Studies show that companies do most of their hiring during the first two months of the year. With businesses eager to bring on new talent, there’s no better time to spruce up your resume than now. That’s why the College of Charleston School of Business Student Success Center (SSC) is launching Resume Month this February.
Enter SSC’s Cory Werkheiser: assistant director of career and professional development and the man who’s making Resume Month happen. Poised to take students’ professional skills to the next level, Werkheiser
wants to make sure all resumes from our business students are blunder-proof.
We sat down with the career guru to talk a little about the do’s (and don’ts) of a well-done resume.
Q: Being the assistant director of career and professional development, I’m sure you’ve seen a ton of resumes — the good and the bad. Is there anything you wish students would leave off of their resumes?
A: Coffee stains. Actually, most of the time I assist students with adding things they never thought of including — like volunteer experience or details about study abroad programs.
Q: What’s the best funky font to include on your resume?
A: If you are using the word funky to describe your resume font — you’ve already failed… Keep it simple — Calibri or Arial. Times New Roman if you insist on having letters with serifs.
Q: Some students are discouraged by the brevity of their resumes. What advice do you have for Cougars with less professional experience?
A: Get involved! Join clubs and professional organizations related to your major/minor. Volunteer with organizations that support your interests or hobbies. Look for opportunities to job shadow or intern to gain experience, and seek out leadership positions whenever possible. All of this enhances your resume and expands your professional network.
Q: We all want to secure our dream job. What’s a major resume DON’T? On the flip-side, what’s one thing students should never leave off of their resume?
A: Don’t add any kind of picture or clip art. Always include accurate, up-to-date contact information.
Q: Is it okay to include jobs and extracurricular activities from high school?
A: Rarely, but I review that with the student on a case-by-case basis.
Q: So, your killer resume just got you an interview. What should you never leave home without when meeting with a potential employer for the first time?
A: A hard copy list (don’t trust your phone!) of the following details: When you are meeting, where the interview is located, and with whom you are meeting. And a breath mint!
Q: Any last words?
A: Using statistical data that I just made up, 98.3% of resumes have something that needs to be corrected, added, or removed. Simple spelling or grammar errors can be the single factor that removes you from consideration. Get the resume reviewed, reviewed, and reviewed!
Stop by the Student Success Center (Beatty Center, Suite 100) anytime this month to have your resume revamped for success. And, be sure to follow the SSC on Instagram, at @cofc_sb_ssc!
