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Including Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

By career

Futurama Fry Meme with Text- 'THIS IS RELEVANT TO MY INTERESTS'

Choosing the content for a resume can be difficult beside sections such as your name and contact information, “Education” and some form of “Relevant Experience”. A section to consider including is “Relevant Coursework” for the following reasons:

Listing rigorous classes under “Relevant Coursework” can exhibit traits such as “hardworking”, “determination, “strong work ethic” and many more that cannot be explicitly stated in a resume. Relevant Coursework describes the knowledge and extent of technical skills. Another use of this section includes filler; if you cannot quite fill up one full page for a resume, relevant coursework can help you get there.

Now, the mechanics of relevant coursework consist of formatting and placement/priority. There are two formatting options: list and bullet point. Choosing between the two is a matter of preference, but the bullet point format with two columns is usually preferred as it optimizes space and is easy to decipher. I would suggest listing between 4 to 8 relevant class titles, not course numbers since class numbers do not mean anything outside the University.

Placement or priority of a relevant coursework section should be taken seriously. The ideal location for Relevant Coursework is a separate section beneath Education or a subsection of Education, as it flows better between sections.

These are the most effective approaches for a Relevant Coursework section. I hope you feel prepared to incorporate your own Relevant Coursework section into your resume.

~Randall, Career Peer Advisor

Empowering Women Empowers EVERYONE

By career

Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox

When you think of a company’s “ethics,” what comes to mind? Sustainability? Fair trade? While these are important, let’s talk about an ethical issue that everyone has a stake in: gender equity.. In the US, women earn more than 50% of the graduate degrees, and yet they only hold a small percentage of the highest paying positions. This is not only an issue of fairness, but an issue of economics.

On this note, when you are choosing a company to work for, do a little research and ask these questions:

1.)   Does the company offer opportunities for women to be promoted? Do they adamantly encourage women to do so?

2.)   Does the company have a committee/ task force dedicated to diverse hiring practices? Do they consider hiring women a business imperative?

3.)   Does the company engage in regular data, policy, and practice review in the area of gender equity? Similarly, do they have an annual goal for the number of women they hire?

Not every facet of this issue can be discussed in a short blog post. But the main point is that if you are a female college student/recent graduate entering the workforce, you are likely very qualified. And if you are a non-female college student/recent graduate entering the workforce, you will not lose out by being a part of the fight to empower women. Helping women succeed is not a zero-sum game; everyone wins!

~Sam, Career Peer Advisor

Savvy Seniors: Interviewing

By career

Sailboats on Lake Champlain

Jen Guimaraes
Associate Director
Community Sailing Center

When a student lands an interview, what should they do to prepare?
Students should make sure to do their “homework” on the organization that they are interviewing with. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the entire organization by researching their website and any other information that you can gather about them. Create a list of questions you have about the organization and the position you are applying for. Employers always ask for your questions at the end of the interview process and having a list shows that you did background research and are very interested in the position. Make sure to dress appropriately, show up on time, and be professional in your communication (word choice and email style) with the prospective employer.

You must interview a lot of applicants for the Community Sailing Center, what makes a candidate stand out?
A candidate stands out if they are energetic, upbeat, and already familiar with the organization. Make eye contact with the employer(s) you are interviewing with and give complete answers to their questions, not just one-word responses. You can almost certainly anticipate what questions an employer might ask you based on the position you are applying for, rehearsing your answers ahead of time is always a good idea. Don’t forget to smile!

What questions should candidates be asking you?
I’ve had candidates ask a number of questions: Do I enjoy my job? What is a typical day like for this position? What is the chain of command with direct and indirect supervisors? Are there any additional duties that I will have not included in the job description?

Learn more about opportunities, classes, rentals and more at the Community Sailing Center!

Don’t miss this workshop to learn more! Savvy Seniors: Interviewing Wed., April 10th 4:15pm, L&L E166

The Work of Loving the World

By career

Hand Heart

“My work is loving the world.
Mary Oliver

How do we hold core life questions such as:

  • What is our work in the world?
  • How do we love?

We tend to focus on work as a way to pay the bills and value love in terms of who loves us.

May we turn our attention to a larger landscape: our work in the world as love in action.

What might you do today to express love and action?  Here are few examples for inspiration:

Love Letters to Strangers
Honk If You Love Someone
One Million Acts of Kindness
Break the Chain
Messenger by Mary Oliver

May your day be filled with acts of loving the world in small and unanticipated ways.

~Holly

Networking Nights: A Student Perspective

By career

“Our success has really been based on partnerships from the very beginning.”
-Bill Gates

Networking seated event with speaker

Networkers posing for picture

As a senior at UVM, I had finally approached the time where I had to start researching and applying for jobs. I had held various internships and other working positions, but now I had to start seriously thinking about entering the real world.  For the past 3 years, I received various emails and flyers about UVM’s Boston and New York Networking Events which were held over Winter Break. I had secretly avoided them in the past due to anxiety, and stress of networking with complete strangers. To prepare for this event, last semester I attended a workshop on networking, and gained more confidence in this skill. Once the event date arrived, I drove into Boston to start networking.

UVM alum, and CEO of British Beer Company, Mike Fallman, was the keynote speaker. He provided students and alumni with his version of “the most important interview tips,” where he stressed the significance of networking.  Both events paralleled the idea of speed dating. Students rotated between tables and conversed on various topics with alums. With a set amount of time and alternating among tables, networking was far less stressful than anticipated. Discussions were relaxed yet helpful, and alum talked about their career path, networking, and provided us with interviewing and job searching tips.

After the speed networking portion, we were able to individually meet alums who work in industries of our personal interest. The small room was completely packed with alumni and students networking, and exchanging contact information. Overall, the Boston Networking Event was a huge success. It was great to meet the keynote speaker, and hear from other UVM alums about their experience. This year more than 280 UVM alumni and current students gathered in Boston and New York to network, with more to come in Vermont and Washington D.C. I would highly recommend attending one of these Networking Events. I’ve certainly learned that it’s never too late to start networking.

~Tashia, Career Peer Advisor

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