so i'm graduating in about 8 weeks from grad school, and although i can't really apply for jobs in person because i'm on a full time internship, i'd like to go ahead and submit some resumes. my question is how do i format it while still being in school? do i put my current internship as 5/2010-present and just list what i've done so far the past 4 weeks? do i put somewhere on there my expected graduation date? i also have to pass the physical therapy licensure exam, so do i mention that also?

6/7/2011 6:52:00 PM

Put (Exp. Graduation date mo/yr) next to the degree you'll be getting.
Put 5/2011-Present for your resume. ((you said 5/2010 but then said 4 weeks of internship so far))

And then in your letter of interest or cover letter, explain that you are on track to get the physical therapy license. Don't worry about saying when your internship will be complete; that's something to talk about in an interview.

Good luck on everything!!!

6/7/2011 7:04:28 PM

yeah i meant 2011. and is it ok to go past one page? i've got it set on size 10 font already, and there's really nothing i can trim because i've got work experience plus 2 other internships

6/7/2011 7:09:11 PM

If the experience you have is applicable to the job you're applying for, then yes. Mine is 1.5 pages with Skills & Honors/Activities. If you can, try to put in quantifiable achievements at work. Sometimes it's really hard. And I always want to put all my jobs to show how versatile I am, but be careful. Employers have a lot of resumes to look through, so keep it to experiences that are really applicable.

OH, and one big thing is using keywords they have listed in the job description in your resume. It sucks having to re-tool your resume for each job, but most employers are using software that looks through resumes first to weed out the ones that don't apply.

6/7/2011 7:28:50 PM

well i guess this thread was good luck or something, because i just had a recruiter call me about a resume i left at a job fair a couple months ago, and that one didn't even include my 3rd internship.

6/7/2011 7:47:08 PM

Yes to all of that.

6/7/2011 7:48:12 PM

so a former mentor of mine from my first internship asked me to send him a resume. the problem is i really don't have a desire to commute that far daily (45 minutes each way). we're on pretty good terms so how should i handle it? i feel like if i send a resume i'm obligated to do an interview if he asks

6/12/2011 3:58:03 PM

Could you not relocate if it was a good enough offer?

I'd say be up front about the commute. However, in my opinion, saying that you might not want the job because of the 45 min commute seems like you have little to no desire to work there.

6/12/2011 4:09:56 PM

^It would do you well to at least do the interview and mention that the drive time is (presumably) the biggest issue and if there's any way you can work for them in a different location you would consider it. That and there's the small possibility that a non-competing company that he/she may know of in your area looking for a person with similiar skillsets. Networking will start to be the name of the game and take what you can get unless there's another reason you may not want to work for them that you haven't mentioned.

I turned down a job that paid well and was within most of my requirements simply because the job duties were too structured and menial for me (mild ADD). A different division of that company called me a few weeks later and offered the job I wanted. During the interview for that one they said the HR manager had noted I was a good fit for the company as a whole even though I turned them down politely and had mentioned I preferred a different job within it.

6/12/2011 4:17:59 PM

well honestly it's really not the setting i want either, so the commute is really just another check in the negative column. with my field i feel like i can be a little more choosey in regard to location and what type of therapy i want to do. fortunately for me, my preference (old folks) is the most likely to be hiring

6/12/2011 6:14:00 PM

Getting an interview for a job you aren't really excited about is a good thing. Use it as a practice interview; you'll get a chance to work on your answers to any tough questions they give you, and the fact that you aren't really gunning for the job will mean you can be a bit more relaxed. Remember how that feels and you'll be less nervous about interviewing for a job you do want later on.

6/12/2011 9:04:04 PM