Home > Students >Skills Development > 
Skills Development
What Are They Looking For?!
It’s the question students ask themselves as they stare at an internship or job posting: “What does this employer want in an employee?”
It may be easier to uncover their secret than you might think. Within every job description, employers leave traces of information that can help you to present yourself as the perfect fit. Allow the job description to act as a guide as you organize your application materials.
As you read job descriptions, pay attention to key words and phrases that signal to you what the employer is looking for. Look within the job duties section to find tasks the employee will be responsible for, and within the qualifications section to look for adjectives that describe the ideal candidate. After doing so, you will have a much better idea of what to include on your resume to grab the attention of the employer.
For example, if a job description states that the person hired will be responsible for giving speeches on a regular basis, you may wish to place a heavy emphasis on your public speaking experience throughout your resume and cover letter.
EXAMPLE #1
|
JOB DESCRIPTION
|
INTERPRETATION OF NEEDS
|
|
Position gives students a first hand look at a small fashion company. Duties will vary on a daily basis as needed in the areas of design, light sewing, garment care and preparation. Students will have the opportunity to "wear many" hats as so often required in this industry. Students will learn all the aspects of fashion show production, marketing and sales experience, Students will also acquire business prospects in all areas of the industry including photographers, makeup artists, fashion designers, and members of the media.
Applicant must have some knowledge of textiles, light sewing, self-motivated and dependable. Some marketing experience is helpful, but not required. Energetic, outgoing applicants please!
|
“Duties will vary”= Company is looking for a flexible student who is willing to multi-task
“Show production”= position is going to require organization, planning and time management skills
“marketing and sales”= requires communication skills, ability to relate to others and anticipate customer wants/needs, creativity
“all areas of the industry”= position is going to require teamwork and collaboration, working alongside professionals in related areas
“self-motivated”= ideal candidate will be motivated and creative, approaches tasks with enthusiasm
“dependable”= company is looking for a student who is responsible and can be trusted, is on time, is organized
“energetic/outgoing”= company is looking for someone passionate about the field, excited about the opportunity and its possibilities
|
Applicant should highlight the following: Experiences working on teams or committees, ability to juggle more than one project at a time, planning events, organization skills, independent study experiences, marketing or sales experiences, experiences involving creativity, awards or recognition for responsibility or leadership, experiences that showcase the student’s strong interest in the field.
EXAMPLE #2
|
JOB DESCRIPTION
|
INTERPRETATION OF NEEDS
|
|
To work closely with the Accounts Receivable Coordinator to follow up on open accounts receivable balances, both private pay, Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance related. This would entail researching balances, resubmitting paperwork and phone follow up to determine if additional information is needed and when payment can be expected. Other duties to include reconciliation of various accounts and spreadsheets, assistance with the weekly cash receipts/bank deposits, data entry of cash receipts and ancillary charges and filing.
|
“Work closely with”= company is looking for someone who is able to communicate well with others and has experience working as a team member
“researching”= candidate should possess the ability to gather and interpret information independently
“phone follow-up”= ability to communicate professionally with others via phone, fax, email, etc.
“spreadsheet”= candidate should have experience organizing data, creating tables, graphs, using Excel sheets
“cash receipts, bank deposits”= candidate must be trustworthy, position requires handling of confidential information, monetary exchange
“data entry”= candidate should be technology-savvy, accustomed to using functions like Microsoft Excel/Access
|
Applicant should highlight the following: Working with teams, collaborative efforts, research projects, experience communicating with others, working in an office environment, creating spreadsheets and data organization, handling monetary exchanges, experience using Excel or Access, organizational skills.
|
