Making the Final Stash Versus the Can of Trash: Resume Reminders
The end of the year is only a few weeks away and for many students that is the start of the summer job season. This year — probably more than ever before — your student wants her resume to JUMP OUT at potential employers. There is no silver bullet to landing the perfect summer job or internship. However, taking a little extra time on the basics could make it more likely that your student's resume makes the final stash versus the can of trash!

Encourage students to keep these basics in mind when creating their resumes:

• Avoid college slang — don't make potential employers guess what you are talking about.
  
• Don't go overboard — you have done a lot in your time at college, but you aren't writing a memoir, you are compiling a resume. Try to limit your resume to one to two pages with the highlights of your experiences.
  
• Make sure you include any volunteer experiences that provided you with specific marketable skills. Don't just limit your resume to paid positions.
  
• Ask a mentor, supervisor or friend to review your resume for clarification, typos and to ensure that you didn't forget to include anything.
  
• Don't forget to clean up your social networking sites. Employers are members of Facebook and MySpace too, and the picture you paint on your resume may be tarnished if it doesn't match what they perceive from the pictures posted on your web profile.
  
• Network, connect and build relationships now. You may not land the job, but if you have built connections and impressed a potential employer, she may forward your name/resume on to someone she knows is looking too. Every connection counts!

Also encourage your student to talk with the knowledgeable career services folks on campus, too. They can help her formulate a resume to remember!

From Leader Lessons, a weekly newswire for student leaders and their advisors/supervisors.

Inspiration
Check out the winners of the World's Best Resume Writer contest at www.worlds bestresumewriter.com for some examples sure to inspire.