Before I begin, here is a little background information/thought process to ponder as I begin my so-called life lesson. I am (well, I was… I’m still getting used to being a college graduate) an elementary education major. What better way to build a résumé than to work or volunteer in a school system as I go through college, right? So let’s make a quick list of things that happen during the daytime that might interfere with volunteering or getting a job in a school system: college courses, business hours at most paying jobs, more college courses, well shoot… do I need to continue? Welp, looks like my days are already shot. I didn’t even talk yet about how most positions in schools require a college degree, certification, or at least 2 years of college credit to become hired on. Now here I am 4 years later getting ready to move into the real world after graduating college and guess what? I got a job.
Now, let’s begin…
Anyone in the business world knows what a résumé is. Anyone who has a job has probably made one of them before. Anyone who wants to keep finding more jobs in the future more than likely keeps theirs up-to-date for when ‘the time’ comes for their next career move. It’s safe to say that résumés definitely are important to have when it comes to a job hunt, but is it really the ‘end-all be-all’ to getting a job?
Now first of all, let me say that I definitely do have a current résumé, and there’s a decent possibility that having that document prepared helped in landing me my current job. However, I’m here today to let you know a few things. If you are still in your younger years of college and want to build your résumé, or if you are afraid that your résumé isn’t as strong as it could possibly be, don’t worry. Yes, you heard me correctly; don’t worry about it! That’s what I’m here to communicate; not that you should ‘boycott’ résumés as a whole (that might just make you unemployed), but rather to not lose too much sleep over a single document. While having a résumé is important, there are many that feel the same way as me when it comes to this ‘hallowed’ document. It’s not about what words are on your document, but it’s what your document says about you as a worker, a team member, and as a person in general.
Working a part-time job in college is a choice for many, but it wasn’t really an option for me. I began the job hunt in a new city and campus as soon as I arrived my freshman year, and haven’t looked back since. Did I worry about which jobs would look better on a résumé than others? Of course. But as a freshman in college in a new city with relatively little-to-no prior experience, I took what I could get. With that being said, I took my first job of my college career at a calling center. Here, I contacted alumni and friends of the university to basically just ask them for money. Luckily, that was only a one-year gig as I then moved onto my summer job for the next two years at a camp. Upon returning back to college in the fall, I began work for my next employer: the Department of Housing and Residence Life. I first served as a resident assistant (RA) in the residence halls on campus where I did my time for two years before moving onto my final student employment position of my college career at the university’s new apartment facilities for one year before moving onto my ‘big boy’ job in the real world.
How does this sound for a hopeful teacher-to-be: “Well yes, I’m very prepared to teach these kids. I’ve called people and begged for money, rock climbed and zip lined, and busted people in the dorms for drinking underage and pulling the fire alarms!” I’m not on any hiring committees just yet, but I’d make a safe assumption that I would get that job 0 out of 10 times if that’s how I sold myself. Did those positions make an impact on my résumé? Sure. My work experience section would be rather barren without their help. But do you think that I accepted jobs and worked as a fundraiser, counselor, and glorified secretary just to boost my résumé? Not a chance.
Like many of us going through an expensive university, I took what I could get. College is expensive and I needed money! But I also knew what a growing experience each of those jobs was going to be for me. I didn’t accept my job as a fundraiser because I was passionate about calling people and asking them to donate to Western Kentucky University. I took that job because I knew that it would be a good experience for me it would be in helping me deal with my social anxiety as well as just a good growing experience as a whole. My father’s first job growing up was at McDonald’s and he still talks about what a better man that it makes him to this day. Did flipping quarter pounders transform him? I doubt it; but the interactions with people, working as a team, and dealing with difficult customers in non-ideal situations probably helped out along the way. With that being said, everyone just needs to have one of ‘those’ jobs. A job that makes you thankful for what you have, and my first job in college was just that.
Working at the summer camp was arguably the best job I have ever, and will ever have. (Side note: If you have an opportunity to work at a summer camp, DO IT). I learned so much from my teammates and kids alike day after day, all summer long. But once again, did I take this job because it was a résumé builder? No. Did a job working with children in the ‘off season’ of school probably look good to employers? Sure. But that was definitely not the motivation for taking that job. I worked at Camp Loucon because a friend told me about what a crazy awesome opportunity it was, and I thought I would be crazy not to check it out. And boy, were they right. So thus began two of the craziest summers of my life.
I spent the next three years of college working as a student employee/slave for the Department of Housing and Residence Life (HRL) as both a Resident Assistant (RA) and then in a similar position at the University Apartments as an Apartment Community Assistant (ACA). Bet you can’t guess what I’m about to say next, can you? Did I have elementary education jobs in the future and my résumé in mind when I accepted those jobs? Definitely not. They gave me paychecks every two weeks and knocked my room and board payments down to nearly nothing: who wouldn’t take a gig like that? But did I freak out even though every single person I dealt with was above the age of 18, and I’d be dealing with kids 10 and under for the rest of my life? No way.
If you find jobs that help build your résumé, that’s great! I truly am happy for you. And even though my jobs might not have sounded like it, they did help me out as I began to compile and put thoughts and skills onto my résumé in search of jobs. But one thing you should definitely not do is fret over the experience (or lack thereof) that you THINK you have coming out of school. You’ve got to start somewhere, and let those employers know that with them is where you want to make that start. By all means work hard, make money, but above all else: have fun. And let yourself, your character, and work ethic speak for you… not some silly piece of paper.
