Ahead of the Pack

So make sure you’ve put some thought into properly preparing your résumé before you use it to apply for a job.

A résumé should include your education, your work experience, and any relevant extra-curricular activities you may have. It also has to be absolutely perfect. It should be proofed again and again for typos. You don’t want to give an employer the impression that you do not pay attention to details.

“A lot of career centres have excellent resources that teach students what makes a good résumé and cover letter. But the key is to include anything that is relevant to your target profession, such as any related volunteer experience or experience working in a corporate environment,” says Will Christensen, a campus recruitment manager for Deloitte in Calgary. “A good résumé should also include when you expect to graduate and your current GPA. I always tell students to include their GPA because it is a quick indication of their potential, but it is just one of the things we look at.”

You should always make sure that your résumé is up to date, and always bring a few copies with you when attending a recruiting event. You never know if a potential employer will ask to see it.

Also, make sure you include a cover letter when an employer asks you to send them your résumé.

While a cover letter should explain why you are sending your résumé and the job you are applying for, highlights your background and work experience, and states exactly what you’re sending them – your résumé, transcript, a letter of recommendation–it should be addressed to a specific person and tailored to the employer you are sending it to.

“Employers like to hear from potential employees that share common interests. In my case, it was a fondness for technology,” says Mark Chesterman, a financial analyst for Research in Motion and recent graduate from the University of Western Ontario. “They don’t want to see a standardized, generic résumé or cover letter. So show them that you’ve done your research, and focus on any common goals you can think of when writing your cover letter.”

You should also consider printing business cards that you can hand out during networking events, career fairs, and recruiting sessions. Aside from being a great networking tool and giving recruiters something else to remember you by, having a business card suggests that you understand the basics of networking and professional corporate behaviour.

A good business card should include your name, phone number and email address.

While a stack of 500 cards will only cost you between $30 and $50 at your local office supply store, you can also find some affordable deals online. However, investing in a high quality and memorable business card is an investment in your career.

You should also be up to date on current events and trends within your chosen profession, as this shows potential employers that you are an informed individual, and may even give you an anecdote or two to use as an icebreaker.

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTING

If you’ve never attended a recruiting event before, you might want to talk to students who have already met recruiters at past events so you know what to expect.

Then, visualize yourself there and think about what you will do, how you will act, who you will approach, and what you will say.

“There’s no need to be shy. Most recruiters are extremely approachable and easy to talk to,” says Richard Stuart, who recently graduated from the University of British Columbia’s Diploma in Accounting Program and now works as a staff accountant at Ernst & Young.