Slide 1

Hello! Welcome to the Applicable Approach to Applications

workshop. Today, we will talking about how to create a resume, a
few tips about interviewing and what to expect when you are
applying for volunteer opportunities, employment, university, and
scholarships. This is a quick reminder that these are only suggestions
and to make sure that you also reference other local resources as
well. If you are interested in one of the specific topics listed above,
there are timestamps listed in the description so you can jump right
to that topic.

To tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Kylie. I am a

university student in the United States. I have experience working as
a student in higher education in the departments of career services,
student leadership training, and student engagement. I have also
earned two degrees. So let’s jump right into our workshop today.

Slide 2
To start, here is a visual to explain a few of the topics and how they
connect. We will start with general tips and a few things to consider.
Next, we will briefly touch on resumes and interviewing. Third, we
will move into volunteer and career shadowing opportunities. Then
we will touch on applying for employment and internships
opportunities. While concluding our discussion with how to apply for
university and scholarship opportunities.

Slide 3

First, here are five things to consider and ask yourself before you
start looking into different opportunities.
First, impression: when you are filling out an application that may
be the only thing the employer or school knows about you. As you
submit an application, make sure to present yourself in the best way
possible while remaining honest and staying true to yourself.

Our second recommendation is to do, research: Have you looked at

the companies mission and purpose? What else do you know about
them? Collect information that may help you stand out at an
interview in case you are asked why you are interested this position.
Remember it is always positive to work in a job position where you
are passionate and interested in what you are doing.

Third to touch on professionalism: How do you present yourself

online? A good rule of thumb may be to search your name on a
search engine, such as Google, to see what comes up. Whatever you
can see in the search results the company or school will be able to
see that as well if they research into your background.

In person, an impression is slightly different. If you are invited to

shadow or interview, make sure to dress properly and know the dress
code. We will go into more detail on those two topics later.

Fourth, purpose: Why are you attached to this opportunity? Do you

believe in their mission and want to help? Also, it is beneficial to ask
yourself how will this impact my present and future? Do I have
enough free time in my schedule to devote to another commitment?
Additionally, consider which skills or traits can you bring to an
organisation.

And finally, Networking: do you know someone who works within the
career field or organisation that you are interested in
Slide 4

Alright, so let's move into resume building. I do not have any listed
tips so let's review the examples on the screen. First, to point out
similarities, both of the examples have professional summaries,
skills, work history and education listed. At the top, both of their
names are listed in larger font so that they stand out followed by
their email, phone number, and address. If you do not feel
comfortable listed your full address, it is totally okay if you only list
the city you live in. For example...Andy lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan
and Johnny lives in New York, New York.
To break the aspects down a little more, a professional summary is a
statement that briefly tells the employer about a few of your skills.
This is your chance to explain your talents while also showing a little
bit of personality. If we travel a little further down the document, in
both examples, we see skills organized by bullet points. If you
believe these traits align with you, leadership, problem solving,
teamwork and time management are positive skills to list.
Third, work history, this is where you will be able to share any
previous experience with jobs, internships, or if you have done long
term career shadowing. Make sure to list your job title, the company
or organisation and their location. And make sure to list all of your
responsibilities. For example, Johnny when he was a cashier at ACME
Superstore in Orlando, Florida - “processed POS transactions,
including checks, cash and credit purchases or refunds.” Another
example, could be that if you have worked in food service you may
be able to mention that you “stocked goods and upheld food safety
standards.”
And then finally based off of our example resumes: education list
any schools that you have attended, whether past or present and if
you have earned any degrees or diplomas.
Additional categories may include awards or leadership experiences.
Those two categories are not showcased on these examples.
It is always good to remember that all resumes look different and
that there are many formats which you can base your resume off of.
A quick web search may bring up many examples for all different
types of careers.

Slide 5
Next, let’s move into interviewing. Again, first impression is very
important. So make sure to dress professionally or appropriately for
the position that you are pursuing. Make sure to print copies of your
resume. It is wise to bring more than one copy. Also, make sure that
it is printed single sided. If your resume is more than one page, do
not staple the pages together. Just make sure you have your name
and the page number listed at the top of every page in case they
become separated.
In addition, always make sure to arrive early for the interview. 10-15
minutes early is typically a good range. Also, make sure that you
practice a firm, confident handshake but also make sure that is it
not too strong or ‘bone crushing’ as some may call it.

Also, just a note of etiquette. Make sure to remain positive and

never put down your former employer. Many employers do not want
to bring negativity into their place of work.

Approaching Questions: I know what your thinking…take a deep

breath. It is always good to think about possible questions before
going into an interview. A common question may be “Tell Me About
Yourself.” In this case, it may be wise to prepare an ‘elevator pitch’
about yourself. An elevator pitch is a brief statement explaining your
skills, attributes, and qualifications. Pretend you are in an elevator
for a time comparison; your brief answer to this questions should
last no more than 20 to 30 seconds. When you answer this question,
the details you share can be similar to those explained in the
professional summary on the top of a resume. On the next, slide we
have a couple of examples.

But just a few general things to keep in mind when it comes to

questions:
• Always be honest
•Be aware of your posture and non-verbals. Avoid findgeting
although nerves are normal.
•Make sure to prepare your own questions to ask during the
interview. A few good questions to consider asking are: Is this a new
position or did a previous employee part ways? What do you love
about the company? Questions pertaining to money, weekly hours
and flexibility should come a little bit later if the employer reaches
out to you for another interview or if you receive a job offer.
And then finally, make sure to send a thank you note. This leaves a
positive impression as it expresses gratitude.

Slide 6
Now for the next slide we have a few brief examples of a short
answer for the tell me about yourself questions, as promised. These
videos are slightly longer than the recommended 20-30 second
‘elevator pitch’ statements, but they do relay important information
to the future employer. Always remember, every interview and
person is different so make sure to do what is best for you.
Slide 7
Now let’s move into a question a few of you may be thinking
about. What should I do if I do not have any experience in the
work world? I have nothing to put on my resume.

Volunteering and Career Shadowing are great options. There are

many positives to taking on a position, but the one downside is that
most likely you will not receive a paycheck.

A few common focuses of charitable organisations are: animals,

environmental efforts, education, health, art and culture, and non-
government organisations which can be abbreviated as NGO. And
then with career shadowing, a little later on, we will focus on how
to score a position with a few common tips. We will also touch on
how to brainstorm questions and what you should know before
contacting an organisation.

Slide 8
Volunteering: To start, I just want to share what the difference is
between a non-profit and a non-governmental organisation. This
bring our six common topics of charitable organisations back into
play. So, non-profits, as the slide explains, do not collect profits
based upon their mission and efforts. They may be funded by private
donors and others who believe in their purpose. Non-profits are most
likely led by volunteer efforts. These efforts may impact a small or
large community. A few examples can include: hospitals, schools,
animal shelters, and many more common organisations.

On the other hand, non-governmental organizations also do not

collect profits based upon their mission and efforts. They may be
funded by private donors and other who also believe in their
purpose. Additionally, they are most likely volunteer led efforts that
promote an international outreach. A few international examples
include: the United Nations, International Olympic Committee, and
many more.

Slide 9
How do you fill our a volunteer application? Here is generally what
you can expect. You most likely will have to include your name,
phone number and potentially your address. Also, make sure to
include your availability. A good question to ask yourself before
committing to anything new is “how many hours a week can I
contribute to a new task in addition to my current obligations?
On an application you may also be asked to include a resume or your
experience level. If you do not have experience, be confidence and
know your talents and skills. Also, identify your passions to market
yourself.

To briefly touch on references and recommendations

Generally there are three types of recommendations; personal,
professional and academic. If you do not have experience, it may be
best to seek a personal recommendation. A personal
recommendation typically expresses your character from someone
else’s perspective.

Slide 10
Next, on to career shadowing. A few suggestions on finding an
opportunity. It may be beneficial to create a list of your skills and
interests. Do you have an organisation in mind that you would love
to shadow? If not, do a little research into local organisation and see
which ones stand out to you.
The next step would be reaching out the organisation. Here are a
few questions to consider when contacting an organisation:
Do you personally know someone within that organisation?
Is there a phone number or email that you can contact? You may be
able to find this on their website or social media platforms. If you
can directly get in contact with human resources or the employment
office they may be to help you source a shadowing opportunity.

Slide 11
Now that you’ve scored a career shadowing opportunity. Here is how
you can prepare for an experience. It is always positive to prepare a
list of inquisitive questions to ask the person you are shadowing.
Also, dress the part, make sure you know the proper dress code and
what the organisation expects. The dress may be more professional
or laid back and casual. And again just like interviewing, it is always
kind to send a thank you note to the person you shadowed as that
shows gratitude.

Slide 12
Next, to switch gears a little but here are a few things you can
typically expect when you are applying for employment and
internships. For basic information, you will most likely have to fill
out personal information, which can include legal name, phone
number, address and more. The additional information that may be
needed to submit an application can also include sending in your
resume and proof of highest level of education or any certification
or skill proficiency. And again, if you do not have experience, be
confident and know your talents. Also, identify your passions and
skills to market yourself to the fullest extent.
References and recommendations may also be required. They can
either be personal, professional, or academic. Is you are applying to
a job it might be wise to submit a professional recommendation, if
you are applying for an internship, an academic letter of
recommendation may work the best. A personal letter of
recommendation may be positive for any situation. If the application
requires a specific type recommendation be sure to fulfill their wish
and pay attention to detail if the organisation requires specific
guidelines.
This is very similar to filling out a volunteer application.

Slide 13

On the other hand, let's look into applying for university and
scholarships opportunities. This slide looks very similar to applying
for employment, internships, and volunteer opportunities. So, first
always expect personal information to be needed. You will most
likely have to give your legal name, phone number, and address and
possibly other details.
Additionally, you may be required to submit an essay. When you are
applying, make sure to pay special attention to the essay prompt if
there is a specific question they want you to write about.
Throughout the writing process make sure to start with a simple
outline so all of your ideas are included and make sure to also use a
grammar checker or have someone else proof-read your essay for
clarity. And always remember, to be confident in your words,
abilities, and experiences.
When applying to university and for scholarships, letter of
recommendations are often required. There are specific types. The
most common include: academic, professional, and personal. When
applying to university, I personally have been required to send in all
three different types of recommendation letters. Make sure to pay
attention to the directions on the application and meet their wishes.
Also, make sure to send in your resume, if it is noted on the
application. It will tell the university or scholarship organisation a
little bit more about your experiences and skills.
And finally, just like the essay, have a a trusted person check over
your application with you. This is a first impression, so it never hurts
to have a second set of eyes on the application and additional
materials, such as essays, that you are submitting.

Thank you for joining me today. I wish you the best of luck as you
apply for different opportunities. I will leave you with this quote
from Marko Halilovic “take the risk or lose the chance.” If you
believe in yourself, the possibilities are endless. Thank you and good
luck!