Interview & Resume Work

Why should my student have a resume?

Most people agree that a resume is “a brief account of a person’s education, qualifications, and previous experience, typically sent in with a job application,” but what is it for and why should students have one?

A student needs a resume to initially get an interview for most jobs and internships. However, when it comes to colleges, the purpose of a resume is a bit more nuanced and is especially useful during interviews. Many colleges ask for or have an optional spot for a resume, offering another way to present your narrative to the the admissions office. Even if a college does not ask for a resume, the content of a resume easily translate to the Activities, Honors, and Community-Based Organizations sections of the Common Application.

When it comes to college interviews, a student can get through them without a resume, but a well-crafted resume helps a student navigate and direct interviews much more easily. There are some situations where a college admissions officer interviews prospective students, but generally, a network of college alums conduct high school students’ interviews. They volunteer to be the face of their alma mater to hopeful high school students in interviews of 30 to 45 minutes. Their mission during the interview is to sell students on their college and most importantly, learn about students so they can tell the admissions office something that might not have come across in the application. 

When a student arrives without a resume, an interviewer is starting with a blank slate. The interviewer will probably ask a variety of questions hoping to spark an in depth conversation to learn about a student’s passions and commitments. All the while, the interviewer is awkwardly taking notes or hoping they remember details later when they have to write the interview report.

A student can get off to a good start by impressing the interviewer with an effective resume. Furthermore, when a student provides an interviewer with a resume, they help both themselves and the interviewer. In an interview, a resume can provide an outline of who a student is and what they want to discuss. The interviewer can more easily focus on certain interests and activities because it is right there in front of them on paper. A resume can direct the conversation and the narrative of the interview. It is also an easy place for an interviewer to jot down a couple of notes rather than on a separate piece of paper or relying on memory. Plus, when the interviewer has to write the interview report, they have plenty of details to refer to, maybe even details not discussed during the interview, thanks to the resume.

Having a strong resume is an essential tool to presenting one’s best self.

What do I do?

I work with young adults to effectively communicate their personal narrative in order for them to make a great impression in interviews and through their resumes when applying for colleges, scholarships, and internships. An effective personal narrative will differentiate them from other students: What is their message? What problems do they solve? What makes them unique and differentiates them from others?

What do you get?

When we are done, a student will have a professional resume that communicates their personal narrative and the confidence to effectively express themselves during interviews.

How does it work?

Although I’m flexible to a student’s needs and can work with them on just mock interviews or their resume, I recommend 6 one-hour sessions to develop a personal narrative, create a professional resume, and prepare for interviews. The first few meetings are to collaboratively determine a personal narrative – what makes them different. Once we determine this, we will pinpoint the stories that reflect this and make their resume speak to these unique qualities. Then we will put all of it together through 2 mock interviews.

Stellar resumes will not get students into colleges, but it enables them to present their best selves at interviews.