Brown Bag Lunch Series Highlights

 

Wednesday, December 4, 2002

 

“Marketing Yourself” with Betty-Jane Meader and Mark “Mad Dog” Wallace

 

Discussion opened with the question “Have you thought about the various pieces of marketing yourself? Resumes, cover, letters, interviewing, appearance, poise, follow-up, etc? Betty-Jane Meader distributed packets of handouts on all topics to be covered.

 

Tips were presented for developing strong resumes and cover letters.

Click here to see the handouts on this subject.

 

Be sure resume is visually clean, mistake free and uses the active voice. Round bullets are better than square because they are less stressful on the eye. If sending resume electronically, send to yourself first to see how it looks on-line. Including interests is good for beginning resumes. Helps add to a short beginning resume and can help make a connection with the interviewer.

 

Cover letters - toughest part is the middle, where you talk about yourself.  The trick is to talk about yourself in terms of the company. What can you do for them? How do your skills and abilities fulfill the requirements for the job? Use language they put out in literature, on the web site, in a job description, etc. to demonstrate your knowledge of the company and the job, and to match your talents to their needs.

 

Appearance – for an interview, dress conservatively. Though it’s important to be comfortable and feel confident, it’s not appropriate to be casual. Look for good quality worsted wool or wool crepe suits in dark colors. Clothes should be clean and unwrinkled. Skirts should be lined and cover the knee. Shirts/blouses should be white or off white and of good quality. Ties should be silk and stain free. Shoes should match the outfit and have a slight heel. Accessories should be few and simple. Portfolios and handbags should also match the suit. Good clothes are an investment, and good quality will last.  Shop discount stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s. Goodwill and consignment shops occasionally have nice things at bargain prices. There are some non-profit programs that offer interview outfits for little or no cost (we will be searching for contact information, and will publish in a Career Services Weekly Update ASAP). For more on appearance, click here.

 

The interview is where you make an impression and sell yourself. Prepare ahead of time by researching the company. Be sure you are ready to discuss your resume – how did you increase sales by 15% in one quarter?  Be ready to greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and great eye contact.  Sit when asked to. Ask polite but non-invasive questions – how was your trip from Portland this morning?  Now get ready to impress this person with why you are the perfect person to hire. Click here for tips and questions you might be asked.

 

Follow up is an important component. Always send a thank you letter following an interview. Use it as an opportunity to say something you forgot to say, or to comment on something profound the interviewer said. Send within three days, but the sooner the better. For more tips, click here.

 

Both presenters are happy to meet individually with students to go over resumes and cover letters and to help prepare for interviews. The Career Services Office provides this service as well. Be prepared!