Home > Newsletter > Volume 5, Issue 3 (April/May 2005)

Volume 5, Issue 3 (April/May 2005)

Brave Opportunities
Where Today's Braves Look to the Future
Volume 5, Issue 3
April/May 2005

In This Issue...
How NOT to Write a Resume
Career of the Month: FBI Agent
Alumni Spotlight: Brian Mercer
In Every Issue: Career Bloopers, Job Search Tips, Ask Zelda, Little Known Facts, & Upcoming Events

Career Center Info:
Location
University Center, Suite. 210, 521-6270, cs@uncp.edu, www.uncp.edu/cs
Hours
M-F, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Appointments may be made for Career Consulting, DISCOVER, Resume Critiques, Mock Interviews, etc.
Staff
Dr. Denisha Sanders, Director
Lori Bumgarner, M.Ed., Assistant Director
Brenda C. Jacobs, Student Services Assistant
Tylee Hanson, Graduate Assistant

How NOT to Write a Resume

You can learn a lot about how to do something right by first learning what NOT to do.
Take resumes, for example. I review about 200-300 a month, and most have at least 2-3 mistakes. Yet, all those hundreds of mistakes can be grouped into just a handful of categories, which you would do well to avoid.
Read on and learn how to write a better resume by avoiding the mistakes of others, some of them unintentionally hilarious...
Mistake #1: "Golden Retriever Syndrome"
Never talk about yourself in terms that could also describe a hunting dog, like the following language, which appears in far too many resumes I see:
"Hard-working, self-motivated and dependable individual."
Tired phrases like that mean nothing to employers, because they could apply to almost anyone ... or almost anyone's dog.
Instead, dump the empty assertions and back up the claims in your resume with facts, like this:
"Proven sales skills. Ranked in top 3 among 78 reps for 5 straight years, exceeding sales quotas for 18 of 20 quarters." See the difference?
Mistake #2: A Verbal Jungle
To improve your resume (or anything you write), read it out loud. Since writing is just words on paper, reading it aloud will help you write as you would speak.
Here's an example of language so dense, you'll need a machete to find any meaning:
"Directed assembly of elements from business units in engineering, development, program management, distribution, and legal to effect market research, proposal responses, and contract management into comprehensive, virtual, successful teams..."
After reading that three times, I'm still baffled.
Worse, do you think employers have time to read a resume three times to figure it out? No. As a result, that job seeker is still looking for work, I'll wager.
Solution: read your resume out loud before sending it out.
If you find yourself gasping for breath halfway through a sentence, stick a period or dash in there and break it in two.
And if anything you write sounds less than 100% clear when you read it aloud, revise until it would make sense to your mother. Doing so will ensure that your resume resonates with readers at all levels, from HR managers to your future boss.
Mistake #3: Negative Nuance
Just one stray word can derail a whole sentence. You know that. But in a resume, the wrong choice of words can brand you as unprofessional or careless in the eyes of employers.
Here's an example of resume wording that gives off the wrong nuance, even though the facts are clear enough:
"Spearheaded use of resources in Vietnam in spite of resistance from senior management..."
I don't know about you, but "Spearheaded," "Vietnam" and "resistance" in the same sentence make me think of a John Wayne movie. Which detracts from what the job seeker is trying to say.
Before sending your resume to employers, send it to at least 2-3 friends whose judgment you trust. Ask them to read it for grammar and punctuation, but also for unintended meanings. Revise as needed.
Mistake #4: Jumbles of Jargon
Some resumes pile on the buzzwords in a vain effort to impress. Like this:
"New-media pioneer working with technical and business professionals to create new ways of presenting content and impactful tools for producing content and organizing workflow."
We'll pass on "impactful" for now -- what does a "new-media pioneer" do, exactly? I've got a picture in my head of covered wagons and HD-TV, but I don't think that's right...
Again, you can nip most crud in the bud by reading your resume out loud and then sending it to a friend for honest input. Because friends don't let friends embarrass themselves.
Here's hoping that exposing these 4 common resume gaffes will help you avoid them!
Article by Kevin Donlin of Guaranteed Résumés, a Minneapolis-based résumé service. Since 1995, Guaranteed Résumés has provided résumés, Internet résumés, cover letters and job searches for clients in 44 states and 23 countries. For more information, point your browser to http://www.gresumes.com.

Career of the Month: FBI Agent

FBI agents are the government's principal investigators, responsible for investigating violations of more than two hundred and sixty statutes and conducting sensitive national security investigations. In most jurisdictions, they are expected to exercise authority when necessary, whether on or off duty. FBI agents may conduct surveillance, monitor court-authorized wiretaps, and examine business records to investigate white-collar crime. FBI agents may also track the interstate movement of stolen property, collect evidence of espionage activities, or participate in sensitive undercover assignments. The FBI investigates organized crime, public corruption, financial crime, fraud against the government, bribery, copyright infringement, civil rights violations, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, air piracy, terrorism, espionage, interstate criminal activities, drug trafficking, and other violations of federal statutes.
FBI agents are plainclothes investigators who gather facts and collect evidence for criminal cases. FBI agents conduct interviews, examine records, observe the activities of suspects, and participate in raids or arrests. Frequently, they must testify in court about the cases that they investigate.
FBI agents work at the FBI headquarters located in Washington D.C. or in one of the field offices and satellite offices located throughout the United States. The FBI also maintains liaison offices abroad in a number of foreign countries. FBI agents may work outside for long periods of time in all kinds of weather. Some jobs require extensive travel. FBI agent applicants must be U.S. citizens or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands, and at least 23 and not more than 36 years of age. Candidates must be completely available for assignment anywhere in the FBI's jurisdiction. They must have uncorrected vision not worse than 20/200 and corrected 20/20 in one eye and not worse than 20/40 in the other eye. All candidates must pass a color vision test and posses a valid driver's license.
The first step in becoming a FBI agent is the completion of a written application. If the entry-level criteria are met, candidates are considered for further processing. Candidates must pass a complete battery of written tests before being granted an interview. Successful completion of the written test and an interview will be followed by a thorough background investigation. All candidates will be given a polygraph examination and a medical examination.
Salary:
The Economic Research Institute reported the following:
Starting Salary: $43,000 ($20.75/hr)
Average salary: $59,000 ($28.25/hr)
Salary w/experience $76,000 ($36.50/hr)
For more information contact:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
US Department of Justice
Washington, DC 20535
http://www.fbi.gov/

Source: DISCOVER Online. To learn about thousands of other occupations, you can access DISCOVER via our website.

Alumni Spotlight: Brian Mercer

Brian Mercer is a district manager of Trade Oil Company and is a 2003 Management graduate of UNCP.
CSC: “Brian, what services did you use in the Career Center and which one(s) did you find most helpful?”
BM: “Being a nontraditional student as some call it (I called it a displaced textile worker catching up 30 years later) I was always dropping in unexpectedly for that little bit of advice that I needed. The Job Fairs that were scheduled at UNCP allowed me to see some of the potential employers that were in our area and gave [me] some idea of what I wanted to do as well as what I didn't want to pursue. I received an enormous amount of help with my resume through the Career Center. I also had a couple of job interviews that were scheduled through the Career Center.”
CSC: “What was the most challenging part of your job search?”
BM: “The most challenging part of my job search was finding employers that were willing to invest the time and money for an entry level position in the Accounting/Business fields.”
CSC: “How did you get through it?”
BM: “I was working part time with Trade Oil Company as an assistant manager when I graduated. A management position came open and I moved into that position. I was promoted into a District Manger's position with Trade Oil Company a year after beginning my management position.”
CSC: “What advice do you have for other students going through the job search?”
BM: “Be persistent in your job search. If you find something that you feel you are interested in, pursue it through whatever avenues you can find. Friends and family can get you connections to a job sometimes quicker than you can.
Don't get discouraged because you get doors closed before you ever get them open. There are jobs out there, and sooner or later the right one will find you.
Dress for SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!! First impressions are the most important part of your job search. I hire employees weekly, and you can believe me; I turn down potential employees weekly due to their appearance. Tattoos, earrings that look like basketball hoops, eyebrow rings, tongue rings, short pants and flip flops are not good ways to impress potential employers. Present yourself as a professional and your potential employer will look at you as a professional.
UNCP’S Career Center is a GREAT place to start your job search. They can help with resumes, there are job fairs for you to attend that will give you exposure to the potential employers in our area, and just being there to answer questions and to point you in the right direction when you feel that you are lost is a tremendous help.
I worked 27 years in the textile industry and attended college in my spare time. My textile job ended due to the plant closing due to exports. I was able to attend UNCP full time through a program that the state funded at no cost to me. I was able to complete a bachelor’s degree during the two years I attended UNCP. Without the degree I received from UNCP and the support that I received through the Career Center at UNCP I would not have the position that I have with Trade Oil Company.
You have the access to the Career Center at no cost to you, and I ask that you use their services to your benefit while pursuing your career.
Best of luck to everyone in your job search. Thanks to everyone at UNCP for all your support.”

Brave Ideas

“I can’t believe you did that!” and Other Career Mishaps
One candidate portrayed herself as a “beauty queen”...literally—down to the evening gown she wore and the vacuous answers she gave!

Dear Zelda,
When I came by the Career Center to get started on my resume, I was told I needed to go by the Resume Checklist. What is the Resume Checklist, how can it help me, and where can I find it?
Signed Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,
The Resume Checklist is a handout from the Career Center that is designed to help you format your resume in a way employers prefer resumes. Taking the time to follow the checklist before coming in for your critique will save you a tremendous amount of time when writing a resume and will let you use your appointment time more wisely. Consider the checklist a resume workshop in a handout. You can download the Resume Checklist from the Career Center web site at www.undp.edu/cs.
Zelda
Got a career or job search question? Ask Zelda at cs@uncp.edu

This Month’s Job Search Tip
As soon as possible after an interview, jot down some notes on what was discussed, your impressions, what comes next, etc.; while you think you will remember everything about each interview, it is easy to forget key points after going through several interviews or after a period of time has elapsed. Be sure to send a thank you note within one day after your interview to express your appreciation and to reaffirm your interest in the position.

Little Known Facts
Remember...job opportunities are won or lost in the personal interview. It is not necessarily the most qualified person who gets the job offer, but the person who make the best presentation of his/her qualifications.

CSC Career Unscripted Workshop Guide
Spring 2005
(every Wednesday @ 3:30 pm in the Career Services Library, UC Ste. 210, unless otherwise noted)

4/6 Style & Grace Business Etiquette Dinner, 5 pm, UC Lounge
4/13 Fear is Not a Factor (Graduate School Planning)
4/20 The Apprentice and What Not to Wear
4/27 Trading Spaces: From Classroom to Office, 10 am
4/27 Career Eye For The Late Guy (Last Minute Job Search Techniques)

Upcoming Events

Style & Grace Etiquette Dinner
April 6, 5:00 p.m., UC Lounge
(Reservations required - contact Career Services for more information)

Commencement
May 7, 10:00 a.m.
(Graduates are to robe and line up in the Auxiliary Gym by 8:45 a.m.)

Congratulations Class of 2005!!
Brave Opportunities will return online in Fall 2005. Have a great summer!

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