September 3, 2024

Do's and Don'ts for Second and Subsequent Job Interviews

Do's and Don'ts for Second (and Subsequent) Job Interviews

It's gratifying to be called for a second or subsequent interview because you are another step closer to the job. Don't blow it now! Read our second-interview do's and don'ts.

Do take a practice run to the location where you are having the interview -- or be sure you know exactly where it is and how long it takes to get there.

Do pat yourself on the back for being called for a second interview. While some career experts say your chances are 1 in 4 to get the job at this point, others say you have as much as a 50 percent chance. Even with the field narrowing, it's important to distinguish yourself and ensure that you stand out above your competition.

More, More, More.

Do remember these three words: More, More, More. Compared to the first interview, a second interview will likely involve more preparation, more people, more questions, more intensity, and more pressure -- in addition to more likelihood that you will land the job.

Don't neglect to review your performance from your first interview. Note any questions or situations that caused you difficulty and plan how you will handle those aspects better in the second interview. Derive confidence from knowing that if you hadn't performed well in the first interview, you wouldn't have landed the second. Think about what made you shine in the first interview, and plan to do more of the same. Further, brainstorm new information you can bring into the second interview -- new accomplishments, new examples, new evidence of how much you know about the employer.

Do prepare -- even more than you did for the first interview. Presumably you researched the company before the first interview. Now it's time to delve even deeper into that research. 

Some experts suggest that talking with company insiders is one of the most productive ways to prepare for a second interview. Before your second interview, consider conducting informational interviews with company folks who aren't the ones who'll be interviewing you. 

If you are a college student, particularly seek out alumni from your school or sorority/fraternity who work for the employer. Also be sure you're up to date on developments in your field or industry by reviewing trade publications.

Don't be surprised if the second interview is actually a series of interviews -- in both individual and group/panel formats -- making for a long day. You may interview with managers, senior executives, department heads, and prospective team members. 

You may also get a tour of the workplace and be taken out to eat. For college students, this second-interview day may represent the first time the student has been interviewed in the employer's workplace. 

Plan to bring ample copies of your resume for all the people you may be meeting with. 

Do try to find out in advance exactly what the agenda will be and whom you can expect to interview with. If you aren't given this information when the interview is set up, contact the assistant of the main person with whom you'll be meeting to see what you can find out. If you see that a workplace tour is not included on the agenda, ask if someone can show you around as time permits.

Don't forget the cardinal rule of panel interviews: As you respond to a question, maintain eye contact with everyone on the panel -- not just the panelist who asked the question.

Do be up on business dining etiquette if you are asked to dine with representatives of the prospective employer. 

Do get a good night's sleep the night before this potentially grueling day. 

Look for opportunities to refresh yourself during the interview day. If there's a break in the action, splash some water on your face or take a brisk walk to rejuvenate. You might want to take along a pocket- or purse-sized snack in case there is no lunch break. Breath spray or a mini-bottle of mouthwash is also not a bad idea. Be careful not to run out of steam toward the end of the day. Maintain your energy, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Do be aware that you might be asked to complete psychometric tests dealing with such things as skills, intelligence, and personality. There's not a lot you can do to prepare for them -- but that good night's sleep will help.

Don't slack off with your interview attire. A second interview generally doesn't denote a more casual interview. The former Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) had a protocol for the three on-campus interviews it conducted with college students that called for skirted suits for women for the first two interviews. Female candidates were permitted to wear pantsuits to the third interview. Check with company insiders to see what attire is expected for each interview.

Fit, Fit, and Fit.

Do remember these three more words: Fit, Fit, and Fit. A major reason for the second interview is so the employer can see how well you fit in with the company culture. Put yourself inside the employer's head and realize that the interviewers at your second interview want to learn how well you will get along with other team members with whom you'll be interacting with every day. Deploy your very best interpersonal communication skills. Keep in mind the idea of showing your fit -- but remember that it's OK not to fit. If you aren't a good fit with the employer, you probably wouldn't be happy working there anyway. And remember, that this interview is also your opportunity to determine whether the company is a good fit for you. Think about whether you would accept if the employer extended an offer. 

Don't neglect to talk to other people beyond those you are interviewing with. Chatting up -- not too excessively -- the receptionist and prospective co-workers serves the dual purpose of giving you a better feel for how much you'd like to be part of this workplace culture, as well as making a positive impression on as many people as possible.

Do expect to be asked some of the same questions you were asked in the first interview, but some new ones as well. Second-interview questions may delve more into your personality, or they may be more targeted toward specific technical skills -- or both. Plan to keep your responses fresh yet consistent for each person you meet with during the second-interview, and don't worry about repeating yourself since you will likely have a different audience every time you give roughly the same response. If you've followed the advice above to obtain the full list of interviewers, a good way to keep your answers fresh is to try to find out something about each interviewer and tailor your response specifically to that person.

You can also vary your delivery to freshen your responses. Interviewing expert Carole Martin suggests that a good way for the interviewer to get to know about your personality is through the quotes of others; for example, tell the interviewer what your boss would say about you if asked.

Do expect behavioral questions, which are commonly asked in second interviews, even if they haven't been in asked in the first interview. 

Watch out also for off-the-wall questions. The second interview is also a likely venue for case questions, especially in consulting firms. 


Interview Callbacks: Why an Employer May Invite You Back

Interview Callbacks: Why an Employer May Invite You Back Multiple Times


It's not unusual for a company to invite a potential employee back for a second interview. Managers often request second interviews to clarify information on a candidate or to introduce him or her to other members of a department. Says a human resources manager at an information technology company headquartered in California: "At my company, usually there is a team of people interviewing. Some interviewers are [looking] for technical expertise, others for personality and fit. The second interview might be someone following up on a particular question. Or it might be someone on the team who wants to make a connection, to see if the candidate would fit in." Another reason for a second interview might be that the company wants to ask more in-depth questions or to provide more insight into its needs.
While second interviews are the norm, if you're asked back for a third or fourth other factors are probably at play. In this article, hiring managers explain why you might be called back repeatedly -- and what you can do to prove once and for all that you're the right person for the job.

Confidence Versus Cockiness

Some candidates, in an effort to appear confident, actually overdo the role and appear egocentric instead. Susan Cheng, a manager at a major media entertainment company, says that she has encountered this type of interviewee. "There's a thin line between being confident and being prideful," she explains. "For example, there was one gentleman who had all the right qualifications. There was a moment in the interview when we asked, 'If you were in this position, what would be the first three things you would do?' The guy basically said, 'I would change everything.' He was trying to be very confident in his approach, but that came across the wrong way." What could this candidate have done to prevent himself from appearing arrogant? He should have worked on his delivery, using more diplomacy and tactfulness, Cheng says. "Word choice is important," she stresses.
On a callback interview, make sure not to overstep the boundary into arrogance. It's one thing to be sure of your abilities, but quite another to question the abilities of those around you.

Conflicting Reports

A candidate may also be called in for multiple interviews because the various interviewers can't reach a consensus. Cheng says, "The person might come in and interview with six people. Ideally, [the interviewers] could decide [the candidate's suitability] at that point. But if one out of six interviewers says, 'No, it's not a good fit,' it's not a majority-win situation. So another interview might be required to get more data points on the candidate." The HR manager at an information technology company underscores this point. "I've seen people stumble because they might have had great interviews in the beginning, but they are now overconfident and under-prepared," he says. "They might think they now have a rubberstamp of approval, but that's never the case. One interviewer could definitely veto the process, because they're already on the team and they carry a lot of weight."
There isn't necessarily a simple cure for conflicting reports, since you may never know which of your interviewers -- if any -- is barring your entrance into the company. The best you can do is to treat each interviewer with civility and consideration. Be yourself, be prepared, and if your best effort isn't enough to earn a job offer, take solace in the fact you'll eventually find an employer that is a better fit.

Second in Line 

Another reason a candidate might be called back multiple times is if he or she were second in line for the job, but the No. 1 person didn't come through. A hiring manager for an accounting firm in New York City says, "In this situation, we call people back in order to evaluate them as the preferred candidate rather than as a possibility."
As each interview represents a fresh beginning, it would be unwise to coast on the success of a previous interview. If you were previously second in line, you will have to prove that you are indeed the best of the remaining candidates, which means you should research and prepare not just for the first interview, but also for each subsequent callback.

A Nagging Concern

A hiring manager for a market-research company says that he would call back a candidate if he or another interviewer had concerns about one aspect of that candidate's qualifications. "In one instance, we needed a person who had both extensive programming skills and market-research capabilities," he explains. "We called back several candidates, but each one seemed to have either strong programming skills or strong market-research skills. When we finally found someone who possessed both, we were concerned that although he had some programming skills, these weren't extensive enough. And in fact, after three or four interviews, we decided against making an offer to this candidate."
If you suspect that your interviewer has a concern about you, it's best to follow the advice of David Wittenberg, a manager of technology planning, and to be upfront about the situation. Ask your interviewer what concerns, if any, he or she has about you, Wittenberg suggests. That way, you can address these issues directly during the interview process, rather than speculate about them after the fact.

In Contention for a Different Position"

Another reason [for multiple interviews] might be that the candidate was applying for one position, but we liked that person and his qualifications and thought he would fit another," Cheng says. In other words, your interviewer might prefer to place you in a position other than the one you are interviewing for.

Unless your interviewer is upfront about the company's intentions, it's impossible to know if this is a reason why you might be receiving multiple callbacks. The best thing to do is to continue to tout whatever expertise you have that is directly applicable to the position requirements, while also mentioning more universal skills.


The Screening Interview

The Screening Interview


Companies use screening tools to ensure that candidates meet minimum qualification requirements. Computer programs are among the tools used to weed out unqualified candidates. (This is why you need a digital resume that is screening-friendly. See our resume center for help.) Sometimes human professionals are the gatekeepers. Screening interviewers often have honed skills to determine whether there is anything that might disqualify you for the position. Remember-they do not need to know whether you are the best fit for the position, only whether you are not a match. For this reason, screeners tend to dig for dirt. Screeners will hone in on gaps in your employment history or pieces of information that look inconsistent. They also will want to know from the outset whether you will be too expensive for the company.

Some tips for maintaining confidence during screening interviews:

Highlight your accomplishments and qualifications.

Get into the straightforward groove. Personality is not as important to the screener as verifying your qualifications. Answer questions directly and succinctly. Save your winning personality for the person making hiring decisions!

Be tactful about addressing income requirements. Give a range, and try to avoid giving specifics by replying, "I would be willing to consider your best offer."

If the interview is conducted by phone, it is helpful to have note cards with your vital information sitting next to the phone. That way, whether the interviewer catches you sleeping or vacuuming the floor, you will be able to switch gears quickly.


The Informational Interview

The Informational Interview


On the opposite end of the stress spectrum from screening interviews is the informational interview. A meeting that you initiate, the informational interview is underutilized by job-seekers who might otherwise consider themselves savvy to the merits of networking. Job seekers ostensibly secure informational meetings in order to seek the advice of someone in their current or desired field as well as to gain further references to people who can lend insight. Employers that like to stay apprised of available talent even when they do not have current job openings, are often open to informational interviews, especially if they like to share their knowledge, feel flattered by your interest, or esteem the mutual friend that connected you to them. During an informational interview, the jobseeker and employer exchange information and get to know one another better without reference to a specific job opening.

This takes off some of the performance pressure, but be intentional nonetheless:

Come prepared with thoughtful questions about the field and the company.
Gain references to other people and make sure that the interviewer would be comfortable if you contact other people and use his or her name.
Give the interviewer your card, contact information and resume.
Write a thank you note to the interviewer.


The Meandering Style - Interview

The Meandering Style


This interview type, usually used by inexperienced interviewers, relies on you to lead the discussion. It might begin with a statement like "tell me about yourself," which you can use to your advantage. The interviewer might ask you another broad, open-ended question before falling into silence. This interview style allows you tactfully to guide the discussion in a way that best serves you.

The following strategies, which are helpful for any interview, are particularly important when interviewers use a non-directive approach:

Come to the interview prepared with highlights and anecdotes of your skills, qualities and experiences. Do not rely on the interviewer to spark your memory-jot down some notes that you can reference throughout the interview.
 
Remain alert to the interviewer. Even if you feel like you can take the driver's seat and go in any direction you wish, remain respectful of the interviewer's role. If he or she becomes more directive during the interview, adjust.
 
Ask well-placed questions. Although the open format allows you significantly to shape the interview, running with your own agenda and dominating the conversation means that you run the risk of missing important information about the company and its needs.
 


The Directive Style Interview

The Directive Style


In this style of interview, the interviewer has a clear agenda that he or she follows unflinchingly. Sometimes companies use this rigid format to ensure parity between interviews; when interviewers ask each candidate the same series of questions, they can more readily compare the results. Directive interviewers rely upon their own questions and methods to tease from you what they wish to know. You might feel like you are being steam-rolled, or you might find the conversation develops naturally. Their style does not necessarily mean that they have dominance issues, although you should keep an eye open for these if the interviewer would be your supervisor.

Either way, remember:

Flex with the interviewer, following his or her lead.
Do not relinquish complete control of the interview. If the interviewer does not ask you for information that you think is important to proving your superiority as a candidate, politely interject it.


Behavioral Interview

Behavioral Interview


Behavioral interview is a relatively new mode of interview that was developed in the 1970's by industrial psychologists. The underlying principal is that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Actually, behavior-based interviews are said to be 55 percent predictive of future on-the-job behavior, while traditional interviews are only 10 percent predictive. They can help hiring managers get more objective information about a candidate's job-related skills, abilities, interest and motivation, and make more accurate hiring decision. Currently, 30 percent of all organizations are using behavior based interviews to some degree.

In behavior-based interviews, you are asked to give specific examples of when you demonstrated particular behaviors or skills. Questions usually start with "Tell me about a time when..., Describe a situation where you had to...," or " Give me an example of..." These are the prefaces to behavioral questions. Sometimes, these questions may be followed by a series of probing questions like "What might you done differently?", "How has the experience affected the way you would approach the situation today?", etc.

So what are employers looking for with these type of questions? As the name implies, they are looking for your behaviors and skills that are equated with success. These skills may be technical skills or performance sills (such as creativity or decisiveness). So understanding the most wanted skills may be helpful to your interviewing.

According to a research conducted by New York Times Job Market, the following skills are most in demand by employers:

Ability to work in a team environment (89%)
Ability to learn quickly (84%)
Presentation/verbal communications (76%)
Multi-tasking (73%)
Time Management (69%)
Skills most in demand for management candidates:

Leadership (67%)
Strategic Thinking (56%)
Skills most in demand for administration candidates:

Technical (25%)
Analytical (24%)
Skills most in demand for entry-level positions:

Ability to learn quickly (32%)
Furthermore, employers said they were willing to pay more money to candidates who have the following skills:

Multitasking (65%)
Can quickly learn on the job (64%)
Possess strategic thinking abilities (61%)


BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW

BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW

A common type of job interview in the modern workplace is the behavioral interview or behavioral event interview. 
This type of interview is based on the notion that a job candidate's previous behaviors are the best indicators of future performance. In behavioral interviews, the interviewer asks candidates to recall specific instances where they were faced with a set of circumstances, and how they reacted. 


Typical behavioral interview questions:

"Tell me about a project you worked on where the requirements changed midstream. What did you do?" 

"Tell me about a time when you took the lead on a project. 

What did you do?"

"Describe the worst project you worked on." 

"Describe a time you had to work with someone you didn't like." 

"Tell me about a time when you had to stick by a decision you had made, even though it made you very unpopular." 

"Give us an example of something particularly innovative that you have done that made a difference in the workplace." 

"What happened the last time you were late with a project?" 

A bad hiring decision nowadays can be immensely expensive for an organization – cost of the hire, training costs, severance pay, loss of productivity, impact on morale, cost of re-hiring, etc. (Gallup international places the cost of a bad hire as being 3.2 times the individual's salary).

Telephone Interviews

Telephone Interviews


Given the cost of travel, a growing number of information organizations use telephone interviews to filter finalists before inviting a few [usually three] for an interview. The interviewer may be a single individual or a group. Because of the nature of the telephone, this type of interview requires some special preparation.

Keep a summary version of your employer research file as well as the details in an easily scanned folder. Be aware that you won't have much time to search for information while you're on the phone. Also have your cover letter and resume easily available. You should have two pens and sheets of paper so that you can easily make notes. Water should be available.

Consider where you will interview. Select a place where distractions -- noise, pets, children, others, TVs, stereos -- can be minimized. Depending on your situation, a land line may provide clearer communication than a cell phone. Be certain that you can receive a strong signal.

Although the interviewers cannot see you, it's best to treat the interview as a business experience so you're showered, alert.... Wear comfortable clothing. This is serious so no bunny slippers.

Telephone interviews place a premium on quality listening skills. It's helpful to take notes as others speak. When you speak, talk slowly enough to be clearly understood. Use professional language and be thoughtful and measured in your comments. It's OK to pause briefly as you collect your thoughts, but briefly. Be honest if you don't know or don't understand. You may ask for a clarification or for the question to be repeated -- but not too often.

September 2, 2024

Resume Preparation

Resume Preparation

Resources
There are several good books on creating resumes. Visit your public library to find a good selection of current books on creating high impact resumes. If near campus, career services usually have informed guidance as well as access to some hard copy materials. Resume guides need not be LIS specific and few are.


The most common reasons [ranked] for rejecting a resume.
From a survey of 2,500 recruiters/headhunters:

Spelling errors, typos, and poor grammar [often leads to automatic rejection]
No clear sense of specific accomplishments
Missing or inaccurate dates [include month and year for employment]
Missing or inaccurate contact data
Poor formatting
Functional rather than chronological arrangement
Too long for accomplishments
Long, dense paragraphs
Inadequate qualifications -- does not match requireds
Inclusion of irrelevant personal information such as interests or hobbies
Missing employer information
Misleading or lying re: qualifications
Generic, fuzzy, or irrelevant career objectives, goals, and introduction
Poor font choice or style
Use of inappropriate or difficult to open digital format such as a ZIP file
Irrelevant images, graphics, or URLs
Inadequate summary of skills and accomplishments
Written in the first or third person
Unexplained gaps in employment
Burying important information
What can you do to avoid these common problems?

A Cautionary Note
In today's Internet world, employers often Google to see if candidates have a website or are visible on the web. The appearance and intellectual content on your website may make quite an impression on the prospective employer. That impression could be negative or positive. Some academic librarians have reported "dumping" applications of candidates after a website visit disclosed behavior that seemed unprofessional, inappropriate or simply not a good fit for the library. To some degree, the same is true for "cute" email names when found on the resume or cover letter. Avoid "trainluver" or "wildlibman" or whatever in business correspondence.

One of the tenets of the search is that you don't want to be employed by someone if that requires that you change something important to you. In that sense, perhaps it is better for the "real you" to be revealed on your website. You don't want to "sell out," but your student or personal website may not introduce you as a thoughtful and thoroughly professional individual. Note that tattoos and body-piercings are not always acceptable to some employers so website images might be a problem.


Take Your Time
Allocate enough time to do a superior job. The resume is not a first draft, last draft effort. In a very real sense, the resume is YOU. If it is not well done, readers may assume that you are not an organized, competent information professional. LIS professionals are supposed to be patient and attentive to detail. The resume is a basic personal document that you will maintain for your career. Be certain to get it right in the beginning.

Format
Many reports by those who select candidates for a positions, including LIS ones, indicate that most resumes are scanned rather than read. This is because there are too many applicants for each resume to be read carefully word by word. This fact emphasizes the importance of a scanable, easy to find key elements, format. The top half of the first page may be as much as the reader scans before making a toss or keep decision. What does the first half of the first page of your resume say? Is there something there that will appeal to the potential employer? Anything to make you standout [positively!] from the other applicants?

Since you already have the information needed (remember your biofile), your first resume decision is format. Unhappily, there is no one standard format for the several information professions, and there are several formats to select from. The resume books--available at Hodges (try the HF 5383s) and the Career Center as well as your friendly public library or book store--give a variety of examples.

Many information agencies are traditional and conservative and prefer the time-honored chronological format. This is the most common form of resume. That's what I discuss below. However, a narrative or functional resume can make a difference, especially with a less traditional employer who is tired of "look alike" resumes. Discuss format assets and liabilities with your academic advisor. In general, functional resumes work best when you have had considerable experience and can point to notable accomplishments. If you are working in an information agency, ask those who have been involved in hiring decisions to comment on which format they prefer and why.

The functional format works well for those with substantial employment experience who can point to accomplishments and specific skills. This format is often organized around specific skills elements and then focuses on the accomplishments seen as examples of success. Business oriented resume books provide good examples.

Relate Format to Strengths
Some resume experts suggest that the elements in a particular format should be arranged in the order that best matches what the employer is looking for while focusing on your strengths. Thus, candidates (that's what you become when you apply for a professional position) with considerable professional or pre-professional work experience place employment experience before their educational experience. You do not have to slavishly follow any particular model. Format models are suggestions and not prescriptions. However, you must be consistent. Clearly, but briefly, indicate how your previous skills and experience relate to the position and successful performance on the job. Examples of strength might be in communication, supervision, planning, or evaluation. Solid, concrete [specific and skill and accomplishment focused] examples work best.


Purpose
The resume must be good enough to get you to the interview. Once you get to the interview, your experience, personality, knowledge, charm and whatever can be demonstrated. But first you have to get to the interview.

Resume Used to Filter Candidates
For a position where there are many applicants, typical of most entry level positions in an academic library, for example, the resume (and the cover letter) are first used negatively. One way to reduce 247 applications to the 3, 6, or 9 normally considered finalists is to discard any resume with an error in it. That error might include inappropriate information, a typo, grammatical problem, incorrect spelling, poor physical copy--anything that suggests to the reader that the person who prepared this resume is not accurate and careful. Be certain that your resume is perfect in its presentation. Do not trust your spell or grammar checker. Use both but also check by reading aloud and having a thoughtful colleague proofread.

Filtering also compares the "requireds" in the position announcement with the skills and experiences found on the resume. If there is not a good match, your resume will be rejected.

Employer Perspective
The resume is a marketing presentation. It is designed to sell you: to convince an employer that you are the best candidate for the position. Look at your resume as if you were an employer. Does it provide the information that you need to make a decision? Are the skills needed to be successful in the position clearly visible? Does this candidate clearly standout from the others? Would this candidate help the library to be more successful?

The Chronological Resume
Typical major elements (in sequence) include complete contact block, career objectives (if yours is narrowly focused), educational experience (reverse chronological order), employment history (reverse chronological order), information technology skills/experience, professional activities, and references.

Contact Block
This section includes an email address that will be active while you are searching for a position as well as your telephone number. If you will be moving, place your local street address with an "until statement" included as well as the address where you will be after you move. An answering machine may be useful if you expect to receive calls from potential employers and are not likely to be at home between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m.

Personal data
Federal and state legislation generally prohibit the use of information about your age, marital status, race, ethnic background, religion, or physical condition. These elements should not appear on your resume. They may appear on application forms or in the interview situation and will require some consideration then. For the same reasons, do not attach a photograph to your resume.


Career Objectives
Most SIS students do not include the career objective statement because it is too restrictive. This element works best when you will only be applying for a particular type of position. For example, if you are only applying for map librarian positions, include the objectives. If you are seeking gainful employment in a variety of settings, it is difficult to construct a career objective statement that is broad enough to cover the likely possibilities and still seems like a reasonable career objective. One could create an individualized objective for each position application, but it needs to have a clear career focus.

If you do include a career objective statement, focus on what you would wish to do rather than what you would like to be. Employers seek candidates to perform certain tasks and match what they need to have done with a "to do" in your career objective statement. For example, in your statement you mention that you want to prepare digital pathfinders and bibliographies and the employer is looking for someone to do that.

Educational History
This section comes first when information agency work experience is limited. Otherwise, it would follow work history. For start and end dates use whole years and for work history. If you created an individualized academic emphasis or focus, add an emphasis statement after the degree ("with an emphasis on collection development and reference services").

Academic Honors
Academic honors may go here or may be placed under an honors and awards heading later in the resume. Unless your honors are many, better to place them here. Most information agency employers are not particularly interested in your GPA, so do not include it. If this seems important to you, include it, but you might want to check with area information professionals first to see what they say.

Don't Include High School
Unless you went to a prestigious prep school or are applying for a position with a local library, begin educational history with college.

Continuing Education and Professional Training
Continuing education and workshop experiences may appear under education unless you have several entries.

Employment history
Some prefer "Experience" or "Professional Experience." In some cases, it may be helpful to briefly include the size of the place where your worked, the number of people supervised, and your budget. Provide enough information about each position so that the employer clearly understands where you worked, for how long, and exactly what you did. Emphasize aspects of a job that involved responsibility, supervision, initiative, evaluation, and planning. Emphasize accomplishments and skills more than responsibilities. What did you accomplish while in this position? {for the interview later, what did you learn or what skills did you gain from each position?} Focus on those tasks that are similar [transferable skills] to what information professionals do. Don't assume that your employer knows what a "reference assistant," for example, does. Provide specifics and be concrete. Use action verbs as much as possible.


Include part-time positions. If you have had several relatively short part-time positions, you may wish to place them together under a sub-heading. Employers often want to account for your time. Also be prepared to discuss why you left each position.

Substantial time gaps in the resume may lead to questions during the interview. Since library work is normally a second or third career, often undertaken after family responsibilities have lessened, it is normal for there to be a substantial gap in your career path. Typically, only recent gaps in employment will receive attention. Be direct when responding to questions. Often, this can be handled in the cover letter rather than in the resume with a sentence explaining why you left a previous position. No need for extensive explanations, especially about family or personal situations.


Practicum Experience
Ordinarily, the practicum experience would also appear under the employment heading. Substantial volunteer experience might also be included here depending upon the level of the experience. As a general rule, experience more than ten years old should receive less emphasis.

Language Competency
Interest in foreign language competency ebbs and flows. At the moment, there is increased interest in some research-oriented information agencies. Typically, employers are interested in your ability to read the language rather than speak it. Be honest in rating your degree of competency.

Information Technology Competency.
This is important to employers today. Multi-platform experience is desirable. Do not list every software program you have ever used. Limit yourself to hardware/software with which you are genuinely competent. Note the importance of indicating what you can do with software/hardware such as create an award-winning website rather than merely listing names.

Professional activities
These vary in importance. In some environments, being a member of the appropriate professional organization is seen as evidence of professional commitment. In others, it doesn't seem to make much difference. Include professional activities with the date membership began. If an officer or responsible for some activity, include that too. The SIS student memberships have little value here, but student dues-paying membership in the parent organization does.

Interests
This section is generally not included on resumes. Public librarians, however, often find interests to be professionally relevant if they provide evidence of community engagement. Obviously, if you are interested in model railroading and the employer is a model railroader you could benefit. Still, most employers don't care about your interest in reading, listening to Latvian folk songs, or whatever. Interests with linkage to information activities are probably the most useful. Specific interests (performing Celtic fiddle music) are more useful than general ones (love to read).

References
These are crucial to your success in finding the right position. Having the right mix of references is essential. One of the virtues of the digital age is that you can have a pool of references and use just the right ones when you apply for a particular position. Place references on a separate sheet that is attached to the resume.

If the references are not attached, the employer must contact you to obtain them. This delays the process, especially if the employer has difficulty in reaching you. Include full street address and telephone number for each reference. Do include email address and fax number if available.

With few exceptions, employer references have more value than those from faculty since faculty have had little opportunity to observe on the job skills and habits.

Structure and Length
The structure -- what the resume looks like when you can't actually read every word -- must be clear and logical. Each section should stand out and the elements under each entry should be logical and follow the same template. Does each page look balanced and attractive?

The resume needs to be long enough to include the information that the employer needs. With more experience, education, activities, references, or whatever, your resume will need to be longer. For a typical SIS graduate who has already had reasonable full-time employment, two pages will be about right. References would be attached as a third page. Your full name should appear in a header on the second and following pages.

Style
Be concise and use a telegraphic style. Resume books emphasize the importance of using "action verbs." Use past tense for all but current activities. Use standard, formal English. Spell out abbreviations and acronyms. Avoid personal pronouns unless that results in clumsy writing. In general, it's bad form to use "I." You may use phrases instead of complete sentences. Be truthful. Don't promise what you cannot deliver. Be specific and avoid fuzzy generalities.

Paper
Use white or off-white paper of good quality. Cover letter and resume paper should match. Paper need not be expensive but it should be durable and the text should be highly readable on it. Unusual colors and textures may make your resume stand out, but may also create problems.

Type
You may wish to use a display font for your name, but the text itself should be in a standard, clean, conservative font. While you might be tempted to use a smaller size to get more on the page, emphasize legible, easy to read text. Go no smaller than 10 points and that may be too small for some fonts. Appearance is crucial. The resume should be neat, attractive, and easy to scan [many resumes are scanned and not really read] and read. Use rules [lines], special characters, and display type sparingly. Print should be dark and even. Reasonable margins and adequate white space between lines and sections is important. Headings should receive appropriate emphasis so that they stand out.

Proofreading
After reading the draft aloud several times, have a thoughtful colleague, family member, and your advisor read your almost final draft with some care.


Note that this is your resume and it should be an accurate image of the professional you. Don't show it to eight people and then attempt to incorporate all those suggestions. Some suggestions will disagree with each other. No resume will please every reader.