With the discussion we had today in our little outcast group (just kidding), the topic of resume content was involved. So what do you think is important in a resume, the first impression you would make to an employer?
The basic common topic was relevancy. Any education, skills, experience, volunteering, etc. that are relevant should be included and incorporated into the resume for the specific job you are applying for. There was some difficulty in determining that relevancy. What if you only have job experience in fields that aren't relevant to teaching, such as retail, food and beverage service, etc.?
"Other skills" was also a topic we discussed. These are skills that aren't already included in your education, experience, volunteer work. Skills such as speaking a second language and First Aid certificate. Again, if it applies to teaching or whatever job is at hand, then it should be mentioned.
Another aspect was including interests on the resume. I always thought that if it wasn't relevant to the job I was applying for, then it was unnecessary. But Sara made the point that this can spark conversation as a common interest between yourself and the employer. This could potentially be important for forming a relationship and possibly solidifying the job position for you. You want an employer to remember you and even if it's something such as "Oh right Joe, the guy who scuba dives." then its better than nothing. So should an interest section be incorporated into a professional resume?
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I definitely think Interests should be covered in a small section (maybe at the end) of a resume. I've had more than 2 experiences in which the interviewer has struck up a conversation in relation to my interests section. Sometimes an employer doesn't just want to make a personal connection with you ("Hey, I scuba dive too!") but brings up the topic of your interests (or your seemingly unrelated volunteer jobs, for that matter) to get you talking more candidly. The employer often wants to see who you are not only in terms of your professional past, but also in a more holistic sense ("is this candidate someone who takes risks? Is s/he a balanced person? What have they done outside of the professional realm that might add colour to their personality as a teacher?).
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think teaching is a job for people who love working with other people. (True, one of their main reasons for teaching Math might be that they love Math, but I don't think any recluses go into teaching, if you know what I mean). So why should we not show our out-of-the-workplace personality (to a certain extent) on our resumes too? You never know, it may be that thing you didn't consider to be important that will land you the job...
What do you think?