With graduation looming in the distance, the burden of student loans and having parentson your back always kindly remind you not to waste another summer lying on the couch, I decided to go to the Arts & Sciences Career Week in hopes of getting more information about summer job opportunities or even long term job possibilities. With a variety of companies, such as Sun Life, Xerox, Pegasus Recruiting and World Trade Group, present during the week, it was interesting talking with representatives and gathering information about their companies, however, it was during the panel discussions with the company representatives where I was really able to see the perspectives companies could have regarding hiring.

Let’s face it…companies, but especially larger companies, will often have a HUGE amount of candidates apply for a small number of openings in their companies. How can I stand out as a candidate? What skills would put me at a greater advantage in the candidate pool?

Here are some pointers that the representatives suggested:

1. Highlight the skills you learned in your degree that can be transferred into the workforce.
- Some skills may include: motivation, being active, patience, tolerance, research skills, organization, public speaking skills, ability to be flexible, being a team player and good social skills

2. No sloppy cover letters and resumes….and DEFINITELY no spelling mistakes!
- While this may initially appear as a no brainer, the representative explained why this was SO important. Your resume and cover represents the first impression you want to give the employer. If you lack effort and organization already in your cover letter and resume, what type of effort and organization will you bring to the company?

3. Find the person in charge of hiring and try to speak to them!
- This shows that you took the effort to first gather information as to who is hiring but it also shows that you care about this prospective job.
- Remember to use all resources available to you….company websites are always a good start!

4. Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. Consider contacting some companies you’re interested in….CALL AND TALK!
- Not only does this show effort on your part but it also allows you to gain a better understanding of the prospective job and the company.

- Plan an Information Interview: sometimes companies really value these calls and they certainly put a face to a name (especially when there are TONS of applicants).

5. Play by the organization’s rules
- Make sure that when you apply for a job, you submit all the documents required of you.
- If it helps, make a list in preparation of what a prospective employer is looking for…and sending it to the right people always helps!

6. Personalize your resume to show what type of person you are!
- Don’t be afraid to talk about your extracurricular activities or even drop a line or two about your hobbies and interests.

So if you’re like me, fearing that perhaps your resume and cover letter won’t stand out in the crowd, perhaps consider some of these tips that company representatives suggested. Obviously this isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s definitely a good start and you won’t know whether it works until you try right?

Until next time,

Stephanie Leung (Your friendly, neighborhood Peer Educator!)