ccse guide

7/31/2019 Ccse Guide

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Schlumberger is the leading oilfeld servicesprovider, trusted to deliver superior resultsand improved E&P perormance or oil andgas companies around the world. Throughour well site operations and in our researchand engineering acilities, we are working to

develop products, services and solutions thatoptimize customer perormance in a sae andenvironmentally sound manner.

At a glance 84,000employeesof

140nationalities

Operatinginapproximately80countries

23researchandengineering acilitiesworldwide


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Twin Cities Campus Career Center for Science and Engineering 50 Lind Hall207 Church Street S.EMinneapolis, MN 55455-0134

Phone: 612-624-4090Fax: 612-626-0261http://www.ccse.umn.edu

Dear Student,

Welcome to the Career Center for Science and Engineering (CCSE). We help students with all aspects of the career and job

search process. Whether you are in the process of choosing a major, looking for an internship, or interviewing for your rst

professional job, were prepared to help you every step of the way. Students are invited to use our resource room at any time

and encouraged to request on-the-spot assistance. CCSE also offers:

Career Counseling: Career counselors can help you evaluate your options and plan for your professional future.

Counselors can apply their expertise to your individual needs.

Career Classes: CCSE offers a semester-long two-credit course with information about majors, elds, hiring trends

internships, the job search process and more.

Career Workshops: Our workshop series covers a variety of career-related topics including resume and cover letter

writing, interviewing, job search strategies, networking, career fair preparation and more.

Career-Related Experience: We can assist you with nding an internship, co-op, research or volunteer opportunity

in your eld of interest. Participate in a summer, semester or year-long position to develop skills and gain valuable

experience.

Job Search Assistance: Each year more than 150 organizations interview engineering, biological sciences, physical

sciences and math students through on-campus interviewing. Visit CCSE to learn more about how you can use

on-campus interviewing, career fairs, mock interviews and employer contact information to nd employment in you

eld.

Resume and Cover Letters: We can help you to create a resume and cover letter that will grab employers attention

and get you an interview in your eld of interest.

Graduate School Preparation: Graduate or professional school may be the next step toward your career goals.

CCSE can help you nd information on graduate programs in science and technology or information about

professional programs in medicine, law and business.

A Comprehensive Web site: Bookmark http://www.ccse.umn.edu to learn more about our programs and connect wicareer resources.

Each time you come into the ofce look around and see whats new. Our staff is constantly upgrading and adding services an

resources to better serve your career needs. We look forward to working with you!

Mark Sorenson-Wagner

Director


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WlcmFour-Year Checklist 3

Carr PlaiSel-Assessment 4

Other Ways to Assess Yoursel 4

Exploring Your Career and Educational Options 5

Decision Making and Goal Setting 5

Transerable Skills 6

RsumsResume Writing 7

Power Verbs 10

Private and Non-prot Resume, Example 11Federal Government Resume, Example 12

Prssial CrrspcWriting a Cover Letter 13

Letter o Application Example 15

Letter o Inquiry Example 16

Reerence Example 17

Thank You Letter Example 18

Acceptance Letter Example 19

Withdrawal rom Consideration Letter Example 20

Th Jb SarchSending Resumes and Cover Letters (Mail, Fax, E-mail) 21

Job and Internship Searching 23

Job and Internship Search Resources 26

On-Campus Interview Opportunities 28

Th ItrviwInterview Basics 29

Behavioral Interviewing 31

Dress or the Interview 31

Typical Interview Questions 32

Interview Questions Not to Ask 33

Is a Health Proession Right or You? 34

Table of ContentsCareer and jobsearCh guide2008-2009

Career Center

or sCienCe and

engineering

50 Lind Hall207 Church Street, S.E.Minneapolis, MN 55455Phone: 612-624-4090Fax: 612-626-0261Email: [email protected] site: www.ccse.umn.edu

Written and compiled by the Career Centeror Science and Engineering

Data provided by: University o Minnesota,Duluth Career Services, Leslie Mulder (UMNgraduate student, 2007)

Graphic design and editing: Institute oTechnology Communications Ofce

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o Visit CCSE in 50 Lind Hall to nd out what career services

are available to you

o Take career-related assessments to identiy your interests,

skills, values and personality style and learn how this

inormation relates to dierent majors and careerso Browse the CCSE Web site at wwwccseumnedu

o Register or I o T 1312: Exploring Careers in Science and

Engineering; a two-credit class designed to help studentsdecide on a major and begin planning their careers

o Make contacts Get to know aculty, academic adviso

and administrators Ask other students about thclasses

o Get involved Participate in extracurricular activiti

including clubs, committees, intramurals, or athleticso Gain practical experience by volunteering, working o

campus, working a part-time job, or by working duri

the summer

o Attend career airs to learn more about various employe

and careers

Freshman year(sel-assessment and awareness)

o Explore career elds that interest you Visit CCSE to learnmore about resources designed to help you learn aboutthese areas

o Gain rst-hand knowledge by job shadowing or conductinginormational interviews with people working in your

eld o interest

o Decide on a major and schedule a meeting with anacademic advisor to amiliarize yoursel with courserequirements and deadlines

o I you are still undecided about your major, enroll in I o T

1312: Exploring Careers in Science and Engineering

o Participate in activities and leadership experiences thwill strengthen your resume Consider joining tproessional group aliated with your major

participating in a research project

o Open a student GoldPASS account by visiti

wwwgoldpassumnedu I possible, participate in summer internship or research experience

o Begin exploring graduate schools Select up to institutions that have graduate programs o interest

you

o View an online resume writing workshop and write trst drat o your resume

Sophomore year(exploration and identifcation)

o Participate in the on-campus interviewing program

available through CCSE Start looking at internshipopportunities in the GoldPASS database as soon as youarrive on campus (note: many science and engineeringinterviews occur rom mid-September to early

November)

o Participate in a credit or no-credit internship, co-op,research or volunteer opportunity

o Prepare a resume and cover letter

o Attend as many CCSE programs as possible including

workshops, career airs and networking events

o Check with your academic advisor on progress towa

graduation requirementso Investigate graduate and proessional schools with

career counselor I needed, begin the applicati

process

o Request inormation on ellowship programs that w

support your graduate study

o Assume leadership roles in campus and proession

activities

o Report any internship or co-op oers to CCSE

Junior year(preparation and investigation)

o Do all the things you missed on the checklist so ar

o Complete the course requirements o your major

o Update your resume and cover letter

o I you intend on working immediately ater graduation,participate in on-campus interviewing starting in

September

o I you intend on attending graduate school, request andsubmit applications in early all semester Speak toproessors early to see i they are willing to write letters o

recommendation

o Write your personal statement and have it critiqued

CCSE

o Apply or nancial support (loans, ellowships a

assistantships) within your discipline

o Visit institutions i you can Meet with aculty, gradua

students, and administrators

o Report any job oer or graduate school admission oe

to CCSE

Senior year(implementation and job search)


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The rst step in planning your career is nding out about yoursel Most people think they know themselv

airly well, but when conronted with the need to make choices, they may lack the clarity necessary to nd

career that matches their interests, abilities and values During the process you will:

Evaluate your career and educational options based upon your own characteristics, paving the way or

more inormed and satisactory career choice

Prepare to market yoursel to potential employers and/or graduate schools

Sl-assssmt

The ollowing are introductory sel-assessment exercises

designed to help you identiy and organize inormation

about yoursel Complete these exercises and discuss

your responses with a career counselor, amily member,

aculty member, or riend

1 Identiy 10 activities you love to do Mark with

an asterisk those items which you would like to

include in your career How might you use these

activities in a career?

2 Complete the transerable skills activity on

page 6 o this booklet

3 List the 10 most important skills youve used in

past and current experiences To help identiy

your skills, reer to the list on page 6

4 List and rank the 10 skills you most enjoy usingWhich skills appeared on both lists?

5 Identiy your academic strengths and list courses

in which you have done well What tasks do

you eel that you are competent or do very well,

or example, writing papers, taking essay tests,

summarizing written materials, working with

numerical gures, participating in or leading group

discussions, etc?

6 What magazines, journals or newspapers do you

read regularly? Do you see any connection between

your leisure activities and interests and any utureplans?

7 Read the ollowing list o career values Rank order

the list rom 1-16 Use 1 as most important

___ Job security

___ Intellectual tasks or problem solving

___ Receiving training and supervision

___ Creativity

___ Working with your hands

___ High salary

___ High sense o achievement

___ Sel-development

___ Working with people

___ Independence

___ Routine activity

___ Variety___ Working in a riendly environment

___ Physical activity

___ Leadership

___ Advancement

8 Identiy your immediate job needs

Relocation. Is it required? Likely? Necessary

advance?

Travel.Isitrequired?Howoften?

Workschedule.Considerthenumberofhours

a typical work week Will it change ater a e

years? How fexible are you? How will you balanyour work lie and personal lie?

Salary. Calculate how much money you ne

List your anticipated expenses, or example, re

utilities, urniture, transportation, ood, phon

clothing, entertainment, college loans, insuran

etc

Benets.Considervariousorganizationsmedic

dental, retirement, prot sharing, and vacati

benets Whats important to you?

oh wy yul

Makeanappointmentwithacareercounselor

discuss your interests, plans, and/or concerns

Participateinadditionalself-assessmentactiviti

available in the Career Center or Science an

Engineering and talk to a career counselor abo

the results

EnrollinIofT1312:ExploringCareersinScien

and Engineering

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Attendcareerworkshops.

Makecareerdevelopmentapriority.

expl yu c ucl p

Once you have completed your sel-assessment your

next step is to explore occupations You can then make

decisions about which careers best t your interests,

values, skills and abilities There are our basic ways to

explore your career options:

1 Read about careers

2 Listen to talks or presentations about careers

3 Talk to people about their careers

4 Secure a job, cooperative education position,volunteer experience, or an internship

The ollowing suggestions may assist you in your career

exploration:

Attendcareerandjobfairs.

Readwritten careerinformationavailable in the

Career Center or Science and Engineering

Participateincareerworkshopsandprograms.

Tryout acareer by obtaininga part-timeand/orsummer job consistent with your interests

Performvolunteerworkinyoureld(s)ofinterest.

Gatherrst-handinformationaboutsubjectareas

rom aculty and administrators and through

survey courses in your major areas o study

Interviewalumniinvolvedinvariouscareerelds.

Consultwithcareercounselors.

dc mk l Once youve explored career and educational options, you

are ready to identiy your career objectives Some o the

questions you may want to answer include:

WhatkindofworkdoIwanttoperform?

WhatkindofworkenvironmentwouldIlike?

WhattypeofindustrydoIprefer?

What,ifany,aremygeographiclimitations?

WhatkindofpeopledoIwanttoworkwith?

WhatsalarydoIconsiderappropriate?

DoIhaveanyspecialneedstoconsider?

Howrealisticaremyexpectationsconsideringm

own skills and abilities and the reality o the j

market?

Obtaining career experience is a good way to try out yo

tentative career decisions A career-related internsh

cooperative education position, summer job, part-tim

job, or volunteer position can help you decide on a care

path The Career Center or Science and Engineeri

can help you to locate these opportunities I you neassistance with clariying your goals, making decisio

or nding a career-related position, make an appointme

with a career counselor

tbl kll

A transerable skill is developed in a previous or curre

experience and can be applied to a dierent career are

Transerable skills are the oundation or more compl

skills youll develop as your career unolds Consult wi

a career counselor to identiy your transerable skills anbrainstorm how they can be applied to dierent caree

To get started consider your experiences in these areas

Experiencewithpeople Examples: selling,

training, teaching, supervising, motivating,

advising, representing, helping, etc

Experiencewiththings Examples: repairing,

assembling, designing, driving, handling,

operating, constructing, maintaining, building,

sketching, keyboarding, etc

Experiencewithdata and information Examplecalculating, analyzing, developing databases an

theories, ling, analyzing, gathering data, writin

etc


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tfl kll

s you begin your search or a career and/or job it is important to know your qualications Over the yea

you have developed many skills during your coursework, extracurricular activities, and lie experiences F

example, i you have researched a topic or class and then written, edited, and presented a nal paper in ro

o your peers, you have used skills (gathering inormation, writing, problem-solving, presenting) which are not limit

to that specic academic discipline, but are transerable to many occupations In a career and job search you will b

expected to apply the skills you have learned to the work environment

Below is a list o ve broad skill areas which are divided into specic skill sets First, use a check mark to indicate whi

skills youve developed Second, rate the skills to indicate your ability in each area A suggested rating scale is: 1

strong ability, 2 = some ability, 3 = enough ability to get by, but need help rom others When youre nished, write dow

examples o when you used your strongest skills and describe what the end result was

Cmmuc

The skillul expression,transmission andinterpretation oknowledge and ideas___ Speaking eectively

___ Writing eectively

___ Listening attentively

___ Expressing ideas

___ Facilitatingdiscussions

___ Providing eedback

___ Negotiating

___ Persuading

___ Perceiving non-verbalmessages

___ Presentinginormation

___ Describing eelings

___ Interviewing

___ Editing

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The search or specicknowledge and the abilityto conceptualize utureneeds and solutions

___ Predicting

___ Creating theories andideas

___ Identiying problems

___ Imaginingalternatives

___ Identiying resources

___ Gatheringinormation

___ Solving problems

___ Setting goals

___ Extractinginormation

___ Dening needs

___ Developingevaluations

___ Creating spreadsheetsand databases

___ Calculating results

Hum l

The use o interpersonal

skills or resolving confict,relating to and helpingpeople___ Developing

relationships

___ Being sensitive

___ Listening

___ Conveying eelings

___ Providing support

___ Motivating

___ Sharing credit

___ Counseling

___ Cooperating

___ Delegating withrespect

___ Representing others

___ Perceiving eelings,situations

___ Asserting

oz,mm lhp

Ability to supervise and

guide individuals andgroups in the completiono goals___ Initiating new ideas

___ Handling details

___ Coordinating tasks

___ Managing groups

___ Delegatingresponsibility

___ Teaching

___ Coaching

___ Advising

___ Promoting change

___ Selling ideas orproducts

___ Decision making withothers

___ Managing confict

Wk uvvl

The daily skills that assiin promoting eectiveproduction and worksatisaction

___ Implementingdecisions

___ Cooperating

___ Enorcing policies

___ Being punctual

___ Managing time

___ Attending to detail

___ Meeting goals

___ Enlisting help

___ Acceptingresponsibility

___ Setting and meetindeadlines

___ Organizing

___ Making decisions

A


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m wt

Your resume is a valuable tool or marketing yoursel to

prospective employers It is a concisely written summary

o your personal, educational and work experience

intended to:

Introduceyourselftoaprospectiveemployer.

Organize the written facts about yourself in a

written presentation

Focus attention on your qualications and

accomplishments and demonstrate why you are a

good candidate or the position

Obtainaninterview.

Resumes vary in content as well as ormat It is important

to remember that a resume is a personally written

document that allows or individual creativity It should

present a positive image to the potential employer By

positioning the most important inormation about your

experiences and qualications rst, and devoting the most

space to them, you highlight your strengths The ollowing

suggestions are provided to assist you in drating your

resume Although the names o the categories may vary

the ollowing inormation should be included

C

1. Contact inormation:Name, present and/or permanent

addresses, telephone number(s) where you can be

reached or a message can be let, e-mail address and

Web page i you have one and want an employer to

view it

2. Objective: A brie statement indicating what you want

to do It is a critical part o your resume; everything

that you do should support the objective I you have

more than one objective you may want to tailor

separate resumes to t each one Although some

employers do not place importance on the objective,

many do An objective indicates that you have thought

about what you want to do, that you have some idea o

what youre getting into, and that you have some

direction or goal You can customize your objective by

including inormation about strengths, skills and

industry or organization type This will demonstrate

that you know something about the position and

organization to which you are applying

3. Education: List institutions where you have complet

(or will soon complete) some level o education,

reverse chronological order High school inormation

usually removed once you reach junior standin

Indicate degree, major, dates o graduation, min

elds, honors and a handul o key courses List yoGPA i it is 300 or higher Include the scale and represe

your GPA to the 100ths place Even i your GPA is n

that high, consider including it on your resume Som

managers will not consider resumes without a GP

and they will assume that your GPA must be very lo

Another idea is to list your major GPA or rece

semester GPA i this is higher than your cumulati

GPA

4. Experience: List and briefy describe, in rever

chronological order, your relevant experienc

Experience may include ull and part-time employmen

research experience, internships, co-ops and volunte

positions Indicate your job title, name o organizati

with city and state, and dates o experience It

advisable to include more than one Experienc

section by being more specic Some examples a

Related Experience, Field Experience, Proession

Experience, Other Experience, etc

I you have had many jobs, choose the ones that are mo

relevant to the position you seek Remember that resum

descriptions are ragments, not complete sentences Try

start each sentence with an action verb (see page 9) and

not use personal pronouns such as I or my Wh

writing your descriptions do not simply list the tasks y

perormed on a daily basis Instead, describe the skills yo

used to accomplish those tasks Ask yoursel the

questions:

Whatweremy duties, responsibilities, roles a

achievements?

Whatskills(transferableandtechnical)didIuse

this experience?

Whatweretheresultsofmyefforts?


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The ollowing inormation is optional, but should be

included i it strengthens your resume:

ActivitiesExtracurricular activities point out

your leadership, social skills, interests and energy

level Activities can be especially important i youhave little work or related experience, or i your

grades arent your strong suit

SkillsThis section serves as a snapshot o your

abilities as they relate to your objective Skills

sections work well or scannable resumes

ProjectsWrite three to our sentences describing

any individual or group work youve done in class

Employers like this section because it demonstrates

your ability to apply learning to real-lie problems

and generate solutions Military experienceI you have training relevant

to your objective, include ranks, dates, assignments

and specic responsibilities under the Experience

section

Proessional membershipsInclude any mem-

berships to relevant student groups, proessional

organizations, or publications

Honors and awards

Study or work abroad experiences

m

The electronic processing o inormation has aected the

way you need to prepare your resume Your resume must

be able to be read by computers as well as by humans

Many employers use optical scanners to enter resumes

into computer databases and then electronically search

or candidates using identied criteria Dont assume that

your target employers are too small or dont have the

budget to use computer scanners

All resumes should ollow the same basic principals to be

o interest to and optimally read by humans as well as

computers Everything that makes sense or computer

scanners to easily read resumes makes sense or human

readers toothe more simple, the better

1 Length depends on your experience and qualications

Generally, resumes should not exceed two pages For

most college graduates with a bachelors degree a on

page resume is all that is required

2 Make your resume easy to read and ollow It shou

read more like an outline than a narrative

3 Place your contact inormation, in bold letters, at ttop o your resume I your resume is two pages, y

need only include your name on the top o the secon

page

4 Your resume should be on 8 x 11 paper, printed

one side Use a computer with a high quality print

and only black ink

5 Present your resume on quality bond paper o at lea

20 pound weight Knowing your audience is your be

guide to selection o color Generally, employers pre

resumes on white, o-white, light tan or gray paper

6 One-inch margins (top, bottom, let and right) a

optimal or scanning

7 Use one ont size o 10 to 12 points Some say sizes

to 14 are acceptable but to the human reader, anythi

over 12 may appear as i you are just taking up spac

Use one popular, non-decorative typeace throughou

A ew excellent onts include Times, Arial, Palatino an

Helvetica Dont vary the ont or point size within t

resume

8 Avoid using italic, script, and underlined text T

letters sometimes touch and computers may ha

diculty recognizing the individual characters an

will be unable to read the inormation Avoid graphi

and shading Scanning equipment is generally set

to read only text, not graphics

9 CAPITAL LETTERS are acceptable However, use the

sparingly or eect and attention grabbing or t

human reader; it doesnt matter or compute

Boldace is also acceptable and should be us

sparingly as well

10 You may use bullets, but make sure they are solid, nhollow, symbols

11 Dont use parentheses or brackets Computer scanne

may interpret the symbols as letters, or oth

punctuation, and will not be able to understand t

text within them Use horizontal and vertical lin

sparingly, i at all I you do use lines put at least

white space around them


11/409 C c

12 Do not use staples or old your resume Pages may stick

together ater the staple is removed Creases rom

olds may lead to inaccurate scanning or diculty in

eeding the resume into a scanner Employer may even

throw away resumes that have been neatly olded into

standard #10 business size envelopes Instead, isubmitting your resume by mail, send it in a ull sized

manila envelope

tp

Behonest.Emphasizeyourstrengths,experience,and

capabilities Provide accurate dates and list only

months and year, or just years Record your degrees

and/or certications with months and years o

graduation

Putthemostimportantinformationtowardthetopof

your resume And, i possible, list the most relevant

inormation rst in each section

Use action verbs (see page 10) to communicate

accomplishments and results Use the present tense in

describing activities in which you are current

engaged Describe previous activities in the pa

tense

Omit irrelevantandpersonalinformation fromyo

resume such as height, weight, age, sex, health an

marital status Dontincludecontactinformationforyourreferenc

on your resume Reerences should be submitt

separately rom your resume, and only i requested

an employer For more inormation about reerenc

see page 17

Timespentonresumepreparationisalsotimewe

spent on interview preparation Many employers w

use your resume when they are interviewing you

Always proofread your resume for visual quali

content and typographical or spelling errors Ha

several other people prooread your resume as well

Planahead.Donotanticipatewritingyourbestresum

overnight Remember, your resume is an essential to

in your search Make it the best possible

avm


12/4010 C c

Pw V

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Communicationaddressedadvertisedarrangedarticulatedauthoredclariedcollaboratedcommunicatedcomposedcondensedconerredcontactedconveyedconvincedcorrespondeddebateddeneddescribeddevelopeddirecteddiscusseddratededitedelicitedenlistedexplainedexpressedormulatedurnishedinfuencedinteracted

interpretedinterviewedinvolved

joinedjudgedlecturedlistenedmarketedmediatedmoderatednegotiatedobservedoutlinedparticipatedpersuaded

presentedpromotedproposedpublicizedreconciledrecruitedreerredreinorcedreportedresolvedrespondedsolicitedspeciedspokesuggestedsummarizedsynthesizedtranslatedwrote

Creativeadaptedbegancombinedcomposedconceptualizedcondensedcreatedcustomizeddesigneddevelopeddirecteddisplayedestablishedashionedormulatedoundedillustratedinitiatedintegratedintroducedinventedmodeledmodiedperormedplannedrevisedrevitalizedshapedsolved

Helpingaidedaccommodatedadvisedalleviatedassistedassuredbolsteredcoachedcontinuedcooperatedcounseleddealteasedelevated

enabledendorsedenhancedenrichedamiliarizedhelpedintercededmobilizedmodeledpolishedprescribedprovidedprotectedrehabilitatedrelievedrescuedsavedservedsustainedtutoredvalidated

Planning andOrganizingacquiredactivatedadjustedadministeredallocatedalteredanticipatedappointedarrangedassembledassessedassignedauthorizedcatalogedcentralizedchartedclassiedcollectedcommissionedcommittedconrmedcontractedcoordinatedcustomizeddelegateddesignateddesigneddetermineddevelopeddeviseddispatchedestablishedevaluatedacilitatedorecastedormulatedhousedidentiedimplementedincorporatedinstitutedissuedlinked

loggedmapped outobservedobtainedorderedorganizedplannedpreparedprioritizedprocuredprogrammedrecruitedrectiedresearchedreservedretrievedrevisedroutedscheduledselectedsecuredsimpliedsoughtstraightenedstrategizestudiedsuggestedtailoredtracked

Problem-solvingalleviatedanalyzedbrainstormedcollaboratedconceivedconceptualizedcreateddebuggeddecideddeciphereddetecteddiagnosedengineeredoresawormulatedoundinvestigatedrecommendedremediedremodeledrepairedrevampedrevitalizedsatisedsolvedsynthesizedtheorized

Quantitativeaccounted orappraisedapproximatedauditedbalancedbudgeted

calculatedcheckedcompiledcompoundedcomputedconservedconvertedcounteddispenseddispersedearnedenumeratedestimatedgurednancedgrossedincreasedinventoriedmaximizedmultipliednettedprotedprojectedpurchasedquantiedratedreconciledrecordedreducedtotaled

Technical Skillsadaptedappliedassembledbuildcalculatedcomputedconservedconstructedconverteddebuggeddesigneddetermineddevelopedengineeredabricatedortiedinstalledmaintainedoperatedoverhauledprintedprogrammedregulatedremodeledrepairedreplacedrestoredsolvedspecializedspearheadedstandardizedstudiedupgradeutilized


13/4011 C c

mpl m

123 Gopher Street SoutheastMinneapolis, MN [email protected]

(H) 555-555-5555; (C) 333-333-3333Jill Candidate

Objective Seeking employment in the area of database development.

Education Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, May 2009

Institute of Technology, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Major GPA: 3.14/4.00

Key Courses: Introduction to Numerical Computing, Formal Languages and Automata Theory, Software

Engineering (in progress)

Skills Languages: Assembly, BASIC, C, C++, FORTRAN, Java, and Scheme

Operating Systems: UNIX; DOS; Windows 95, 98, XP; and Macintosh

Software: CAD, Dreamweaver, Adobe Acrobat, and MATLAB

Projects Worked in a team of three to design a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) fuse map generator and

simulator for combinational and sequential logic using a specication language for combinational logic

as well as FSMs.

Developed Perl scripts to run a WWW-based database allowing arbitrary searches and automated

additions to the database. Presented project to class at end of semester.

Related Intern, Data Mining Support May 2008 August 2008

Experience Organization, City, State

Developed an easy-to-use interface and data visualizer for a data mining engine which

presented data in tabular and graphic formats, allowing for various sorting, ltering, and

merging.

Attended weekly departmental meetings to generate ideas, report progress and discuss futureplanning.

Assisted with implementing visualizer and helped with training employees how to use

interface.

Leadership President September 2008 present

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Plan and facilitate activities for more than 180 members.

Visit local high schools regularly to promote science and engineering careers to high school

students.

Increased membership by 20% through recruiting.

Other Lead Cook (seasonal) March 2006 present

Experience Company, City, State

Promoted to lead cook after two years of employment. Train new employees, including cooksand cleaning staff. Coordinate employee schedules and handle customer complaints. Assist

customers in courteous and friendly manner.

Activities Member, Association of Computing Machinery 2007-present

Member, Institute of Technology Board of Publications 2007-present

Member, Society of Women Engineers 2006-present

Member, University of Minnesota Marching Band 2005-present


14/4012 C c

mpl m

John Candidate

222 Gopher Street Southeast Minneapolis, MN 55455 (H) 555-555-5555 [email protected]

Objective Seeking employment as a Research Technician.

Education College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Bachelor of Science in Genetics, Cellular Biology and Development, Expected December 2008

Minor: Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature

Cumulative GPA: 3.20/4.00

Coursework includes: Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry with lab, Developmental

Biology, Directed Research

Senior Researched RNA interference by reading publications from numerous scientic journals and

Project performed experiments using genomic screen techniques. Wrote literature review on subject and

presented ndings to peer group.

Skills Molecular Biology Techniques: subcloning, gel electrophoresis, chromatography, spectrometry,

DNA sequencing, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Computer Skills: Procient with Microsoft Ofce applications for both Macintosh and PC. Efcient

web-searching strategies on a wide variety of scientic databases such as PubMed and Wormbase.

Microscopy: Nomarski and uorescence experience using Nikon Microphot-FXA.

Research Undergraduate Research Assistant January 2006present

Department of Genetics, Cellular Biology, and Development

University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Perform genomic screen for genes that control development of the nematode C. elegans using

RNA interference (RNAi).

Maintain mutant worm populations, grew plasmid-containing E. coli to feed worms, screen

worms for phenotypes using microscopy and uorescence microscopy, update RNAi database

based on ndings.

Wrote grant applications and was twice awarded funding for research through the

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).

Experience Administrative Assistant (seasonal) May 2004present

Company, City, State

Manage membership accounts and organize condential member information in electronic

and paper formats.

Collaborate with coworkers to approve accounts and monitor member participation.

Prepare spreadsheets and graphs for senior staff meetings.

Leadership and Representative, College of Biological Sciences Student Board 2007present

Activities Member, Intramural Softball Team 2006present

Student Leader, Biology Colloquium Class 20062008


15/4013 C c

The cover letter is an important part o your application

and should be included with every resume you submit

Focus on the needs o the employer and summarize your

greatest strengths as they relate to a specic position

Show the employer that you are interested in the position,

possess the qualications they are seeking and understandthe work being done at their organization Try not to

duplicate the inormation in your resume Instead, use

specic examples to draw conclusions about how you can

ulll the position Remember, your cover letter should be

well-written, thoughtul, and make an employer want to

review your resume

typ cv l

There are two types o cover letters The Letter o

Application is sent to an employer when applying ora specic position Each letter should be customized to

show how your interests and qualications match those

required to ll the position

A Letter o Inquiry is sent to inquire about positions o

interest in an organization It requests inormation be sent

to you and provides employers with your resume When

writing a Letter o Inquiry it is important to show how

you can potentially contribute to the organization Please

note: a Letter o Inquiry is not as common as a Letter o

Application and is typically accompanied by a verbal or

written request or an inormational interview in order tolearn more about possible opportunities at the organization

o interest

m

A cover letter is ormatted as a proessional letter This

means that all parts o the letter are let justied And,

rather than starting each new paragraph by indenting, you

will insert a double space between paragraphs to signal a

transition rom one paragraph to the next This will create

a block ormat or your cover letter

Your address, city, state and zip code should be included

at the top o the cover letter It is okay to abbreviate states,

but do not use abbreviations in any other part o your

address For example, 123 Gopher St SE Minneapolis, MN

should be written out as, 123 Gopher Street Southeast

Minneapolis, MN

Ater listing your address, double space and add the da

Make sure to write the date out completely, rather th

using numbers and dashes For example, October 12, 20

would NOT be written as 10/12/2008 Instead, write it

the word October with the numbers 12 and 2008

indicate date and year

Ater you have written the date, double space and list t

employers contact inormation I a name is not listed o

the position description look at the Web site or call t

organization to get the name and title o the person

whom you should address your application Rememb

your resume is more likely to be reviewed i it is sent to

specic person I you cannot nd this inormation, addre

your letter to Hiring Manager or to Search Committee

you suspect more than one person is involved in the hiri

process Again, only use an abbreviation or the state an

not or any other part o the address

Double space again and add the greeting Dear to yo

letter Address your contact as Mr, Ms, or Dr and th

write her/his last name I you cannot tell the person

gender based on their name simply write down their r

and last name with a colon For example, Pat Smith: T

greeting line should end with a colon

Double space again The next 3-4 paragraphs o your cov

letter will be the opening paragraph, middle paragraph

and closing paragraph Remember, because a cover lett

is written in a proessional letter ormat these paragrapwill NOT be indented Instead, keep them let justied a

insert a space between each paragraph

End your letter with Sincerely, leave 4 single lines

your hand-written signature, and type your name again

the bottom o the letter I you are submitting your cov

letter electronically replace your hand-written signatu

with italicized typeace

I you are enclosing additional inormation with your lett

such as a resume, double space ater your typed name an

type Enclosure or Enclosures I you use the plural, y

have the option o stating the number o enclosures

parentheses

wt cv ltt


16/4014 C c

op pph

Usually there are three paragraphs in a cover letter The

rst is the opening paragraph In this paragraph state the

position you are applying or and where you ound out

about it It is important to identiy the position by titlebecause it lets the employer know which position you are

applying or And, by stating where you ound out about the

position, you are giving the employer important marketing

inormation about where their job postings are being

viewed Then, briefy explain why you are interested in the

position and organization Try to capture the employers

attention by conveying a sense o enthusiasm, interest

and purpose in your letter Make them want to read about

your qualications

Please note: I you ound out about the position rom a

person who works in the organization at which you areapplying include her/his name and title in your Opening

Paragraph

Ml pph()

The middle paragraph is sometimes reerred to as the

body o the letter It is usually the longest and most

important I you have a lot to say you can split this section

into two paragraphs Focus on the needs o the employer

and write about your strongest qualications or the job

Explain how your qualications t with the positions

responsibilities Dont just list skills or personal qualities

Instead, use specic examples (rom previous jobs,

internships, classes, volunteering, activities, clubs and

more) to describe when, where and how you developed the

desired qualications

Cl pph

The last paragraph is the closing paragraph Restate your

interest and briefy summarize your qualications Mentionyour interest in an interview One eective strategy is to

end your letter on a proactive note Say when and ho

you will contact the employer and ollow-up according

Contacting an employer directly ater submitting yo

application is advantageous because: 1) it demonstrat

your interest in the position, 2) it allows you to make su

the employer received your application and, 3) it helps ydiscern where the employer is in the hiring process Final

end your letter by thanking the employer and signing yo

name to the letter

Please note: Occasionally employers will request th

applicants do not contact them directly In these instanc

respect employers wishes by ollowing the applicati

procedures outlined in the position description

l p

Here are some nal tips to help you with your cover lette

Remember,anemployerwilluseyourcoverlett

as an indication o your writing skills Be sure

have your cover letters prooread by another pers

in order to ensure you are presenting yoursel

the best possible light

Use different sentence structures in your cov

letter Some people have the tendency to sta

every sentence with the word I which can ma

a letter sound awkward

Coverlettersaremeanttobeconciseandshou

never be more than one page long

Usethesamefontinyourcoverletterasyoud

or your resume, and print your cover letter an

resume on the same paper This will ensure yo

application looks proessional

Andnally,besuretokeepacopyofthejobposti

and your cover letter on le in case you are call

or an interview


17/4015 C c

These letters are examples o the types o proessional correspondence most commonly used in the job search proces

The most eective letters are targeted to the needs o a specic employer and, at the same time, concise In most case

a letter should not exceed one page in length

A letter o application is sent to an employer when applying or a specic job To make sure the letter o application is

ocused on the needs o the employer, ask or a position description and careully consider how your skills, interests,abilities, experience and education match those required to ll the position

123 Gopher Street Southeast

Minneapolis, MN 55455

September 8, 2008

Sandy Smith

Lead Engineer

A1 Engineering Inc.

123 Engineering ParkwayMinneapolis, MN 55455

Dear Ms. Smith:

I wish to express my strong interest in the Assistant Engineer position at A1 Engineering. As I

read the position description posted on the University of Minnesota GoldPASS system, I was

pleased to recognize that my skill set and enthusiasm would be of value to your organization. I

believe my passion for automotive engineering, combined with my education and experiences

make me an ideal t for this position. I know I could contribute immediately to your engine

efciency projects.

Your description indicates you are seeking someone with excellent teamwork and

communication skills to work as an integral part of a design team. As my resume indicates, Ihave two years of related experience gained through summer internships. At both of these

internships I assisted design engineers while sharpening and honing my CAD skills. Also, for

the past two years I have served as outreach coordinator for a student group. This experience

has provided me with the opportunity to develop my teamwork and communication skills by

working collaboratively with a group of four people to plan events and meetings. Additionally,

in May of 2009 I will graduate with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and a minor in

Business Leadership. My education is providing me with the knowledge and skills I need to

contribute meaningfully to your organization.

My experiences, education and interests make me a great t for this position, and I am excited

about the possibility of working at A1 Engineering. I would appreciate the opportunity to

speak with you about my qualications and will contact you during the week of October 27 to

discuss the possibility of an interview. In the meantime, if you have any questions please do

not hesitate to contact me at 555-555-5555 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Thank you

for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jill Candidate

Jill Candidate

Enclosures (2)

ltt f pplct xmpl


18/4016 C c

A letter o inquiry is sent to an employer to inquire as to the possibility o available positions, or as an introduction t

a prospective employer while networking The letter should be a summary o your abilities as they relate to the needs

the employer

222 Gopher Street


November 1, 2008

Alan Anderson, Ph.D.

Scientist

Biosciences Corp.

123 Science CourtMinneapolis, MN 55455

Dear Dr. Anderson:

While researching possible employers in the eld of microbiology I became aware of your

company. I will be completing my Bachelors of Science in Microbiology in May and would

like to inquire about the possibility of employment as a Research Technician at Biosciences

Corp.

As you will see in my enclosed resume I am currently working as an undergraduate Research

Assistant at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus in the Microbiology Department.

The research I am assisting with focuses on the growth and characteristics of microscopic

organism bacteria. My assistantship has afrmed my interest in bacterial research andprovided me with the opportunity to hone my laboratory and analytical skills. In addition, I

have taken several elective courses to further enhance my knowledge and abilities within the

eld of microbiological research. I believe my research experience combined with my class

room knowledge has provided me with an excellent foundation for employment in your lab.

Also, I have participated in several activities and jobs that have strengthened my

communication, leadership and teamwork skills. For example, last fall I was elected as chair

of the publicity committee for the student chapter of the American Institute of Biological

Sciences. In this position I managed two other students, recruited speakers for monthly

meetings, and coordinated advertising activities across the University of Minnesota-Twin

Cities campus. These group activities reinforced my desire to work as part of team.

I would like to thank you for your time and consideration of my qualications. If you have anyfurther questions about my abilities please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached at

123-456-7890 or by e-mail at [email protected]. I will be in contact with you to discuss

the possibility of an interview.

Sincerely,

John Candidate

John Candidate

ltt f qy xmpl


19/4017 C c

Provide reerences only i you are requested to do so List reerences on a separate sheet o paper that matches the

ormat o your resume and cover letter Talk to the people you have chosen to be reerences beore you give out their

contact inormation to potential employers Provide your reerences with a copy o your resume and keep them

updated as you search or jobs

John Candidate

222 Gopher Street Minneapolis, MN 55455 (H) 123-456-7890 [email protected]

Name

Title

Organization

Address

City, State Zip

Phone

E-mail

Name

Title

Organization

Address

City, State Zip

PhoneE-mail

Name

Title

Organization

Address

City, State Zip

Phone

E-mail

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20/4018 C c

A letter o inquiry is sent to an employer to inquire as to the possibility o available positions, or as an introduction t

a prospective employer while networking The letter should be a summary o your abilities as they relate to the needs

the employer



October 14, 2008

Sandy Smith

Lead Engineer

A1 Engineering Inc.

123 Engineering ParkwayMinneapolis, MN 55455

Dear Ms. Smith:

Thank you for the opportunity to interview with you on Tuesday, October 13 for the position

of Assistant Engineer, and also for the tour you gave me of A1 Engineering. Both experiences

reafrmed my interest in your organization and my condence that my interests, experiences

and education will be benecial to the goals of your team.

As we discussed, my internships have provided me with the opportunity to develop the skills

and personal qualities you are seeking in a potential employee. I believe my experience

working with engineers from different backgrounds will enable me to contribute in creative

ways to your design team. Additionally, my experience working collaboratively to plan andimplement changes is an asset that will allow me to implement improvements quickly and

effectively. I am also excited about your training program and the specics we discussed on

Tuesday. As my past successes have indicated, I am motivated and adaptable to any situation.

I look forward to seeing you again and meeting others in A1 Engineering. If you have further

questions or need additional information please let me know. Thank you again for your time

and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jill Candidate

Jill Candidate

tk y ltt xmpl


21/4019 C c

Most job oers will come over the telephone or through the mail Sending an acceptance letter is the best way to

ormally acknowledge the oer and to be certain that both parties are in agreement about such things as starting date

salary and benets

222 Gopher Street


December 14, 2008

Alan Anderson, Ph.D.

Scientist

Biosciences Corp.

123 Science Court


Dear Dr. Anderson:

To conrm our phone conversation on December 12, 2008 I would like to formally accept

your offer of Research Coordinator at $40,000 per year in your Des Moines, Iowa ofce. I am

very pleased to have the opportunity to become part of your organization.

As we discussed, I will be moving to Des Moines within two weeks and will be able to begin

my employment on January 7, 2009. I understand that your organization offers relocation

assistance. Please send me the information you referred to concerning expense reimbursement.

I look forward to joining Biosciences Corp.

Sincerely,

John Candidate

John Candidate

ccptc ltt xmpl


22/4020 C c

When you are no longer interested in a position or which you have interviewed, or have accepted another job, send a

letter o withdrawal to the employer In the letter you are not obligated to give the employer detailed inormation abou

your employment decision However, the courtesy o sending a letter speeds the hiring process or all involved



May 9, 2009

Joyce Johnson

Lead Sales Engineer

Products Inc.

123 Products WayMinneapolis, MN 55455

Dear Ms. Johnson:

I enjoyed meeting with you last week to discuss your opening for a Sales Engineer. My

interview was informative, and it is clear to me that you and your staff are excellent workers

who take pride in the work you do. However, after careful consideration, I have decided to

withdraw my application for this position.

At this point in my career I believe it would be benecial for me to explore other

opportunities. While this position affords many advantages, it would nonetheless be a lateral

move from my current part-time and summer positions.

Thank you for taking the time to interview me and giving me the opportunity to learn more

about your needs and organization. I hope your hiring search will soon be successful.

Sincerely,

Jane Candidate

Jane Candidate

wtwl ltt xmpl


23/4021 C c

There are several ways to submit resumes and letters to

employers You can use conventional mail, ax, e-mail or

drop them o in-person The key is to ollow the directions

requested by the employer The substance o your resume

and letter remains the same no matter which way you

submit them, however, there are some things to keep inmind as you consider each method

Cvl ml

Resume,coverletterandallcorrespondenceswith

an employer should be on the same kind o paper

Yourresumeandcoverlettershouldbesentina

large envelope without olding, stapling, or paper-

clipping them Large envelopes are available in

manila, white or matching resume paper, and all

are acceptable to use

Usemailinglabelsandtypeorcomputer-printthe

address to whom you are sending your resume

and letter and your return address

Placetheletterontopoftheresumewithanyother

supporting materials under the resume and slide

it into the envelope Do not staple or paper-clip

your resume to your letter

Thenameandaddressonthelabelshouldmatch

exactly the name and address on the letter you are

enclosing I you are responding to an advertisement

and there is no name mentioned, call the employerto get a contact name In cases where a name is

not available, use a gender neutral title such as

Employer, Employment Representative, or

Personnel Manager

x

Youshouldfaxyourletterandresumeonlywhen

an employer requests it or to meet a deadline

Ifyoufaxaresumeandcoverletter,alwaysfollow-

up with a mailed original

Whenfaxingyourresumeandletteryouroriginals

should be on plain white paper using black ink, to

ensure the best quality copy in the transmission

Calltheemployertoverifythatyourresumeand

letter have been received

e-ml

Because of the limitations of some electron

means o transmitting resumes and letters, su

as using e-mail, some special considerations ne

to be addressed

Prepare your resume using a word processi

program ollowing the recommendations

Resume Writing (see pages 7-8) Then, save yo

resume as a text le, DOS or ASCII, or type yo

resume into the text ormat directly, rom a ha

copy

Usinga text editor, edit thetextversion of yo

resume to resemble your original resume T

spacing will need to be redone using the space b

Make sure each line is 60 or less characters an

insert a hard return at the end o each line Tmargins may need to be adjusted as well

Sincebulletsandboldfacecantbeusedinate

document you may want to substitute asterisks

plus signs or bullets and use capital letters

asterisks surrounding text in place o bold U

capital letters and other symbols sparingly Wh

using e-mail, capital letters mean you a

shouting A whole letter or resume in capi

letters is dicult to read Overdone symbols te

to clutter and conuse rather than draw the reade

attention

Mosttexteditorshavea spellcheckfunction,

use them to catch any spelling errors Alwa

prooread, and have others prooread yo

documents

Savebothversionsofyourresume,thetextversi

and the word processed version, so that it is rea

to edit, print or e-mail as you need it

Create andstore astandard coverletter in t

same way Customize the cover letter each tim

you apply or a position Always check the orm

and width by sending it to yoursel, beore ysend your letter in response to an ad Send yo

resume and cover letter in one le

Usetheadvertisedjobasyoursubjectlineint

e-mail Cite relevant job numbers or descriptors

noted in the ad

Ifyouaresendingaresumewithoutknowingof

opening, add a ew words stating your objective

the subject line

m cv ltt


24/4022 C c

Readtheentirepostingcarefullyandcompletely

beore responding Some employers who advertise

online may only accept responses by regular mail

or may want you to respond to a dierent e-mail

address It is important to respond exactly as

instructed in the directions

i-p

When dropping off your resume in-person

remember that your personal appearance is

making an impression Dress as i you were going

or an interview and act proessionally, being

courteous to everyone

tp lcc cpc

Be aware that electronic correspondence is oten the

preerred mode o communication with employers E-mail

can be a powerul tooluse it wisely, and you will shine;

use it improperly, and you may be branded as immature

and unproessional Here are some general guidelines to

apply to every e-mail you write an employer

Useameaningfulsubject lineforevery e-mail.

Choose one that is appropriate to the topic

Address the recipient as Mr., Ms., or Mrs., and

always veriy the correct spelling o the recipients

name Keepyoure-mailbriefandbusinesslike.Trynotto

overload an employer with lots o questions

Noemoticons.

Sticktoastandardfontanddontusewallpapers

or multicolored backgrounds

Besuretoproofreadandspell-checkyoure-mail

beore sending it

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science, technology and businessideas on the face of the planet.

Our business is international. Our careeroptions are as diverse as our locations. Andour Management Associate Program andStudent Employment Program are designedwith your future in mind. A future built onexperience you cant get anywhere else.

To learn more about the strategies andtechnologies that keep a thriving Fortune 500company on the forefront of a dynamic,revitalized industry, visit us online atwww.ussteel.com.

avm


25/4023 C c

s

The job search is much more than resumes and interviews

He or she who gets hired is not necessarily the one who

can do the job best; but, the one who knows the most

about how to get hired (Lathrop, 1977) In this article wewill share with you inormation known to increase your

job and internship search success

How many weeks or months do you think it takes most

students to nd a job or internship? Expect your job search

to take at least three to six months Start early and plan to

enact a smart and targeted job search

Many employers search or employees dierently rom

how job hunters search or jobs While employers search

or people they know, job hunters seem to eel more

comortable submitting resumes and answering ads rom adistance When hunting or a job, think like an employer

use reerrals and inside contacts whenever possible

Some job hunting methods are more eective than others

and some are very ineective The least eective ways o

searching or a job are those that dont involve person-to-

person contactusing the Internet, mailing resumes at

random, ads, and agencies

The best ways to search or a job or internship are to, rst,

identiy and contact employers in your eld o interest

using the yellow pages or similar resources Second, knock

on the door o employers that interest you, whether they

have a known job opening or not Ater researching about

an organization on your own, schedule an appointment to

meet with an employer to gather inormation tailored to

your specic career and company questions This process

is called inormational interviewing Finally, ask or leads

rom riends and amily Let the people you know, know

youre looking or a job Even i they arent aware o any

immediate job or internship openings, they may be able to

connect you to someone who does or think o you down

the road when they hear o an opening

The most eective approach, however, is to use more than

one method to nd a job or internship Research shows

that using up to our job search methods will urther

increase your likelihood o success in nding a position

(Bolles, 2007)

Also, did you know that the majority o jobs are obtained

through inormal networks? Theyre acquired through

riends o riends, being in the right place at the right time,

and knowing people who are connected to opportuni

This is the hidden job market, and its where youll wa

to spend the majority o your job or internship sear

eorts

iy jb hp

Experts tell us that Most job-hunters who ail to nd th

dream job, ail not because they lack inormation abo

the job market, but because they lack inormation abo

themselves (Bolles, 2007, p 209) Beore you begin yo

job or internship search, be sure youve answered t

ollowing questions:

WhatskillsdoImostenjoyusing?

WhatdoIvalueinajoborinternship?

Whatworkareasinterestme?

Such sel-refection will help you clariy and set your goa

and help you articulate them to the proessionals y

meet on your way Now its time to prepare or your job

internship search

Start by identiying a specic job or internship targ

Many people dont have a clear target when they beg

their job search, which actually lengthens their searc

They spend a little bit o energy in a lot o areas and ot

come up exhausted and empty-handed When you knowhat youre looking or, you will be able to spend your tim

nding the jobs and organizations that t your target Plu

employers preer to hire candidates with clear goals an

career plans

Next, research possible employers What do you kno

about your industry o interest, organizations in yo

eld, and individual jobs? Like understanding yourse

understanding your options will help you target yo

search Learn about the industry; be comortable with

language What are the trends and industry concern

Who are the leaders? Check out proessional associatio

and related publications For example, i you are interest

in the eld o civil engineering, you may want to join th

American Society o Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Also research the organizations that employ people in yo

eld Check out company Web sites or news items an

product and service inormation Talk to people who wo

there to learn about the work environmentits cultu

atmosphere, values, and norms

tp c


26/4024 C c

Review job postings to understand the types o positions

youre interested in Job descriptions will teach you about

duties, skills and qualications Additionally, reading an

employers range o postings will help you understand the

availability o advancement opportunities

Some great places to start your research are listed on the

ollowing pages Try looking at:

Career information sites. Search these online

resources by job title to get job descriptions,

education required, salary range, job outlook and

links to related occupations

If youhaveacompanyinmind andare looking

or similar companies, try employer research

databases These databases let you search or

companies and industry inormation by company

name, size, location, industry code, or phone

number

ExploretheWeb sitesof employers that interest

you

Finally, the University of Minnesota has many

resources or industry, employer, and career-

related research Check out career inormation at

your library and academic program Web sites, and

dont orget to use your career center

iml vw

Once you have targeted and researched an employer,

you may have additional questions Now is a great time

to schedule an inormational interview with a company

representative, where you will interview the person with

these questions

The purpose o an inormational interview is to gather

career inormation, gain insider tips about getting jobs or

internships, observe the work environment, practice your

proessional communication skills, and meet people inyour eld This is not a job interview, so do not ask or or

expect a job When you call to set up the interview, give

your name and aliation and explain the purpose o your

visit: to learn more about their eld and gain advice on the

job search

Ask or a 2030 minute meeting and get directions I they

are not able to meet in person, try to schedule a telephone

appointment Make sure to dress proessionally and be on

time Prepare a thoughtul list o questions and take notes

Ask or their business card Ater the interview send the

a thank you note and ollow up on their suggestions

your job search

Inormational interviewing is one o many ways to positi

yourselseek out connections to people who will hainormation about or connections to opportunities in yo

chosen career You can position yoursel in three ways:

1 Expand your proessional network, which may invol

interviewing proessionals or inormation, shadowi

proessionals, or joining proessional associations

get know other members

2 Indirect work experience will also help you positi

yoursel or your target job or internship This m

involve being active in your proessional associatio

taking courses or acquiring training related to yo

target eld, or having a job, internship, or volunte

experience in a related eld to your job target

3 Direct work experience is the strongest way to positi

yoursel It may involve direct work, internship

volunteer experience in your target career or havi

a temporary work experience at your desired place

employment

apply

Ater you have researched the industry and employer, itime to prepare your application materials and intervie

skills

1 Write a strong resume and cover letter and ha

them critiqued at your University o Minnesota care

center

2 Determine who you will use as reerences and a

permission to add them to your reerence list The

should be proessional reerences such as superviso

proessors, and advisorsnot riends or am

members

3 Sign up or a mock interview to practice yo

interviewing skills Brainstorm interview questio

likely to be asked in your eld

Once youve set a specic job target, researched employe

and prepared your application materials, it is now time

get out there and aggressively search and apply or jo

and internships


27/4025 C c

Remembertobeginbyusingyourinformalnetwork,

letting riends and amily know you are looking or

a job

Agreatplacetolookforjobandinternshippostings

is GoldPASS, the University o Minnesotas job,

internship, and career event super center Uploadyour resume and apply or positions directly

through this secure Web site Also, search LandIt

org or jobs and internships available to students in

a variety o Minnesotas public and private colleges

and universities

Youmightalsosearchjoblistingsandprofessional

associations that are targeted to your eld o

interest To nd proessional associations, do an

Internet search on your eld o interest including

the words proessional association or example,

plant biology students might search or plantbiology proessional associations Additionally,

look at industry-specic job Web sites and small

targeted newspapers or positions in your eld

l p

A ew tips on applying to job and internship postings:

unless otherwise noted, it is acceptable to call or more

inormation I youre not ully qualied, dont worryi you

meet 80 percent o the qualications it is still reasonable

to apply

Practice articulating your skills and goals beore you

call the employerthe employer will begin to gather

inormation about you rom the rst moment o your

very rst interaction You might introduce yoursel using

a personal commerciala planned speech that describes

your related experience and the skills and services you

oer Address any communication or application materials

to a real person

I you arent sure who is doing the hiring, call th

organization and inquire so that you may address

personally Ater you apply to a position, ollow up yo

application with a phone call to make sure your materia

arrived saely

i ummy

Startyoursearchearlypreferably,monthsbefo

you need the job

Useuptofourmethodsofsearchingforajob

internshipand be smart about which metho

you use There is no always right or always wro

way to hunt or a job However, research remin

us that mailing out stacks o generic resumes

unknown employers is not a high-yield use o yo

time

Your time is better spent using your inform

network and creating new networks Ater all,

percent o jobs are acquired through people y

know

Bepreparedknowyourjobtargetandcreateyo

resume long beore an employer requests it

Research,research,research togettoknowyo

industry, employers, and job description Talki

about this research during your interview w

indicate initiative and passion, characteristiemployers value

Finally,havepatience.Jobhuntingisanart,not

science, and always depends on some amount

luck Remember, your success in nding a job

internship depends on how hard and how sma

you work at it!


28/4026 C c

C m Wb

Search these online resources by job title to obtain job

descriptions, education requirements, salary range, job

outlook, and links to related occupations

Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://wwwblsgov/oco

O*NET: http://onlineonetcenterorg

ISEEK: http://wwwiseekorg/sv/indexjsp

MnCareers: http://wwwiseekorg/mncareers/indexhtml

emply ch Wb

Search this database to identiy and learn about potentialemployers

A-Z Index o US Government Departments and Agencies:

http://wwwirstgovgov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/

indexshtml

Browse government departments and agencies by level

(ederal, state, local, tribal) and topic in this A-Z listing

Mll dll bhttp://libumnedu/

Search public and private companies by company name,

size, location, industry code, or phone number Free to

University o Minnesota students

Directions or Million Dollar Database:

1 Ater accessing the University o Minnesota Libraries

Web site, select the letter M under Indexes and

Databases A-Z Scroll down and select Million Dollar

Database2 Search or inormation about companies by company

name OR search the database using specic criteria by

clicking on the Advanced Search tool Using this tool,

you can nd all companies doing a particular type o

work in your area Consider using the ollowing search

unctions in combination with one another Be sure to

select Add to Criteria to ensure your criteria are added

to your search Recommended Advanced Search

speciers:

SearchbyLocationTypetospecifyheadquarters

branch locations

Search by the City/State or Zip Code to targ

employers in a specied area

SearchbytheSIC(StandardIndustryClassicatio

Code or NAICS Codes to identiy organizatio

related to specic industry types Look into t

industry menus to nd the correct industry type

il. npf o sch

http://wwwidealistorg/i/as/Org/npo

Search nonprot organizations by keyword, area o ocu

location, or language

emply Wb

Search the individual Web sites o organizations th

interest you Learn about product/service inormatio

news items, company history Check to see i t

organization has a careers page

Uvy M uc

Identiy career inormation, locate career centers, anutilize online resources at the University o Minnesota

Students enrolled in the College o Biological Sciences a

Institute o Technology can receive additional care

assistance at the Career Center or Science and Engineeri

(CCSE) Web site: wwwccseumnedu; Phone: 612-624-40

Business Reerence Library

http://busrelibumnedu

Resources or career, industry and employer research

Career Services Ofces

http://wwwcareerumnedu/studenthtm

Identiy the career services oce aliated with yo

major

Careers and Jobs Reerence Library

http://wwwlibumnedu/libdata/pagephtml?page_id=68

Resources or career, industry and employer research

tp c resourc


29/4027 C c

acmc pm Wb

http://www1umnedu/twincities/02_academicsphp#1

Explore the Web sites o your college or proessional school,

your department, and your major, minor, and/or

emphasis

Uvy b

GoldPASS

http://goldpassumnedu

The University o Minnesotas job, internship and volunteer

listing

LandIt!

http://wwwlanditorg

The Minnesota College and University Career ServicesAssociations job and internship listing

Jb hp ch Wb

TIP: In addition to looking at online resources, it is

important to remember to make person-to-person contact

with proessionals in your eld o interest You can do this

by obtaining reerrals rom your existing network, joining

proessional associations, and completing inormational

interviews

Internships USA

http://wwwinternships-usacom

National internship listings or various elds Request

username/password rom your U o M career center

USAJOBS

http://wwwusajobsgov/

The ocial job listing Web site o the US ederal

government

Minnesota Council o Nonprofts

http://wwwmncnorg

The ocial job listing Web site or nonprot jobs

Minnesota

Idealist.orghttp://wwwidealistorg

A comprehensive, national Web site or job and internsh

opportunities

Pl u c

Search or associations in your eld o interest Check

see i the organization has a careers page Consid

joining national and student chapters Associations are

great way to learn about your eld and connect with othe

who have similar interests

College o Biological Sciences (CBS) Student Associatio

http://wwwcbsumnedu/studentservices/studentor

html

Institute o Technology (IT) student associations

http://wwwitumnedu/students/campuslie/studen

orgshtml

Associations Unlimited

http://libumnedu/site/reerencephtml

Click on Associations and Organizations

Google

http://wwwgooglecom

Type in your eld o interest including the wor

proessional association (eg, electrical engineering

proessional association)


30/4028 C c

3M

Accenture

Aerospace Corporation,

The

AMEC, Inc

American Cast Iron Pipe

Company

Andersen Corporation

Arkema, Inc

Artesyn Technologies

Avant Energy Services

Avery Dennison

Automated Engineering

Services

BAE Systems

Bemis Company, Inc

Boston Scientic

BP

Brady Corporation

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co

Broadcom Corporation

Caterpillar

Capital OneCargill, Incorporated

Cummins, Inc

Cypress Semiconductor

Deloitte Consulting LLP

Dial Corporation, The

Donatelle

Dow Chemical Company,

The

Dow Corning Corporation

Eaton Corporation

Ecolab, Inc

Emerson Process

Management/

Rosemount Inc

Epic Systems Corporation

ExxonMobil Corporation

Federal Mogul Corporation

Fish and Richardson

FM Global

General Electric

General Mills, Inc

Goodrich Corporation

Google, Inc

Graco, Inc

Gradient Technology

Honeywell

Hormel Foods Corporation

Hutchinson TechnologyIBM

Ingersoll-Rand

Integrated Device

Technology, Inc

Keyence Corporation

on-CaMPus inTerVieW pptt

Each year a number o employers interview students at the University o Minnesota-Twin Cities campus On-camp

interviewing oers students the opportunity to meet with employers during the all and spring semesters Inormati

about when employers are holding on-campus interviews, and directions or how to apply to on-campus interviews, a

available on the GoldPASS Web site at wwwgoldpassumnedu I you have questions about on-campus interviewin

please stop by the CCSE in 50 Lind Hall Below is a sampling o companies who have visited the University o Minneso

recently

Kimley-Horn and

Associates

Lockheed Martin

Logic Product

Development

Los Angeles County

Department o Public

Works

LSI Logic

MA Mortenson

Marathon Petroleum

Company LLC

Marvell Semiconductor

Max Steininger, Inc

ME Electmetal

Medtronic

Micron Technology

Microsot Corporation

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

MTS Systems Corp

National Instruments

NAVAIR

Nol-Tec Systems, Inc

OakRiver Technology

Plexus

Praxair

Redback Networks, Inc

Riverside County Waste

Management Dept

RLK

Rockwell Automation

Samsung Austin

Semiconductor

Schlumberger Oileld

Services

Shumaker and Sieert

Solar Turbine

SuperValu, Inc

Target Headquarters

Tennant Company

Third Wave Systems

Thomson Corporation

Toro Company, The

Travelers

United Health Group

US Patent

US Steel

UTC Power

Verso

Victory Sales, Inc

WPS Resources


31/4029 C c

I you receive an interview youve probably been

prescreened (by phone and/or by resume) and meet all or

most o the requirements the employer is seeking The

interview is an opportunity or urther screening During

an interview, both parties start to orm impressions about

whether a t exists between your qualications andpersonality and the organization/position

The typical interview will last 30 minutes, although some

may be longer A typical interview structure is as ollows:

5minutesGreetingandlightconversation.

15minutesDiscussion ofyour qualicationsas

they relate to the needs o the employer

5minutesIntervieweranswersyourquestions.

5minutesConclusionofinterview.

Pp vw Know yoursel

Evaluate yoursel prior to your interview Consider

your abilities, skills, interests, career goals and

strengths both inside and outside o the classroom

Think about how this inormation relates to the

position or which you are interviewing It is very

important that you can convey this inormation to the

employer during the interview Anticipate your

weaknesses and think about how you will respond to

any questions that touch on this area

Know the organization

Research the employer and know their products and

services, what they do, where they are located, the

structure o their organization, who their competitors

are, and their mission This inormation can be obtained

at company Web sites, and online through databases

accessible through the UMN Science and Engineering

Library and the UMN Business Library Be sure to nd

out driving and parking directions I possible, drive to

the interview site beore the actual interview And, i

your interview is out o town, clariy who will be

covering travel expenses beore your trip begins

Develop an interview strategy

Based on your sel-refection and research, develop a

list o ve success stories where you describe

experiences in which youve been especially eective

and successul This way youll have ve strong

examples prepared in advance to draw rom

Know the interview process

Practice interview questions alone and with another

person The CCSE has sample interview questions

your use Set up a mock interview session with a Care

Counselor at the CCSE oce to learn techniques an

tips or answering tough questions

Practice commonly asked interview questions

Although you have no idea o knowing what speci

questions will be asked, there are certain questio

that are especially common:

Tellmeaboutyourself.

Why are you interested in this position?

working at this organization?

Whatareyourshortandlong-termgoals?

Whatareyourstrengths?Weaknesses?

Why are you the best candidate for t

position?

Whatquestionsdoyouhaveforus? Prepare your interview questions

Put together a list o our to six questions to ask at t

end o your interview, avoiding those that could

answered by your initial research Your questio

should demonstrate your ability to think critically a

help you make an inormed decision about the jo

Please see page 32 or examples o questions *No

During a rst interview it is not appropriate to a

questions about salary or benets

dy h vw

Arrive at the interview 10-15 minutes early I you ca

check your appearance at a mirror and make any las

minute adjustments There is no excuse or being late

an interview I you nd yoursel running late, call t

employer to let them know the situation Find out i s/

can wait or you, or i its better to simply reschedule Als

bear in mind that you should never cancel an intervie

unless it is an extreme emergency

Stage 1: First Impression

When you rst meet the interviewer, her or his impressi

o you will begin immediately Stand, shake hands, a

make eye contact Generally, the interviewer will lead y

to an interview room and show you where to sit I the

are any other people in the room the interviewer w

introduce them at this time Greet everyone and, i possib

try to shake their hand At this point, be sure to give

extra copy o your resume to the interviewer(s) i neede

or i youve made changes to the content o your resum

Be prepared or some light conversation at this time

inTerVieW basiCs


32/4030 C c

Generally, the interviewer will then provide a quick

overview o the interview process, and take some time to

discuss the position and organization in more detail I you

have questions regarding interview ormat or need some

quick clarication regarding the position eel ree to ask

However, try not to bog down the interviewer with toomany questions at this time

Stage 2: Dis

ccse guide

Documents