Job Search and Fall Planning

By: Sophie Emerson

Hello Rams! Summer is still in full swing, but I’m going to try to help you get a handle on this upcoming fall. Don’t worry, we’ve still got time before we have to freak out about how fast this summer went by. Since you’ve probably already figured out your class schedule and most of you have a place to live (if not, come into our office J), the most daunting part of the fall semester may be job searching. College students may not have too much experience, so they may not be sure what to put on their resume or how to write a cover letter. So, here are some tips to help you in your upcoming job search.

Resume tips:

List your job experience from most recent to least recent and be sure to highlight the skills you learned at each job, and what you brought to the company. For example:
- Bluebird Boutique (May 2023-present)
  - Salesperson and shop organizer
  - Enhanced people skills and improved sales by 12.5%
- Main Grain Bakery (September 2022-May 2023)
  - Made a variety of baked goods on a tight timeline
  - Improved attention to detail and consistency
- Culver’s (January 2022-September 2022)
  - Drive-thru worker and team member
  - Improved communication skills
At the top of your resume, put your name as well as your contact information such as an email or possibly the link to your LinkedIn or personal website if you have one.
As you advance through your college career, volunteer experience, work experience, and extracurriculars that you did in high school can become irrelevant. Be sure to update your resume with what is most accurate and what highlights your expertise.

Cover letter tips:

Start and end with professional salutations. For instance:
- Start with: “To whom it may concern” or “Dear (insert name or profession)”
- End with: “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” or “Thank you for your consideration”
Write confidently about your abilities but being overconfident can make you sound presumptuous and turn employers off your application. Writing sentences that say, “I would be a great fit for this role because of my experience in…” and “If I were to work for your company, I would…”
Additionally, use precise verbs and avoid vague verbs such as “participated in” “assisted” and “responsible for.”

Lastly, there are hundreds of templates for resumes online to make it look good formatting wise or you can start from scratch in Word and make it fit your vision. Good luck with job hunting!