Training - Resume and Interview Tips

So, for AmeriCorps we do trainings as a corps once a month. I wrote up a review of April's training for the newsletter and I thought I'd share it because A, I wrote it, and B, I think there are some super handy tips in here that I wanted to share!


---


April Training Highlights

Part of April's Training included a presentation by Keith Caldwell, Director of Career Services and Alumni Affairs for the Pitt School of Social Work.  He spoke  on resume creation, interviewing skills, and negotiation strategies. The presentation was very informative!
Here are my top 5 points from his presentation:

1. Include on your resume any data collection and/or paperwork for grants, that could be a useful skill for future employers.
2. You don’t have to tell your current place of employment that you are searching for a job, and therefore, you don’t have to list them as a reference or can ask for their reference to be held until the last stage of the interviews.
3. Always include a cover letter that details how you heard about the job, your interest in the organization, your related qualifications, and a statement about looking forward to speaking with them about the position.
4. Be prepared for an interview with about 5 key takeaways people should know about you - specifically your experiences or interpersonal skills- with brief examples which you can tailor to include in responses to interview questions.
5. Negotiation is key. Include in your cover letter that your salary requirements are negotiable. You can also always ask for the salary range, and explore other benefits: insurance, savings, family benefits, etc. He also suggested keeping in mind your dream amount,  the lowest amount you’d need to live, and some ladder rungs in between to shoot for.

Go for it! Good luck to all AmeriCorps members who are or will be searching for jobs for after AmeriCorps!