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December 8,1993 T.h e C a r o I i Resume shoi By SUSAN GOODWIN Staff Writer Resumes and applications are a lot like the Arnold Schwarzenegger clones in "Terminator" movies. Capable of good or evil, depending on how they're used. "It's that first impression thing," said Carolyn Walter, news director at WMHK-FM in Columbia. "Are you going to make a good first impression, or are you going to get your resume tossed in the can?" Such is the question on the minds of many. Knowing that each document is important and knowing the procedure associated with each are often two different things. For Bobbie Bell, recruiter for S.C. National Bank, protocol is important. "We look at the resume first," he said. "If we say, 'Hey, this person stands out a lot,' then we'll call them in and chat with them. Then, they'll fill out an application." In short, it all begins with the resume. "The resume is your first line of battle in the job search," Walter said. 'The appearance can often be as Applicant By SUSAN GOODWIN Staff Writer USC ? A kiss may be a kiss, pounding the pavement for a job kn interview is never just an interview. "Being technically competent foi isn't enough," USC Director of Pla< Mosley said. "Employers want to look at you and see if you'd be a the company." Finance junior Lori Fleischhac the importance of this tailoring pr her interview last week led to a c IBM. "I was honest about what I coul< company, and they were honest they needed," Fleischhacker said. Journalism sophomore Rusty B< that honesty is the best policy, esp job interview. "You can't put up any kind of frc said. "That 11 come back to haunt may like the person who you're u but eventually, they'll discover the i Mosley stresses that students ca tactics to make a good impressi resorting to facades. "Preparation is really the key," I1 "You need to know some informs position you're interviewing for an about the company." , 81 I I m P n a ! series jld be short a important as the content," said Mike Hix, director of career planning at the Career Center. "If it doesn't look professional, people just aren't going to take the time to read it." Another deterrent in getting the employer's attention is length. "A resume should only be one page long," Bell said. "A lot of people in my field won't spend the time to read a lengthy resume. Get to the point." Hix agrees that the 200-page resume doesn't cut it. "Remember that the resume is not your entire life," Hix said. "It's never all the jobs you've had or all the activities you've been involved in. Think about it as an outline." Brevity translated into a tighter resume for English sophomore Erin Culberston, who works at Carolina First. "I focused mine on past work experience," Culberston said. "I thought they would be impressed to see that I had worked during most of my free time and vacations." Hands-on experience is at the top of Walter's list. "When I'm looking at resumes, I generally look at experience and educational background," she said. :s must pr "Preparation is ri need to know so but anyone pOSjtjon you' ,?ws that an and a |itt|e bit abc r a position Ljsa , :ement Lisa ygQ be able to ? oood fit for Students can begin interview by grabbii ker learned asked questions from i nrpcc whpn sixth fl??r ?f ^ o-op job at Fleischhacker wished s "My first interview J do for the wasn't expecting," she about what for a" ^ P?sonal made sense. imes agrees While slandard "wl >eriallv in a Questions are still ar >eciauy in a interviewing has prod, rnt," Barnes challenges you. They A lot of c0 Pan" \ , J campus are asking rying to e, Mosley said. "They a e you" about a failure you'v n use o er yOU've leamed from i on without yourself doing in flve ; , , . _ While fore-knowlec y said- important, the answer ition on the it" for die interv d a little bit "j iike someone wl Pomp and Circumstance ' I?I U 11 on how to nd sweet, emf "I'm coming from a journalistic background, so I want to see some interesting life experience outside of school. Impress my socks off." Latrina Forrest, a USC graduate in economics, found this to be the key in landing her job as a legal assistant at Smith and Gaines Law Offices. "When you're applying for a job, you have to realize that there are 20 to 25 people applying for that same vacancy," she said. "You want to do everything to distinguish you from the other applicants." To achieve this singling out effect, not so positive information should be left out. "You certainly don't want to put things on there that can be interpreted negatively," Hix said. "For example, a low GPA. Generally, if your GPA is 3.0 or better, put in on there. It is better to explain a low GPA in an interview." However, in doing this sales job to employers, false advertising is a big don't. "I'm very skeptical about resumes that seem inflated," Walter said. "I want to look at a resume with real honest-to-goodness information, not something blown out of proportion just to get the job. That will come out in the epare for: eally the key. You nght off ^ me information on rePres^tatl re interviewing for pany ?y( .... personable. ;ut u ic uumpany, tu(Je ? Mosley . Personal Director of Placement tion, acco 1?-?T?7~~ McGee Rea to get ready for the big -Xhev've ig a list of commonly . * the Career Center on the sai(J. lney ^ building, a precaution son;he had taken. Applican had a lot of stuff that I tinized in a said. "I wasn't prepared is also presi questions, so I doubt I <qn ^ jn low side of hy-do-you-want-this-job" estate ound, a recent trend in .,t ... . . ? c . . don t like 1 iced a new set of verbal . , ? er job. ;s that are recruiting on So, even pitiiotiAnol niioctirvne " little UllClCr diiuanuuai vjuv/oiiv/uo, sk things like, 'Tell me somewhat e experienced and what true as well t,' or 'What do you see "It is as years?'" evaluating i Ige of the questions are ny t0 evaiL s ultimately "make it or .,t iewee. .. ? chances an 10 can answer questions . happy wori Page 3 M J-???????. 11 w%|j- . tjl kf find a job |Oj^j] resume or application, Hix said. "You basically have to decide what's best for you." interview EJL, e cuff," said Richard Tedder, sales ijjjp ve for the graphics arts supply com1-Freeman. "They should also be * They ve got to have a friendly a.ti- Beef Up yOUI TCSUme with co-op appearance is also a big considera- eXDerienCG rding to Ted McGee, owner of * - J Estate Company. For 1H0F6 : got to be neatly dressed," McGee information 've got to look like a business per- ,, (1 , call the Student is are noi me oniy party Deing suu- r.mpniy m^m in interview. After all, the company Cpnfpr enting itself. terview, I give the high side and the *! 777-2124 my business," McGee said. "In real ~~~ 're on straight commission. If they t, it's better that they go find anoththough the job seeker may feel a YOU DONT HAVE the gun in an interview, it is at least TO DRINK comforting to know the reverse is TO RIDE DRUNK. important for the applicant to be w 1* l_-1 the company as it as for the compa- ivieaicine can aueu your uaiancc, co?e *^appHcant," Mosley said, ".f feel good about that environment, ication, don't ride.That's c-3-7 s you're probably not going to be the best safety prescription.X^/ dng there." MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION\7 Dloyers say All ^ . Als Upstairs interview anyway. Culberston also thinks that hon- ITALIAN RESTAURANT esty is the best policy when it comes to getting a job. "Try to impress with your past OtIPTI "for experience rather than trying to L*J1 blow them away with big vocabu- j lary words," Culberston said. U ^ v. While all of these resume sug- t gestions apply to applications, Cjr3.QVI3.t6S there's a slight difference between the two. Sunday "The amplication is often helpful J ' to employers because it gives Dec. 19th information more specific to their job opening," Walter said. "We S'^f) - H'^Dnm have one because we are looking O.vJVJjJlil for someone to fit into our particular slot." When dealing with an application, Bell stresses that the paper Poconrafinnc must be filled out completely. "Sometimes, people will say 794-7404 'See Resume,'" Bell said. "No, that won't go over well. You must fully complete the application." In sorting through all these rules and regulations, students must keep one thing in mind. ^ j "It's important to realize that there aren't any hard and fast rules to putting together the perfect