This page contains a collection of helpful guides and resources that will help you prepare career materials, network and interview effectively, and ultimately find success in your career pursuits.
This page contains a collection of helpful guides and resources that will help you prepare career materials, network and interview effectively, and ultimately find success in your career pursuits.
A resume is one of two documents that list educational accomplishments, work experience, skills, and professional activities (the other being a CV).
The resume is a shorter, more concise record of a job-seeker's experience and background. The main goal of this document is to present yourself as a potential employee.
A curriculum vitae, or CV, is one of two documents that list educational accomplishments, work experience, skills, and professional activities (the other being a resume).
A CV is used almost exclusively in the domain of scholarly or academic employment, though it can also be relevant when applying for some research, government, and academic administrative positions. CVs have no page limit and contain comprehensive lists with full bibliographic information for published papers, conference presentations, and other professional activities. The main goal of a CV is to present yourself as a scholar or scholar-practitioner.
In general, the main thing to consider when developing your CV is readability. It is important because reviewers will likely read 100s of CVs for applications. You will want to make this as easy and painless as possible.
For positions in industry, government, and non-profits, a cover letter is a one-page document that typically accompanies a resume. The purpose of a cover letter is to explain anything that you didn’t get to delve into in the resume/CV.
You can briefly explain context of any experiences that may be unclear in your resume (any gaps, changes in field, explanation of why you left a job after such a short time, etc.) or draw connections between your previous experiences by establishing through-lines of motivation, transferrable skills, etc.
The cover letter is also your chance to show that you’ve been thinking about how your specific skills can benefit the company you want to work at. You should send a cover letter even if it is not requested or listed as optional.
It is critical to project professionalism in your email and written communications when searching for a job.
Things to consider:
The MSU Career Services Network contains numerous helpful resources that prepare students for job interviews.
Resource guide that provides information on inclusive companies, getting comfortable with the interview process, coming out at work, and LGBT rights by state to help you navigate the corporate landscape as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
International students will use many of the same strategies for career and professional development as domestic students.
However, the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) contains resources that are unique to international students, including where you can work, English language proficiency, and networking and professional culture in the US.