overhauling the resume

[catastrophy]

ok, JAS peeps
I'm trying to quantify in words the EMPLOYABLE SKILLS JAS instilled in me (aside from the hearty dose of CRAZY)


President – UCJAS
University of Chicago, Chicago IL
2006 – 2007

Created and realized a variety of social, cultural, and recreational events for college students
Interpreted and implemented University policies and procedures
Organized student volunteers for projects and events
Lead student Board of Officers
Directed and produced short skit for competition

Treasurer – UCJAS
University of Chicago, Chicago IL
2005 – 2006

Drafted annual budget and funding proposals
Organized fundraisers
Managed finances

Convention Chair – UChi-Con 2007
University of Chicago, Chicago IL
2006 - 2007

Designed Convention promotion campaign
Coordinated travel accommodations and lectures by international academic speakers
Organized student groups, volunteers, vendors, and facility services


Please to comment if I have forgotten skills, or if my wording is FAIL.

Comments

[theosakakoneko.livejournal.com]

Wording seems fine but I'd condense it a lot. Do you really want 17 lines on your resume devoted to what you did with the cartoon club? Your resume can be at most 2 pages, and you probably have other more employable stuff than UCJAS by now that's more important. I only put 2-3 lines on mine about UCJAS.

[summercomfort]

To be fair, the formatting is not as you see here, and Cat's probably creating a "master" resume that she can then pick-and-choose from.

I think it's fair to aim for 2-3 lines per "job", and to highlight specific skills. (eg. "Managed finances" sound very vague. Might as well delete.)

Under UCJAS prez, I feel like these two can be condensed into one:
- Organized student volunteers for projects and events
- Lead student Board of Officers

And the skit is kind of non-sequitor unless you're applying to a theatre job. Might fit better in "hobby".

[theosakakoneko.livejournal.com]

I didn't mean to sound harsh. When I first wrote my resume, I had a lot more UCJAS stuff on there as well. It's really hard to lose items you are proud of and that you think legitimately show real skills. That said, a lot of jobs WILL discriminate against you if you put too much emphasis on something like anime club. No joke... I don't brag about lolita on my resume either. There are just some things you don't want to emphasize.

[summercomfort]

I think it'd be helpful for a Student Life job that Cat might be applying to. She's trying to get into the University system, in which case I think showing that she has experience with university organizations is helpful.

I personally don't put that much onto my applications for being a teacher. The only reason it's still on there is because it tells the district that I can mentor anime clubs and that I have an "in" with the students.

[theosakakoneko.livejournal.com]

Oooooh. It's much more relevant then. Haha I didn't know what she was applying for. XD

[rumblerush.livejournal.com]

As a counterpoint though, I reluctantly included UCJAS stuff because I was afraid I had too little 'student activity' material on my grad school applications. I was worried about precisely this problem that people wouldn't take me seriously if I mentioned anime club. Still, I included it and tried to phrase the relevant skills as applicably as possible.

It's turned out that all anyone wants to ask me about is anime club. I swear, every other faculty member I've talked with at the programs I've been accepted to has brought it up and wants to hear more about it. The experience has given me the feeling that anime club made me stand out somehow in a good way. It's unlikely that it was a deciding factor or anything--it may have just been a trivia point--but it was something that made faculty members remember my application, and it certainly doesn't seem to have hurt.

Job applications aren't the same as grad school applications, but they're not wildly different either. A grad program is more or less hiring you to perform the tasks of teaching and publishing in such a way that reflects well on the Department, tasks that they provide you training for. If she's looking for jobs in the university system, I think the experience is transferable.

Phrase it the right way, make it sound professional, and it doesn't have to be a deficit.

[rumblerush.livejournal.com]

Wording suggestions:
"Created and realized"... I think you can leave off the 'for college students' part. It's punchier that way.

"Interpreted and implemented"... hmmm, interpreted? I mean, you did just that, but it makes it sound like you were looking for ways to bend the rules using that verb, which might throw up a yellow card. Maybe 'absorbed'? That way, it sounds like you were applying both the letter and spirit of university policies.

"Organized student volunteers"/"Organized fundraisers"/"Organized student groups"... I think you should use the verb 'organized' only once (probably for fundraisers) and come up with other turns of phrase to describe the two other activities. I mean, say the same thing, but with a different verb that suggests LEADERSHIP and FORWARD MOTION and DECISIVENESS or whatever. Like "Supervized student volunteers" or something along those lines.

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Otherwise, your wording is WIN.

second draft

[dakeeni.livejournal.com]

Okay, with all y'alls suggestions. Is this more like it (sans formatting)?

President – UCJAS
University of Chicago, Chicago IL
2006 – 2007
Created a variety of social, cultural, and recreational events
Lead student Board of Officers and student volunteers for projects and events
Implemented University policies and procedures in events and skits

Convention Chair – UChi-Con 2007
University of Chicago, Chicago IL
2006 - 2007
Designed Convention promotion campaign
Coordinated travel accommodations and lectures by international speakers
Spearheaded student groups, volunteers, vendors, and facility services

Treasurer – UCJAS
University of Chicago, Chicago IL
2005 – 2006
Drafted and defended annual budget and funding proposals
Organized fundraisers

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I mean...people know what it means to be a spearhead, right? And, Sush, your regrouping of descriptions made things sound better, smoother.