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Career Resources: Job Searching, Resumes, Cover Letters, and Related Topics

This guide provides career resources available to SJC students and alumni on campus, locally, and online. Tools for creating resumes and similar documents is included as well.

Resumes

A resume is an important tool for your job search because it offers a page or two where you can display your top skills and qualities. However, a resume is much more than that. Resumes help employers make hiring decisions and help you get your first interview. That's why it matters how you structure your resume and what information you decide to include.

Courtesy of the GCFLearnFree.org program.

Cover Letters

Interviews

This article provides an overview of the preparation stages for an interview, highlights a few pitfalls to avoid and provides some guidance in promoting yourself on the day. The content is generic yet applicable to various employment sectors and varying levels of work experience.

Job interviews often include behavioral questions. Behavioral questions ask applicants to describe past behavior in order to determine whether they are suitable for a position. For example, an interviewer may ask "Tell me about a time when you dealt with a disruptive customer". Responses are expected to give an indication of an applicant's professional conduct.

This list, created by the University of Idaho, contains the most commonly asked by employers. Job seekers should prepare to answer these types of questions. Use of the S.T.A.R. method is also highlighted.

When answering behavioral questions, it is important to tell a cohesive story that demonstrates the situation and your actions.  Using the S.T.A.R. method can help you stay on track with these answers:

Situation:  describe the situation and context

Task:  explain the challenge or issue

Action:  describe the action YOU took in the situation

Result:  tell the result of the situation or what you learned from it

The S.T.A.R. method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioral-based interview question by discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation you are describing.

Employers do background checks on all potential employees, not just people with a criminal record. The file below, an infographic on "Creating a skills-based resume when you have a criminal record", and the video tutorials provide guidance on how to address your criminal record, both in the application and interview stages.

Dress for Success Houston: The mission of Dress for Success Houston is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and life. Since 1998, Dress for Success Houston has provided business attire, a much-needed boost of confidence, and job retention and career advancement services to more than 43,500 women in the Houston community. 

What to Wear: The Best Job Interview Attire, provides tips on what to avoid wearing for an interview and how to dress for a business casual job interview.

Business etiquette is important because it creates a professional, mutually respectful atmosphere and improves communication, which helps an office serve as a productive place. People feel better about their jobs when they feel respected, and that translates into better customer relationships as well.

By following up, you'll remind the interviewer that you're a strong candidate for the job. You'll reinforce that you're qualified and should be given serious consideration.

 What to include in your Thank You Letter 

  • The thank-you letter does make a difference and can help you stand out among prospective candidates. 
  • Make sure to send the letter within 24-48 hours after the interview. If you have previously corresponded with the employer by email, it is acceptable to also send your thank you "letter" via email. 
  • The letter/email should be addressed to the person(s) with whom you interviewed. Ask for your interviewers' business cards, or write down the interviewers' titles and the proper spelling of their names before leaving the interview site. 
  • Mailing in a handwritten note on a thank you card is also highly appreciated as that often conveys a more personal touch. 
  • Keep your letter brief and concise. Mention the date of your interview and your continued interest in both the position for which you interviewed and the organization. 
  • Reiterate your most important skills and qualifications, how you expect to contribute to the organization, and any unique points of interest discussed during the interview.
  • Express your appreciation for the opportunity to interview and confirm follow up procedures

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