Step 1: Define Your Objective and Job Qualifications

The first step in writing a resume is to determine your objective. Your objective is the kind of job that you want to work in. Your resume will only be effective if you have a specific target job in mind when you write it. Make a list of possible job titles within the field that you want to work in.

Then make a list of the qualifications required to get a job in this field. A good way to research job qualifications is to look at job descriptions, job boards, job postings, and the Labor of Bureau Statistics online.

Step 2: Write an Outline of Your Work History

In step two, you write an outline of the last 5 jobs that you have worked in. Include the following in your job outline:

Company Name

Location of Company (City and State)

Dates Worked at Job

Job Title

Job Duties

Step 3: Write a Summary of Your Professional Skills in Your Field

In a professional summary you should ask yourself the following questions:

How many years of experience do you have in your career field?

What is unique about your abilities that makes you an asset to the companies you will be applying to?

What are your best-selling qualifications for this type of work?

Why should an employer hire you over all the other applicants who will also apply for this position?

Are there any specific ways that you can think of that you can help a company or its clients?

Step 4: Writing Job Responsibility Bullets

The next step is to write your job responsibility bullets in a quantifiable manner. The goal is to quantify in numerical terms what you actually did in your previous job. For example, a blandly written bullet would read:

Perform shipping and receiving

This bullet quantifies the level of responsibility the person had:

Manage shipping and receiving of more than a 750,000 packages of a multimillion-dollar nationwide clothing firm with 95 locations and more than 120,000 patrons served.

When you write your job responsibility bullets and need to quantify ask yourself the following questions:

What are the dollar amounts involved?

What are the time frames involved?

What are the percentages?

How often did you perform the task?

How fast did you perform the task?

How big was the task?

Now write the bullets for each job you had that you will put on your resume.

Step 5: Bringing It All Together

The final step is to pick a resume template and type in the information that you have written down. When you put in your personal information make sure that you use a professionally sounding e-mail address and use a phone number that will be answered in a professional manner if you are unavailable.

The next information you will type in the template is the objective and qualifications portion. This is where you will type in the job you are seeking and a few sentences about why you are highly qualified over other candidates for this position.

The work history typically falls next in line in a chronological resume. This is where you type in you work history and the job responsibility bullets. The education portion will come next. Only include education information if you have attended college or a technical school.

In conclusion, writing a resume can be simple to do if you take the time to assess and quantify your qualifications and skills.

A number of steps can easily take away fear and breed confidence when dealing with an upcoming interview. The job seeker should prepare mentally and physically for the opportunity, as well as practice as much as possible in the days leading up to the big day. These measures ensure a successful and pleasant interview for both parties.

The first step is to learn as much useful information about the interviewing company as possible. This research does not have to take a multitude of time, but gaining knowledge about the potential employer can go a long way in making a great impression. It allows for a great deal of in-depth conversation about the functions of the company, the history of the company, and where the company intends to go. This information also makes it possible to ask intelligent questions, which shows intrigue and a desire to do more than just earn a paycheck.

A second step in preparation is self-talk. Meeting someone for the first time is always an experience. That experience can be great, or it can be awkward. When candidates take the time to remind themselves of their accomplishments, knowledge, and positive factors, they are more likely to display those qualities outwardly. It is also helpful to have this information readily available for questions about strengths and achievements.

Proper physical appearance is always a key step when pursuing employment. It is highly recommended to have appearance in order well in advance. The clothes to be worn should be set. Haircuts should not take place the day before or of the interview. Trimmed fingernails and any other precise details should all be taken care of before the day of the interview. This allows for minimal personal grooming the day of the meeting and little anxiety over details.

Practice plays a part in almost all that is done successfully. Interviewing is no different. It pays off immensely to spend time in front of the mirror, providing mock conversation. This allows the candidate to adjust facial expressions, avoid quirky gestures, and understand how they will be presenting themselves to a potential employer. Most interviews are formal in nature, but uneasiness will prove tragic during such an important event. Other good means of practice are having friends and family provide a practice interview session, as does going on other interviews. The more time spent practicing in anticipation of the interview, the more likely it will go smoothly.

Interviews are an integral and essential part of matching companies with career-minded individuals that will work well in their organization. Although the tendency of intimidation is normal, the smart job candidate can present a most authoritative and appealing presence when pursuing a position by properly preparing ahead of time. The methods and tools for proper preparation are available to all. The prospects that choose to use them will certainly have more successful interviews, as well as the likelihood of more job offers at higher salaries. Preparing for an interview is more than just wise, it is as essential as obtaining the interview in the first place.

Northern Arizona University currently enrolls over 23,000 students. The university offers many alternatives to traditional learning. One-third of students attend day, night and accelerated classes at 39 satellite sites across the state. Several university programs are offered entirely online.

Northern Arizona University was founded in 1899 as the Northern Arizona Normal School, a place where educators earned credentials to teach in the Arizona Territory. The school became known as Northern Arizona State Teacher’s College in 1925, when it started granting education degrees. With the addition of other programs, the college became known as Arizona State College of Flagstaff in 1945 and the University of Northern Arizona in 1968.

Today the university carries on the legacy of education as a research institution, engaging faculty and students in real-world problems in the energy and healthcare fields. Northern Arizona University has emerged as a leader in technology transfer. Faculty members are authors, scholars and speakers with expertise that range from genomics to linguistics. Research provides employment, networking and hands-on learning opportunities for students. The Northern University Alumni Association has 115,000 members, who have gone on to become influential thought leaders.

Northern Arizona University is home to “Louie the Lumberjack,” the school’s official mascot. Student athletes compete in a number NCAA Division I sports programs, including basketball, diving, football, golf, soccer and track and field. A wide variety of intramural sports are offered on campus, such as flag football, lacrosse, racquetball, rugby and water polo.

Campus activities include a student-run newspaper, radio station and television station. Unions and Student Activities provide special movie programming throughout the year. The College of Arts and Letters presents theatrical performances, lectures and art exhibitions regularly. The Northern Arizona Choral Union is comprised of eight choral ensembles: Men’s Chorale, the Harold M. Harter Memorial Handbell Choir, the High Altitude and Northern Voices vocal jazz ensembles, the internationally touring Shrine of the Ages Choir, the University Singers, Vocal Chamber Ensemble and the Women’s Chorale.

As one of the region’s largest employers, Northern Arizona University is committed to diversity. The campus encourages people of all backgrounds, experience and skill-levels to join the campus community. The university serves rural Arizona and Native Americans through the development of cultural and economic partnerships.

Northern Arizona University

The Northern Arizona University campus contributes to the local economy in a major way. This campus is in use year round as host to many professional athletic figures and their teams: Arizona Cardinals, Olympic athletes in training and the Phoenix Suns. The university is the training spot of choice due to the geography of the Flagstaff area. Flagstaff has a climate that allows for outdoor training 12 months of the year.

The city has an elevation that is 7,000 feet above sea level and the university offers top shelf facilities. Northern Arizona University joins with the city and state to extend invitations to athletes around the world to train at their High Altitude Sports Training Center. The athletic competitive advantage comes from Flagstaff’s altitude as well as the facilities, health services and campus amenities that inspire and motivate.

Public Sector Employers

There are seven major public employers in and around Flagstaff, Arizona. The number of positions they maintain when at full capacity is the basis for their rank. They are rarely at their full capacity:

•       Coconino County
•       Northern Arizona University
•       City of Flagstaff
•       Flagstaff Medical Center
•       Flagstaff Unified School District
•       United States Forest Service
•       United States Geological Survey

The Northern Arizona University graduates have a treasure trove of employment possibilities available to them in the public sector. Equal opportunities wait with the employers in private sector companies.

Private Sector Employers

Flagstaff has a number of private sector companies in and around the city. These companies also draw a number of employees from graduating classes at Northern Arizona University. The companies range from accounting firms to hospitality sites and include:

•       Nestle Purina
•       W L Gore & Associates
•       SCA Tissue
•       Walgreen’s Distribution Center
•       Joy Cone

University studies are deep and wide, thus providing the education these companies require of their new hires. The graduates receive their major degrees in areas such as accounting, anthropology, astronomy, biology, business, engineering, economics, environmental studies, forestry, languages, health sciences, hotel and restaurant management, marketing, music, parks and recreation management, photography, political science, psychology, religious studies, social work, theatre studies and women’s and gender studies.

Beyond a Bachelor Degree

University graduates explore and work in many various areas starting with government agencies and including entrepreneurial ventures, teaching in any of the 50 United States, entering leading corporations and hotel and restaurant environments. Many of the almost 16,000 recent graduates go onto Graduate School at the Northern Arizona University or elsewhere.

The Pre-Professional programs cover the fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law, optometry and veterinary concentrations. NAU Graduate school also has a location on the Northern Arizona University campus.

Flagstaff Employment Atmosphere

Currently there are 1,560+ positions open and ready within the Flagstaff Metropolitan area. Most are professional, degree holding positions and include openings at Dell Inc for a Medical Coding Specialist, Albertsons LLC for a Pharmacy Manager, Mountain Heart Medical Practice for a General Cardiologist, Advanced Medical for an Occupational Therapist and SS8 Networks Inc for a Technical Marketing Manager, to name only a few. There are positions open with employers such as Northern Arizona University, Starbucks Coffee Company, Army National Guard – and the list goes on.

To say that Flagstaff has an educationally enriching environment with opportunity for employment would be an understatement. Search over a million positions today and you may be residing in Flagstaff, Arizona tomorrow.

The majority of Flagstaff, Arizona’s local attractions take root in the area’s stunning natural beauty. With miles upon miles of deep, woody forests and mountain views all around, Flagstaff is truly a magnificent place for the nature-lover to reside. On the weekends, adventurous people can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the area through a locally-run helicopter tour. You can also embark on a day trip to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and other famous locales from the city of Flagstaff. Flagstaff also features innumerable miles of hiking trails, perfect for the outdoor enthusiast. Hikers can enjoy these trails either on their own or through an organized tour or hiking club.

Of course, Flagstaff offers many other attractions as well. Adults can enjoy many prime attractions within or just outside of the city limits. For instance, the Flagstaff located roughly ninety minutes away from the Cliff Castle Casino. Visitors to the casino will appreciate its Blackjack, poker, slots, sophisticated dining options, and more. Adults can also enjoy more leisurely entertainment options in the Flagstaff area. For example, whenever they need to unwind, residents can head to the Sedona golf resort to take their minds off their busy lives with a challenging round. The local Continental Country Club offers similar entertainment options. Members of the country club can enjoy a stunning golf course, a meticulously maintained fitness center, well-groomed tennis courts, and more.

Families also have many different kid-friendly attractions to choose from. For instance, the Out of Africa Wildlife Park offers people of all ages a chance to see exotic African animals in their true, natural state. Unlike a traditional zoo, the Out of Africa Wildlife Park allows visitors to get up-close and personal with the animals through wildlife preserve tours and special demonstrations. Children and adults alike will also love the fun that is offered at the Arizona Snowbowl. The Snowbowl is just a stone’s throw from Flagstaff, featuring fantastic skiing and snowboarding opportunities all through the winter. During the warmer months, families can head to this attraction to take advantage of summer activities such as hiking and sky rides through the scenic area.

People who appreciate local history will also find plenty of attractions to pique their interests. Downtown Flagstaff itself presents excellent opportunities to take in the city’s historical architecture and rich background. The Northern Arizona museum provides comprehensive information regarding everything that you could wish to know about the area, and the Wutpaki National Monument Park allows visitors to learn about the area’s Native American history.

When living in Flagstaff, Arizona, residents can feel assured that they will never be without something to do. Tourists and locals alike love the entertainment options that are offered in and around this picturesque city, and there is an attraction in Flagstaff that will suit just about anybody’s tastes. With all of the entertainment options that you can encounter in Flagstaff, it is a wonder that residents ever choose to stay home at all.