This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Shreena writes:
I am applying for a summer undergraduate work placement in a large company of opticians. One of the questions of the application forms is as follows: “Provide details of key achievements in your current role including facts and figures and performance targets to indicate the business outcome that resulted.”
Do I need to write about my role as a student at university? There is no real business outcome that results from being a student.
Thank you so much for asking this question. Everyone reading this blog who knows a college student should be sure that s/he reads my answer.
Most college students should leave college with two types of experience: actual work experience gained through internships and part-time jobs and practical experience gained through class projects and papers.
When writing their resume, most students don’t have too hard a time describing work experience, but one of the most common errors I see is that students often discount those class projects.
As the application states, the company is looking for your key achievements/accomplishments to date. If you have previous work experiences, list those along with their outcomes. But don’t forget about those class projects.
For example,at the university where I previously taught, many major courses required completing a project, often with a real client. For example, in a marketing research class, students might work with a local business in uncovering a problem and suggesting solutions.
When describing those student experiences, remember the same rules that apply to describing your work experiences: always try to quantify your descriptions, focus on outcomes and project objectives.
A sample explanation of a student project:
Market Research Project for DeLand ElectronicsDeveloped detailed SWOT Analysis
Assisted in writing survey questionnaire
Managed survey mail-out to 1,000 residents
Compiled strategic solutions based on survey results
For more information, consider reading this article on Quintessential Careers: For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Shreena writes:
I am applying for a summer undergraduate work placement in a large company of opticians. One of the questions of the application forms is as follows: “Provide details of key achievements in your current role including facts and figures and performance targets to indicate the business outcome that resulted.”
Do I need to write about my role as a student at university? There is no real business outcome that results from being a student.
Thank you so much for asking this question. Everyone reading this blog who knows a college student should be sure that s/he reads my answer.
Most college students should leave college with two types of experience: actual work experience gained through internships and part-time jobs and practical experience gained through class projects and papers.
When writing their resume, most students don’t have too hard a time describing work experience, but one of the most common errors I see is that students often discount those class projects.
As the application states, the company is looking for your key achievements/accomplishments to date. If you have previous work experiences, list those along with their outcomes. But don’t forget about those class projects.
For example,at the university where I previously taught, many major courses required completing a project, often with a real client. For example, in a marketing research class, students might work with a local business in uncovering a problem and suggesting solutions.
When describing those student experiences, remember the same rules that apply to describing your work experiences: always try to quantify your descriptions, focus on outcomes and project objectives.
A sample explanation of a student project:
Market Research Project for DeLand ElectronicsDeveloped detailed SWOT Analysis
Assisted in writing survey questionnaire
Managed survey mail-out to 1,000 residents
Compiled strategic solutions based on survey results
For more information, consider reading this article on Quintessential Careers: For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
College students, be sure to include class and team projects on your resume. You have probably participated in many projects during your college years that have real-world applications and that have helped you polish your transferable skills. If you have lots of relevant internship and job experience, you may have less need to detail class projects on your resume.
But if your experience is sparse, class projects are a perfectly legitimate way to beef up your resume. In one of our favorite examples of a student resume that makes the most of class projects, the student is quite upfront about the fact that these are class projects; yet she portrays them with the same weight and seriousness as she portrays her internship experience.
You could also consider detailing your class projects on a supplement to your resume.
Read our article, Emphasizing Your Classroom Transferable and Marketable Skills for more ideas on how skills honed in the classroom apply to the real world.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
Here are ways to consider sharpening the focus of your resume:
- Use a branding statement or headline or both atop your resume.
- Add a profile/qualifications summary with keywords relevant to the job you seek.
- Add a keyword section relevant to the job you seek.
- Beef up portrayal of accomplishments and transferable skills. Be sure to spotlight skills that apply to what you want to do next.
- Use our Cover Letter and Resume Customization Worksheet to help you sharpen your focus.
- For college students and new grads: Consider adding class projects in your major (or other classes) that are applicable to what you want to do upon graduation.
Riskier options for sharpening your focus:
- Consider a chrono-functional format. Organize your resume around skills clusters that directly apply to the job you seek.
- Use an objective statement.
Read more in our Frequently Asked Questions About Resumes: The Complete Resume FAQ.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
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