Friday, November 9, 2012

To all Journs..... What NOT to put in your resume

To all Journs..... What NOT to put in your resume


Came across this website today while I was trying to start my resume. I googled "resume for journalism" and funny enough this link popped up. 


After looking at my resume, I just wanted to throw it in the dust bin! I did possibly everything the site told us NOT to do.... well oops :O

Here are a few tips that I wanted to share because I never would've known if it wasn't for Ms. Sheppard's Lecture and this site.

1. Objectives are subjective

These reveal nothing about your hopes, your fears, your dreams. And if you’re applying for a media job, you’ve just announced that you can’t write worth a shit.
Bottom line: A good objective won’t land you a job, but a bad one can cost you a job. So don’t bother.

2. Little errors add up.
Get sketchy about your skills. Don’t list programs you barely know under “skills.” Instead, place them in two categories: “expert” and “knowledgeable.” What’s the difference? Knowledgeable means you can open a file and edit what’s there. Expert means you can open a blank document and create what the boss needs from scratch.
Brag about high school. No one cares if you were editor of your high-school paper or yearbook. They don’t care if you won awards for it, either. Think of it this way: When you were a high-school senior, did you give a crap when freshmen boasted about what they accomplished in middle school?
Go long. Your resume should be one page for two reasons: You haven’t lived long enough to be that interesting (hell, my resume is two pages, and I’m 45 years old), and journalists are supposed to be succinct. If you can’t edit your own life, how can I trust you to edit your own stories?

3. Your education doesn’t come first.

In journalism, experience trumps education. Ask any hiring editor (and I have) which is more important: kick-ass clips or a 4.0 GPA.


Remember to just ask advice from previous Journ alumnis. And if they get annoyed at you asking too many questions, then those are some hypocritical journs!


- Sabira Mawji was here

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