BY: Tameesha Matthews
Writing and building a great resume is a crucial step in any job search. Without proof of a professional background, a prospective employer is likely to stop considering you as a suitable candidate for a job offer. Cover letters and portfolios are as equally important. Cover letters serve as the head of your resume — they give you an opportunity to introduce yourself and mention past and present experiences that may qualify you for the job. Portfolios serve as the tail — they are work samples that back up the information you’ve provided in your resume and cover letter.
The best way to build the perfect resume is to start small and continue to add on. However, all work experiences aren’t good work experiences, so I recommend using the top three that benefited you the most. The three that you left in good standing, that you gained beneficial skills from that you can use throughout your professional career, and that you can use to prove some of your strengths, like if you received a promotion or if you were proficient in multiple positions. As you gain these professional development skills, you can add them to your resume and include their importance in your cover letter.
Joining organizations pertaining to your major can be beneficial, as well as internships and volunteering opportunities. All these can help you gain more skills for your future career, show your eagerness to get involved, and show potential employers that you have work experience in a particular field. No professional development experience is too small. As long as you learned a beneficial skill from it, you can include these things in your cover letter, resume, and portfolio.
There are online and on campus services provided for you if you need help getting started creating your cover letter, resume, and portfolio. Indeed, is a well-known platform for job searching and career development. They have cover letter and resume templates you can view as examples. AUM’s Career Development Center has staff members to help you and give pointers on the materials you need to get the future job you want. It is located on the third floor of the Taylor Center. For information about these services, visit Indeed at: www.indeed.com and AUM’s Career Development Center at: http://www.aum.edu/career-resources.