Tag Archives: resume

college guidance, college planning, college prep

What is a Curriculum Vitae and How Can It Help Your Student?

 

curriculum vitae

Parents that are helping their high school kids get into college have a lot of questions. Right now you probably have one big question. What is a curriculum vitae?

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document that lists a person’s education, accomplishments, qualifications, and past experience. While it sounds like a resume, there are a few key distinctions. A CV goes into much more detail regarding who the person is and what they envision for their education or career path. It’s more of an essay than a list of bullet points. As you can imagine, CVs are used by job seekers, but they’re also highly beneficial for students that have their sights set on going to college.

The Hloom CV guide is an invaluable tool for students. The experts there have broken down how to craft a CV so that it’s compelling and will actually get read. The company has also created professional CV templates and examples that can make the process a lot easier.

Here are four ways you can take what you learn in the CV guide and use it to help your child in college:

Undergraduate and Graduate School College Applications

The first step to getting into college is applying. Educational institutions looking at the application as a chance to learn who the student is, what adversity they’ve overcome in life, how active they are in their community and what they’ve accomplished in school. A curriculum vitae is the perfect format for creating an effective college application, and it may actually be required by some schools.

The CV gives students the opportunity to tell their story in an organized way. They’ll have more freedom to express who they are compared to using a resume alone. Writing a CV is no easy task, but the good news is it can be updated and used again if your child decides to apply to graduate school.

Applications for Scholarships

Securing scholarships that pay for college can be a long process. Even if your child gets one or two scholarships it’s rarely enough to pay all of the costs. You have to make the most of every scholarship opportunity, especially if you only have one chance to apply.

Many scholarships are awarded to a select number of students. In addition to meeting certain requirements, students usually have to submit a write up expressing why they believe they are deserving of the scholarship. Using a CV will provide structure for the write-up and present the information in a very professional way. While you’re working on the CV just remember that a few hours of your time could mean thousands less in college expenses.

Applications for Internships

Many students that have completed a year or two of higher education begin considering their internship options. Internships offer students an amazing opportunity to gain real world experience, earn college credits and maybe even make a little money. The only problem is dozens or even hundreds of students could be competing for a single intern position.

Businesses and organizations award internships to the students they feel are most qualified, responsible and motivated to excel. A CV can help create a good impression right from the start. During an internship, students will be working alongside professionals and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. The curriculum vitae will send the message that your child is ready to work within a professional environment.

Applying for a Teaching Assistant Position

Another opportunity college students can capitalize on is landing an undergraduate teaching assistant (TA) position. TAs are selected by a professor to assist them with a course during a semester. The position requires that the student knows the subject extremely well and possess the ability to help present course material and counsel students when needed.

But TA positions are limited and the competition is usually stiff. A well-written CV can help your kid stand out among the other applicants and make a strong case for why they are qualified for the position.

If your child plans to work in the education field, getting a TA position can really open the doors to more job opportunities after school. However, because a TA position shows that a student has a firm grasp of the subject matter it’s great to have on a resume no matter what field your child chooses.

social networks

Social Media is Your Resume

 

HubSpot recently published their 2016 Social Media Conduct eBook based on a recent studies on social media conduct. The study focused on employers and their use of social media. This applies to college applicants as well, hoping to be admitted to a college or university based on their resume. The bad news for some, according to HubSpot, is “social media is your resume”.

______________________

According to a survey by careerbuilder.com, 41% of employers say they are less likely to interview job candidates if they are unable to find information about that person online. Job seekers should think of social media as an integral piece of their resumes and each should use social media to establish and showcase his or her personal brand. Employers aren’t necessarily scanning your social media profiles to look for problems, they’re looking for insight into how you’re living your day to day life. Val Matta, vice president of business development at CareerShift, describes it like this:

“What candidates do in their spare time and broadcast to the world through social media speaks volumes about their personal values and culture. The hiring manager knows that, in hiring that person, they’ll likely bring those values and culture into the office. So it must align with, or contribute positively to, the organization’s current culture.”

There are some positive aspects to the trend of connecting social media to employment. According to Jobvite, one in three employers who research candidates on social media have found content that made them more likely to hire a candidate. And, 23% found content that directly led to hiring the candidate. The trick is, then, to not avoid social media, but to be on social media and be thoughtful about what you post.

Your social media profiles, or lack thereof, tell employers so much about you. JobVite found that 55% of recruiters have reconsidered candidates based on their social media profiles. 61% of those reconsiderations were negative. That means 39% were positive. Those who got a positive reconsideration likely put some care and consideration into their personal brand. Make sure you’re controlling your personal brand and building up your social media profiles so they tell your story the way you want it to be told.

Related: Social Media: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Facebook Privacy Pitfalls

In an article called “Watch Your Mouth on Social Media,” Scott Kleinberg, nationally syndicated columnist and the former social media editor at the Chicago Tribune, wrote:

“I read a story not too long ago where someone tired of being the subject of abusive Facebook comments reached out and complained to that person’s boss. The company subsequently fired the person.” How did that happen? Kleinberg explains: “Your place of employment shows up next to your name on a Facebook comment when a website uses the Facebook commenting plug-in. So if you’ve ever seen a story online and noticed the comments look like Facebook, that’s why. But even outside of the plug-in, hovering over your name or anyone else’s name on Facebook proper can reveal the same information.”

“Nine times out of 10, what you say is being read by a much wider audience and information about the person saying it is more widely shared than you’d ever imagine.”

The advice in Mr. Kleinberg’s article is a must-read for anyone who uses social media.

 

social media
photo Courtesy of HubSpot

Harsh Judgements

A social media page that makes your life look like a non-stop party is probably going to be judged harshly.

A study conducted by North Carolina State University concluded that:

A lot of employers and companies don’t really understand online behavior and many Facebook users aren’t getting hired as a result…Companies often scan a job applicant’s Facebook profile to see whether there is evidence of drug or alcohol use, believing that such behavior means the applicant is not ‘conscientious,’ or responsible and self-disciplined. However, the researchers found no significant correlation between conscientiousness and an individual’s willingness to post content on Facebook about alcohol or drug use. Will Stoughton, Ph.D. and lead author of the paper added, “This means companies are eliminating some conscientious job applicants based on erroneous assumptions regarding what social media behavior tells us about the applicants.”

Slang and Text Speak

The use of internet slang, texting language, poor grammar and misspellings is ubiquitous on social media and can signify poor communication skills. According to careerbuilder.com 29% of employers do not like to see posts that demonstrate poor communication skills.

Though 29% of employers are turned off by poor communication skills, the careerbuilder.com survey also found that 37% are more likely to hire a candidate whose social media profiles indicate great communication skills.

So, a serious job candidate who showcases his or her strong communication skills by submitting a professional resume undermines that effort when his or her social profiles are littered with internet slang, poor grammar, and misspellings.

It may not be a bad idea to keep up with trending internet slang words because today’s teenagers will soon be in charge. Gavin Hammar, CEO of Sendible.com, believes that “As this language becomes more allowed in educational settings, it will leave a lasting impact on the future generations. The young adults that are in high school right now are being directly affected by social media slang. These are the same people that will become the next business professionals, politicians and leaders of our world.”

Bottom line: if your student is applying to college and wants to be gainfully employed after graduation, it’s a good idea for them to “mind their manners” on social media.

college prep, high school resume, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: The High School Resume-Getting to the Point

 

high school resumeThe one thing employers will all say about resumes, “Make it concise and to the point.” A resume should catch the reader’s attention immediately and keep it long enough to give the reader an idea of who you are and what you represent. Long resumes rarely get read. If the employer doesn’t see something on the first page to catch his attention, he won’t continue reading the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th pages.

Applying these simplistic resume directions to the high school resume, what does your student want to communicate in his resume?

Consistency

Colleges look for consistency over four years. If the resume lists a multitude of activities, a spattering of extracurriculars, or a few hours of community service here and there you aren’t communicating consistency. Instead of listing every single activity you have participated in, consider focusing on the one that represents who you are and a consistent involvement throughout high school. It’s not about the numbers, it’s about the level of involvement that matters.

Honesty

When a college looks at your resume, it should be an extension of your essay and the rest of your college application. Don’t pad it or pretend to be someone you are not. Be honest and thorough without being monotonous. If your essay talks about the summer you spent abroad volunteering with a religious organization, this should be an extension of who you are—not just something to impress college admissions. Don’t brag; use the resume as a tool to show off who you are and what is most important to you.

Commitment

The high school resume should communicate commitment—commitment to academics, commitment to excellence in school activities, and commitment to service. Each item on the resume should speak to that level of commitment. Anyone can join a club, play one semester of a sport, or take one difficult, challenging class. But colleges are looking for the student who goes “all in”, not someone who stands by the sidelines and watches.

The high school resume should get to the point and show colleges why they should offer you admission. It’s your tool to shine in the college application process.

Ready Wendy’s article: 5 surprising uses of a college prep resume

_______________________________

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.