Food science junior Afiqah Ahmad Hisham, left, and biochemistry and molecular biology and biotechnology junior Tiara Ahmad, right, practice giving answers for interview questions while biochemistry and molecular biology and biotechnology senior Jeffery Halim listens, center right, at the résumé workshop for undergraduate research Monday night in Bessey Hall.
When Amanda Lindgren applies for summer internships, her résumé will be more polished thanks to a résumé workshop for undergraduate researchers she attended Monday night at Bessey Hall.
Lindgren, a chemical engineering freshman, was among 35 students who attended the workshop, which was an hour-long discussion to help students better present their research experience and skills.
“I learned about how to explain experience into things that matter to employers,” Lindgren said.
During the workshop, Linda Gross, associate director of Career Services Network, presented a PowerPoint lecture with tips about ways to clarify and explain the skills they have developed to employers or in graduate school applications.
“I think now, more than ever, given (the) landscape of the economy, it’s really falling on students to bridge the gap with employers more effectively,” Gross said.
Since no-preference freshman Caitlin Kirby said she went to the workshop knowing very little about what it takes to make her résumé stand out, she said she found the workshop both beneficial and helpful. One of the things Kirby said will benefit her the most is they way of thinking about how the résumé aids in an interview.
“It helps to think of (the) résumé as a rehearsal for the interview,” Kirby said. “I never thought of it that way before.”
Gross said the Career Services Network wanted to offer the workshop to help students better format their experience so almost everyone can understand it.
“We know students often struggle with articulating (research and internships) with employers or on applications,” Gross said.
After participating in the workshop, Lindgren said she will improve her résumé.
“I’m going to change the wording to make it more dynamic,” Lindgren said. “My résumé doesn’t currently explain my skill set very well.”
Finance sophomore Vishal Sunkarapalli said he will be using the tips when he applies for internships as well as future jobs.
“I was looking for the best way to present my information,” Sunkarapalli said.
Even though the workshop was geared toward research students, Sunkarapalli said the workshop gave him
ideas on how to better his résumé.
“It talked about basic stuff and generalized it, (which was helpful),” he said. “I will be tweaking (my résumé) up.”
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