It’s About the Skills: Resumes for International Students

It’s About the Skills:
Resumes for
International Students
Resume Basics
—  It’s a marketing piece!
—  It’s always in draft….
—  Its job (along with the cover letter) is to get you to
an interview!
—  This information should guide your choice of style,
format, categories, and the information you choose
to include
Styles
—  Chronological
—  Most common
—  Easy for employers to read
—  Lists jobs and experiences in reverse chronological
order
Categories to Consider
—  Contact Info:
—  Activities and Interests
—  Education
—  Professional
—  Experience-
—  Skills
—  Professional
—  Languages
Use of your English name
GPA 3.5 or higher
Individual contributions
Development
—  Leadership
—  Community Service
Student Organizations and Memberships
Memberships
—  Research
—  What else???
What skills do employers
want?
—  Written and verbal
communication
—  Honesty and Integrity
—  Interpersonal Skills
—  Motivation and Initiative
—  Strong Work Ethic
—  Teamwork Skills
—  Computer Skills
—  Analytical Skills
—  Flexibility
—  Attention to detail
-from NACE Job Outlook Survey
Leave on or Take off?
—  Photo
—  Family Affiliation
—  3.6 GPA
—  I created… My club…. We developed….
—  Membership in the Catamount Dance Crew
—  International permanent address
—  Fluent in English
—  High school
Generic International
Student Entry
Work Experience:
Hospitality Internship Burtenbach Hotel, Burtenbach, Germany
01/11-05/11
— 
Assisted in making reservations for 300-room, full-service hotel
— 
Managed guest check-in/check-out, regularly up -selling guest rooms during the arrival process Resolved guest issues
and consistently followed-up to ensure guest satisfaction
— 
Prepared, managed, and served Buffet Breakfast, Afternoon Tea, and Evening Cocktails in Club Lounge
Look at Sample Resumes
What do you like?
What do you notice and think should change?
What questions do you have?
The Take Away
—  Being an international student demonstrates MANY
of the skills employers value; your skills will
transfer to so many work environments!
—  Go beyond the basics job descriptions and quantify
and describe the specific contributions YOU have
made.
—  Think about how to communicate what you have
done and what you know so that the reader can
grasp the level of responsibility and skills involved
in your work
REMEMBER WHAT YOU
BRING
—  Knowledge of markets, cultures, business practices
outside the US
—  Contribute to a diverse workforce
—  New Perspective
—  Adaptability
—  Each individual has their own skill set
Part 1: Introduction
Paragraph
The first paragraph introduces you, identifies main
areas of your qualifications, sets the stage to discuss
in greater detail your skills and qualifications (2-4
sentences).
—  Name the position you would like to apply for and
how you learned about the position or company.
—  Why do you want this position?
—  Why do you want to work for this company?
—  Why are you uniquely suited for the position?
Part 2: Body Paragraph
The body of the letter discusses your experience as it
relates to the position and describes how you are
qualified (5-10 sentences, perhaps 2 paragraphs).
—  Describe your unique skills.
—  Discuss what qualifies you for this position using
specific examples.
—  Tailor your experiences to the position.
—  Promote yourself, your experience, your
understanding of the position and your desire to
work for this company. One way to do this is to
connect to the company's mission statement.
Part 3: Closing Paragraph
Reiterate your interest in a position with this
company. Provide contact information where they can
reach you. State when you are available.
—  Ask for a further contact.
—  Thank them for their time and consideration.
—  Sign your name in pen above your typed name (if
you are sending a paper document).
—  Add enclosure for your resume or attach resume to
e-mail.
Sample
Your address
111 North Willard St.
Burlington, VT 05405
September 17, 2013
Date
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
Attn: Human Resources Department
PO Box 199
Winooski, VT 05404
Dear Search Committee:
Employer
address
colon
I am writing to express my interest in the position of Assistant Loan Processor at
VSAC. A career counselor at the University of Vermont brought this position to
my attention. I am a recent graduate of the University of Vermont with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a minor in Psychology. I am very
interested in pursuing a career in either loan analysis or research.
My experiences with both finance and education have led me to place great
value in the field of educational lending and assistance. As a sociology student, I
have developed skills in analyzing and interpreting research data. My
responsibilities as a teaching assistant included performing, editing, and
interpreting the results of statistical analysis. Further duties in data processing of
departmental evaluations have given me excellent compilation and organizational
skills, as well as an analytic approach. As an employee at Northfield Savings
Bank, I have gained solid experience with finance, money management, and
have outstanding customer service skills. Furthermore, I have the ability to adapt
and work with many diverse groups of people in a variety of situations. Also, as
a former college student, I understand the financial needs of individuals as well
as the system of higher education. As someone new to the workforce, I would
like my career to have purpose and meaning and I see the mission of VSAC as
providing that purpose and meaning.
Enclosed please find my resume which further details my work experience and
education. I welcome the opportunity to talk with you in person about this
position. Please contact me regarding any questions at 802-555-0000 or by
email at [email protected].
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Thomas Hayes
Resources
—  Career Center— we can help!
—  Major choice, career exploration, internships, job
search, grad school, job postings, networking, prehealth/prelaw, LinkedIn.. .and more
—  Drop-Ins at the HUB (M-TH 1:00pm-4:00 pm Fri
1:00-3:00 pm), appointments, Resume and Job Search
workshops, and Events
—  And let’s talk about our comprehensive
website:www.uvm.edu/career…
—  Location: Living and Learning E 140