Preparing for the Engineering Job Fair: Resume Tips for Sophomore ME Student

[quickclick330]

I am a sophomore in ME at Purdue and we are getting ready to have our engineering job fair. I really (emphasis on REALLY) want an internship for this upcoming summer but my resume looks really...blah. I've never had another internship to put on the resume so I'm really starting from square one. (I did have a summer job at a book factory but it doesn’t really help me in the skills and abilities department ) Does anyone have any helpful hints what to include on a resume or any tips?? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! :-) Thank you so much!

 

[DefaultName]

Hey, I could review your resume for you if you'd like. I've had some great pointers along the way, maybe I can help you. PM me for my e-mail if you're interested.

 

[D H]

These are things you should put on your resume:

• Your GPA (if it is good). My company sees a lack of a GPA as a sign of a bad GPA. We tend to throw resumes lacking a GPA in the trash.
• Any research projects you have been involved with. Highlight if you had some kind of leadership role.
• Anything with your name on it, whether it was a presentation at the 36th podunk conference or Nature.
• Extracurricular stuff, particularly technical societies, and even more so if you had some kind of leadership position.
• Any kind of leadership role, even something as non-technical as coordinating a blood drive.

 

[quickclick330]

Thanks for all the help! I do have something else that I just thought of, is it appropriate to include any activities from high school or should I stick to the past year?

 

[D H]

In general, a resume is a very short story of your life. (For college graduates, very very short: one page, with a second page for references and publications only.) It is often the only tool available to make you stand out from the crowd. Companies throw out up to 90% of the resumes they receive right off the bat. You want to be part of the 10% that they take a second glance at. You do want to focus on recent things, but if you did something particularly pertenant years ago that might make you stand out, use it. Did I mention leadership skills?

Edited to add:
I can think of at least one high school level achievement that people put on their resume regardless of their age: Eagle Scout. Fifty year olds put that on their resume. Some accomplishments do not age. In my field, people list a Silver Snoopy whether they received it last year or 20 years ago.

 

[quickclick330]

I was High School Student Council for all 4 years High School, I was the Vice president my senior year. Also my senior year I was a technology assistant and a captain on my varsity basketball team. Should I add any of that?

 

[D H]

You are currently a sophomore, so this was only two years ago? Yes. Shrink it to one line when you are a senior. Think about deleting it thereafter.

 

[PowerIso]

Does your college have a career center? In my experience, within your career center there should be someone who will be willing to work with you on your resume. Usually it is done for free. I would suggest looking into that, and good luck!

Side note:Be concise but meaningful in your resume. Don't talk about what you want, talk about how you can help the company grow in your objective statement. Also, have a cover letter prepared.

 

[quickclick330]

what exactly is a cover letter?

 

[D H]

You wouldn't send something important (e.g. a resume) to someone without some kind of gentle introduction, would you? The cover letter says who you are, why are are looking at company XYZ for employment (and you better be explicit here about company XYZ), and says your resume is attached.

In this case Google is most definitely your friend. THe internet is chock full of examples, dos and donts, and detailed instructions regarding cover letters. Just google "cover letter".

 

[quickclick330]

I don't know whether or not to put my gpa...i had a rough first semester but second semseter I did a lot better so my grad gpa is 2.68 but my semester gpa is 3.40. Should I put one or the other, neither, or both?? Thanks for all of your help once again!

 

[quickclick330]

I don't know exactly how I would do a cover letter in my case...its a job fair and there will be about 300 compainies there and I plan on visiting hopefully 10-20 booths (ones searching for sophomore MEs), should I still try to write a cover letter for each company I plan to visit?

 

[Feldoh]

Does your college have a career center? In my experience, within your career center there should be someone who will be willing to work with you on your resume. Usually it is done for free. I would suggest looking into that, and good luck!

Side note:Be concise but meaningful in your resume. Don't talk about what you want, talk about how you can help the company grow in your objective statement. Also, have a cover letter prepared.

Yeah I believe Purdue has a very good career center, and the job fair is pretty big there I believe as well.

 

[quickclick330]

Who do I address the cover letter to if I'm not sure who its going out to? Thanks!

 

[quickclick330]

Finally got my cover letters and resume done, thanks for everyone's help. Wish me luck!