A resume is the first impression an applicant leaves on a potential employer. Because they are so important, the Career Center is holding sessions to critique student resumes.

Good resumes show potential employers the applicant is able to meet the needs of the position the person is applying for.

For students wondering if their resume meets the standards of most businesses, the Career Center will be holding two separate sessions of resume critiques this semester.

The first is on Wednesday, Sept. 26 and another session will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 2. Both sessions will last from 1 to 5 p.m. and are being held in room 116 in Conklin.

At the events, representatives from the Career Center will work with students on a first come first serve basis.

The events are part of an ongoing program provided by the Career Center.

Students can attend satellite drop-in sessions which are available at Founders from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday night. The sessions last fifteen minutes.

Sue Young, assistant director at the Career Center, said good resumes show potential employers the applicant is able to meet the needs of the position which the applicant is applying for.

Young said absolute accuracy in both spelling and grammar is also necessary to land an interview.

Anything short of perfection in these areas could be devastating to an applicant.

“Poor spelling and grammar could blow you out of the water,” Young said.

Another key point is to make sure any work you have completed is related to the field you want a job in after graduating.

These past jobs can be the key to getting the job after getting a degree. The sources can help a person get a job through recommendations.

A standard resume should include three to five sources.

While there are many things to include in a resume there are also a few important pieces of information which may not always be appropriate in a resume.

Andrea Gutierrez, assistant director, has seen issues appear with e-mail addresses from resumes she has critiqued and said it’s important to make sure the address is appropriate.

“Avoid non-professional e-mails such as [email protected],” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez also pointed out hobbies and any other type of personal information should be avoided in a resume.

Many students are open to the idea of having their resumes critiqued.

Andy Thornton, a junior majoring in criminal justice, said he isn’t quite ready to get a resume together.

“Maybe, later on when I start doing internships, but probably not until then,” Thornton said.