On December 3rd, RTDNA was given a Resume and Cover Letter Workshop by Professor Stephanie Bluestein. Professor Bluestein teaches here at CSUN as well as runs the internship program for the journalism department. Professor Blustein is also an alumni of CSUN. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in two internship programs which she then proceeded to turn one of those internships into a full-time job. She has over seventeen years of experience as a reporter, fourteen of those years she worked for the LA Times. Bluestein also worked for many other publications during her career.
In 2004, Bluestein left the LA Times and began teaching at Pierce College and also Moorpark College. After parting from those positions, she began working as a full-time professor at CSUN. She continued her education and completed her masters and doctorate in educational leadership.
Professor Bluestein has years of experience working in the journalism field and provided students with tools to prepare them for entering job opportunities with polished resumes and cover letters. Bluestein explains how a resume can make or break getting the job,“You can take all these classes. But when it comes down to it, if your resume is not that sharp, you may not even get an interview.”
Professor Bluestein broke down very important tips to get an interview:
Cut Through Clutter: Make sure skill sets you list on the resume are relevant to the company you are applying to.
Be 100% Accurate : Be as accurate as you can when listing accomplishments. Don’t over exaggerate. Professor Bluestein added, “A half truth is as deceptive as a lie.”
Remember: You are marketing YOU
Professor Bluestein also included lists on what to do as well as what not to do when formulating a resume. She explains that it is great to include community service work but de-emphasize religious or political work if it is not relevant to the position. Bluestien also adds that including awards like the Dean’s list add to the value of your resume. She also encourages students to print and have someone else proofread the resume. It is also encouraged to delete references to high school. Professor Bluestein advises resumes should be one page only and be updated every 3-6 months.
Professor Blustein then explained what should not be done when creating a resume. She does not recommend including your GPA unless it is a 4.0. Make sure your social media does not include negative photos or comments. She also advises not using a CSUN student email or a personal account with an unprofessional name. Bluestein also discourages using brightly colored paper ot the use of any weird fonts as that can be seen as unprofessional.
Professor Bluestein covered how to get references for your job application. She had a few tips to share to help students who don’t know exactly where to start:
Choose Wisely: Make sure it is someone who remembers you and can talk well about you.
Alert Them In Advance: Inform them that they may be revising a call or email pertaining to a potential job. Make sure they are reachable.
Make Sure You’ve Talked With Them Recently
No “References Provided Upon Request”: Do not include this information on your resume. It is a given and takes up space on your resume.
References On A Seperate Sheet: You may want to attach references to your resume.
Another topic covered in the workshop is what should be included on your cover letter. Professor Bluestein advises the following:
One page only
Be specific to address the company
Show them you have done your research
Double check spelling
Proofread
Professor Bluestein also demonstrates how a resume should be structured by showing example resumes. You can see those examples and watch the full workshop below or on the CSUN RTDNA YouTube channel.