Need A Part-Time Job?
The Career Resource Center and Student Financial Affairs present the Part-Time Job Fair.
Who: For UF students and alumni
What: An opportunity for you to get an on-campus or local part-time job
When: August 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: J. Wayne Reitz Union North Lawn
Why: Because you need some money and employers need employees!
What to bring: Your resume and class schedule
Cost: Free for UF students and alumni
Check it out!
Resume and Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts
Resumes and cover letters may not necessarily get you the job (leadership position, award or scholarship), but a good resume and cover letter can get you into an interview. Follow these do’s and don’ts to make your resume and cover letters better.
Resume
A resume is a usually one-page summary of your relevant education, work experience and qualifications. Employers look at a resume to get a feel of what a job candidate has to offer in terms of experience, expertise and skill. Sample resume.
Cover letter
A cover letter is the first thing an employer sees before your resume. The cover letter allows you to expand on your skills and experiences and explain things that may not be obvious on your resume. Sample cover letter.
DO
• Have someone proofread your resume and cover letter.
There’s nothing worse than saying “I am detail-orientded” in your cover letter and misspelling “detail-oriented.”
• Tailor your resume to the position you are applying for.
If you are applying for a public relations position, focus more on your writing and speaking experiences rather than elaborating on your math-related experiences.
DON'T
• Don’t repeat what you already said in your resume in your cover letter.
Use the cover letter to talk about supplemental things you can’t fit on your resume.
• Don’t understate your accomplishments.
Classes and volunteer work also count as work experience. List a few classes or volunteer experiences if it is relevant to the position you are applying for.
• Don’t forget to change the name of the organization you are applying to in your objective.
It looks really bad if a potential employer sees that you are not only applying to one of their competitors, but you couldn’t take the time to make sure the right organization was written on your resume.
WHERE TO GET HELP
Visit the Career Resource Center’s library to have your resume critiqued from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
How NOT to Choose a Major
Knowing what not to do can also help you make your “major” decision.
Read on for things you should NOT do when choosing a major:
• Do not choose a major solely because that major is the one your family wants you to pursue.
If your family wants you to become a lawyer but you hate reading, writing and public speaking, then maybe you should re-think a pre-law track or law school.
• Do not choose a major only because those majors make “a lot of money” after graduation.
Just because you could make a lot money in a profession doesn’t mean you should pursue it. All the money in the world won’t make you happy if you have to spend your time doing something you despise.
• Do not blindly pick something that sounds interesting.
Sometimes names can be deceiving, and a major that sounds interesting may not be once you start taking the classes for it. Before declaring a major make sure you research what classes you would be required to take and if they are classes that would interest you. You can find this information in the undergraduate catalog.
• Do not pressure yourself into declaring or staying in a major your freshman year.
According to the University Advising Council, 61 percent of the 2006 freshmen class changed their major by the end of their second year at UF. So don’t worry; you’re not the only one.
Summer Spotlight: Meng "Mary" Liu
Meng “Mary” Liu, 3LS, is a 19-year-old political science and neuroscience major. This summer she landed an all-expenses paid trip to Yale University to participate in their Institute of Human Studies seminar.
She also got a job as a camp counselor/yoga instructor at a summer camp in the Poconos Mountains that will pay her $1500, including a travel stipend.
Read her story below to find out how Mary used a little initiative and a CRC career fair to find opportunities for a dynamic summer.
The Plan
"Believe me when I say that my criteria for summer jobs and internships were pretty strict. I wanted an all-expenses-paid summer program, a paid internship or a fun job. No expensive voyage to an unpaid D.C. internship or a boring job at the grocery store. I wanted to earn money and have a dynamic summer."
The Process
"I originally applied to four things: a month-long Summer for Undergraduate Law Program at FSU, a summer seminar at Yale University sponsored by the Institute of Humane Studies (IHS), an internship with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, and a camp counselor/yoga instructor position at Pine Forest Camp in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania."
I found all of these opportunities unintentionally. I never sat down at my computer with the purpose to find a summer assignment. I simply kept in the back of my mind what I wanted for my summer, and religiously read through all the list-servs in my email as well as kept up with events hosted by the CRC. As a result, I stumbled across everything I was looking for.
For instance, I was randomly cruising through the Reitz Colonnade during the CRC Summer Job Fair, and boom, I had pretty much secured what I was doing for 8 weeks of my summer (thanks to my pro-active impromptu interview with the camp recruiter). The other summer positions I stumbled across on list-servs that were department-specific. I went ahead and applied for everything that interested me. I had learned my lesson during college admissions with putting all my eggs in one basket, so I didn’t care if the dates of the programs and jobs I applied for overlapped. I wanted the power to choose which program to accept into my schedule."
The Results
"As a result, I ended up with two things that I really wanted to do, but with overlapping dates (no surprise): the position as camp counselor at Pine Forest Camp, and a summer seminar with IHS. However, I was accepted into my second-choice seminar, but the dates of my first-choice was perfect—it would end two days before I had to arrive at camp.
So, unwilling to give up the seminar, I decided to contact IHS, the program sponsor, and ask to be switched into my first-choice seminar at Yale (I had to call, email, leave messages, etc. before I got a definite answer.) It was a risk, of course, because they could’ve refused and I already declined my spot at my second-choice. Fortunately, my request was granted! Again, I reaped the benefits of being outspoken and pro-active in getting what I wanted.
As for the FSU Summer Law Program, I decided to withdraw my application. It was going to take place the first month of my summer, ending right before the Yale seminar started. It would leave me with no time to spend with my sister and family this summer. Besides, I had just finished a turbulent freshman year—no need to rush into a packed summer schedule as well.
Oh, and the Northwestern Mutual internship? I somehow went through the entire recruiting process before they discovered I was a first-year. They told me to come back next summer, but who knows what exciting opportunity may pop up next. I’ll just keep routinely sifting through those list-servs in my webmail."
We Want to Feature YOU!
Have you ever attended Career Showcase?
Did you obtain a internship or job after attending?
If you have benefited from Career Showcase, you could be featured in a Student Spotlight. We are looking for any type of success story that resulted from your utilization of Career Showcase to be featured in the Career Showcase Employer Resource Guide.
If you would like to share your story, email us at Graphics@crc.ufl.edu.
Questions? Contact us at PRandGraphics@crc.ufl.edu.
I went ahead and applied for everything that interested me. I had learned my lesson during college admissions with putting all my eggs in one basket, so I didn’t care if the dates of the programs and jobs I applied for overlapped. I wanted the power to choose which program to accept into my schedule.
- Meng "Mary" Liu, on why she applied to more than one position.