Your resumé can be your advertisement
By Kimberlee Garrison
Skiff Staff

Uncertain times lead to uncertainty in the job market. If you are currently seeking employment, you need to be competitive. To be competitive, you should learn to market yourself effectively.

You might be asking yourself, How can I make myself stand out from everyone else? When do I need to start building a resume? What needs to be put on my resume? What should I do when it comes time for interviews?

Bill Stowe, associate director of TCU’s University Career Services, says, “students should start building their resumes at the beginning of their junior year.”

“One of the best ways to build your resume is through acquiring internships in the profession you want to pursue. Internships provide experience that can help you determine the career path that you wish to pursue after graduation. They also provide you with experience that gives you an advantage over others interviewing for the same full-time position. The more experience you have, the more you stand out from others,” said Camille Crim, public relations coordinator at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital.

Second, “write your resume as an advertisement for yourself,” Stowe says. The resume needs to sell yourself on what you can provide the employer. “Because it is important to sell yourself, it is imperative to include all the skills relevant to that position,” said Lori Goodson, Director of Human Resources at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital. “The resume is the only information that prospective employers have about you. It needs to be well-written in order to make a good first impression.”

“In marketing yourself, you need to provide a complete package. Your cover letter and resume need to make a strong first impression,” said Britten Gray, president of TCU’s American Marketing Association and senior marketing major. “The momentum you establish in your cover letter and resume need to continue through the interview process.”

A handout, provided by University Career Services, says, during the interview process, it is important to prepare yourself before meeting the prospective employer. Be sure to research the employer thoroughly and have questions ready to ask. It is perfectly all right to take a list of questions into the interview with you.

If you want to practice interviewing techniques, visit University Career Services for a mock interview, which will give you an idea of questions that would be asked in a real interview. Mock interviews are also important because videotaping allows the student to see their posture, facial expressions and nervous gestures and habits.

“On the day of the interview, dress professionally, it is better to be overdressed than underdressed. Make sure you get to the interview early. This will allow you some time look over your questions and answers before going into meet the prospective employer. When meeting the employer, be sure to use a firm handshake and make eye contact. Answer the questions truthfully and clearly,” said Crim. It is ok to take a few seconds before answering the questions in order to collect your thoughts. “One thing that will set you apart in the competitive market is following up your interview with a thank you letter,” Gray said.

Regardless of the economy, you must learn how to market yourself. “To survive the tight job market, you need to differentiate yourself by highlighting your skills throughout your job search process,” said Gray.

Kimberlee Garrison