Mediaboss Marketing

Erin Toney

Contributing Writer

Everybody has been there, staring in confusion at a Microsoft Word document after typing their name, phone number and email address, said Cherish Gehret, Career Services career counselor. What now? What else goes on the resume? What categories should be included? What is relevant and irrelevant?

As Gehret puts it, building a resume can be tough, especially for students who have not had to build one before. Students may search for resume templates and come up blank with ideas. They may wonder why their resume is not as extensive as the ones found in a search and become discouraged.

Career Services offers help not only reviewing resumes but also creating them. While online resume submission is allowed, it is encouraged to schedule an appointment.

Face-to-face appointments tend to be more detailed and gives the student an opportunity to ask more questions and gain more information, said Gehret.

Career Services uses Optimal Resume, which is free to all students, that has templates pre-loaded that are more relevant.

This free software offers multiple cover letter and resume templates that students can just plug their information into and then download to a Microsoft Word documents, said Gehret. It is very easy to access and utilize. There is no need for students to recreate the wheel by creating their own templates when Career Services already has them for you.

Gehret said that while there are some rules and recommendations, there is no template or format that is the absolute statute.

Some applications require a cover letter along with a resume. Career Services also assists students in building a cover letter.

After having their resume and cover letter reviewed, students should then consider a mock interview to help them ease their nerves before a job interview.

By nature, interviews tend to be somewhat uncomfortable experiences for most individuals, said Gehret. Most human beings get nervous before an interviews, sometimes to the point of yucky sweatiness, noticeable shaking and even sickness.

Mock interviews help students go into an interview prepared and confident.

Mock interviews should be treated like an actual interview, meaning the students should show up prepared, wear proper attire and arrive early.

Preparation is key, and mock interviews are a huge part of that, said Gehret.

Mock interviews are not just professional mock interviews; they can also be an academic mock interview.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give to students regarding both resume and interview prep is clich but true: be honest, be confident and be yourself, said Gehret.

To get more tips and pointers on resumes, cover letters and interview preparation, visit Career Services Resumes & Interviews, or call 918-444-3110.

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Career Services utilizes free software to aid in creating and updating resumes - The Northeastern