Maëlis Mittig is a proud NYC Savvy Auntie, and the Director of Marketing at Francis Financial, a Boutique Wealth Management and Financial Planning firm. She has mastered various facets of the Marketing “umbrella” including Networking, Event Planning, Branding, PR, Strategic Partnerships and more. Maëlis is an active member of Step Up Women’s Network’s Connections Committee, a dedicated volunteer with The Pajama Program. She graduated with four degrees in International Relations, Business, Spanish and French from The Pennsylvania State University, and is currently working towards a certification in Event and Wedding Planning.
 
As we know, in today’s difficult job market, it is important for our nieces and nephews to have the best career advice they can get when applying for jobs. As professionals, we can help them on this journey and educate them on the best practices in their job search. Can you believe that on average, employers spend 10 seconds looking at a resume?
 
I have spent some time on the hiring end. I have also been through in-depth resume building training in my business fraternity in college, and as much as I’d like to say that the above statistic is false, there are definitely dos and don’ts on a resume that can make or break your nieces’ and nephews’ chances at getting that perfect job. Here are a few personal tips and recommendations you can share with them.
 
1. When I receive a resume, the first thing I take into consideration is the introduction email. Quite frankly, if the email is well-written, shows ambition and interest for the job, and is under three paragraphs, the candidate will have my attention. I will disregard any email with grammatical errors and a lack of enthusiasm. After all, we receive 40+ applications per week, and if the applicant cannot spend five minutes of their time proofing their verbiage (Hello, spell check!), then we know that it will not be a good fit. Here is a wonderful example of a great email I recently received:
 
“Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to introduce myself. As a recent graduate of the School of Business at the University of XXXXXX, I am looking to pursue a career in marketing/PR with a successful company that offers professional development and internal growth. I am impressed with the overall mission and entrepreneurial spirit implemented within XXXXXX, and I am eager to gain hands-on experience from such a successful and influential company.
 
"I am confident that my time efficient, goal-oriented and outgoing personality will advance the overall success of this organization. My experience from Division I athletics and my business courses at the University of XXXXXX have developed my understanding of the importance for project collaboration and time management. I have further developed my office administration skills while working on specific projects at The XXXXXX. In particular, I posses a wide range of communication skills, both verbal and written, and have crafted business plans and proposals for future company projects.
 
"I have attached my resume with further details of my achievements for your review, and I am available to commit to this company for a minimum of three months beginning in January. I look forward to further discussing my interest in working for XXXXXX and the fresh approach I would bring to this internship position. Thank you for your time and consideration."
 
2. If the email catches my eye, then I open the resume. Step two is formatting. Although there are plenty of different “guidelines” for resume building, I recommend that all resumes be one page in length. If the employer is looking at it for 10 seconds, it’s best to keep it precise. Make sure that they send their resume in PDF version so that the format will be the same no matter what version of office the company has. Make sure that their resume is visually appealing and organized. It’s okay to get creative, and depending on the industry, putting an effort to make your resume aesthetically stand out is a great way to be remembered. The candidate should make his or her name stand out, create a brand new format or use subtle color variations to accentuate individuality, creativity, and effort.
 
3. The purpose of a resume is to relay your niece’s or nephew’s  value-add. The candidate should only include experiences and skills that he or she has truly mastered. The candidate should want to make the employer believe that the firm would be lucky to have him or her. The first thing employers look at after assessing that the format represents a high level of organization and attention to detail, is education and relevant experience. The candidates should put their best accomplishments on top! This would include outstanding Grade Point Averages, honors, relevant courses, and study abroad programs. Focus on high quality bullet points.
 
Advise your nieces and nephews to use the popular “STAR” method:
 
-Situation—where you did this
-Task—what was assigned to you
-Action—what you did
-Result—what were the results
 
4. Make the candidate’s personality shine through! Employers want to know that they are hiring someone with passion for extracurricular activities or interests. If your niece or nephew is a talented musician or athlete, they should make sure to let the employer know. Include any awards or special achievements from those activities. A resume with personality is more memorable, so don’t be afraid to include anything that makes them unique!

Photo: Stuart Miles
Published: January 30, 2013