The Top 10 Deadly Resume Sins

1. Improperly formatted name and contact information. Corporate resume processing systems cannot process or "read" resumes with improperly formatted contact information. Without contact information your resume is pretty much DOA (dead on arrival). The use of these systems continues to grow exponentially, making proper formatting even more important for job seekers.
2. A missing or poorly worded Career Summary section. This section is a chance to catch a hiring manager's eye, and has become an essential part of modern resumes.
3. Lack of clarity and readability. Hiring managers don't read every resume they receive. Instead they spend about 3-5 seconds scanning a resume to determine whether it deserves to be read. This practice is being used more than ever with hiring managers receiving 300+ resumes per a position. If your resume isn't "scanable" then it won't get read.
4. Using a common or over-used template. Many job seekers use resume templates they find on the Internet or through their word processor. The problem with this is monotony. There's a good chance you'll look like every other resume in the pile.
5. Inflating skills and experience. It's one thing to market yourself, and another to stretch the truth beyond belief. Employers know humans aren't perfect, and they appreciate a resume that gives an honest portrayal of an applicant.
6. Missing industry and profession-specific terminology. Many companies use sophisticated resume database systems that require keyword searches to find resumes. If the right keywords aren't on your resume, then hiring managers won't be able to find you in their database. This same issue often occurs with the popular resume databases on the Internet (e.g. Monster).
7. Including clichés. Including phrases like "duties as assigned" and "responsible for" makes you sound lazy and unimaginative. The hiring manager will think you didn't care enough to spell out your actual experiences.
8. Too many or too few bullets. Bullets can help hiring managers rapidly scan and digest a resume. No one wants to read a block of text. However, it is also important not to overuse bullets otherwise they are less impactful. Remember, everything in moderation.
9. Highlighting duties instead of achievements. Employers aren't very interested in hearing about your previous duties. They want to know what you've achieved and how you'll help them achieve their goals.
10. Poor grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. Proper grammar and sentence structure is becoming a lost art in our society. Everyday we're amazed at the common mistakes we see on the resumes of very accomplished professionals. These mistakes are often fatal as very few HR professionals select resumes containing errors.

Resource: Jobfox.com

Career Expo Preparation

Career Expos are next week!

They are open to all Auburn students and alumni. There is no pre-registration of any type necessary. Please read the information below. It covers what to expect, what to bring with you, what to wear, how to use the RSVP option, and the interviews being held the days following each Expo.

CAREER EXPOS:

Engineering & Technical Expo: Mon, Sep. 28 (interviews the next day on Sep 29)
Business & Non Technical Expo - Wed, Sep. 30 (interviews the next day on Oct 1)

• Both Expos are from 3:00-7:00 at the Hotel at Auburn University.
• If you would like to see a list of who is scheduled to attend the Expos so far, look here:
  http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/undergrad_studies/career/events/stuexpof09.html

Dec '09, May '10 and Aug '10 graduates from all majors are encouraged to attend either or both events. This is a great time to introduce yourself to employers and find out what they are looking for in candidates. Some of them may also be looking for interns.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• ID - Bring your student ID for a faster check-in process.
• DRESS - Professional business attire is strongly encouraged. If you don't own a suit, dress as professionally and conservatively as possible.
• BRING RESUMES with you. A few employers may collect resumes from you while you are there. Most will tell you to submit your resume to them online or in TRL. If they tell you to submit it to Career Development Services, they mean in TRL. Some employers will be scheduled to come back to Auburn to interview later this semester. Those employers will be the ones to tell you to apply online. You can go ahead and check out the jobs posted for upcoming interviews under the Jobs menu. Using the Show Me drop down menu, select All Interviews (OCR only).
• PARKING - Career Development Services is offering a Shuttle service. The shuttle will pick up from the parking lot across from Momma Goldberg's on Magnolia. A shuttle will run between 2:30-7:30 between that lot and the Dixon Conference Center. Look for the CDS Shuttle banners in the parking lot and wait there to be picked up. Keep in mind that there is only one shuttle making the trip so you will probably have to wait a few minutes for it to pick you up, depending on how bad the traffic is on Magnolia. Please note: THE SHUTTLE WILL ONLY RUN ON EXPO DAYS WHICH ARE MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY. It will not run on Tuesday or Thursday. Whatever you do, don't park at The Cambridge or you WILL get towed.

CAREER EXPO EVENT RSVP

You can RSVP to the employers scheduled to attend these events by submitting your resume for them to review prior to the night of the event. This is how it will work:

1. In your TRL account, click on the Events tab on the far right.
2. Click on the name of the event which is listed as a Fall09 event. (The RSVP option is only turned on for Career Services' Career Expos. It's not available for any of the College of Business events listed.)
3. At the top of that page, which shows the list of everyone registered so far, you will see "Submit your resume and RSVP to this event to let participating organizations know you are interested in them." Click on the GO box.
4. You'll see "Resume: Please select a resume for employers to view" and a drop down box where you can choose your resume if you have more than one. Below that, you will see a list of the employers with a check box next to each of their names. You have two options:
   A. If you don't check the box next to any of the employers, you will be sending a general RSVP to all of them. On the employer's side of TRL, they will see your name and resume on their RSVP page. When you're ready, click the submit button at the bottom of the page.
   B. If you check the box for one or more of the employers, all of the employers will still have your name and resume on their RSVP list, but for those you checked, they have a special icon that shows up next to your name that says "interest shown." When you're finished, click the submit button at the bottom of the page.
5. If you need to cancel or edit your RSVP, you can go back to your Events page, click on the name of the event and you'll see a link that says, "You have RSVP'd for this event. Modify your RSVP information." Click on that to check/uncheck boxes or to cancel your RSVP all together.

• Note: Even though this feature is called an RSVP, if you cannot make it to the event, using this feature is a great way to get your resume in front of those employers scheduled to attend.

DAY-AFTER-EXPO INTERVIEWS

Some employers will conduct interviews while they are here for Expo (as opposed to coming back later in the semester). The employers interviewing the day after the Expos will actually fill their interview schedules AT the Expo. You do not need to apply ahead of time. Talk to them at Expo and sign up for an interview time for the next day while you are at Expo. All interviews held the day after the Expos are held at the AU Hotel (not in Martin Hall). All interviews signed up for through TRL during the rest of the recruiting season will be held in Martin Hall.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO WILL INTERVIEW THE NEXT DAY?

A couple of days before the Expo, Karen Allen will email you, through TRL, the following:

• A list of the employers scheduled to hold interviews while they are here for the Expo.
• List of attendees and maps of where you can find their tables.

PREPARATION: CAREER COUNSELORS

whether you need to talk about your attire or to get your resume or interview skills reviewed, you should come by our office to see a Career Counselor. They are knowledgeable in these areas and care about helping AU students reach their employment goals. Our office is located in 303 Martin Hall. Walk-in hours are from Noon-4:00 on M-F. To make an appointment to see a Counselor, call 844-4744. For more information, check out the
Career Development Services home page: or the Career Services Job Central home page.

UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS

How to Work a Career Fair (Mike Stover, Neptune Tech. Group Inc.)
Tue, Sep 22 * 7 - 8 p.m. * The Hotel at AU, Ballroom A

Interviewing Tips (Jay French, Prommis Solutions):
Thu, Sep 24 * 7 - 8 p.m. * The Hotel at AU, Ballroom A

Negotiating Job Offers & Personal Finances (Jack Walls, AU CDS & Brenda Dozier, Legacy Financial Group, Inc.)
Tue, Oct 27 * 7 - 9 p.m. * The Hotel at AU, Ballroom B

UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS

Huntsville Chamber of Commerce
Tue, Sep 29 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. 1122 Shelby Center
Tue, Sep 29 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 1124 Shelby Center
Engineering & MIS majors
View details at www.auburn.edu/career

MORE INFORMATION ON UPCOMING EVENTS IS AVAILABLE:
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/undergrad_studies/career/events/

Please help us spread the word about Career Development Services and the TRL (Tiger Recruiting Link) system. Tell your friends!

Career Counselors on Auburn Family Site

Find more videos like this on Auburn Family

Prepare for Career Expo

So, we live in Alabama, and it's highly likely that it will still be hot at the end of the month for Career Expo (Sep 28 & 30). But you know what? You STILL need to dress professionally. Here are a few other tips to consider as you prepare to attend Career Expo:

• Use breath mints and do not chew gum. (CDS will provide water.)
• Bring copies of your resume. Some will take it, some won’t. Be prepared for some companies to direct you to their website to apply. Be prepared for other companies to ask you to interview the following day. (Have your schedule handy.)
• Know who you want to talk to in advance. Look up the companies attending, the majors they are recruiting and research the companies on CareerShift and find out about people who work there and what articles say about them. Look up what job opportunities the companies are offering.
• Be ready with your prepared elevator pitch. CDS has resources available to help you put this together, but also visit 15SecondPitch.com, where this is a pitch wizard.
• Go find the empty table. Don’t miss the opportunity to get one-on-one advice. You will definitely learn something.
• Talk with other job seekers. With 60% of job offers being the direct result of networking, you never know who it be through.
• When you talk to employers, keep your conversation focused and brief. Introduce yourself with a small, firm handshake and make direct eye contact.

Resource: Valerie Matta,VP Business Development, CareerShift, LLC

Interview Bloopers

Having just conducted a mock interview to assist a student preparing for an interview, this article struck a unique chord. Review and feel confident knowing that while you are indeed competing with a LOT of people for jobs right now, know that not all those "competing" are competitive.

43 Weird Things Said in Job Interviews

Best Places to Launch Your Career

Business Week used a three part methodology to determine the "best places to launch a career."

1. Surveyed career services directors at colleges across the country to see who topped their lists
2. They asked those employers to complete a survey on hiring, pay, benefits and training programs and did some comparison work
3. They hired a research company to review a survey of more than 40,000 students who were asked to identify their top desirable employers.

See the results here.

But to bring it closer to home...view the list of employers who are attending AU recruiting events here and view job postings and on-campus interview participants at http://jobs.auburn.edu.

Fall 2009 Events

Resume Review Outreach
September 7-10 and September 14-17
2 - 4 p.m. • Student Center (near Foy Information Desk)
Bring your resume and receive feedback to build a strong marketing tool for your job search.

Get Cookin’ with CDS
Thursday, September 10
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. • Cater Hall Lawn
Come network with recruiters, talk with Career Counselors and enjoy free hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks.

Monster Advantage Program
Monday, September 14
7 - 8 p.m. • Student Center, Ballroom A
Freshmen who want to have a more successful college experience should attend this interactive presentation about goal-setting, time management and strong academic performance, and other tips and strategies to maximize your future career opportunities.

Disney College Program Information Sessions
Monday, September 21 6 – 7 p.m. Student Center, Room 2107
Tuesday, September 22 3 – 4 p.m. Student Center, Room 2107
Students interested in working at Disney, Spring 2010 should attend one of these sessions to learn more about and apply for positions with the Disney College Program. For more information, click here.

How to Work a Career Fair
Mike Stover, Neptune Technology Group Inc.
Tuesday, September 22
7 - 8 p.m. • The Hotel at AU, Ballroom A
All majors are encouraged to attend this session that will help students make more of their Career Expo experience, from the perspective of a recruiter.

Interviewing Tips
Allen Long, Batten & Shaw, Inc.
Thursday, September 24
7 - 8 p.m. • The Hotel at AU, Ballroom A
Students who attend will gain knowledge on how to interview: from preparation to navigating answers more effectively.

Career Expo
Engineering and Technical, Monday, September 28
Business and Non-Technical, Wednesday, September 30
3 - 7 p.m. • Hotel at Auburn University
Come network with company and organization recruiters to learn about internship and full-time job opportunities. Bring copies of your resume. Business attire is required.

Huntsville Chamber of Commerce Information Sessions
Tuesday, September 29
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. 1122 Shelby Center
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. 1124 Shelby Center
Students majoring in engineering and MIS are invited to attend one of these information sessions to learn about career opportunities in the Huntsville/Madison County area: www.asmartplace.com

On-Campus Interviews (All Majors)
October 12 - November 19
Mary Martin Hall, 400
Students from all majors are encouraged to view internship and entry-level full-time job postings, submit resumes and interview as selected for posted opportunities.

Graduate and Professional School Fair
Wednesday, October 14
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. • Student Center
Students are encouraged to come learn about professional and graduate degree programs offered at Auburn University.

Education Interview Day
Tuesday, October 20
9 a.m. - 3 p.m. • Hotel at Auburn University
Education majors will want to prepare for and attend this event that brings school systems from across the Southeast and country to AU. Networking and interviewing opportunities are available. Bring resumes. Business attire is required.

Negotiating Job Offers and Personal Finances
Jack Walls, AU Career Development Services
Brenda Dozier, The Legacy Financial Group, Inc.
Tuesday, October 27
7 - 9 p.m. • The Hotel at AU, Ballroom B
Students seeking wisdom in navigating multiple salary offers and have questions about personal finances beyond college, should attend this presentation.

Video Gaming Job Opportunities

Article copied from National Association of Colleges and Employers Spotlight September 2, 2009

Video gaming is a well-established and growing industry centered on the younger consumer. It’s also an industry seeking top-level talent. These factors combine to present career opportunities for many college graduates.

“There’s more emphasis being placed on full-time opportunities for college graduates by employers in our field,” says Doug Fauth, university relations manager at Activision. “Gaming companies want to keep their fingers on the pulse of what consumers want. If our core consumers include those ages 18 to 24, that fits the bill of a college graduate. Who better to turn to for new, fresh, and innovative ideas?”

In terms of the breadth of work within the industry, Fauth makes notes of positions in art and 3-D animation (visual and sound), programming and game design, and on the corporate side with brand management, finance, production, human resources, quality assurance, to name a few.

What skills and qualities do recruiters in the industry seek beyond academic achievement? Above all, college students can impress recruiters by demonstrating a strong passion for gaming and the industry.

“Passion is huge,” he says. “We look for a passion around gaming. That may mean a candidate is a hardcore gamer, but it might also mean that someone who’s more of a social gamer (not as hardcore a player) has great passion for the industry as a whole.”

A student might demonstrate passion by participating in a gaming club or association, taking part in video game tournaments, or achieving a certain rating in a game.

The other thing recruiters look for—especially in terms of art and design—is a stellar portfolio. Meanwhile, programmers need to have examples of code that they’ve done and several examples of simple and complex games on which they’ve done coding.

“Students need to have a very well thought out and put together portfolio, otherwise they’re not going to get too far,” he advises. “Also, work examples are important to recruiters.”

Colleges are taking notice of the opportunities in the industry. Many—including University of Southern California, MIT, New York University, Northeastern, and others—have already included or have begun adding courses in game design, development, and/or production.

“From an academic perspective, it’s really important for career advisers to get students interested in the industry involved in those types of classes if they’re offered,” Fauth says. “If they’re not offered on their campus, tell them to take anything they can get online or in a class at a local junior or community college, or at a specialty school.”

Fauth also recommends that counselors direct students to MOD communities that allow students to download game engines they can use to develop their own games.

“[Creating their own games] shows what a student has done on his or her own,” he says. “One of our independent studios—Infinity Ward, which is famous for developing the game Call of Duty—has on its web site tips and direct links to some of these game engines for students or graduates to use if they want to work there specifically. [Editor's Note: See http://wiki.infinityward.com/index.php/Main_Page.] Students can develop a portfolio and get feedback on that work to see if they are making the grade in terms of the types of things the studio is looking for.”

Fauth suggests several web sites for college students to stay apprised of industry news, trends, and developments. These include:
www.gamespot.com/
www.ign.com/
http://kotaku.com/
www.joystiq.com
www.gamerankings.com/
www.gametrailers.com/
http://gamasutra.com/
www.gamedaily.com/

He also recommends attending or tracking online industry conferences, like the Game Developers Conference (GDC), and gaming social networking sites for the latest news and industry insight.

In turn, when asked about what students can expect from working in the gaming industry, Fauth dispels two common myths.

“The first is that everyone who works here spends 10 hours a day working here and another 14 playing video games at home,” he says. “It’s simply not true. The second myth is that only men work in the industry. There’s no doubt that this is a male-dominated field, but the industry is changing. I meet women at every college I visit who are passionate about gaming and the industry.”

Additionally, Fauth says another thing often surprises interns and new hires.
“They are amazed at the scope of what we do here and how fast the industry changes and moves,” he says. “While we’re constantly busy, it’s not busy work.”