Tips for an Awesome Resum

Your resume may be what makes it or breaks it for interviews. The single sheet of paper can seem intimidating but do not worry. Our sQoolink mentor, Devan Herron from East Carolina University, shares some awesome tips for your resume. Keep in mind, your credentials matter the most but a cleaner resume can provide the edge you need!

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As a college student, creating a resume is an important task! You will need one to apply for jobs, internship and sometimes scholarship opportunities. In a single page, a resume can share a lot of important skills and background about who you are as a professional. You will want to make sure that you include what makes you stand out from a large pile of candidates.

Format

There are endless ways in which you can present your resume to the world! However, you must make sure that its appropriate for the position you’re applying for. A graphic designer can use an artistic and infographics, while someone wishing to land a business based internship might want to go with more of a classic format.

Numbers Matter

While reviewing your resume, employers like to see numbers in your job descriptions and skills! Add information like the average number of customers you would assist in a week, or the number of words you can type per minute. This provides more specific examples of your work experience and capabilities.

Updates

Keeping a relevant resume is important, even if you already have a secure job. Once you’re ready to make a job change or move up in the company, you won’t have to think too hard about what you’ve done in the past few years. When you complete a new certification or log volunteer hours, add it to your ever-growing resume!

Grammar Check

Remember that another pair of eyes is valuable! Before you send your resume off to the printer, ask a friend or professor to review it. We all make mistakes, and it’s much better for a colleague to point it out before a potential employer does. Grammar isn’t the only concern! Let your peers also give you criticism! They might have some suggestions that will help make your good resume into an excellent one.

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Choosing a Career

Deciding a job isn’t too far into the future. College is a large stepping stone for our career. With that, we should choose something we have a passion for. Our sQoolink mentor, Gosbert Stanslaus, shares his insight on job prospects and overall happiness. Happiness and passion go hand in hand. After reading Gosbert’s tips, hopefully you’ll arrive at an informed decision!

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“People don’t need a job, they need happiness.”

A career doesn’t mean a job, my dear. It is a picture of what you desire to be in your life. A career is not a salary you receive but a talent you born with. Something you like, you love. If you’re in a job in which you’re talented, you will automatically love it. You will be happy to be in such a job. Please don’t be a mob or salary oriented; find the job which commensurate with your career.

My fellow students and scholars be like a child as they stay happier with what they feel to do and that is what we call a career. Life is happiness. Seek for a job that reflect your career; be what you desire to be in your life. Don’t be forced with job opportunity because you will never be happy in your life.

Be like Ronaldinho in your career. Live and Love your career. Click here

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Don’t do the job that will make you horrible and unhappy. Look on https://youtu.be/IDN7Q-QyMqU

Find the job that will make you happy

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A Rare Breed: Graphic Designer Going To Business School

What are the chances of meeting a designer who also pursued an MBA from business school? Our sQoolink mentor, Michael Barraza, a graphic designer with an MBA from Grand Canyon University, shares with us his thought process and journey of obtaining a business degree while working as a multimedia designer. Surprisingly, the business knowledge and acumen he acquired in business school proved to be extremely useful in his career.

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Out of dissatisfaction, I defined a theory: On the off chance that I was taught in Business and the skills that come with it, specifically marketing, I could move myself and my design team from a service to an exceedingly key and useful resource, driving bigger organizational direction.

Before you know it, I found a workable arrangement: an MBA program where I would learn noteworthy abilities of trade systems and best hones of administration and the tactic of business thinking. So, in a span of a few months after obtaining my Degree in Graphic Design and Digital Media, I would become a multimedia designer by day and an MBA student by night.

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” — Albert Einstein

 

Though I studied numerous topics that would open my mind (financial matters, budgetary bookkeeping, trade law, supply-chain administration, corporate morals, marketing) as they relate to design, three specific topics were profoundly impactful: marketing mindsets, competitive strategy, and organizational management. These topics were most impactful because, to be honest, I had never studied or dissected them at depth professionally. However, the more knowledge I gained from them, the greater the impact these courses had on my professional development and approach to not only design but anything creative in general.

Start building your portfolio in college/university

Are you studying English, architecture, art & design, computer science or even business? Jess Magnan, our sQoolink mentor, shares with us why you should start compiling all the work you are doing in college or university. All your writing, designs, codes, projects will help you in your future career.

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Treat every project as a portfolio-builder

What do I mean by this? I mean using your required course assignments as projects that you can put in your portfolio. Whatever your career goal is, start collecting. This could be short stories, poems, essays, whitepapers, proposals, etc.

While you complete your program, use every project assignment to your advantage and showcase your work! Upload documents to your LinkedIn profile. Use class projects on your resume. Talk about completed assignments as experience in cover letters. Use them to connect with professionals in your field.

I once created an infographic about LGBTQ representation in entertainment media and posted them on my Tumblr. The response Tumblr users gave my infographic is something I sometimes use when making connections with prospective clients. Never undervalue a project just because you created it while completing your undergrad. Make those assignments work outside of the classroom.

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How to start networking while in college/university?

Our sQoolink mentor, Jess Magnan, shares how important it is to start networking early while in college/university. Not only will it help you land your first job, your network will be invaluable as you continue to build your career. She majored in film and writing at Grand Valley State University, but her tips apply to students of all disciplines. 

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Start building your network

At some point, you’re going to finish your last round of courses. Then what? Landing a job is often about who you know, not what you know, so it’s important to start making real connections with your professors and peers.

Is there a specific professor who has experience in something you’d like to do? Reach out to your professors by asking them to discuss your projects outside of class. I once went to a professor’s office hours to discuss a film project (I also majored in film), and she ended up telling me about a promotional project she was developing for a local nonprofit organization. She was looking for writing majors to help work on the scripts. While this did not lead to a job, I got experience doing a project for a great cause, I have final products with my name on it, and I created a network of a professor, other writers, and a supervisor who I now feel comfortable asking favors of.

It’s also equally important to stay connected to your peers. If you become acquainted with some students in your class due to workshops or group projects, let them know they can contact you for future projects. I’ve done this a few times and a few group members have stuck with me. We keep each other informed about current projects, bounce ideas off each other, and continue to give each other feedback.

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What courses you should take if you want a career in writing?

Our sQoolink mentor, Jess Magnan, continues to share her experience of how she prepared herself as a writer while studying at Grand Valley State University.

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Don’t limit yourself to “creative” or “professional” writing

While you want to follow your inspirations, don’t let yourself get too trapped. When you stick to one track, you lose out on valuable skills that can be used in any writing career. Great storytelling uses both creative and professional disciplines.

Creative writing courses often focus on workshops, developing storytelling skills, and working with constructive feedback. For the “professional” or “technical” writer, this helps builds your understanding of utilizing constructive criticism and reaching an audience. Alternatively, technical writing classes emphasize professional documents, web writing, and perhaps design skills. All of these can benefit a creative writer by giving them experience with web writing and developing professional communication skills. It is in your best interest to at least get an understanding of both.

Don’t underestimate tech skills

If your program offers courses in web writing, document design, or other courses that are technology, software, or multimodal based, take them. A huge portion of writing is done online and through digital mediums. Where are you reading this right now? Are you looking at a screen?

Courses that strengthen technological skills can be underestimated, especially for the creative writers. Are you an aspiring novelist looking to self-publish? Are you going to hire a designer to make your book cover, or could you make one yourself? It could be the difference of a class focused on building your technological skills.

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Do you aspire to have a career in writing?

Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan

Have you thought of pursuing a career in writing? Our sQoolink mentor, Jess Magnan, tells us her experience in pursuing a degree in English/Communications/Writing. In the next few posts, Jess will share with us her insights on how to prepare for a writing career.

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So you chose to study writing, great! Maybe you already know what you want to do after college, maybe not. But it’s safe to say that we all want college to help us succeed in life after school, to aid us in building a career and sustainable life.

For some, studying writing might not seem like the most practical option for career-building. But I am here to assure you that it can be! After attending Grand Valley State University and receiving my bachelor’s degree in writing in 2017, I am now building my career as a freelance writer. To achieve success in your time after college, follow these guides to be certain you get the most out of your writing program.

Understand your interests

What about writing inspires you? Are you eager to publish your first novel? Are you interested in making information digestible and customized to a specific reader? Have you thought about blogging for a living?

Know what your end goals are, but know that they can change. Let what excites you lead the way, but don’t be afraid to try new things. College is the time to change your mind and make yourself open to new ideas, practices, and disciplines.

Understand your program

Make sure you fully understand what your program requires. Do you need to take foundation courses before you can take higher-level ones? Does your program require an internship? What about a capstone class or project? Do you need to declare an emphasis? Understanding your program can help you plan for the future, and help you get the most out of your education.

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