DH Templates

Advice for resumes and cover letters for job fairs?

At the moment, I'm in the process of both trying to apply for a job, and also trying my odds at a job fair coming up next week. This would be the first time I've ever put together a resume for a job (and the first time since high school projects that I even touched upon the subject of a resume), so I think I could really use a few pointers. Considering the resume will be submitted to (hopefully) many potential employers, should I really go for a specific Objective on the form? And besides skills, work experience, and education, what sorts of areas look appealing to employers? (If it helps, I'm using Microsoft Word's resume templates for this.) Would things like hobbies and extracurricular activities really make a difference to employers? And I suppose finally, should I even worry about a cover letter, considering the variety of employers that will be represented at this job fair? Any and all help will be appreciated!

Public Comments

1. post your resume on yahoo jobs. I did and i got three calls in the first day I had it posted it gives you great tips and helps you lay out your ideas. there is also a website linkup that could be veru useful
2. While tailoring your resume for a specific company and job opening is desirable, that is not practical when visiting a variety of businesses at a job fair. Leave a copy of your generic resume when appropriate and find out what positions a company has open. Get the name and title or position of each person you speak with and the company address. Follow up as soon as possible with a brief thank you, cover letter, and resume customized for their company and the position. Your objective should mirror the company's goals. Employers want to see that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities they are seeking. If you have proven experience in those areas then prove it! Show how you benefited previous employers or groups and associations you are a member of with statements about what you accomplished Hobbies and other activities only matter if they have some direct and obvious benefit to the employer by attributing to your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
3. It's a waste of paper. It will just end up in the trash bin. Dude, there are 1000 resumes for every 1 decent job and most people are overqualified. There are no jobs now.