Ever wonder what those exceedingly busy recruiters do with their leaning tower of resumes? While a few applications do get interviews, some get ditched. Here’s a brief synopsis of why, but do check out the article.

1. You don’t meet the requirements.

This seems like an obvious one, but many prospective hires don’t pay enough attention to the job description when deciding what to include in their resume or distract from their legitimate qualifications with unnecessary details. Don’t do that.

2. You’re not a culture fit.

It’s OK – even advantageous – to let your personality show in your application. Many employers are not looking for a generic anybody to do their tedious grunt work. Try to show the ways in which you are their “type.”

3. You don’t pay attention to detail.

Again, this should go without saying. Employers can become frustrated with smaller details than you realize: font consistency, margins, to whom you’ve addressed your cover letter. Make sure you double-check and proof-read. It’ll get you past the trash can.

The hardest part about drafting or revising my resume or cover letter always seems to come down to the small details. Do I have an academic advisor or an academic adviser? Am I interested in the nonprofit field or the non-profit field? Did I intern with the US Department of Education or the U.S. Department of Education? (Actually, neither, but I would like to! Call me?) I inevitably end up Googling my query and settling for faceless internet advice from someone on Yahoo! Answers named Bart who claims to have done “research” on the subject.

Boy, I sure do wish I had known that there was an Editorial Style Guide available on the Middlebury website that breaks down all that stuff I’ve Googled! (Wait — googled?) Have a question about capitalization, abbreviation, foreign expressions or split infinitives? Wondering if it’s sacrilegious to hyphenate “Middlebury?” (It’s not — provided it “improves the spacing of the printed document.”) Good to know, right?

While you may have already locked down your summer plans, updating your resume is something that should happen often. You want to be sure you keep track of your latest leadership positions, academic honors, and volunteer experiences all in one place, so that when it comes time to apply for your next job, internship or fellowship you are organized and ready to submit.

I thought I’d share this fun take on crafting a resume. While here at Career Services we outline a specific format and guidelines to creating a professional resume, Fast Company is suggesting some creative and out-of-the-box alternatives. Kevin Purdy offers some tips for drafting a resume in the age of inattention, when employers giver your resume about six seconds to look over.

Scroll through these quirky and helpful tips to get an idea of what you should work on to make your resume stand out!

http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/10-ways-craft-your-resume-age-inattention#0

Remember getting your resume checked by one of our sweetastic counselors? Remember them telling you that you should use your employer’s language and incorporate it into your resume and cover letters? If not, you really should stop by the Adirondack house because the counselors do have some killer advices.

But back to my main point: you have to talk the talk in order to walk the walk.
Do you know what a triple bottom line is? What is lohas? Are you totally confused?

For those of you interested in working in green business, you might want to check out Green for All’s Green Speak, a glossary containing many of the terminologies and buzzwords frequently used in the green industry today. This guide serves as an introductory resource for anyone new to the intersection of sustainability and social justice, as well as for those who lack an exhaustive understanding of commonly used jargon.

After reading the title, don’t you just wish you had twitter?
You would have access to all these amazing tweets.
It’s never too late to jump on board.

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Since a resume always goes hand-in-hand with cover letters…

By Andrea Rice
Your cover letter is your elevator pitch tailored to the specific position and company you’re targeting. They are not always required, but if you plan on sending one, make sure it is concise and highlights key selling points. A poorly worded cover letter can knock you out of being considered.
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Seniors! Your favorite GottaMentor Andrea Rice has your back once again.

By Andrea Rice
1. Offer proof that you can work under pressure
If you’re looking for a job that allows you to make plans to meet with friends and date during the week, this isn’t it. You can expect to work 12 -20 hours a day week after week with a smile, faked if need be, on your face. To sustain that pace for any period of time requires stamina and an ability to perform in a high-pressure environment.
Read the rest of this entry »

1. TYPOS/Grammar mistakes:
   • Even in the SAT’s, the spelling of your name is worth 200 points.
   • This may not be an essay, but tense switch from past to present is still frowned upon.
2. Not including GPA:
   • If it is higher than 3.0, put it in! Otherwise, employer will presume it is lower.
   • Data points are essential. Employers like numbers.
3. Including too much high school info:
   • It has been 4 years. There must be other things to write about.
   • Only include it if:
     • High school has a high name recognition
     • Job/internship is in that local area
     • Awesome GPA/leadership experience
4. Using weak verbs
   • “Worked with” is not as strong as “organized” or “managed”
5. Assuming that one resume fits all
   • Even if you are applying to jobs in just one specific field, depending on the employer, some experiences are more valuable than others.  Read the rest of this entry »

—–Original Message—–
From: [Midd Kid Employer]
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 9:30 AM
To: Pidgeon, Becky A.
Subject: FW: Middlebury Resume Submitted

Dear Ms. Pigeon,

The attached cover letter from [Midd Kid] is addressed to the
[some other] Group, not [our company].

I do not know where this mistake originated, but could you please see
that it gets rectified and the letter resubmitted.

We’ll give [Midd Kid] a “Mulligan” on this.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[Midd Kid Employer]
Managing Director

—–Original Message—–
From: bpidgeon@middlebury.edu [mailto:bpidgeon@middlebury.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 8:14 PM
To: [Midd Kid Employer]
Subject: Middlebury Resume Submitted

Tuesday, March 09, 2010, 08:13 pm

Dear [Midd Kid Employer]:

[Midd Kid] has submitted a resume for you to review.  This resume
has been attached and is for the position of [job position].

If you have any questions regarding your job posting, please feel free
to contact Career Services.

Sincerely,

Becky Pidgeon
Middlebury College
Career Services
802.443.2485
bpidgeon@middlebury.edu