Speaker : Ray Rivera : Recap

Thanks to everyone that came to Ray Rivera's talk about Resumes. For more information about UW-Stout's Career Service check out their webpage. Here is a recap for those that didn't take notes or those that couldn't make it.

HOW TO GET A JOB

1. Find the positions:

• Networking - meeting anyone and everyone to learn about what they do and what you can do for them. Majority of your time should be spend Networking and Prospecting
  
• Prospecting - calling companies.
  
• Applying to job that are advertised. Internships are almost never advertised.

2. Approach the employer

• Target what your employers want to see
• For Graphic Design majors and Multimedia majors: Employers will hardly ever give you an interview without seeing a sample of your work. You should link a webpage or PDF portfolio when you send your cover letter and resume to a potential employer.
  
• Your work will get you the job. So will your responsibility and dependability and personality.
  
• You have 10 seconds to "wow" the employer so they will read more and call you for an interview

3. Resume

• Contact info on Top. Name, Number E-mail, Address. Make sure your answering machine message is appropriate for your future employer to hear. Make sure you state your name and say in the message that "you will call them back".
  
• Cover letter - some companies read them, some don't. It's better to be save than sorry. For larger companies a cover letter is needed to state your objectives because HR may get to your cover letter before it gets moved to a designer
• Objective - needs to state what an EMPLOYER wants. Not "I want a job that will advance my skill..." Instead: A position in Graphic Design where there is a need for effective client relationships and the ability to create excitement in customers through the use of "client-centered" design.
  
• Highlights and Qualifications. For many job searches they lay out what exactly they are looking for. Tell them that you meet these requirements. Include Highest Education. Include Experience. Include Skills. Include Performance Skills. Under experience: "8 year work history noted for exceeding expectations and promotion" Stating that you have 8 years of working under your belt (even though it is not in a graphic design field) can say a lot about you as an individual. PERSONAL STORY: My first internship gave me the job BECAUSE I had been a server at a restaurant for the past 3 years. The employer knew the people-skills it takes to wait tables, how organized the job required me to be, that I could work under pressure and that I showed commitment.
  
• Education: GPA. List other things that you were also doing during that time. "3.6 GPA while working 25 hours a week".
  
• Computer Skills: Many employers will take your resume and put it into a system to scan for words. Make sure you have listed what they list as needed qualifications and skills if you want your resume to be picked up
• Professional Membership and Activities:
  
• Work History: List all your work histories, what your title was, what your tasks were, what company it was for, where the company is located and how long you had the position
  
• References Available Upon Request

Ray is available for individual critique and help with your resume. If you've never written a resume or cover letter before I would suggest making an appointment or going to the career conference.


Career Service Finding Job Video - in depth strategy on finding opportunities

Other resources:
AIGA- Presenting your portfolio
AIGA- Insights on Writing your Resume
AIGA- 10 common mistakes in resume and cover letters
AIGA- What Designers Must Learn
AIGA- A guide to internships