Planning for Your Career
1st Step -- Preparing your
Resume and Researching
Career Opportunities
Are you Ready to Career Search?
Developed a career search strategy?
Involved in extracurricular activities?
People network?
Similar elective classes?
Hold a part-time job, preferably in your
career area?
Visited the Career Development and
Placement Office?
Characteristics and Skills
Employers Want
Communication Skills -- reading,
writing, speaking
Analytical thinking
Researching
Interpersonal Skills -- human relations
Ethical Applications
Career Planning
Con’t
Technical Skills
Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning
Understanding of Technology
National Association of Colleges
and Employers – Survey (Jan. 2004)
327 employers surveyed – Top 6 qualities
and skills required
1. Communication skills – a way to set yourself
apart
2. Honesty and integrity
3. The ability to work on a team
4. Interpersonal effectiveness
5. Motivation and initiative
6. Strong work ethic
Median 2004 Salary Information
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ (based on May 2004 figures)
Accountants and Auditors -- $50,770 with
middle ranges from $66,900 - $39,860
Administrative Systems/Services
Management-- $60,290 with middle ranges
from $83510 - $42,680
Financial Managers -- $81,800 with middle
ranges from $112,320 to $59,490
Directors of finance $78,500 - $178,250
Corporate controllers $61,250 - $147,250
Management -- review website
Operations Managers -- $77,420
CEOs -- $140,350 (with highest paid $700,000+)
Marketing -- review website
Advertising and Promotions -- $63,610
Marketing Managers -- $87,640
Sales Managers -- $84,220
Public Relations Managers -- $70,000
Teachers -- $44,400 – $45,920
Beginning Teacher’s average $31,704 – 03-04 school yr
Graphic Design/Advertising -- $38, 030 with middle
ranges from $50,840 to $29,360
Recreation and Tourism workers -- $19, 320 with
middle ranges from $25,380 to $15,640
Review management – lodging managers -- $37,660
Review recreation directors
Legal Profession (Lawyers) -- $94,930 with middle
ranges from $143,620 to $64,620
9 months after graduation in 2004 – $55,000 (all
graduates)
How Employers Use Resumes
To decide whom to interview
To determine your work ability – they
assume that your letter and resume
represent your best work
Interviewers use resumes to refresh
their memory before the interview
Resumes are distributed to all
participants in the interview process
Preparing Your Resume
Focus on your qualities that will meet
an employers needs!!!!!!!!
Conduct a self-analysis – what are
your qualities
Focus on the position – what are the
qualities that the organization and
position require
Types of Resumes
Chronological – Work experience and activities
arranged in REVERSE chronological order –
p. 562
Functional/Skill – Work experience is arranged
according to areas of skills – p. 564
Combination -- Combines the
chronological/functional format – pp. 565-566
What to include
A good resource can be found at
www.careernet.com
Read articles under the Resources options
www.monster.com – if you are willing to pay!!!!
Career Services uses Monstertrak.com for free
Focus your resume on the job and
employer!!!!!
What to Include
1. Identification
Name
Address
Phone Number
Email Address – use a professional email
address
Web Page
2. Career Objective – essential – p. 546
Summary of Achievements or Career
Summary -- optional – p. 546
What to Include
3. Educational Background -- do not
include high school or colleges where
you did NOT receive a degree
What to Include
4. Work Experience and/or Related
Work Experience – action verbs – pp.
530-531
Do not use I, me, my
Statements should be written with an
understood subject -- YOU
use parallel statements to list duties,
qualifications, and major
accomplishments
What to include
5. Honors and/or Awards
Only include HS if
6. Activities
the activity/award is
7. Skills state or nationally
recognized or an
8. Other Categories academic achievement.
9. References – different opinions – p. 555
Example – p. 563
Formatting a Resume
Use an eye-appealing design
Create in Word -- want to be able to send as an
attachment
Be consistent in presenting information
Use bullets and indents for easier reading
Use text enhancements
Avoid first person pronouns – I, me, mine –
Write in subject-understood statements!!!
Formatting a Resumes
Consider Length – usually one page
for entry-level – if more than one page
make sure ALL info is relevant to the
position
Most resumes are read for the first
time in 30 SECONDS!!!!!!!!!!
Other Resume Formats
On-Line Resumes
Concord College Career Services
http://students.concord.edu/cccareer/
A direct link to MonsterTrak.com
Scannable Resumes – p. 567
http://www.iflyswa.com/careers/scanres.html
(Southwest Airlines guidelines)