Make Your Resume Stand Out

Written for SWE Magazine

https://swe.org/magazine/you-asked-swe-answered-6/

By: Alisha Bose and Wendy Cocke

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

You Asked, SWE Answered: "I’ve applied to more than 200 jobs on Handshake and LinkedIn, but I haven’t had much success. What else can I do as a college student to showcase my experience to potential employers?"

This time of year is filled with career fairs and interviews as excited job seekers plan for their futures. Today, more than ever, the job search can feel like an insurmountable mountain.

In the world of online job listings, there can seem to be an endless list of possibilities — for you and every other applicant. The ease of using artificial intelligence, or AI, to create custom resumes and cover letters has removed some of the competitive advantages you may have once had. AI has made it harder for recruiters to distinguish between genuine and manufactured content.

It is possible that a single job posting could attract 100 to 1,000 applicants within the first week — or even the first day — so finding ways to stand out and get noticed is more important than ever.

If you are one of those job seekers, here are a few tips from a former hiring manager and a recently successful job applicant to make sure those dreams become a reality.

Get creative.

Jobs are not the only way to gain experience; there are so many other options. Organizations like the Society of Women Engineers are a great place to start!

We’ve all had that moment of panic when a job application asks for “relevant experience,” or when an interviewer opens with the dreaded, “Tell me about a time when you… .” It can be easy to assume that not having a previous internship immediately disqualifies you. However, experience comes in many forms, and not all of them are formal jobs or internships.

Other avenues are available to you to gain relevant experience. For example, reach out to a professor and ask if you can get involved in their research. Join a club in your field and apply for a role as an officer. Fellowships, externships, on-campus jobs, and class projects are all valuable experiences that can demonstrate teamwork, initiative, and leadership to a recruiter. These opportunities, plus the working groups within SWE, can also provide you with meaningful, hands-on experience and help you build a robust network.

Determine who you know who can help.

When you are looking for a job, whether right out of school or later in your career, make sure the people who are invested in you know what you are looking for so they can recommend you and serve as a reference. Although you may not know anyone hiring, you might know someone who does, so it is a good idea to build a team to help you secure a job.

When someone asks, “How’s school?” “How’s work?” or “What’s going on in your world?” you should be prepared with this answer: “It’s great. I am currently looking for a job. Do you know anyone in my area of interest I should meet?”

LinkedIn isn’t just for collecting connections.

It is easy to fall into the habit of connecting with someone after a career fair or networking event and not following up. Do not let your connections go cold! Is there someone you’re really excited to connect with? Let them know. A simple message such as, “Hi [Name], it was great meeting you at [event]. I’m a student at [university], and I’d love to learn more about your work in [field] if you have time for a quick chat,” can go a long way. You’d be surprised how many people would be happy to help.

Do not underestimate the value of your peers, either. Instead of viewing them as your competitors, use LinkedIn as a discovery tool. Maybe a friend posted about completing a fellowship that is about to open for applications; perhaps someone you know is starting an interesting role you’ve never heard of; perhaps one of them can give you great insight about the interview process for a specific company or role.

And do not forget to celebrate yourself. Keeping your profile up-to-date isn’t just for recruiters, but also for keeping your professional network in the loop about your activities. It is also for you. LinkedIn can serve as a running online journal of your achievements, growth, and goals.

Pick the right job for you.

Every job provides an opportunity to learn something new and add to your skills, but understanding how to apply those skills in the future can significantly boost your career strategy. Identifying the job after the next job can help you create a plan that makes the decision easier.

For this exercise, filter your job search to roles that require three to five years more experience than you have. Remember, you aren’t applying for these roles; you are just using them to imagine what your future self needs to be successful.

Once you have collected your data, you can reverse engineer the jobs you should be applying to by looking for roles that will give you the skills and experiences you need to be ready for the job after the next job. As an added bonus, when asked in an interview why you want this job, you already have an answer that shows you are thinking strategically.

Apply. Apply again.

Our advice? Apply, apply, apply! There is only so much of the job search that you can control. If you are being authentic and actively seeking to be the best candidate for the roles that will point you in the direction you want to go, you will encounter success, even if not on your exact timeline. And do not count yourself out if you do not meet every requirement: apply anyway. Everyone starts from somewhere.