Page 350 - Keys To Community College Success

get practical

FIND USEFUL KEYWORDS

Complete the following on paper or in digital format.
Name two career fields you would consider pursuing. Then, research résumé keywords that employers in these fields
look for. To do so, enter the words “keyword,” “resume,” and a word or phrase related to the field (“chemical engi-
neering,” “criminal justice,” etc.) into your favorite search engine. List at least five keywords for each field. Keep them
on hand for tailoring your résumé to a job in either one of these fields.

■ When you describe your work experience, use action verbs and focus on what
you have accomplished. Some people use the P + A = R formula when writing
their job tasks: They identify a problem, the action they took to solve it, and the
results. For example: “Organized randomly filed client records in alphabetical
and date order, reducing the time to access them by 80%.”
■ Always make sure the descriptions in your job history demonstrate the skills
listed in your core competencies section and relate to the job for which you are
applying.
■ Include keywords that are linked to jobs for which you will be applying.
■ List references on a separate sheet (names, titles, companies, and contact
information). You may want to put “References upon request” at the bottom
of your résumé.
■ Use professional formatting and bullets to help the important information stand
out. Stick with one font family for the body of the résumé and one for the headings
(usually larger and bolded). Use italics sparingly because they are hard to read.
■ Get several people to look at your résumé before you send it out. Other readers
will have ideas that you haven’t thought of and may find errors that you have
missed.
Prospective employers often use a computer to scan résumés, selecting the ones
that contain keywords relating to the job opening or industry. Résumés without enough
keywords probably won’t even make it to the human resources desk. When you con-
struct your résumé, make sure to include relevant keywords. For example, if you are
seeking a computer-related job, list computer programs you use and other specific tech-
nical proficiencies. To figure out what keywords you need, look at the job descriptions
and job postings and search online for examples of keywords related to your career
interest. 8

Interview
Be clean, neat, and appropriately dressed. Avoid tight or baggy clothing, extreme hair-
styles, and flashy jewelry. Choose a nice pair of shoes—people notice (avoid spiky heels
if you are a woman). You want interviewers to focus on you and your achievements,
not your appearance.
12 show the interviewer, even if you sent a copy ahead of time. Avoid chewing gum and
Bring an extra copy of your résumé and any other materials that you want to
CHAPTER 312 fidgeting. Don’t text or check your Instagram—as a matter of fact, put all electronic