How can I combine two unrelated degrees?

A low-income student writes:

"It seems most who are interested in dual-majoring, dual-degrees, and the such usually have the duo linked. My interests, however, are in no way linked. 

If I'm interested in the BA/MA program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, but also would like to attend a college (like the Fashion Institute of Technology) for Interior Designing -- how is that doable, and how would financial aid assess this situation, as they are clearly not linked interests? 

I'm not a first-generation student, but a non-traditional unemployed and low-income student who's unable to "settle" on one interest/direction. I'm too old to be having any more regrets of not having done things when I should've, and have issues with willingness when it comes to time commitments to do with my disability. 

I'd rather do more in less time, such as overlap the degrees. I'm currently attending a community college and will be obtaining dual A.S. degrees this Spring for Commercial Art and Mental Health (haha, no, I'm not interested in "Creative Arts Therapy"). I'm very anxious to figure out transfer plans, as I will also have to arrange disability accommodation plans! I'm pretty much an unique student in every way possible, haha."

In general, it is difficult to attend two different schools while pursuing two very different degrees. But, this may ultimately depend on the schedule of classes and the policies on dual enrollment and financial aid at each school. So, you may want to start with looking into the rules at the schools that you're interested in attending. Also check out this advice on going to two schools at once.

Having wide interests, especially as a non-traditional student, is not uncommon! The key to nailing down your transfer plans is to get more clarity on what jobs you want to end up after you're done with school.

Honestly, it seems unrealistic to be both an interior decorator and work in criminal justice once you're done with school, unless you plan to maintain two jobs. So, between the two options which appeals more to you based on the day-to-day activities of the job?

Do you lean more toward one than the other and can you think of ways to do both without going to school for both full-time? For example, would you be happy with going to school for criminal justice then getting a related full-time job while you took occasional interior design classes and decorated on the side only?

It is also important to consider if school is even necessary for the careers you're interested in. Some criminal justice positions absolutely require a degree, while others do not always. In interior design, a design degree may not be necessary either if you are able to build a portfolio through volunteering or interning and without additional schooling. These are both areas where a degree is not always going to help you get a job, so look into the requirements for jobs you're interested in around your local area to help figure that out.

Practically speaking, it may also help to speak with a transfer counselor at your current community college to see if which of your associate degrees set you up the best once you transfer. Do you end up with more transferable credits in one area over the other? That alone may make one option more attractive option.

Looking at costs, is one school cheaper or more expensive? Is it financially feasible for you to afford two schools? Will you be able to pay off the debt with the jobs you're hoping to land after graduation? Does one career path pay more than the other? Financial implications are often deciding factors when you're currently unemployed and a low-income student.

You don't mention what type of disability you have, but you might also consider if one career path could potentially accommodate your needs better than the other. For example, if you have a learning disability which might make the record keeping common in criminal justice jobs difficult, it might make more sense to lean toward interior design.

So, you have a lot to think about and there is no easy answer. I hope these considerations help you think about it, but no one can really answer the root of your question. Good luck!

If you know of other resources for first-generation and low income college students, please share them with Ask An Advisor!

I graduated 2 years ago, should I still list classes on my resume?

A reader writes:

"I graduated with my MBA 2 years ago, but haven't found a job in my field. Should I still list relevant coursework?"

The longer you've been out of school, the less relevant your classes become to potential employers. So, at the two-year mark, it is time to remove classes from your resume and look for other ways to get experience related to your field.

Look into related intern and volunteer positions if you are not finding a job in your field. You should consider both paid and unpaid opportunities, if your financial circumstances allow you to do unpaid work. If you need to work, try to find a part-time related intern and volunteer position that works with your schedule.

If you've been working, interning, or volunteering in the past two years, even if it isn't in your field, you want to highlight that experience over coursework on your resume by tailoring your resume to field-related positions. 

As I've said before, when your experience is not directly related to the position you're applying for but that "unrelated" experience gives you valuable skills that might be relevant, you want to highlight those on your resume. You should be focusing on what you think is important about your current "unrelated" experiences from the potential employers perspective.

One last thing: you may want to reconsider the types of positions you are applying for if you haven't landed anything in your field yet. I see a lot of students with graduate and professional degrees like the MBA applying for positions which require more experience than they have based on the assumption that their degree is enough. Unfortunately, and especially in this tough job market, experience far outweighs education when a graduate or professional degree is not a specific requirement for the job.

For example, some people mistakenly believe an MBA qualifies for a manager position on it's own. However, without any management experience outside of the degree, it would be pretty difficult to land a manager position. If you are in this boat, you may need to consider entry-level positions because, well, you ARE entry-level even with an MBA in many cases. Good luck in your job search!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Is it a good idea to change careers in this economy?

A reader writes:

"I'm a 33 year old man who works part time as a nurse assistant, at this point I am not happy with what I am doing. By working at the hospital one thing I know is I don't want to pursue a career in nursing. So I thought about things and looking into schools and decided to get a degree in computer science online, which some of my credits from a previous college should transfer over. My question is this the right direction for me at this age and is this a good career choice at this economic crisis?"

I can't really tell you if this is the right direction for you or not--no one can, really--but there are a few things to keep in mind when contemplating a big change like this:

Will you be happy? Think about what makes you happy and what you're good at, career-wise. Do you enjoy solving puzzle, hands on work, and working with technology? These might be good cues as to whether computer science is a good match for you or not.

What would make you miserable? On the hand, thinking about the things that make you dislike nursing can be helpful in pinpointing careers you should avoid. For example, if you hate dealing with patients as a nurse assistant, computer science jobs that require interacting with customers might not be a good fit for you, but a position that didn't require customer interaction might work for you. 

Do your research. Look at the requirements for the types of jobs that you want after completing a computer science program and use that as a gauge to help you figure out if this is a good choice for you. Doing so will also give you a sense of what jobs are available in your area. 

Get experience. When you are thinkiing about changing careers, getting experience related to the new career can be enormously valuable in helping you make good decisions. You can get related experience by volunteering or finding a new job that doesn't require a degree. 

Where you are now? When contemplating such a big change, it is easy to think about where you want to be, but it is very important to think about your current circumstances. Can you truly afford to go back to school and possibly take on my student debt? Can your afford to give up your current income? What obligations do you have that will not be changed by your choice? And what about the obligations that will be changed? You need to get really clear on what makes the most sense for you given where you are now.

Again, no one can really tell you if this is the right choice for you or not. But, by keeping the above in mind you can make a more educated decision about your next step in life. Good luck!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

My boyfriend has a 2 page resume with high school still listed

A reader writes:

"I have a question about my boyfriend's resume.  He has been working in customer service for more than 10 years now and his resume is 2 pages now, I know that it shouldn't be but my question is can we delete his high school education?"

A two-page resume is perfectly fine, as long as the experience on it is relevant to the position he is applying for. Generally, someone with 10 years of experience in the same field would be expected to have a longer resume. 

Just be aware that this can vary by field. To get the best idea about whether two pages is common in his field or not, your boyfriend can ask his manager or others working around him for their advice.

But, the two-page issue is actually separate from the high school on your resume issue. Once a person is in college, all high school stuff--both high school experience and the high school diploma--should come off the resume with a few narrow exceptions. 

In your boyfriend's case, I'm going to assume that his 10 years of experience means that he is at least 8 years of experience after high school, so his high school information should definitely come off his resume.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should I list classes on my resume that aren't relevant to my current job?

A reader writes:

"I graduated with a BS in business administration,I work at a furniture store but I'm taking online classes to be a medical coder...should I include my medical coding classes on my resume even though it is has no relevance to my current job?"

What's relevant on a resume is based on the job or internship you're applying for, not the job you currently have. You want to use your resume to highlight the skills, experience, and education you have that are related to the position you're applying for.

So, if you are applying for medical coder positions, you can include the classes. On the other hand, if you are applying for a position that has nothing do to with medical coding, the classes don't belong on your resume.

Although you didn't ask about it, I wanted to bring up tailoring your resume because you're in working at a job that is not directly related to your career goals. Beside listing relevant classes, you also only want to include relevant jobs, internships, and volunteer positions on your resume.

When your experience is not directly related to the position you're applying for, but you have skills that might be relevant from an unrelated job, you want to highlight those on your resume. Put another way, focus on what you think is important about your current job from the potential employers perspective.

For example, go ahead and list your furniture store job when you are applying for medical coder positions, but highlight medical coder-related skills and accomplishments, like being detail oriented to manage inventory or using ten key while processing customer transactions.

Good luck in your medical coding classes!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should I list well-known professors on my resume?

A reader writes:

"I graduated with my degree in the Arts, and I am unsure if it would be helpful to include the names of the well-known professors whom I took relevant courses with? If so, how would I go about including that?"

Generally, you would not list professors on a traditional resume, even if those professors are well known. Honestly, most employers just don't place a high value on who taught a class you took because it doesn't really add to making you a stronger candidate for a job.

You might want to work the name of a well-known professor into your cover letter if--and only if--you had a valuable experience with that professor aside from just going to class and turning in assignments.

For example, if you did a research project, independent study, or otherwise were able to build a professional relationship with that professor, you would drop their name in the context of the valuable experience.

So, name dropping famous professors for the sake of name dropping is not really appropriate for your resume. But, it may be fair game when you have had a relevant experience with that famous professor.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should I choose a marketable major over an interesting one?

A reader writes:

"Currently I am pursuing a BS in Business Studies with a focus in Computer Information Technology. I chose this focus (IT) because I feel like it is necessary knowledge. However, I am only moderately (at best) interested in the IT world. I am trying to decide if I want to change my focus to Small Business Management or International Management (both of which I am very interested in) or keep the IT focus being that it seems this is more necessary (or seems this way to me). Am I wrong in thinking that the IT focus is necessary and would make me more competitive? Would a small business or international business focus be a good choice of a major?

Additional info: If there is such a thing as a dream job mine  would be owning a microbusiness (makes me want the Small Bus. Management) that interfaces with customers via the internet (Makes me want the IT focus). Also I speak Spanish and would be very interested in expanding business into Latin America, potentially (makes me interested in the International Business)"

Choosing a major is not always easy, especially when it comes picking a specialization area within your major. I usually encourage students to consider both their interests, professional goals, and what they dislike to help clarify what direction to go in. In your case, both your interests and professional goals are pushing you away from the IT focus. Pay attention to that.

Also, choosing a major or specialization based on what you think will be more marketable rather than what matches your interests, professional goals, and ultimately make you happiest can be a dangerous thing. Think of it this way: If you are unhappy in your classes and start to do poorly, would it have been worth it because you thought it was more marketable?

However, one important thing to keep in mind when it comes to business is that your experience is typically more important than your focus area in college. So you may be better served by seeking out leadership positions, volunteer opportunities, or internships in international, small, and IT business. Not only will this experience help you clarify which focus is the best fit for you, it will help you be more qualified for positions after graduation 

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

I'm scared I'll never get into med school now!

A reader writes:

"I have just gotten my 1st semester grades for my sophomore year and they are not good. I'm really scared, they are not good to the point where I have basically all c's. My first year of college I actually went to a different private institute and did well. My grade point average was about a  3.7 there, but then I decided to transfer to another school to pursue pre-med. Here we started on a clean slate. I didn't think that this school would be any different from my old school, but it was much more rigorous. It took me a while to get used to the change. Now I feel like its too late. I feel like I may not even have the chance to go any farther in pursuing my goal. I'm scared that I will never get into medical school now. What should i do?"

First off, don't freak out over one semester. It is NOT too late! When it comes to medical schools (or graduate or other professional schools), one term of bad grades isn't going to keep you from getting in by itself. 

At this point, it is very important that you consider how you can improve your grades rather than focus on the bumps in the road. A medical school is going to be looking for improvement the next semester or quarter, so that's what you should concentrate on.

Think about what you can do to have a better next semester and move forward. Examine your study habits, time management skills, and other time commitments. Practice a little trial and error to figure out what works for you. Also, check out these tips for dealing with and preventing academic difficulty. 

It is going to take hard work to put yourself in a better position for next semester, but ultimately that is what is going to help you be a successful applicant to medical school in the future. 

I'm wishing you a semester of academic achievement in the new year!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should high school stuff come off your resume? Part IV

Another question about when should high school stuff come off your resume has popped up. A reader writes:

"So... What if you were Valedictorian of your High School? Would that be alright to include on an application in your sophomore year?"

Congratulations on your achievement of being your high schools's valedictorian. So, what have you done since then?

That's not a question I have for you, but a question a potential employer will be asking if they see a major high school achievement like that on your resume once you're in college. Remember, being the valedictorian was about having good grades, but potential employers care about experience more than grades.

But, of course, there are some exceptions to this. This high school achievement might be relevant to mention in a cover letter. For example, say you went to a prestigious magnet school well-known for its engineering curriculum and you're applying to be a math tutor for students interested in engineering, then you might want to mention it in your cover letter by tying it to the position.

Or, if you're applying for an internship or scholarship that asks about achievements, you can get away with listing it. Although in this case, college-based achievements will definitely make you a stronger candidate.

I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but without a strong connection like those above, it shouldn't go anywhere on an application.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

What goes on resumes for parents re-entering the workforce?

A reader writes:

"I'm a first generation and low income recent college graduate. Right after high school, I got married and had children. After my second child, I decided to go back to school and get my degree. Being a full-time college student and a mother of 3 (I had another child while working on my degree), I didn't have a normal college experience. I was also only in 1 club, and didn't participate in very many activities throughout college. To be a mother and a college student, I had to have excellent time management skills, budgeting ability, and organizational skills, but I know that many employers will just look at the fact that I wasn't very involved in college. While I would have liked to have been more involved, I had to think of my family. I did make sure to always go to class and have excellent references from some of my professors because of my dedication to my education. How can I explain this to potential employers on my resume?"

First off, congrats on completing your degree while raising 3 kids! A lot of first generation and low income college students are also student-parents and it is no easy task. It truly does take "excellent time management skills, budgeting ability, and organizational skills;" however, your resume is not the place to showcase this parent-specific skill set.


So then what should go on your resume to fill the gap? Start with your academic experiences. Did you take any important classes, do any exciting projects, or conduct research? This classroom-based experience is totally fair game for your resume, as long as its relevant to the jobs you are applying for, so list classes and academic experience on your resume.


You mentioned that you were part of one club in college. If the activities of the club are related to your career goals, especially if you held a leadership position, definitely list it as well.


Also, think about any volunteer activities or major events you may have done for your kids. Maybe you were the treasurer for your daughter's soccer team or helped coordinate a neighborhood block party. Using these types of experiences allows you to make the connection between "excellent time management skills, budgeting ability, and organizational skills" and what an employer is looking for. You are much better off tying your skills gained as a parent to concrete activities outside of the home.


Check out Jobfully's blog on Resume Make-over: Returning to the Workforce, which I think has some good information about working on your resume when you are going back to work after raising a family.


Good luck!


Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

How would I list relevant classes in a cover letter?

A reader writes:

" How would I list relevant classes in a cover letter?"

I assume that this was in response to Should I list classes on my resume?, or maybe Can I list classes I haven't taken yet on my resume? Anyhow, there are two ways you can include relevant classes in a cover letter:

Your first option is to work the classes into the cover letter by relating them to the position or requirements. This might sounds something like this: "I am very excited to get my feet wet in design project management through your interior design internship. I've taken project management and an advanced design practicum, which complement my previous design experience and the grounding in design fundamentals you are looking for in an intern."

Your other options is to explain how the classes are relevant to set off a bulleted list. This one might look something like this: "I am very excited to get my feet wet in design project management through your interior design internship. I've taken several classes that will complement my previous design experience and the grounding in design fundamentals you are looking for in an intern:

• Project Management
• Advanced Design Practicum" 

Regardless of which option you choose, remember that you only want to incorporate classes into your cover letter when they are truly relevant to the position for which you are applying. Think about it from the perspective of the reader.

Ask yourself "Will he or she value the classes?" If the answer is "yes" then include it. On the other hand, if the answer is "maybe," "I'm not sure," or a resounding "no," you should not be including classes in your cover letter (or resume).

Happy cover letter writing!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Listing continuing education classes on your resume

A reader writes:

"I know you have answered questions about putting specific classes & classes you will be taking in the future on your resume, but my question is slightly different... I am taking a gap year between high school and college and I don't have much education on my resume other than HS and an academic summer program. Although I'm not a "student" right now, I am taking two classes right now (continuing education courses) that are relevant to the places I am applying for internships/entry level jobs. If I list the classes at all, I'd do it upon completion. Should I do this at all? If so, how would that look? I am taking them at two different schools..."

You are a student if you are currently enrolled in continuing education classes and those classes are relevant to the things you are applying to. It is totally appropriate to list both "in progress" schools on your resume under Education. It might look something like this:

Education
ABC Community College & City College of XYZ
Event Planning Continuing Education
Spring 05/2012

• Relevant Coursework: Venue Contract Negotiations, Hospitality Management

Alternately, if you didn't want to list them on your resume, you can talk about the classes you are currently taking in your cover letter and how its relevant to the position, similar to this example.

Good luck making the most out of your gap year!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should I list a previous school on my resume?

A reader writes:

"Should I list a school I didn't graduate from on my resume? I'm 24 and, after many setbacks, will be finishing up my Associate's degree soon. On my resume I list my current school and sometimes my previous school (it's an art school that I attended as a fashion major so I'll usually only list it if I'm applying for something fashion oriented). I attended from 2007-2009, right around the time the economy went down the drain, so I don't have any work experience for that time period. I figured showing that I was at least in school is better than it looking like I did nothing for almost three years of my life, but at the same time, I didn't graduate. Should I keep the previous school on to show that I was doing something during that time period or take the old school off? I'm afraid that the combination of not listing my previous school and only having a 7 year work history will make me come off younger than I really am and that'll work against me."

You're not alone in being a first generation or low income college student who ended up attending more than one school. Most of the time, you would not list a school that you no longer attend and didn't graduate from on your resume when that school is not related to the jobs you're applying to. But, if you are going to list your old school, try to make it relevant to the employer.

A great way to make you attractive to an employer even when the position you are applying for isn't related to your previous study is to tie your fashion skills to the position in your cover letter. Check out Ask a Manager's "wee answer Wednesday: 7 more short answers to 7 short questions," specifically question number 7 and the comment by Mike C. for awesome guidance on making the connection between unrelated areas relevant for employers so it can be an asset for you.

Also, at 24 years old with 7 years of experience, you really don't need to worry about coming off younger than you are. Many 24-year-olds do not have 7 years of experience, so if anything it would age you up instead of down.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Can I list classes I haven't taken yet on my resume?

In response to Should I list classes on my resume?, a reader writes:

"What do you do if you are taking relevant coursework in the Spring semester, long after the application is due? How do you include the Spring coursework on your resume?"

You should only be listing classes that you have completed or are currently taking on your resume, so it would not really be appropriate to list classes you have not yet taken.

I know you want that potential employer or internship coordinator to know what you are planning to take that matters to them, your resume is just not the place to do it. Instead incorporate it into your cover letter by tying those classes to the position for which you are applying.

For example, you might say, "I am very excited to get my feet wet in design project management through your interior design internship. Next semester, I will be taking project management and an advanced design practicum, which will compliment my previous design experience and the grounding in design fundamentals you are looking for in an intern."

The same way you should be tailoring a resume to the position or internship you are applying for, you should be doing the same thing with cover letters. Your cover letter is the perfect place to talk about classes that you are planning on taking when they are relevant to the position.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Get FREE business cards from InternMatch!

This is a guest post by Ashley, a first-generation college graduate. Ashley is the Community Manager for InternMatch, a free online internship database based in San Francisco, CA with positions all over.

As a first-generation college student I encountered many challenges when it was time to apply for internships. I didn’t know about the importance of interning, like that the majority of full-time employment offers are extended to students who have interned. I was also clueless about creating a professional cover letter and resume, finding positions that would be a good fit, and networking at internship job fairs.

Luckily for me, all was not lost! I discovered a great support system through my school’s career counseling office and professors. As a result, I completed several awesome internships in cool places like New York City and Cebu, Philippines. Now I’m the go-to girl for other people looking for awesome positions!

Many students don’t have the kind of support that I had, which is why sites like Ask an Advisor and InternMatch are such critical resources. It is our goal to make sure that the internship process is as effortless, effective and rewarding as possible - and that students are competitive for top positions.

This is why InrernMatch launched our free student business card campaign:

What's in it for you? InternMatch believes that every student should have a business card when interviewing with employers. Not only is it professional, but it's also a great way for you to demonstrate that you're serious about your career. It's also a unique way to standout among your peers.

You would be surprised at the number of students who don't have a business card! Once we realized this problem, we partnered with Moo.com to create this campaign.

Signing up is easy! First, register for a FREE InternMatch account. Once registered, you will be re-directed to a special page to begin designing your business cards, with the option to choose from hundreds of templates or design your own. Students often design cards based on their academic majors, extracurricular activities and hobbies.

In addition to free business cards, registered students will have access to InternMatch's over 4,000 internships with companies like CBS, Kiva, Yelp and Pixar - as well as access to lots of resources and how-to guides on applying for internships and tackling tricky interview questions.

What's in it for InternMatch? Nothing... We're just spreading some good karma! We know that students who complete internships are usually the most competitive for post-graduation employment. These resources prepare students to land their dream internship - and they’re also the first step toward their long-term professional development.

Finding internships means acquiring a slew of new skills, a process that often feels daunting in the beginning. However, once equipped with the tools needed to do well at job fairs and interviews, it becomes much less intimidating - even fun!

Business cards are not only easy and simple to create, but they’re also a great step toward getting ahead of the pack and InternMatch is excited to help!

As part of the campaign, InternMatch is offering to FREE custom design business card templates for student organizations. If your group is interested, please contact ashley@internmatch.com to take advantage of this limited time offer.

Got other questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Prerequisites for graduate school

A reader writes:

"I have a bachelors degree in Construction Management & Design and I am thinking about going back to school for my masters. However, I am thinking about picking a different field other than construction management. My question is: Considering my prerequisites associated with my bachelors degree, what masters degrees would I be eligible for?"

Believe it or not, most master's degree do not have specific prerequisites, but when it comes to graduate school you're actually thinking about this backwards. Don't think about what you've already taken and how that fits into grad school prerequisites. Instead, think about what you want to get out of grad school and look for programs that match that.

 

The most important question you must ask yourself is why are you interested in going to graduate school? The best two reasons for wanting to go to grad school are having a genuine passion/interest in a particular topic/field or having a career goal that requires graduate school.

If you are considering grad school because you don't know what you want to do or want to avoid jumping into the job market, I hate to tell you that grad school is not for you. At least not yet.

Grad school is not the place to figure out what you want to do. Because grad school is pretty focused, you should enter it with a clear idea of how it fits into your career or academic plan. 

In your case, because you are considering changing fields from your undergraduate degree, it is very important that you know what direction you want to go in. Look at the requirements for the types of jobs that you want after doing a grad program and use that as a gauge to help you figure out what areas might be good options for you.

 

This semester I'm actually teaching a course for first generation and low income college students on preparing for and applying to graduate school, so I love it when I hear about first generation and low income college students and alumni wanting to go to grad school. Graduate school is awesome, but only if you understand how it fits into your future. Good luck!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should high school stuff come off your resume? Part III

I've answered questions about when should high school stuff come off your resume before. This seems to be quite the popular topic among first generation and low income college students (and I suspect all college students). Another reader commented:

"Im in my second year,in a four year degree.Ive done nothing in college....il be applyng for some petroleum company most probably,which does mean leading/working abroad mixing etc. So this is all from school- A 20 day student exchange trip to germany for learning educational and culture differences (government sponsored) and being Selected by my state for learning in an under-18 National tennis camp (also government sponsored) and won junior state titles and was capatain of football/cricket teams and best athlete in final year.Also very good chess player..... can i include these things or they will all be rather called 'sucesses' than 'learning experiences'"

So your first problem is that you've "done nothing in college." By the time you graduate from college, you should have at least three relevant experiences related (at least somewhat) to your career goals. Definitely take advantage of what your college has to offer and get involved on campus, take on leadership role or position, get an internship, and do some volunteer work.

Generally speaking, employers look much more favorably on students with related experience rather than just good grades, so go out there and get yourself that related experience. Start now.

As for the experience you are currently listing, some of it can stay and some of it should go. You can put the student exchange experience under education. It might look something like this:

Education
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
University of ABC
Expected 05/2013 

Cultural Exchange Program
XYZ High School, Berlin, Germany
05/2009

• Learned educational and culture differences during 20-day student exchange trip

For the sports activities, stick with the leadership aspects. In other words, if you are going to list being captain of a sports team, make sure you focus on the leadership skills and concrete things you did to lead your teams rather than the sport-related stuff.

For example, if you led team meetings, coordinated fundraisers to buy equipment, or assisted the coaches to develop game strategies, concentrate on that sort of thing rather than on-the-field activities. Think broadly about your experiences and pull out the aspects about them that matter to employers or are related to the position you are applying for.

You can add an Achievements section to list your sports awards, but these awards should come off by the end of the year as you gain more college experience. Also, only include these awards if you think they will be seen as valuable by the person reading your resume. The Achievements section might look like this:

Achievements
Best Athlete in Final Year award, XYZ High School Football Team, June 2010
Junior State Title, XYZ High School Cricket Team, June 2009

No matter what you're applying for, it always boils down to tailoring your resume for the positions you are applying for. Remember, it's not what's important to you, your resume should be tailored to what is important to the person reading your resume.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Should high school stuff come off your resume? Part II

On an old post about when should high school stuff come off your resume a reader commented:

"hmmm. I'm also a sophomore and have a few things from high school still left on my resume. I figure the awards I won in grade 12 can stay on for a few more years but pretty much everything else is gone. I agree that you do need to review and remove outdated things from you resume, because 1st place in your grade 2 spelling bee just doesn't mean much. However I still have the high school diploma listed on my resume. I've kept it this far because I was certified as bilingual and usually end up doing bilingual work... I also have an award from grade 11 when I received the AP level 5 in french... I intend on keeping those tidbits on my resume until I stop working bilingually, which may not happen anytime soon. So I guess ya, it depends on the relevance of the item to the job you are applying to."

I'm glad that you understand that you should be tailoring your resume to the position you are applying for, but there are still some adjustments you should make to make your resume even stronger.
First, you probably want to remove your high school diploma from your resume. Leaving it there risks making you look naive about what is appropriate to be on your resume at this stage in your life. In general, once you are in college you should remove your high school diploma or GED from your resume. If the bilingual certification is important to the positions you are applying for now, highlight that more than the actual diploma itself. For example, on your resume you might have it listed like this:

Education
Bachelor of Arts in French Language & Literature
University of ABC
Expected 05/2013 

Bilingual Certification in French & English
XYZ High School
05/2009

Also, when it comes to awards you won in high school, once you are in college those older awards should definitely go away unless they are well-know and prestigious awards. So unless you were a Gates Millennium Scholar, NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program recipient, or something similar, you should probably get rid of it.

Sorry, that means you should probably remove the AP award as well. Really, as far as most employers are concerned, getting a 5 on an AP test at least 2-3 years ago might as well be "1st place in your grade 2 spelling bee." If in college you have been doing work that highlights the same skill set as your old AP test score, that will stand out much more than the old award. You might want to consider listing your relevant classes on your resume instead

I know this seems really harsh because I am sure you are very proud about your high school accomplishments, but leaving high school stuff on your resume may leave you open to some unwanted assumptions.

Let's pretend your name is Jane. So, Jane, when people reading your resume see high school stuff, they might think, "What the heck has Jane been doing--or not doing--in college?" or worse yet "So Jane hasn't accomplished anything significant since high school." And you don't want these kinds of assumptions to hold you back.

So, that's the mean part... Now the nice part: Keep looking for opportunities to get involved on campus, get leadership experience, and do internships and you will be on your way to building a strong resume! I hope this helps "Jane!"

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

How to network on campus

Making connections with classmates, faculty, and staff is an essential part of the college experience for first generation and low income college students. Building and utilizing those connections is what networking is all about--and networking is going to benefit you personally, socially, academically, and professionally.

Hopefully, you have building your own campus network without even knowing it. Even if you haven't, here are # tips on how to network on campus:

Think about your goals. Before you can identify people to network with, you have to think strategically about who would be best to include in your network. To do this, think about what it is you want to accomplish on campus and after graduation. How are your goals social, personal, academic, and professional? Use those goals to influence who you try to network with. And don't think about it like an "either/or" choice because you can pursue multiple networks.

Talk to people. At the beginning of every class, strike up a conversation with your classmates. Go to office hours and talk up your professors. Meet with an advisor and get your questions answered. Ask department advisors or office managers about student groups and faculty advisors. After a few comfortable chats, ask to exchange contact information and be clear about why you're interested in connecting.

Join a group. Seek out student groups in your major department or campus organizations in your interest areas and join them. Join study groups for your classes or start your own. You can even use these tips to start your own campus organization. If the group has a faculty or staff advisor, talk to them too in addition to the other students.

Be active. Just joining groups is not enough, so go to their activities and events too. Participate in any activities that you can (like workshops, conferences, retreats, and community service), especially early on in your involvement. Really, having a good time and sharing common experiences are both ways to developing strong networks.

Step up. After you have been in campus groups for a while and feel comfortable, consider volunteering for a leadership role like leading a committee, planning an event, or being an officer. You'll find that stepping up to more responsibility within a group will help you build even stronger connections in your network.

Keep in touch. With all the people you are meeting, don't let them forget about you if you are not in regular contact. Send them the occasional email or text message to let them know you are still interested in staying connected to them.  If you come across something you think they might like (like an activity, article, or book), let them know about it.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.

Finding your first internship

This is a guest post by Nate Whiston, a first generation college graduate and Vice President of marketing for InternMatch, an online internship database and career-building resource based in Mountain View, CA.

Internships have become a staple for gaining professional experience as a first generation or low income student. Most employers expect you to have at least one internship in your portfolio—and sometimes they want two or more internships. (Ask an Advisor note: The Advisor recommends you have at least three career-related experiences by the time you graduate from college!)

The big question though, is how do you land your first internship? Here's how:

Build your network. Get to know your professors, parents’ friends, friends’ parents, mentor, and other professionals in the industry you are interested in. Learn where they work and don’t be afraid to reach out to them. Build meaningful relationships with people by asking them deep, professional questions (not just for help). Ask how they climbed to their current position, what challenges they faced, and keep the conversation friendly. Meaningful dialog will get them to want to help and eventually recommend you for internships.

You can also connect with professionals through your local Chamber of Commerce and sites like Meetup.com. Students that go to professional events stand out, which is exactly what you should be striving to do.

Shameless self-promotion. Networking means having to market yourself. Get acquainted with LinkedIn and connect with everyone you know and meet. An effective tip is making all of your online profile pictures the same. Creating a brand for yourself makes it much easier for people to remember you. Furthermore, small things really make you stand out in the recruitment process. Get business cards and always carry them because you never know who is going to walk into the elevator with you.

Don’t be afraid to apply. Applying to 10-15 internships is average right now, though not all have to be focused in your field. In fact, reaching into other business settings can sometimes benefit you more. For example, working with a start-up company or small business allows you to see the bones of the operation and learn multiple facets of every day work. To find more opportunities to apply to you should visit your career center about posted positions or search through InternMatch’s vast internship database.

Stand out in the crowd. One of the biggest questions InternMatch gets is how to stand out if you have no prior experience. Depending on your field, you can use projects outside of school to demonstrate your passion and knowledge of a field. For example if you want to be a marketer or journalist, start a blog on Wordpress. Or if you want to be a programmer, write code and publish it on GitHub. Do something that shows you are passionate and dedicated to a field. Include this experience on your resume and the passion in your cover letter.

Ultimately, finding an internship isn’t always easy but the preparation process helps teach valuable interviewing and self-branding skills and gives you other professional experience which you will use for the rest of your life.

Remember to enjoy the process. For more information on getting your first internship, check out InternMatch’s 40+ ways to find your first internship.

If you have questions about finding your first internship or InternMatch, you can email Nate Whiston directly. Got other questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.