Archinect - News

When to omit a job from your resume

2020-11-30T13:57:00-05:00

One of the inevitable questions for someone with a lot of work experience is if all of those previous jobs should be included on a resume. The answer should depend on the circumstance. As a general rule, it's best to remember that a resume should always be tailored to the job you are applying for.

Remember this: employers want to see relevant experience, not just experience for experience's sake. Upon college graduation, I had a lot of work experience compared to most of my peers. When I was fourteen, I started working at Six Flags Magic Mountain. When I turned eighteen, I started working at Home Depot. I then did a little stint with ADT Security, knocking on doors, until I finally transitioned to architecture internships while in school.

Previously on Archinect: Tools of the Job Hunt: Understanding the Employer

Frame other's perception of you

When I started applying to full-time jobs, I put all of that experience on my resume. Later, a mentor helped me see how the presence of those...

When it comes to the job hunt, perseverance is key

2020-08-20T11:30:00-04:00

Sometimes the search for a job can be discouraging. You spend hours on your portfolio, work on tailoring your resume and cover letter to each position, and you might even get called in for a few interviews. But after all of the hard work, there's no call back. You take some additional steps and follow up with your prospective employer, but still, you're met with indecision or rejection. What do you do when you've done all you can do?

Previously on Archinect: Einstein, Rejection, and Crafting a Future. Image: Einstein in 1947. Photograph by Orren Jack Turner.

Revisiting the rejected genius

A while back, here on Archinect, I wrote a piece about Albert Einstein his excruciating two-year job search that was filled with numerous rejection letters. He diligently applied to countless jobs, but received no offers. His response to the misfortune was to keep on working on his skills. There was nothing and no one that could tell him he wouldn't make something of himself. He went from a nobody ...

Why you should follow up after a job interview

2020-07-20T17:13:00-04:00

In a previous article here on Archinect we looked at 6 important tips on following up after a job interview. And that's the thing many forget to do: Simply to follow up. Especially in our job market today, where work is more in demand and opportunities are limited, following up in the proper manner is a crucial component in your job search endeavors. So make sure to review the previously mentioned resource to ensure you're following up with the best things in mind.

So, aside from how to follow up, let's look at some reasons why it's crucial to follow up.

Previously on Archinect: 6 important tips on following up after a job interview.

It shows your professional courtesy

One of the things we cover in our how-to piece is the importance of sending a prompt thank you to the employer you've met with. This is key. When you reach out to express your gratitude for the interview, a prospective employer invited you to, it shows your professionalism and recognition of the significance of havin...

Tips on writing an effective cover letter

2019-10-03T17:00:00-04:00

After seeing countless application packages and talking to a fair number of hiring managers, the one thing that applicants tend to need the most improvement on are their cover letters. As with anything that will be reviewed by a human, everyone will have their own things they want to see in an application package, so take the following with a grain of salt. Some people want to see a thoughtful cover letter accompany your materials and others could care less what it says, it all depends on the audience. With that said, here are some tips on writing your cover letter:

It's not a copy of your resume. Don't waste your word count on repeating what your resume already communicates. Too many people write cover letters that say things like "In the summer of 2012, I worked at x firm and did x things, and then I worked at x and did x and then..." See what I mean?
How does your experience fulfill the need of your prospective employer? A better approach when mentioning past positions is to talk...