interview to experience a mock interview
24/7 in the comfort of your own room! Available through
MySpartanCareer (see page 13). Whether youre practicing for a rst interview or brushing up on hard-to-answer
questions, Perfect Interview can help you polish your
interview skills.
2 NEWS FEED
INTERVIEW DONTS
Be Prepared!
Being prepared for the interview is very important.
The employer has already agreed to meet with you
based on your resume and cover letter youve
made it this far. Now to be condent in your interview, you need to be prepared. The following things
will help you:
careernetwork.msu.edu
65
Your Happiness
Is a Balance.
The most important question to ask yourself is: Are
you excited about this job and the salary? If you are not
happy, you will not be a great employee, and you arent
likely to have a good experience with the organization.
But its also important to balance your excitement and
passion for the eld youre entering with a realistic
expectation for nancial rewards.
You dont have to accept the rst salary youre oered.
You have the ability to negotiate for better benets,
training, or pay. Feel free to ask for time to adequately
examine your total oer. Get all of the elements in writing, including benet options, stock options, and wages.
Negotiation Tools
The strongest tools to negotiate with are salary information for your industry and the value of the unique skills
that you bring to the table. The industry economic
climate and the location of your position will both have
a major inuence on your salary oer, even when compared to other candidates
LINKS
within the same company.
New York City is not the
FOR MORE INFORMATION . . .
same as Traverse City in
. . . about salary negotiation, benets, and
cost of living.
dealing with multiple job oers, check
out resources for negotiating job oers at
careernetwork.msu.edu.
66
careernetwork.msu.edu
67
Your Next
life after m.s.u.
SAY GOODBYE.
Admit it college has been a blast.
For once in your life you have been
accepted for who you are, been in a
relatively safe environment, and had
limited responsibilities. Plus, you have
a great group of friends with whom
youve shared everything over the
past four or ve years. Leaving all this
can be hard, even if your friends will
be working in the same geographical region. Before you break up the
group, make plans for a traditional
get-together that will bring you all
together once every couple years.
2 NEWS FEED
Everything the Career Services
Network has to oer is available to
recent graduates for one year after
graduation. Services, including
MySpartanCareer, are available
to members of the MSU Alumni
Association who are more than
one year past graduation.
All the money you had for extras in college disappears quickly when starting
in a new place. Youll be responsible
for car payments, insurance (car,
health and home), food, rent or house
payments and then oops! student
loan repayments. Some of you may
already be strapped with credit card
debt. Get rid of it before taking on any
more obligations! Recent grads were
surprised at how fast their salary was
eaten up by daily expenses they didnt
have in college, even with salaries in
the high $30,000 and $40,000s.
68
Big Transition
LEARN TO FAIL!
For the past 16 years failure was
seldom framed in a positive context.
Remember when failing a course was
tantamount to disaster? Now theres a
real chance for failure not obtaining
a job or being admitted to grad school.
But in the world of work, organizations
operate on failures because failures
open doors to new ideas that can solve
problems. Because of this, risk-taking
is valued by many employers. With
risk comes failure. This is upside down
from college. Get used to it.
COMMUNICATE!
Your rst introduction to most
members of your company may well
be through a written report or memo.
Work as hard as you can to write
clearly and eectively. However, do not
expect those around you to have heard
of good communication skills. Recent
grads report being easily frustrated by
indirect and implicit communication
(written and verbal) that occurs within
their organization. Be aware that poor
communication exists; dont be afraid
to ask questions and have co-workers
clarify communications you do not
understand.
FIND A MENTOR.
JOIN IN ON TEAMWORK.
Competition is erce among students
who are vying for prestigious jobs
and admittance to graduate schools.
While theres competition in the job
interview stage, the work environment
is much more team-oriented. Working
in teams can be motivating and exciting sharing ideas and learning from
co-workers is all part of the day. Be
prepared to share; take the initiative
on tasks by volunteering to assist coworkers; and strive to be dependable
careernetwork.msu.edu
69
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