It may be the holidays, but if you’re in college, it’s not too early to start thinking about employment prospects for after graduation. People who start their search now will have much better luck securing a full-time advertising agency job fresh out of school than those who put off their job search in favor of late-night parties and lazy Sundays.
But in order to start your search right, it is essential to polish your resume so it’s in tip-top shape. Here are some resume tips from our Florida ad agency to help you land the job.
Go digital: First of all, paper resumes are going the way of… well, just about anything else that’s paper. In lieu of a resume, try creating an about.me digital resume profile instead for an interactive experience that also demonstrates your commitment to design and technology. If you really want to set yourself apart from the competition, link back to it with a QR code on a business card.
Outline your strengths: If you want to avoid waiting tables at TGI Friday’s for the next decade, your resume should outline your academic strengths and extracurricular accomplishments. Even if you aren’t expecting to graduate at the top of your class, you can still add other extras like intramural sports, time spent volunteering and membership in any clubs. (And, if you’re in your final year of college and your only extracurricular activities involve drunken phone calls at 4 a.m. and sleeping through your brand strategy course lecture, then it’s time to venture off campus and try a few new things.)
Show off your personality: You’ll also want to include snippets of information that emphasize your own uniqueness. Think it’s not relevant that your improv troupe, The Yes Andersons, sold out a show in a makeshift basement theater under Jonny’s Meats & More? Think again. Feats like that can demonstrate initiative, as well as display essential marketing and public speaking skills. Or, your potential employer may have had his own improv troupe back in the day, which is a great icebreaker for a hiring conversation. If you’re hoping to show your skills as a designer, include this list as a sidebar for added effect.
No Comic Sans! While a resume and accompanying online portfolio may be great places to display any artistic talents, which may be highly in demand in many marketing segments, it’s not the place to use the surprising popular cartoonish font that everyone loves to hate, comic sans. The silly and overused font stemmed directly from comic book font and looks unprofessional as a chosen resume font, unless you’re applying for a job as a comic book superhero.
Offer social media links: In this day and age, it should be a given that any potential employer is going to check your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr and any other accounts you have. This is particularly true in marketing, where companies will rely on your social media savvy and following. Research shows that an employer who takes a few minutes to check out an applicant’s Facebook page can learn more about what kind of employee they might be. Perhaps surprisingly, it turns out that all your crazy photos might be a benefit – it shows extraversion and suggests that you are friendly. Exploit this by listing all your social media on your resume, for easy access.
List your favorite blogs: To show off your dedication to marketing, it helps to list a few of your favorite marketing blogs. May we suggest: TechCrunch, Mashable, Fast Company, All Things D, Business Insider, Ad Age and of course our very own Orlando marketing agency’s blog, EyeFull.
Take these resume tips into consideration, and we guarantee you’ll be the first person a marketing employer calls. Heck, maybe you could even come work for us at our Florida advertising agency.
