Resume workshop at WSU

The student chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management is holding a resume workshop by the fireplace in the Shepherd Union Building Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

SHRM is offering this workshop to help students without resumes to create one, and help those with resumes to strengthen them.

According to Pat Wheeler, career services director, SHRM is holding the workshop as a volunteer service project.

"The primary thrust being they have something to take to the career fair on the 16th of February," Wheeler said.

Wheeler said members of SHRM will critique resumes and help students design them.

Dallas Bailey, president of the society for human resource management, said many students need help creating a resume, but lack the understanding of how to create one and what employers look for in a resume.

"When they want to go find a job, a resume is the first thing that's going to get you an interview," Bailey said.

Employers use the resume to see a potential employee's qualifications. Employers look for nice-looking and organized resumes. Bailey said a resume is one of the most important ways to get the attention of employers to get an interview.

She also said SHRM knows which format local employers prefer.

To get started building a resume, a person should know what job they want, then get a list of activities they are involved in, such as volunteer service, clubs, and student organizations. Also, bring a record of academic status and references, Bailey said.

Avoid using family, friends, and religious leaders as references. Use supervisors and extra curricular advisors or anyone who could testify for your work ethic.

"Faculty are an excellent source," she said.

Kathleen Tesori, public relations coordinator for SHRM, said they are highly trained in the human resource field and looking at resumes is part of what the members are trained to do.

"Part of our profession is to get eligible people to managers to choose who they want," Tesori said.

The workshop is designed to tailor students' resumes to specific jobs.

"It's a basic thing to get it tightened up a little bit," Tesori said. More action, skill and technical words will also help a resume get noticed. She said it is important to have many people view a resume; each viewer brings fresh eyes to the process.

"I can combine everyone's views into the perfect resume," Tesori said.

Resumes are the key to opening the door of employment.

According to Denise Furlow, recruiter and trainer for Bank of Utah, and WSU alumna, resumes are conversation starters and catch the attention of potential employers.

"It's a chance for you to sell yourself, " Furlow said.

A job application is not detailed enough to highlight a person's abilities. A resume can show specific abilities of the applicant and reflect the style of his or her personality.

If the resume has poor organization, unusual fonts, spelling and grammar errors, looks unprofessional or has abnormal formatting, it may get overlooked.

"I don't put as much emphasis on what it says," Furlow said.

Furlow has seen many unacceptable resumes as a recruiter, such as marking out old addresses with ink, covering errors with White-Out, and incorrect company information.

"There are a lot of no-no's with resumes," Furlow said.

Furlow wants potential employees to put time and effort into their resumes. She said it is important that resumes don't look mass-produced.

"It tells me 'Does this person want to work at my place of business, or do they just not care and want to work anywhere," Furlough said.

"It's a chance for you to sell yourself, " Furlow said.

A job application is not detailed enough to highlight a person's abilities. A resume can show specific abilities of the applicant and reflect the style of his or her personality.

If the resume has poor organization, unusual fonts, spelling and grammar errors, looks unprofessional or has abnormal formatting, it may be overlooked.

"I don't put as much emphasis on what it says," Furlow said.

Furlow has seen many unacceptable resumes as a recruiter: Marking out old addresses with ink, covering errors with White-Out and incorrect company information.

"There are a lot of no-no's with resumes," Furlow said.

Furlow wants potential employees to put time and effort into their resumes. She said it is important that resumes don't look mass-produced.

"It tells me 'Does this person want to work at my place of business, or do they just not care and want to work anywhere," Furlough said.

 

You can leave a message for reporter Lynn Wilde at 626-7624.