On Tuesday, November 10, 2009 I spent the afternoon with various Colorado employers in a meeting discussing soft skills and what they look for in entry-level personnel. It was a great discussion and here's the list that they stressed:

1. Communication – being able to communicate with internal and external clients both spoken and in writing
2. Collaboration – being able to play well with others
3. Self Starter – don't wait to be told what to do – find something or ask
4. Commitment and Ownership of your actions and the interactions you have with those around you
5. Integrity – arrive on the job site on time, have a clarity of purpose as to why you are working
6. Straight Talk – own up to your mistakes, everyone makes them
7. Teamwork – understand how to lead and motivate a team
8. Decisiveness – Being able to make tough decisions without all the data and then acting upon the decision once you made it
9. Constructive Risk Taking – Understanding risk, how to take risks, when to take risks, and what insurance do you have on the side in case it doesn't work out
10. Selling – you have to be able to convey your ideas to your peers to get their buy in so having a little bit of a "sales" mentality will help
11. Understand what others do – look beyond your own "academic clan" to be able to see the entire picture
12. Understanding "Delayed Gratification" – You don't always get rewarded every time you do something well

As you look to move into the workforce, which of these "soft skills" do you possess? Which ones need a little more work?

Submitted by: Judy Brobst, Career Center Liaison, College of Natural Sciences, November 11, 2009

Collectively, the US government is the largest single employer in America, filling approximately 1.6 million full-time, permanent positions; however, in reality, the US government consists of several hundred smaller employers, each of which has its own individual function and culture. As a result, the opportunities offered by government jobs are wide ranging, and the needs are diverse.

In times of economic hardship and downsizing, a science or engineering job with the US government is by comparison secure and accompanied by less pressure to obtain funding and grants than a job in academia. In addition, a lower risk of layoffs may exist there than in industry. Add to that the competitive benefits and salary, the learning opportunities, and the diverse working environments at various institutions, and a position with the US government can make an attractive proposition, , , read the entire article at: http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2009_10_23/science.opms.r0900081

Written by: By Emma Hitt

Posted: 10/28/2009 by Judy Brobst from Science Careers on line magazine

OK, so I'm not really saying we should all be journalists, but I couldn't help but think we can all learn a lot by watching how they shape, and re-shape their careers in the midst of change. Despite the rapid decline of mainstream media, enrollment in journalism programs is up 35% across the country! Why? Because there is opportunity created while the industry is remaking itself. Getting involved in this state of transition is an opportunity to redefine the industry! See any connections between what is happening in the media industry and out economy as a whole? Learn from the journalists: "The future is for smart, hard-working students to band together, create their own (insert your specialty here), and make a business out of it—and that's what a lot of them are doing."

Full Text:

Several Factors Contribute to High Interest in Journalism Even though the newspaper industry in particular is struggling, enrollment in many undergraduate journalism programs across the United States is on the rise, according to a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Overall, the number of journalism undergrads nationwide has gone up 35 percent over the last 10 years, to about 201,000. "There are still plenty of people who love to write and [who] think that their journalism degree will serve as an entree to just about any field they could go into," says Barbara Hines, president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. What's behind the growth of the journalism major in such difficult media times? Experts in the field point to several factors - one of them being, counter intuitively, the field's unfolding state of flux. "Ambitious and creative young people see this as an opportunity to be part of the effort to recast and remake journalism," argues former Wall Street Journal Online managing editor Bill Grueskin, dean of academic affairs for the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University (NY). Other industry insiders say students are drawn to journalism programs' expanding emphasis on new-media tools (e.g., blogs, Twitter) as well as entrepreneurship. "There's not a great future in working for mainstream media," says Christopher

Harper, an associate professor of journalism at Temple University (PA). "The future is for smart, hard-working students to band together, create their own media, and make a business out of it—and that's what a lot of them are doing." Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 25, 2009.

Chuck Hancock

Colorado State University Career Center

Recently, I received an email from a recent CSU graduate who took the entire summer after his graduation to bike across the United States with a friend to raise money for Invisible Children. Many students I talk with want to do something similar, feel driven to do something similar, but are stopped by very real concerns. What impact will this have on my job search? Will this affect my future negatively beyond that search for a first post-graduation job? What about loans and money? Mark didn't let these concerns stop him and the result has been amazing. Read on for an excerpt from his email (reprinted with his permission, of course)!

"We felt our campaign was a huge success! The most important goal of this campaign was spreading awareness about the atrocities occurring to children in northern Uganda. We accomplished this goal by informing everyone we met along the road about the Invisible Children Organization. The hundreds of people we met had different outlooks on life, different political views, differences in international agendas, and all came from different walks in life. However, the one thing everyone had in common was a warm, caring, and welcoming heart! The people we met were excited to witness our passion and mission in helping children in Uganda receive an adequate education and help put an end to the civil war. . . .

Since we began fundraising in the beginning of April, we were able to raise $6,780 dollars that will be given to one of the ten schools in northern Uganda. . . . To learn more information about Schools For Schools Program check out IC website at: http://s4s.invisiblechildren.com.

Our lives now….Well it's been about a 6 weeks since we have been off our bikes. I can't speak for Kristen, but I think we both would agree we miss riding a bike for eight hours a day not knowing what stories lie ahead of us or where will we pitch our tent for the night! Life was brought down only to the necessities (food, shelter, shower). At the moment I'm working at Hyatt Hotel in Chicago, pursuing my career in the hospitality industry. I am planning to bike from Vancouver to San Diego this upcoming spring. . . .

This summer was a growing and learning experience! We learned a lot about the opposite sex, each other, and ourselves. Most importantly, we found out that majority of people are caring and willing to help their neighbors or complete strangers. They want peace and the freedom to pursue their passions and dreams. . . .

Kristen took OVER 2000 pictures, CHECK THEM OUT:

http://picasaweb.google.com/biking4invisiblechildren"

Check out Mark's blog about his cross-country biking experience at http://www.biking4invisiblechildren.com/

Barbara Diehl, WCNR Career Center Liaison

Most schools have an alumni database that they encourage the student body to access for job leads or mentoring. (You can also use LinkedIn to research alum's from CSU) This is a very valuable resource.  HOWEVER, the way in which you approach these alumni will determine whether or not they respond.  Below is a short example of an introductory email that you might send to an alum:

Email to an alum who works in an industry that you are interested in pursuing:

Dear Mr. / Ms. X,

My name is John Doe.  I am a junior political science major at XXX College with a strong interest in law.  I found your contact information through LinkedIn.   I understand that your firm, GMP, has a significant litigation practice, an area I would love to understand better. 

My interest in the law started in high school.  While in college, I have taken several political science courses and legal seminars including constitutional and corporate law.  Although those seminars were ungraded, I have maintained a 3.4 GPA while also participating in several extracurricular activities including the Pre-law society. 

If your firm offers summer internships, I would welcome the opportunity to connect with the internship coordinator.   In addition, it would be extremely helpful if I could better understand your career path and perspective on the legal profession.  Is there a time when I might schedule a brief 20-30 minute call or visit with you at your office?

Sincerely,
John Doe

Why this Introduction Works:

• Immediately creates a connection to the person by referencing XXX College and LinkedIn.  If the alum is in LinkedIn, then he/she must have opted-in to be contacted.
• In the first paragraph, the author references the litigation practice of the alum's firm, indicating that he has done some research on the business. 
• In the second paragraph, the author gives explicit examples of how he has demonstrated his interest in the law, through his major and related classes and extracurricular activities
• He makes a "reasonable ask" (see this article on "How to make the right and reasonable ask for help").  He doesn't ask for an internship; he asks to be connected to someone who might be in charge of the program.  It would be easy for the alum to simply pass along an email address.
• In his ask for a personal connection, he gives the option of a phone call or a quick meeting.  Meetings are better for him, but may not be for the alum.  He also defines the amount of time he would need.  It is hard for someone to say "no" to a 20 minute discussion. 

  By: Ronald Mitchell on Gottamentor.com

  Submitted by Judy Brobst

How many iTunes songs were downloaded in 2008?

Some companies ask interview candidates riddles or brain teasers like this one as a standard part of an interview. If you're not expecting them, they can be very unnerving, but for positions that require a lot of creative thinking, brain teasers are a good way to gauge your problem solving skills, particularly under pressure.

Keep this in mind if you are asked a brain teaser during an interview: they often are NOT looking for the RIGHT answer. You will be evaluated on the approach you use to solve the problem more than your final answer. A strong candidate demonstrates the following:

1. Manages the scope of the problem
2. Communicates assumptions
3. Demonstrates quantitative analytical skills (estimates, back of the envelope calculations)
4. Answers the question that has been asked. You'd be surprised how many candidates get lost in the analysis and answer a different question than what was asked.

Let's look at example strong and weak answers to a few brain teasers

Example #1:  How many street lamps are there in Manhattan?

Example #2   Estimate the market demand in gallons for skim milk in the U.S. in a given year 

Example #3   Crossing the Bridge (or how do you get 4 people across the bridge given certain constraints)

By Andrea Rice at Gottamentor.com

Posted by Judy Brobst

FEDERAL JOBS! Check it out:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/08/future-government-jobs-leadership-careers-employment.html?partner=careersaol à A great article confirming the good news in federal government jobs!

We have some upcoming workshops/events that will help students connect and learn about opportunities with a variety of federal government agencies.

The Career Center is hosting federal agencies to give you the inside scoop
Tuesday, October 27
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
West Ballroom, Lory Student Center

Reserve your spot at this great event by filling out the form on this link: http://www.career.colostate.edu/news-and-events/federal-careers-panel.aspx

The following week we will be doing a workshop on how to apply for federal jobs using USAjobs.gov. Don't miss out of the tips and advice to get your application seen!
Tuesday, Nov 3
5:00-7:00pm
Clark A 202

I wish more students knew the value of having a not so perfect internship. Everything I learned about what I loved, I learned in an internship that I hated.

While in undergrad, I studied chemistry (it still surprises me) and completed a National Science Foundation Internship where I worked on a PhD candidate's physical chemistry project for an entire summer.

Here's a little sampling of what I hated:

• My supervisor provided me little direction
• I was often the only person in my lab (boring)
• My job was very routine (come in, test a laser, fix a part, test a laser, repeat…)
• I didn't have a lot in common with the people who loved being in the lab

What I learned:

• I needed a work environment where I could constantly interact with people
• I loved giving presentations
• I needed variety in the work I did on a daily basis
• I really didn't like chemistry

So, my advice is to explore an internship and don't be concerned as to if it will be the perfect internship. You can learn a whole lot about what you love by discovering something you don't love so much. Be present during your experience and let yourself try on something new.

If you are interviewing for a highly competitive position or looking for a job in a down market, you can't afford to make these common mistakes.

1.    Insufficient knowledge of key job details. At a high level, most people understand the key skills relevant for their target job (e.g. teamwork, communication, problem solving), but do you also know the types of analysis performed in the job, and the deliverables that are handed off to managers or clients? Do you know what other departments or constituencies you would interact with and why?  It will be very obvious to the interviewer if you don't understand the job well enough. Well before your interview, make sure to talk to someone with direct experience in that job. Make sure you can answer these questions about the job before your interview.

2.    No personal narrative. Why do you want this job? Why are you a great candidate? Be prepared with 3-5 experiences from your life that answer those questions, and make sure to share them during your interview. It won't be difficult, because the interviewer is asking you questions to try to get that kind of information from you. Don't elaborate on irrelevant information about your projects, summer job, or extra-curricular activities. It might be interesting, but the interviewer needs to be convinced that you've got the right skills before they worry about whether you're an interesting person to hang around. If you can, run your experiences by someone with relevant job experience. Ask them if you make a strong enough case for your interest in the job and your skill set. Take a look at What is an Elevator Pitch and Why is it Important to make sure you are selling yourself effectively.

3.    Talking about what the job can do for you. Focus on what you can contribute to the company, not what you'll get out of it. Interviewers aren't evaluating candidates based on who wants the job the most or who would benefit from the experience. They want to hire the people who have what it takes to be successful, preferably those who can hit the ground running. Spend your time focusing on communicating your qualifications. They already know you'd get a lot out of the job. 

4.    Not enough of the right details. This is the biggest mistake people make. They don't go deep enough in their answers. When asked about something on their resume, they provide only surface level information. Compare these two explanations of the same project: Example 1 - We analyzed investment prospects in the retail sector. We looked at market share and the stocks' performance, and projected growth for each company over the next few years.    Example 2 - We analyzed investment prospects for the retail sector, looking at the competitive landscape, growth opportunities, and industry trends to identify the companies we thought best positioned to succeed. Then we built a comp table and compared companies in the sector on key metrics including market cap, growth rate, P/E and PEG ratios, and liquidity metrics like the current and quick ratios, which are important for the retail sector.  Provide depth on the points that reinforce the skills, analysis, and terminology that are important for the job you're interviewing for.

5.    Generic understanding of the company. Do your research and know what is truly distinctive about each company you interview with. As a rule, if you can substitute the name of company for another in the industry, then you did not personalize your comment sufficiently.  For instance, communicating that you are interested in the company because they are an "industry leader" is not good enough.  I could substitute the names of any of the top companies into that slot.  If you say you're interested in the company because of something that is only true of that company, for example the rapid market share gains from their new channel strategy, or because they lead the sector in transactions in the emerging growth economies, then it's clear that you understand and have a good reason for wanting to work at that particular company. Take a look at Researching the Company and make sure you are comfortable talking about these topics.

Posted by Judy Brobst from Andrea Rice at Gottamentor.com

So I was at Telluride this past weekend and saw the movie Bright Star, which is amazing. It's about poet John Keat's short and beautiful love affair with Fanny Brawne. Jane Campion directed it, she did The Piano, and Paul Schneider played one of the star roles as best friend to John Keats. He did a Q & A after the movie and reflected on his own fortune at being in the movie. He is very down to earth and laughed that it was so bizarre that he actually had an agent. Jane's movie The Piano was the reason he got into the film business. He is from Ashville, NC and went to The Piano when it came out in 1993 with his parents; he was in high school at the time. After seeing The Piano he wanted to go to film school even though he had never thought about it before. All he could afford was the University of North Carolina School of Arts so he enrolled in editing because it seemed practical. Now he has come full circle from his own inspiration to go to film school to acting for the director he was inspired by. I'm always thinking of people's career paths but Paul's story made me really happy. It is cool to know you don't have to be born a star or even aspire to be one, you can sort of wander into it if you follow your heart.

Wendy Rose, Career Center Liaison to the College of Liberal Arts

I recently read a blurb in my weekly magazine The Week that a nurse who was desperately trying to set herself apart in her resume created her own national nursing association and awarded herself "Nurse of the Year" so she could list her self-proclaimed honor on her resume. Really?

Becoming a member to a legitimate national association is a great idea. An easy way to find one related to your occupation or industry is to Google your industry and then add the words "association" or "society" and you should generate a list of organizations that match your occupation/industry.

Posted by: Renée Welch

• It's work and it's not mindless and you might not get paid.
• If you screw up and say don't show up for your internship, there goes possibly your best reference for a job after college.
• You might find out that what you thought you wanted to do isn't what you thought – now what.

And Why Internships ROCK YOUR WHIRLYBIRD …

• Finally you get to do something that is not mindless and directly relates to life after college.
• You can do a good job and it can actually gets you somewhere instead of just studying and hoping that gets you somewhere.
• You get to meet people who have had a REAL professional career and ask them questions and they might even help you get your first job.
• It looks amazing on your resume – oh and you have something to put on your resume.
• You still have time to reinvent your career goals if you realize working in your dream job isn't so dreamy.

Wendy's thoughts. Wendy Rose, Career Center Liaison to the College of Liberal Arts

9News ran a story yesterday featuring President and CEO of Executives Network, Molly Wendell who has recently written a book by this title suggesting successful job search is all about networking and leveraging contacts .

I agree with the points she highlighted in this piece supported by both her and my own experience. All but one of my positions in my 20-year career came from networking, I maintain, however, that a diverse approach, leveraging a variety of job tools such as CareerShift is also important during the job search and specialty job boards, such as The Career Center's CareerRAM where employers have had a great track record hiring CSU students, graduates and alumni. This is why they take the time/make the effort to post on their jobs with us. They want to see CSU talent in their recruiting pipeline.

What surprises me is hearing about some students seeking internships or about to graduate from CSU who choose not to attend Career Center sponsored Career Fairs to network with employers. I don't think these students realize that employers are coming to them, to students' "CSU living room" for the primary purpose of networking with them, to get to know them to see if they might be a good fit for their organizations. Once students graduate and leave campus and become alumni, they often don't fit into the company's college recruiting program any longer and, as candidates, are out on their own. I also don't think these students realize that recruiters and professionals who attend our events also move on to other organizations during their careers so if a student makes a strong connection with a recruiter, there is potential to make some long lasting contacts at events like the Career Fair.

CSU students and alumni, what do you think? Do you have a networking success story to share?

If you are interested in the 9News story, you can find it @

http://www.9news.com/life/programming/shows/mornings/article.aspx?storyid=120004&catid=229&GID=E4wLfJCor8cwOOukXx4tRNdPcQ5Dox2wniUPCw1b3jY%3D

When pulling into the company parking garage always turn down the volume on your car stereo.

From PJ McGuire at Modet, Inc. Posted by Judy Brobst, Career Liaison College of Natural Sciences

With the down economy, recent grads need to pull out all the stops to get their foot in the door at companies. Here are a few tips to help you land the interview:

1. Get an agent.
2. Network, network, network.
3. Create a detailed action plan, and then stick to it.
4. Self-promote.
5. Tell everyone (down to your mom's book club friends) that you're looking for a new opportunity.
6. Ramp up your online presence – utilize Facebook, LinkedIn, your personal blog, etc.
7. Sweat the details – customize your "pitch" for each company you are applying at.
8. Brand yourself.
9. Hone your resume and interview skills.
10. Always, always follow up.
11. Set up and attend informational interviews. Face time = good.
12. Volunteer.
13. Attend career fairs and networking events, both physical and virtual.
14. Stay in touch with your alma mater and alumni associations.
15. Stay positive!
16. Read the newspaper. Know your world.
17. Have fun. Seriously! Looking for a job can be a rewarding life experience.
18. Get creative.
19. Never, ever be late. Be on time.
20. Aim high and congratulate yourself for accomplishments.
21. Consider project-based job opportunities. It's a great way to get your foot in the door.

From Ashley Blaeser, Marketing Coordinator at Brill Street & Company (http://brillstreet.com)

If you are a recent graduate, it's not news to you that the number of available full time career positions is WAY down. Full time jobs definitely exist but are much more competitive. What you may not realize is that the number of internships is fewer but down less than full time positions. Conversion of students successful in their internships to full time positions has always been a top strategy and vehicle for companies to identify new graduate talent for potential and fit for their corporate cultures.

If you haven't landed your first career position after graduation during this tough economy, think about a post graduate internship, even unpaid if necessary. There are ways you can put your best foot forward to make a great impression to enhance the possibility of converting to a full time position if one becomes available. You will want to model all the behaviors they are looking for in a new employee by treating the internship as if it were "an audition" for a full time career position.

Having been a recruiter formerly in my career and reinforced by current recruiters I work with today through The Career Center, what companies are looking for today in new recruits hasn't changed. I thought I share my list of the top list of qualities employers tell us they are looking for in new recruits:

Lucinda's Top Tips:

• Think about creating a positive first impression and dress for the role you wish to aspire to. While some offices are very casual, make sure that you have a nice, neat, groomed appearance appropriate to the culture of the office.
• Start right off establishing strong relationships with your supervisor and other staff who can be a strong reference and advocate for you. If your supervisor would be a good mentor for you, work toward developing that relationship. Take advantage of any mentoring opportunities that are offered and learn everything you can about career opportunities and the company. Seek opportunities to interface with executives, if possible, other managers and employees.
• Make sure that you know who your "go to person" is for questions when your supervisor is not there.
• Demonstrate a good work ethic and work habits by being on time and meeting deadlines even if it means putting in more time on your own. Turn your cell phone off during work hours and don't use it. If you must make a personal call, call or text only during legitimate breaks. Unless your job is Social Media Intern, refrain from using Facebook and Twitter during work hours.
• If you have a company email account, learn and use appropriate grammar and email etiquette. If you're not sure what that means, you might want to check out http://email.about.com/od/emailnetiquette/tp/core_netiquette.htm.
• Establish performance goals and measurable metrics with your supervisor and demonstrate your value proposition. Always do your best work and show enthusiasm, even for mundane, tedious projects or assignments.
• Conduct yourself with honesty and integrity. Make sure that you understand the company policies and procedures and follow them.
• Show initiative. If you've completed your work, actively seek out work assignments.
• Ask for constructive feedback and use it to improve! Ask for feedback on how you can improve your performance or skills from your supervisor and other employees. Keep in mind that you are an intern and learning and you might not always get the kudos like "good job" and "excellent work" that you might be used to. Some companies use positive feedback more sparingly than others and only when the work is truly outstanding.

Lastly, I would recommend that you track your work results and accomplishments and leverage this information appropriately when speaking to your supervisor about your interest in working for the company full time. If the right opportunity doesn't present itself, this experience will be great experience and serve as a resume builder for other employment opportunities.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me at The Career Center, Lory Student Center ~ Lucinda Van Inwagen, Career Center Employer Relations, Lucinda.vaninwagen@colostate.edu, (970) 491-1955.

Yet another article with a unique take on career advice from one of my favorite blogs, Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist:

"I never watch American Idol, or other talent shows. I think I got my fill of them in the 1970s, watching year after year of the mind-numbing Miss American pageant. But there was too much hoop-la with Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent, so I had to see what I was missing. I ended up watching her audition fifty times. Because every time I'm feeling slow or unmotivated or depressed, the clip cheers me up.

Last night she sang in the semi-finals, and what struck me most while watching her is how much we can learn about our own careers from watching Susan Boyle's."

Check out the rest of the post here: http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/05/26/career-lessons-from-susan-boyles-success/

Posted by Susan LeBlanc, Generalist Career Counselor

Graduates Brace For Worst Job Market In Years

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103862921&sc=fb&cc=fp

NPR's article talks about the current job market being the worst in modern memory. This can be a scary thought for graduating seniors. Companies are hiring though, they are just hiring fewer people. This means students really need to do their due diligence if they want to find a job. Networking, polishing your resume, and sharpening your resume skills are all very crucial to stand out in the current job market. Times will eventually look up, but until then keep working hard!

Expanding Your Network and the Buzz about Web-Based Professional Networks

-Lucinda Van Inwagen, former recruiting professional now with The Career Center

The truth is that it IS who you know--especially in a tough economy. An effective job search strategy will contain many components including applying through various job boards (focused niche boards like CareerRAM are best, for example), researching companies through online databases (CareerSearch offered through The Career Center or Hoovers, for example), but the bottom line is that networking is absolutely essential and the key component to all effective job search strategies. The fact is that only a very small percentage of job seekers, 2 -6% depending on which survey you read, find quality jobs through the big job boards, job publications, or through cold calling.

Actively Expand Your Existing Network

Since networking is the key, in addition to showing up to professional networking events, a couple of practical suggestions to expand your current network is to dig deeper. Ask for suggested referrals. Ensure that for every person you network with, make it part of your mantra to ask for one or two appropriate contacts to support your quest to learn about other industries or specific companies rather than finding a job. Keep your focus on expanding your network of contacts and staying in contact with them for the long-term rather than on a transactional basis for the one job search event. To truly network, have the mindset to be willing to help, support, and give to others.

Online Professional Network Sites

With the advent of the Internet and new web technology, we have become forever changed and connected through interactive Web 2.0 technology. There's a great deal of buzz, but more importantly power, in professional networking sites like LinkedIn. There are currently more than an estimated 35 million users of LinkedIn alone. There are many other networking sites out there. When searching groups related to Colorado State on LinkedIn, for example, there are 27 special interest groups listed including the Colorado State Alumni Association. Group affiliations can enable you to search and connect with people throughout the nation and the world. Belong to a national professional organization? There's a good chance there is a LinkedIn group for your organization that will help you connect with other members. With a well-developed, professional networking profile, recruiters and people you've met in your life can find you. The bottom line is to focus on keeping your network viable and expand it and take the time to learn and use online professional networking tools.

From another professional's perspective using social networks in your job search, check out former HR executive, now consultant and syndicated columnist Liz Ryan's podcast about using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter http://tinyurl.com/socianetworkinginyourjobsearch.

A common thing I hear from students is: "I don't have much relevant experience." What I've found, is that is almost never true. You have plenty of relevant experience when you stop and look at the skills you have gained through working, volunteering, clubs, activities, and yes – your classes!

Work is work! It doesn't matter how long it lasted or how much money you made for it. If it shows you can do the job you are applying for, put it on your resume! So the next question I get is, "How do I put my coursework on my resume?" There are lots of ways to do it depending on what you are trying to accomplish. In this case, when you are trying to show how what you have done in class has prepared you for the job you are applying for, you will want to write bullet statements for the projects and activities you were involved in.

Grace Kutney over at the Sweet Careers blog has posted examples of resume phrases for specific majors and campus involvement.

Some examples for you:

Sociology Majors: Led several class discussions on topics such as Feminist Response to Racism, Modernizing the Catholic Church, and Sociology of the Internet

Greek Life: Organized several philanthropic events, both on campus and in community, successfully raising over $____ for local charities

Art Majors: Collaborated with team of 4 students to set up and take down large-scale public display by _________

Physics Majors: Designed research project on ________ culminating in ___ page paper and ___ minute presentation

Economics Majors: Collected and analyzed data using ______ techniques

English Majors: Wrote extensively on topic of female concepts of power in 18th century France

More here

Remember: You always want the most relevant work and the most outstanding accomplishments to stand out. As you gain stronger experience, course work will start to move off your resume. If you feel you are lacking for experience, think critically about everything you have done here at CSU. Course projects are a great way to show you have the experience and skills employers are looking for.

Posted by
Chuck Hancock
CSU Career Center