Networking and Resumes
Stop and Think
Think of a time you needed help with something. Was there someone you could talk to who was able to provide guidance? Who was that person? How did you reach out to them? How did the situation turn out?
Then think of a time a friend has asked you for help. What was the situation? Were you able to help them? How did you feel about the experience?
Part 1: Networking
“Communication—the human connection—is the key to personal and career success.”– Paul J. Meyer
Networking is the process by which people build relationships with one another for the purpose of helping one another achieve professional goals. Following are some of the most common and useful tools/resources for networking.
- Business cards, resumes, cover letters, job seeking strategies, job leads, information about companies or specific jobs/careers
- Meet up groups, conferences, special events, technology tools, social media (Linked In)
- Head hunters, career counselors, centers, or coaches, family, friends, acquaintances, customers/vendors
Make a Networking Plan
- Hope is not a plan. You need a plan of action to achieve your networking goals.
- Keenly focus your activities on getting a job. Use all tools available to you.
- You need business cards. No ifs, ands, or buts.
- Attend networking events. Most of them offer student rates.
- Master Linkedin because that is what human resource departments use. Post updates.
- Think of your parents’ friends as databases. Leverage their knowledge and their willingness to help you.
- Create the future world you want to live in by creating it today through your networking activity. These are the times to live in a world of “this is how I can help.” (from Hank Blank, Networking Tips for College Students and Young People)
Networking Strategies
- Get to know your professors
- Connect with the Work Based Learning Center https://cwi.edu/community-connections/alumni
- Exchange information with classmates
- Join professional organizations
- Volunteer
- Find an internship
- Get a part-time job
- Join a job club (or start one!)
- Attend networking events
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals in the field
Steps to Take Today
- Clean up your social media accounts to make sure they are professional.
- Follow companies or individuals on Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
- Ask family members, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances for referrals.
- Use business cards or networking cards (you can design these in PowerPoint!)
Your Elevator Pitch
- What’s your career goal in 30 seconds or less?
- Think back to Pathways Plan A that you created in week four. How can you describe your career goal in a way that will quickly catch your listener’s interest?
Part 2: The Résumé (Your Career “Selfie”)
A résumé is a summary of who you are as a potential employee. It works along with a cover letter to present a picture of your talents, skills, experience, and abilities. If you don’t already have a résumé, you need one now! If you do have one, it likely needs to be updated.
Résumé Contents
- Your contact information: name, address (note that some recommend not sharing for security purposes, others recommend sharing to be complete), phone number, professional email address.
- A summary of your skills: 5–10 skills you have gained in your field (hard skills, not soft skills).
- Work experience: depending on the résumé format you choose, you may list your most recent job first; include the title of the position, employer’s name, location, employment dates (beginning, ending). Working for a family business is valid work experience and should definitely be on a résumé.
- Volunteer experience: can be listed in terms of hours completed or months/years involved. Use the same format as that used to list work experience.
- Education and training: formal and informal experiences matter; include academic degrees, professional development, certificates, internships, etc.
- Other sections: may include a job objective, a brief profile, a branding statement, a summary statement, additional accomplishments, and any other related experiences.
DON’Ts for Résumés
- Do not mention your age, gender, height or weight.
- Do not include your social security number.
- Do not mention religious beliefs or political affiliations, unless they are relevant to the position.
- Do not include a photograph of yourself or a physical description.
- Do not mention health issues.
- Do not use first-person references (I, me).
- Do not include wage/salary expectations.
- Do not use abbreviations.
- Do not allow spelling mistakes or typos to slip through the cracks.
DO’s for Résumés
- Aim to make a résumé that’s 1-2 pages long on letter-size paper.
- Make it visually appealing, not cluttered or overly busy.
- Use action verbs and phrases.
- Proofread carefully to eliminate any spelling, grammar, punctuation, and typographical errors.
- Include highlights of your qualifications or skills to attract an employer’s attention.
- Craft your résumé and cover letter as a pitch to people in the profession you plan to work in.
- Stand out as different and courageous.
- Be positive and reflect only the truth.
- Be excited and optimistic about your job prospects!
- Keep refining and reworking your résumé; it’s an ongoing project.
Action Item
Locate and review some sample résumés in your field. Make note of elements that seem to be consistent as well as unique elements that make a résumé stand out from the rest.
