Posts
Author Article: (By Lucy Wyndham)
Those looking to get into the world of
semiconductor engineering are facing one of the most competitive job markets
out there. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected market growth for
materials engineers is only 2% between now and 2026. This stat may sound as
intimidating as an interviewer’s questions, but
don’t worry. This just means you need to prepare for the career as thoroughly
as possible, and this starts with writing an irresistible resume.
The
Basics
Errors have always been resume-killers.
One misspelling here or glaring grammatical gaffe there is oftentimes all it
takes for a resume to get tossed in the wastebasket. When you’ve typed up a
resume, carefully proofread it and fix all
the errors you spot. When you’re done, comb over it again – chances are you
missed something. Not doing so could kill your hopes before they even spring
forth.
A good-looking resume is more than just
making sure there aren’t any mistakes, though. It must be easy to read and
possess an agreeable aesthetic flow. Use a legible font that’s sized to allow
for a decent amount of white space on the page, as that will make it easier to
read. Also, stick to white or cream-colored paper, as it’s very difficult to
take a resume on colored paper seriously.
Additionally, don’t fudge. This not only
includes your qualifications or your past job info, but also your technical skills and proficiencies.
If a job is asking for, say, Excel skills, this means they are going to expect
you to work with a spreadsheet. This could be a problem if you don’t know what
you’re doing.
Modern
Tips
Because of the Internet and the power of
social media, it’s not enough to just build your resume with achievements and
proficiencies. You need to have an online presence. Studies show a whopping 93%
of recruiters will seek out your online profiles before making the call to
interview you.
Therefore, be proactive here and put your
social media links on your resume. Putting a link to your LinkedIn site, for
instance, will make your resume more appealing. After all, nobody will have to
poke around the net trying to figure you out.
Following these tips won’t necessarily
guarantee a phone call from a potential employer. However, they will increase
the likeliness of your resume getting noticed and considered. That may seem
like a small step, but considering the competitiveness of the semiconductor
engineering job market, it’s an important step to take.
-By Lucy Wyndham
(lucy.writer@lumenmail.net)
