Selling Yourself
Your résumé is your best marketing tool. It should reflect your education, accomplishments, and skills, creating a positive image of yourself and your abilities. Preparing a solid résumé takes time and effort. A good résumé will convince a prospective employer that you are a strong applicant, worthy of an interview.
Conducting a Job Search
Speak with Buffalo State's Internship Coordinator, review current job listings, and do as much research as possible. You can sell yourself as a strong candidate when you know what the industry requires. Then select only the most significant details for each section of your résumé.
Building Your Résumé
Résumé workshops are offered during the academic year.
What to Include on Your Résumé
Job Objective
Work History
If you have a solid work history in the industry, consider putting this information before education.
- Describe each job, listing them in reverse chronological order.
- Include part-time and summer jobs, internships, or volunteer work.
- List firm name (address not needed), your job title, and dates of employment.
- Use action verbs and appropriate phrases in short, simple statements or a bulleted list to describe your significant responsibilities and specific accomplishments.
- Do not use complete sentences or bother listing trivial or apparent tasks.
Education/Training
- List school name, degree, major, and dates of attendance.
- If you have more than one degree, list the advanced degree first.
- Include honors such as Dean's List and a GPA of 3.0 or higher, study abroad, or study at other institutions.
- Do not list your high school once you are a college graduate unless directly it relates to your job objective.
- Emphasizes courses taken if you have limited work experience or have a course concentration unrelated to your principal. This can bolster your credentials and enhance a short résumé.
- List school clubs, student government affiliations, and professional organizations. Indicate service in any leadership capacity.
Relevant Skills and Accomplishments
Describe competencies and knowledge of computer programs, languages, or technical equipment.
Interest/Hobbies
This addition (if space allows) can portray you as an exciting and well-rounded candidate, especially if interests/hobbies relate to your career objective.
References
- It's assumed that you will supply references, so don't bother indicating "references available" or listing names of references on your résumé.
- Be sure to get permission from several people (instructors, supervisors) should an employer wish to contact them.
- Create a list with 2-4 names, addresses, and daytime telephone/fax numbers, so you are prepared for the interview.
What to Avoid
- Exaggerated statements about your abilities or work history. Be honest and factual. A potential employer will check your credentials.
- Any mention of salary (this will be discussed at your interview)
- What you want from the company; you want to be hired for what YOU can bring to the organization.
- All personal and unrelated details: political/religious affiliations, age, race, and gender
- Unnecessary modesty. Take advantage of this opportunity to play up your achievements (and your confidence!).
Keywords
apparel specifications, athletic apparel/footwear, consumer assistance, marketing, planning, market strategies, media planning, showroom sales, menswear, women's wear, pattern development, yarn development, textile development, showroom maintenance, day-to-day operation, account calls, trade shows, order and delivery, follow- up, telephone solicitation/telemarketing, customer service, problem resolution, data entry, computer skills, assistance for sales executives, sales and communication with the design team, new account development, client presentations, sales report generation, sample tracking, Lotus 1,2,3, Microsoft Word, account management, order tracking, merchandise presentations, trade shows, datasheet computation, communication with overseas suppliers and production, billing and payments, collection coordination, shipping report management, product development for clients, travel for fashion shows and market weeks
Telemarketing, customer-base development, exceed sales quota, customer relations, problem resolution, number one market share, field sales, trade show, key account sales program, 85 million sales, and new account development.
Concepts, sketches, illustrations, presentation boards, flat sketches, specs, fabric and trims, draping, pattern making, sewing, computer-aided design, overseas communication, quality control, fabric/trim resourcing, sample correction, line development, communication with overseas factories and suppliers, fittings and modifications, yardage calculation, patternmaking, line sheets, sample prototype production, trend research, sample making, design week organization, preparation.
Concepts, layouts, and production, extensive computer knowledge—Quark XPress, Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, HTML, PageMaker, production costing, marketing communications and sales support, material development, signage in-store fixtures, in-house design execution and production, scanning, creating comps, tight deadlines, fast-paced, hi-volume environment, Internet and print design, typography.
Color matching lab dips, strike-offs, maintenance standards, tracking, fabric development, development of new fabrics and patterns, concept development, color combinations and board presentations, ability to paint in a variety of styles, converter, color matching lab dip management, customer follow-up, CAD experience, researching and designing lines, track production process, recoloring prints, yarn dye patterns, pitch sheets, executing designs on the CAD system, concept boards.
Organize fabric presentation boards, categorize fabrics for the library, maintain tracking reports, Microsoft Office, develop woven, print, and knit designs, print and scanning execute patterns, designs and colorways, fabric analysis, and quality control. Requirements: Strong knowledge of textile design/construction, creativity, color sense, style/design sense, CAD experience.
ability to delegate, ability to train, ability to implement, ability to plan accurate, adaptable, analytical, ability, assertive, competitive, communication skills, conceptual ability, creative, customer-oriented, detailed minded, flexible, follow-through, follow-up, handle multiple tasks, high energy, dynamic, innovative, leadership qualities, open-minded, organizational skills, persuasive, problem solver, public speaker, results-oriented, risk-taker, self-management, setting priorities, supportive, takes the initiative, team player, team builder, willing to travel