You’re sitting upright at your dorm room desk, a bag of Cheez-Its lying within arm’s reach. You’re typing away furiously on your laptop, making detailed edits and revisions. You ensure every line, every sentence, and every design element are cohesive and perfect. Finally, you submit your resume to complete your job or internship application. Now you’re overwhelmed by a contradictory combination of sweet relief and unsettling anxiety. Your resume will travel through a clogged cyber channel and you cross your fingers that your listed experiences and skills intrigue the employer or recruiter. Digitally submitting your resume can be regarded as luck of the draw. Candidates often feel their application materials enter into an abyss, either winning or losing them an opportunity to interview or possibly be selected for the position. However, it is possible to create a resume with keywords that highlight your relevant skills and will also stand out in an endless list of documents. That is, if you understand the common skill set employers seek on a resume. The most recent Job Outlook Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers points out specific attributes that employers view as most marketable and viable in any candidate. When I read the results of this study, I wasn’t surprised. The top seven attributes listed have been emphasized in almost all qualifications I have seen in job posts on LinkedIn. The positions I am applying for vary from public relations to advertising and editorial roles, yet all of these characteristics remain relative to the goals of nearly each company in every field. In addition, the School of Communication & Arts and Center for Career Services at Marist College have drilled these traits into my head the last four years. So now that you know the attributes the employer is looking for, how do you gain these skills? My best advice is to get involved in extra-curricular activities on campus and take on internships. In fact, the NACE survey proves that employers seek candidates with extensive work experience and leadership positions. Survey respondents were asked to the rate the influence of each attribute on a resume with 1 indicating no influence at all and 5 as the benchmark for the highest influence. GPA is always an important factor in employer decision making, but clearly it’s your experiences outside of your courses that mold your attributes that make you a strong candidate for the workforce. By holding a position in your desired industry or working in a leadership position among your peers as a student, recruiters will know that you have the background knowledge, drive, and passion that it takes to transform from an intern into an effective employee.
Plus gaining outside experience is a great opportunity to network with industry professionals who can possibly bring your application out of cyberspace and to the top of the list.
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