(Source: thecloudsarenthelimit, via mycollegesandcareers)
Why Bother Dressing Up For Class?
Your professor will take you more seriously. If you’re looking for a letter of recommendation at the end of the semester, the things you do in class can affect whether or not that will happen. If you sit up straight, pay attention in class, interact, and ditch the sweats, you’ll be more likely to get a favorable letter for your portfolio.
Guest speakers / recruiters. Especially in fourth year and graduate classes, you’re prone to having guest speakers and recruiters visiting the class on a regular basis. Would you feel comfortable networking in your sweat pants and UGGs? That recruiterhas the power to help you find a job after graduation and whether we like it or not, people still judge a book by its cover. Control the controllables and look nice. You’ll garner more positive attention for it.
Cute boy/girl! You want to get the attention of that hottie across the aisle? If you put some extra time and effort into what you look like, you’re more likely to catch their eye.
Respect. Bottom line — dressing nicely shows respect for yourself, your classmates, and the professor. Don’t believe me? Body language expert and former FBI agent Joe Navarro told My Colleges and Careers, “If I as a professor am working this hard for the students, I’m going to reward those that pay me back with interest, with curiosity, with respect.”
Exactly what I needed.
I found this excerpt in a flyer from a Marquette University College of Arts and Sciences advising event in the 1990s. Reich’s words still ring true to me today.
Landing Your First Job After Graduation
- Your resume should be used to land an interview, not a job. You want to catch the attention of the interviewer and make him call you. Keep your resume to one page if possible. You can fill in all of the details once you get an interview.
- Include a brief cover letter letting the person reading it know why they need to call you. List some of your skills and how you’ve been an asset to your current company.
- Proofread your resume and then have someone else proofread it.
- Use an active voice in your resume and cover letter. Do a keyword search for the job you want to find keywords to include in your resume. Some companies scan resumes and run them through a keyword program to see if they are relevant to the job. You can do this at the Google Keyword Research Tool on AdWords.
- Avoid long paragraphs on your resume and in your cover letter. Bullet points are your friends. Keep them short and to the point.
- Once you land the interview be professional and polished. You deal with people everyday and know that looking them in the eye and greeting them is important.
- After the interview shoot off a thank you note or email. This shows you’re really serious about wanting the job and can put you in front of the pack.
