showcase

Step 4: Showcase

Highlight skills on your resume to stand out from the competition. Be specific and align your experience to the job description. Grab their attention!

To apply for a job, you need documents that inform the employer about your qualifications. It’s important to develop application documents specific to each position because the employer will use these documents to determine which candidates to interview. You should fine tune your resume, cover letter, portfolio and/or website to speak directly to the job descriptions of interest. Use the resources below to guide you in preparing them.

Resources to Build your Personal Brand

Resume: Once you’ve written your resume, use this Resume Review Form to submit it to be reviewed by a professional. You will receive suggestions for any improvements to help you make it more effective.

  • A carefully crafted resume can improve your chances of landing an interview. To get started writing your resume, review the Resume Basics. It explains how to write an effective resume and includes access to resume templates you can use as a guideline.
  • If you're applying for an academic position, you will submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV) instead of a resume. Follow the Curriculum Vitae Basics for guidance on writing an effective CV. You can get additional help from the CV Guide.
  • Most job postings require you to submit a cover letter in order to apply for the position. The Cover Letters resource provdes information to help you construct an effective cover letter and includes samples. 
  • Sending a Post-Interview Thank You Message is an important step. It can be used to reiterate your interest in the position and help set you apart from other candidates. This resource provides tips on how to express appreciation following an interview.
  • Building your personal brand is an important part of getting a job. An ePortfolio is a digital portfolio that is used to help employers visualize your skills. Traditionally, photographers, designers, filmmakers, artists, engineers and other creative people used ePortfolios to showcase their work, but now an ePortfolio can be helpful in showcasing your experience and skills for any type of career. UNT provides an ePortfolio for all students to use. Use this link if you are accessing your UNT ePortfolio for the first time.
  • If web development isn’t your strong suit, try one of these websites as a coding-free alternative to digital portfolio creation. Weebly, Squarespace, Wix, Wordpress and Adobe Spark.
  • The UNT Career Center is staffed with professional Career Coaches who are available to assist with your resume and other aspects of career development. This resource will help you schedule an appointment to meet with a Career Coach. Faculty members are a great resource for career-related questions especially those that are specific to your major.
Interview Resources

Interview: Preparing for an interview will give you the confidence to showcase your qualifications and skills. Use these resources so you are ready to meet with employers and answer interview questions.

  • An elevator pitch is a brief 30-60 second introduction of yourself, highlighting your skills. You will use it when networking with employers, and the fill-in-the-blank example and instructions will help you get started.
  • Big Interview is an online tool that combines training and practice to improve your interview technique and build your confidence. Knowing common interview questions and practicing your answers ahead of time will help you master the skill of interviewing so you feel less nervous.
  • For additional help with how to dress, questions to ask employers, researching the company and more, check out the Interview Prep resources.
 

Keys to Finding a Post-Graduation Job