Finding an Internship in a Specific Field

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Randi writes:
I am looking for an internship in a child-life program for recreational therapy. I am a senior at the University of Florida and need a 4-month internship to complete my degree. I will be available in January to begin my internship. I have sent resumes out to many hospitals in the Southeast but so far haven’t heard anything. Can you give me any suggestions regarding where else I could look? My preference is to intern in either Miami or the surrounding areas, Atlanta, or Boston.

The Career Doctor responds:
Randi, I guess I’m a little confused why you are having troubles. UF has a great hospital in Shands, so why can’t you do your internship there? Some other questions for you: have you discussed this with your faculty adviser or other professors? They must have some contacts — can they help you out? Now, about those letters — did you write to real people or just to some title?

One of the secrets of writing great cover letters that get you results is writing to a named individual. Rather than writing to the Director of Recreational Therapy, it makes much more sense to contact all the hospitals and get the directors’ name and then address the letter to a named individual rather than just a title.

For hospitals you have not contacted, you might try this tactic if you did not do so in your first round of letters.

The next thing you have to do is get on the phone. For many job-seekers, this is one of the hardest parts of the job search. But I can guarantee you that you will have a lot more options if you start making phone calls than if you sit by your mailbox waiting for the offers. Get on the phone and follow up with all the hospitals you wrote to originally. If you wrote to a named individual, then call him or her directly. If you did not write to a named individual, now is the time to get the name and see if you can fax your credentials so that you do not lose any more time.

Lots more tips and suggestions can be found in Dynamic Cover Letters and Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates.

You can also find lots more job-hunting “do’s and don’ts” in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job-Hunting Do’s and Don’ts.

Yes, Include Volunteer Work on Your Resume

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Sonia writes:
I’m currently looking to improve my resume. Can you please advise if the volunteer work should be added?  If you need a copy of my resume please let me know.

The Career Doctor responds:
The quick answer to your question is yes, you should include volunteer experience if it is relevant to the job you are seeking.

Now let’s take a step back and discuss resume strategies more broadly. The most important thing to remember when writing or updating your resume is that it is a marketing document, not a historical record of your life. You should only include relevant information to the job you are seeking. And if you are a mid-career or mature job-seeker, you should only include the most recent experiences — from the past 10 to 15 years.

What is relevant information? It’s work experience, volunteering experience, education, training, certifications, skills and accomplishments — information that relates directly to the qualifications that the employer is seeking in qualified job applicants.

In fact, if you remember nothing more, please understand that every resume you submit to a prospective employer should be specifically targeted and tailored to the job and employer. Your experiences should match as closely as possible to the qualifications the employer seeks and you should describe yourself and your experiences using some of the same words the employer uses to describe itself and the ideal job candidate.
Some other key issues to consider at you write, edit, and update your resume:

  • Keep your resume tight and concise. Employers are not going to waste time searching for through your resume for the information they seek. Use bullets and short phrases to describe your experiences.
  • Load up on keywords. Because most job-seeker resumes are now kept electronically in computer files, loading your resume with relevant keywords makes it more likely that a hiring manager looking for someone with your qualifications will pull up your resume in a search.
  • While there are no hard and fast rules on resume length, most job-seekers should keep resumes to two pages. If yours is longer, take a hard look at how you can cut unimportant information — and make the relevant information more concise. You can also consider resume addendums to include more detailed information, such as details about key accomplishments, certifications, professional association experiences, and the like.
  • Consider including a section such as “Summary of Qualifications,” or “Profile,” which can help sharpen the focus of your resume — as well as providing an opportunity to use keywords.
  • Only include factual information on your resume — and don’t make something you did into something else (like the executive who claimed a weekend retreat at Harvard somehow translated into an executive MBA).
  • Always leave time for editing, spellchecking, and proofreading — and when possible, have another person review your resume for errors you may have missed.

Find more key resume information, tools, and samples in the Resume Resources Section of Quintessential Careers.

Resumes for Blue-Collar Jobs

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Tanisha writes:
Do you know of a web site where I could look up a sample resume for an automotive technician/mechanic? I haven’t been too successful on my own.

The Career Doctor responds:
You’re certainly right there is not much out there on the Web about blue-collar resumes. My sense is this is because blue-collar jobs have lagged behind technology and other white-collar jobs in reaching the Net. The best bet for you is the late Yana Parker’s Website offering her book, Blue Collar & Beyond: Resumes for Skilled Trades & Services. You can find the site here. She lists an example or two at the site, but you might just want to go to your local library or invest the approximately $10 to buy the book. I totally believe Yana was a resume guru.

For more general information about resume formats, you can certainly look at my article, Fundamentals of a Good Chronlogical Resume.

At Our Sister Site: Take 20% Off Your Resume Order Through the End of May

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We’ve partnered with the best-in-class resume service — Great Resumes Fast — to provide you with a top-quality resume that will transform your job-search, separating you from other job-seekers, and helping you obtain job interviews… and now, through the end of May, use this promotion code — Quint20 — to save 20% off your entire order!

That special price is in addition to two ongoing special offers:

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  • All resume-writing packages include TWO FREE resume updates, a value of up to $478, depending on your career level. Not only is it a tremendous value, but it will also provide you with an amazing opportunity to have your resume updated when you land that great new role — and provide you with another update whenever you’re ready. You’ll also have up to two years to use both of your resume updates. We’ll be here to help you have your resume ready when you need it most.
  • The free e-book titled 50+ Great Ideas to Launch Your Job Search is included with every order. This book is chock-full of ideas, strategies, and tips for using your new resume, launching a job search, and using social media to job search. We want you to be successful in your job search, and we’re arming you with the best advice from some of today’s greatest thought leaders and industry experts.

Place an order by May 31 and get 20% off. Use promo code Quint20.

 

How Should a Young Person Network?

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Steve writes:
As a student, I know I am supposed to network with individuals, but most of the older people I encounter have no interest in helping a young professional or think I am just looking to get a job, which is not the case….how can I approach them so they understand that I am just looking for guidance and not necessarily a job?

The Career Doctor responds:
Networking is THE most powerful tool of job-hunting. The vast majority of jobs are filled through networking — and its importance is more than that of any of the other job-hunting methods combined.

You can build your network in any number of ways… and yes, some people will be more inclined to join your network than others. But remember… it’s not just about the people you know, but all the people in the networks of the people you know.

Family and Friends. You’ve probably known these people are many years, if not your entire life, and they have a strong interest in seeing you succeed. Even if your family and friends are not in the career field you seek, the chances that they know someone — or know someone who knows someone — in your field are very high.

Classmates and Alumni. People who attend the same school have an automatic bond. The student sitting next to you may live next door to the VP of marketing for General Electric. One of your school’s alumni may be pharmaceutical sales director for GlaxoSmithKline. These people — because of the shared bond of attending the same college — have a strong interest in helping you, so these folks are great to network with.

Professors and Classroom Guest Speakers. Your professors are typically professionals in their fields and not only have a pulse on the career beat, but also a collection of contacts within their field. The same holds of guest speakers. These folks obviously like talking with and helping students, so after the speaker finishes, try to talk to him/her and begin building a relationship that could greatly help you.

Online Networking and Other Networking Sources. While not always as strong as a personal connection, there are also many more opportunities for networking with people online — through social and professional networking sites. And don’t forget about any social event or gathering – those are great places to network.

How to approach people when networking? Use the same principles you use when meeting any new people. Find some common ground first and build rapport. The best way to signal to them that you are not asking for a job is to almost come right out and say it. From that initial conversation, as long as you continue to follow-up, you will have established a strong networking relationship.

Finally, let me mention a wonderful networking tool for younger job-seekers and career-changers: informational interviewing — in which you schedule one-on-one meetings with people in your field to learn more about the industry and in the process, add these people to your network.

For more tips and tools, including places and people to network – both in person and online — go to this section of my career site, Quintessential Careers: The Art of Career Networking.

How to Prepare a CV

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Janet writes:
Enjoying your site but no luck finding info on preparing a ciruculum vitae (spelling may not be perfect). I was hoping you could direct me to an example of one. I’m applying for a speaking certification and was told this would be more relevant than a resume. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The Career Doctor responds:
Curriculum vitaes, or CVs or vitaes for short, are basically resumes, used most often by academicians and scientists. They are also often required when applying to graduate or professional programs, and when applying for international employment.

They contain all the basic information that a resume contains — name, address, work experience, education, certifications, awards and honors — but usually also contain other pertinent information, such as scholarly activities (such as papers in journals, presentations and workshops, creative projects, etc.), professional development, patents, teaching/course evaluations, service to the profession. Vitaes also do not have the short (1-2) page requirement of resumes; in fact, in many cases, the long the better.

Read my article published on Quintessential Careers: Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV).

Career Change in the IT Industry

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Abby writes:
I am a college graduate looking to break into the computer industry. I have been employed as a software trainer for two months. However, I am looking for a position in help desk, desktop support, training or as an entry-level IT consultant. What companies offer entry-level consultant positions?

I am proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook, Windows NT, and Windows. Any suggestions on companies that hire entry-level people without comp-sci degrees? A temp agency was supposed to set up an interview for me for a help-desk position, but then the position was filled from within the company. Subsequently, I was offered an entry-level Windows NT support job elsewhere by that same temp agency. I signed a contract for the job, but then the recruiter called me and told me that the company had decided that there was no need for the position.

I’m not sure I want to deal with that temp-agency anymore. Is that type of behavior on the part of temp agencies common?

The Career Doctor responds:
Abby, whether you believe it or not, you are in a great position. There is so much demand for computer and IT people that you should — with some help — be able to get a job closer to what you want to be doing, rather than as a trainer.

The only limitation that I see might be from geography — that is, if you live in a small town or do not have any willingness to move. Assuming you have some flexibility, you have a number of options.

First, hit some of the IT Websites and post your resume and/or apply for any interesting positions. ComputerJobs.com is a good place to start. You can find other sites by visiting this section of Quintessential Careers: Jobs in Technical, Telecommunications, Computers, Software, and IT.

Second, make a list of the companies in your area (or where you want to live) and develop a plan to seek employment with one of them. Visit their Websites and see if they have a job board — more and more companies are posting jobs online — and if so, apply to any that interest you. If that does not work, next get the names of the vice president/director of information technology at these companies and send a cover letter and resume explaining your interest in a job.

Third, talk with the one (or other) temp agency you mention in your email and continue to work with them on positions. Because supply of competent technical people is so limited in many areas, firms have gone to temp agencies for help.

The agency you have dealt with seems a little flaky, so you might investigate other options. Check out Oya’s Recruiter Directory to search for other possible IT recruitment firms.

Supply a Salary History When Applying for a Job?

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Kelly writes:
I am in the process of applying for a job that I saw an ad in the newspaper, and it asks for a salary history. Should I include this information in my cover letter, resume, or should this be a separate page? Also, how involved should this be?

The Career Doctor responds:
You are in a tough place, Kelly, because most employers who ask for salary history in a job posting do so as a method of screening applicants out who are outside the salary range.

So, the first question you need to ask yourself is whether you think you are outside (though mainly above) the salary range. If you are not, then you may choose to do a brief salary history, which can be part of your cover letter or on a separate piece of paper, just as a reference sheet. If you are above the salary range, then I suggest you take a different approach, stating in your letter that your salary range is negotiable.

The downside of not including your salary range is that you could be screened out anyway.

For more information on the salary negotiation process, please visit this section of Quintessential Careers: Salary and Job Offer Tutorial.

How Far Can You Go with an Engineering Undergrad Degree?

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Ahmed writes:
I’m planning to transfer to Cal State Poly Pomona as an engineering major, but I’m getting some conflicting info and hope you can help me sort it out. Someone with a BS from Cal State Poly, Pomona, told me that you can’t really do anything with an engineering degree lower than a master’s.

Is that true? I’m also trying to find out in what specialty are the engineering jobs going to coming from in the next 5-10 years. Someone else told me a mechanical engineering degree isn’t worth much more than the paper it is printed on. I hope you can give me some sound information.

The Career Doctor responds:
I’m not an expert on all the ins and outs of what you can do with an engineering degree, but I do know the numerous specializations include mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, nuclear engineering, aeronautical engineering, and others.

Rather than listening to rumors or opinions of other students, I would do some real investigating. The best source? The faculty at Cal State Poly, Pomona. Just because you are not a student there does not mean you can’t call, email, or set-up an appointment with an engineering faculty member and discuss these issues and concerns. You could also talk with the career resources office on campus and ask them about the types and rates of job placement recent engineering grads have had.

After that, there are some great sources on the Web. For example, the Occupational Outlook Handbook, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states:

“Graduate training is essential for engineering faculty positions, but is not required for the majority of entry-level engineering jobs. Many engineers obtain graduate degrees in engineering or business administration to learn new technology, broaden their education, and enhance promotion opportunities.”

And there is a lot more information at that site, so go have a look.

Tell Your Employer Where Your New Job Is?

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Mel writes:
First, may I compliment you on an awesome Website I find the info and articles on your Website very informative, believable, and real-world based. I have been in my career almost 30 years, so I do know the difference between hype and real, knowledgeable information.

My question is — If your job search is successful, is there any reason etiquette-wise or legally that you have to tell your former employer where you are going.

The Career Doctor responds:
Thanks for the kind words about our site. We’re a small company, but we totally believe in our mission of helping — empowering — job-seekers.

You never have to tell your current employer anything about where you are going unless you signed a non-compete clause. That said, since businesses involve people, most are interested in your plans just to be nosy — so that folks have something to talk about.

In your resignation letter, all you need to state is your last day of employment … of course, you should also thank the employer to make certain you do not burn any bridges. That’s it; ignore any other requests for information if you do not wish to disclose it.

What exactly should you say in your letter of resignation? Here’s a basic outline:

First Paragraph: State your intention of quitting your job and leaving the company. Give a specific last day of work.

Second paragraph: If you feel comfortable, give a reason why you are leaving — relocating, better job, career change, graduate school, etc. Or, reinforce your value by mentioning your key accomplishments with the employer (though doing so may trigger a counter offer).

Third Paragraph: Thank both your supervisor and the company for the opportunities you had working for them. Be sure to end the letter on a positive note.

Find a sample resignation letter and resignation memo.

If you want to be helpful and help deflect questions about where you are going, you could offer to help find and/or train the person replacing you.

Here are some other things to consider when resigning:

  • Timing. Give enough notice. The standard notice has traditionally been two to four weeks, but you should consult your employee handbook in case your employer expects more (or less) advance warning.
  • Negotiating. Be sure to get a fair settlement for any outstanding salary, vacation (and sick and personal) days, and commission payments or other compensation due to you.
  • Leaving. Before walking out the door for the last time, be sure you have contact information for key supervisors and co-workers that you want to keep part of your network of contacts — and be sure to thank them again for their support.