Quintessential Careers Press:
Surefire Resumes for New Graduates and Other Entry-Level Candidates
Chapter 3: Make the Most of Your College Experience

Page 24

Although the next writer neglects to mention anything about his academic background, he does a nice job of describing how his college baseball career and other extracurricular activities have given him the skills he needs for his chosen field:

    My successful background as a starting pitcher for a highly competitive baseball program, along with my involvement in various team-based activities, would make me an ideal candidate for a position in human-resource management.

    As a third-year member of Baylor University's baseball team, I have participated in various volunteer projects, such as home improvement in the community and fundraising activities for the baseball program. I have also conducted baseball camps for local children that involved leadership and training skills.

    With my experience, skills, and interest in management, I would be an immediate benefit to your organization. I could bring supervisory and leadership skills to your team, having successfully motivated individuals and coordinated their activities.

In the following example, the writer talks in the second paragraph about some extracurricular experience that may or may not relate to the marketing job she seeks. But then in the third paragraph, she describes money-handling experience that probably has nothing to do with the marketing field. Her experience as a waitress may very well relate to marketing, but she needs to frame it in a way that details that relationship:

    Dear Mr. Melman:

    I am in my junior year at the College of William and Mary, and I am seeking summer employment in the marketing field.

    As an officer of the Panhellenic Council and of my sorority, I gained experience in dealing with a variety of individuals and their personalities. I organized informational sessions for more than 100 students, scheduled and participated in rehearsals for skits and productions, and I planned activities and criteria for pledges to meet and complete before initiation.

    I also acquired applicable experience handling large amounts of money and balancing accounts as the treasurer of Order of Omega, a leadership organization, as well as in my position as a waitress.


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