Resumes and Career Fairs
Bob Foley ’69
Assistant Director
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CAREER CENTER WEBSITE
http://careercenter.tamu.edu/Current-Students
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Purpose of the Resume
A marketing tool:
Convince an employer
to schedule you for an interview.
You have ten seconds!!! Well, minimum time anyway.
Think executive summary!
Can you communicate in a precise and concise
fashion?
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Laying the Foundation
What are your “match” points?
Access yourself:
What are your objectives?
 What do you seek? When are you available?
What have you accomplished?
Work/Research experience, Skills, Leadership
Match employers’ needs
Identify “transferable skills”
What do I include?
How important is it to the opportunity I seek?
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Laying the Foundation
Career Readiness – Key Competencies
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
Oral/Written Communications
Teamwork/Collaboration
Information Technology Application
Leadership
Professionalism/Work Ethic
Career Management
http://www.naceweb.org/knowledge/career-readiness-competenicies.aspx
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Laying the Foundation
Think EQ as well as IQ
What makes a good employee??
1. Integrity
- Communication skills
- Ability to work with people
- Responsibility
- Judgment
- Motivation to succeed
- Work ethic
- Intelligence/Creativity
- Enthusiasm
10. Technical competence
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Building the Resume
Tell the employer…..
The Mostest,
The Fastest
PRIORITIZE!!!
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Building the Resume
 Format – Chronological
 Provide leading credentials, qualifications,
experiences
 Prioritize resume and items under each heading
 You know what you did. Does your resume tell
the reader the same?
 What did you do? How did you do it? What were
the results?
Make it easy for the recruiter!
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Building the Resume
Personal Data Section
Objective
Education
Work/Research Experience
Leadership/Activities
Skills – Technical, Spoken Language
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Building the Resume
Tailor the resume
Present most marketable information first
Use brief, descriptive phrases
No unnecessary words
Use action verbs
Provide metrics
Reader friendly – pleasing to the eye
Be positive – accurate – truthful
You have the right to remain silent
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Polish the Resume
ATTENTION TO DETAIL!!!
Avoid common mistakes:
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Broad, general statements
Spelling and grammatical errors
Overall or cumulative TAMU GPR not included
Format, fonts, length, paper quality
Be careful with “Aggie speak”
Consistent punctuation
Avoid italics, script, and underlining
No vertical/horizontal lines, shading, or graphics
Keep the resume updated
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Selective Employer Comments
Evaluation keys:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The degree of relevancy between candidate’s overall profile
(major/minor, GPR, work experience, class projects,
extracurricular roles) and the job position.
Candidate’s long term and short term career goals.
Candidate’s personality, capability, potential, and willingness to
accomplish career goal.
Stick to 1 page. After 8 years in industry, I can still highlight all
necessary and pertinent information on a single page resume.
Clearly state GPR. Several students played games with the GPR
by giving us only their in-major GPR because the overall was
significantly lower. Another presented only the last 2 years
because the first two years were very bad. Some gave no GPR.
It does not reflect well on students to manipulate their resumes in
this fashion before we even interview them.
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FINAL THOUGHT
You have a story to tell.
Does your resume tell that story?
Keep in mind that your resume is an
advertisement not a biography.
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Review and Critique
Career Center Advisors
Appointment
Walk in Service
979-845-5139
Monday thru Friday
8:30-11:00AM & 1:30-4:00PM
Engineering Resume Remotes
Thursday, January 19, 1-4PM ETB Lobby
Friday, January 20, 9AM-12N, CHEM Lobby
Resumania Monday, January 23, 9AM-5PM, MSC
Academic Advisor
Employer
Mentor
Aggie Network
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Your Goals of the
Career Fair
• Increase exposure to potential
employers
• Build relationships
• Gain insight into a company & its
employees
• Differentiate yourself from competition
• Secure the interview
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Decisions! Decisions!
Decide whom to visit beforehand
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Prioritize
Use first visits to develop approach
Do not overlook smaller firms
Do your homework on the companies
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Outlook for industry
Primary products and services
Current events/projects
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Check Available
Research
• Utilize available resources
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SEC Website
http://sec.tamu.edu
HireAggies.com job postings
http://HireAggies.com
Internet & web sites
Co-ops/Interns/Grads
working for company
Professors
Current events/projects
http://finance.yahoo.com/
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Career Center Resource
HireAggies.com
You have already paid for
it!!!!!!
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How Employers “Grade”
TAMU
Students
2016
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Career Direction
 What are your interests?
Your priorities?
Your motivations?
 What are the 3 to 5 things you see
yourself doing with your degree?
 What in a job description excites you, that
you see yourself doing?
 Why are you the best person to fill a job,
not just qualified to do the job?
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Realistic
Expectations
Needing Improvement
Employers’ Feedback
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72% Oral communications
71% Written communications
64% Entitlement attitude
63% Constructive criticism
42% >40 Hour work week
41% Pay for performance
41% Not automatic promotions
26% Professional dress
Why Should They
Hire You??
What does the company do?
How can you support their efforts?
Determine “match points” that fit the
company’s needs
Write down “match points” & questions
Remember, the companies are shopping for
good buys – the Best candidates not just
qualified candidates.
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Decisions! Decisions!
• Decide which companies to visit
beforehand
 Prioritize companies
1st two visits, lower tier
• Do homework on companies
 Outlook for industry
 Primary products of company
 Hiring majors
 Current events/projects
http://finance.yahoo.com/
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Dressing the Part
 Business casual,
- suit is not necessary
- dress up a bit
 Men-nice slacks, pressed shirt
 Women-casual outfit or
simple dress
 Check out how the Employers
are dressed – they are role
“role models” for their company.

Hair – Beards – Grooming – Piercings - Tatoos
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The Booth Visit
• Expect visit of 2-10 minutes
• See and Be Seen
Elevator Speech
Express interest in company
Meet a company rep
Leave resume
• Differentiate yourself
Know questions you wish to ask
Use notes with company information & questions.
Share “match points”
• Be prepared for company rep to ask
“Why did you stop by our booth?”
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Standing Out In a Crowd
• If booth is crowded,
come back later
• Company can talk to
4-5 at a time

Attend at non-peak hours
Early morning
During classes
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Remember Me?
Get Business Card
 At end of conversation
Make notes during breaks
 Specific details & information
Follow up with a thank you email
Within 24 – 48 hours
Once a month after that
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Want Additional Insight?
More Detail?
Employer Insight?
Preparing for the Engineering Career Fair
 Wednesday, Jan 18, 6:30-8pm, 1037 ETB
 Thursday, Jan 19, 6:30-8pm, 106 Richardson
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ONE LAST THOUGHT...
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