[SOLVED] Leadership & Career Development

Leadership & Career Development 2.2: Resume & Interviewing Skills

LESSON: LEADERSHIP & CAREER DEVELOPMENT 2.2: RESUME & INTERVIEWING SKILLS
Introduction
Once you’ve decided which career you’d like to pursue, the next step is learning how to effectively present yourself on paper and in person.
Writing a resume involves putting the key characteristics that employers want to know about you on paper. A good resume will share enough about you to convince the employer to invite you to an interview where you’ll have the chance to present yourself more fully.  Think of a job interview as having a conversation or giving a speech about you.
In this section, we will learn how to write a general resume. Keeping in mind all your previous work experiences, what you learned, and what skills you have that make you the right person for the job.
How To Build A Good Resume
Every general resume must include the following six features:
Contact information
A general statement of your goal or objective
Your education
Your professional experience
Your skills
Volunteer/Leadership experience
Let’s look at each piece individuallly.
Contact information
Current and complete contact information is always presented at the top of your resume.
Write your first and last name, your current and permanent address and zip code, telephone number and email.
For example;
John Doe
4534 Lane
Coral Gables, Fl 33146
(305) 354- 2446
Jrod@hotmail.com
General statement of your goals or Objective
Write one sentence that summarizes the type of position you are looking for.
For example:
Objective: To obtain a professional position in finance that would enhance my knowledge and provide valuable experience in the future.
Education
Specific training or academic credentials are essential areas that employers look at when choosing employees.
List the institutions you are currently attending or those from which you have received a degree or certificate. You can include studies aboard (classes taken outside the U.S.). Write out the institution name, city and state, full degree title, graduation date and GPA.
For example:
American Highschool Academy, Miami FL
May 2005 GPA of 3.5
Professional Experience
List your work experiences and the skills you have gained so far. Emphasize the skills you have developed how they are relevant to the position you’re applying for. State the positive outcomes you’ve achieved in applying those skills.
List professional experience in order, starting with your most recent position. Indicate the company name, city and state, along with the dates of employment (month and year), and position held. List accomplishment statements to highlight key responsibilities and skills.
For example:
5/ 00 – 1/ 02  Florida Power and Light Company, Miami, FL
Marketing Intern
Assisted with managing the company’s marketing division
Communicated well with business account representatives
Took part in company projects
Extensive phone contact with high-level executives
Skills
All companies and employers are interested in their employees’ skills, so be sure to list yours. Depending on the desired position, this may range from a basic knowledge of computer applications to programming abilities, and languages.
For example:
Proficient in Microsoft Office: Word, Outlook, Access, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Good interpersonal skills
Fluent in Spanish
Volunteer/ Leadership experience
List significant volunteer or leadership experiences gained while being a student or working with an organization or student group.
Determine all the skills you gained from these experiences and the accomplishments the organization achieved due to your efforts. You may list any honors you received and the activities you took part in.
For example:
Member of the Student Leaders Club, Member of the Business Club
How To Interview Succesfully
A job interview is an opportunity to convince a potential employer that you are the best person for the job.  Your resume did the job of earning you an interview. It told the hiring manager that you likely have the skills and experience required to do the job.  This is your chance to show that not only do you have the skills and experience to do the job but that you know about their organization and that have the right attitude to do the job well.
The Interview
Think of an interview as giving a speech about yourself. You have the opportunity to tell the employer more about the skills and qualifications presented on your resume.
Do your own research of the organization you are applying for. Showing the employer that you are informed about their business and its clients will show you are serious in your interest in the job and working at the company. State what you know and show that you did your homework.
Point out why you like the organization.  Be able to state how you feel about the work they do and how your experience, skills, and interests relate to the position and why you are perfect for the job.
Listen to the interviewer. This requires some active listening and giving a full response to every aspect of the question you are asked. Keep good eye contact with your interviewer to ensure comprehension.
State your qualifications. Know before the interview at least three reasons why you are the best candidate for the job. Then state these reasons with conviction.
Be positive. Try not to say anything that shows uncertainty. Be proud of all your achievements. Employers will react in the same way you present the information.
Ask questions. Show that you yourself can take charge by asking questions that show interest in the business, hiring process, or benefits of your position.
Don’t share personal information that isn’t relevant to the job. Only share things about yourself that relate to the job and your ability to do it well. Stick to the main facts of the questions asked.
Express thanks. Thank the interviewer for their time and interest in you. Be sure to also thank the receptionist or secretary or anyone else there who helped you. Remember, you want to maintain a positive reputation in the organization. Showing that you are thankful shows that you want to work and are a people person.
Take practice interviews. Practice makes perfect. The more you practice speaking about your qualifications the better and easier it will be later when giving interviews.perience with the situation.
Practice Interview Questions
The list of interview questions below is typical of the types of questions asked in interviews.
Think about how you’d answer the general questions about yourself and make notes about how you’d answer.
Practice answering the questions by having someone pretend to be an interviewer. This will make you feel more comfortable in real interviews because you will already have had experience.
Can you tell me a little about yourself?
Why do you want this position?
What do you know about our company?
Why should we hire you?
What are you learning in your classes that will help you succeed in this position?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
What’s the accomplishment you feel proudest about?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Can you work on holidays and weekends? What about evenings?
This job pays X. Is that acceptable to you?
Do you have any questions about the job or this company?
When can you start?

LEARNING ACTIVITY
Leadership & Career Development 2.2: Resume & Interviewing Skills
Start a document and save it as  “Career 2-2”  Once you have completed all learning activities, click on the “Assignment”  button and upload your work.
PART I
Create a one-page resume for yourself. Be sure to include all six of the essential resume components we learned in this section.
PART II
Write an autobiography. Remember an autobiography is an account of your life.  It isn’t simply a list of events in your life, but should also include how those events impacted you and what you’ve learned through your experiences.
Minimum Word Count: 800 words. Leadership & Career Development Leadership & Career Development