For those looking to make their way into the workforce after graduation, a resume is the culmination of years of effort and hard work. While creating a resume and when applying for a job, an applicant tries to answer the employer’s questions – do you have what it takes? Why should I hire you? Who are you?

Career Services offered a unique opportunity for students to have their resumes critiqued by advisers in just 15 minutes. The Resume Critique Blitz was a chance to improve the content of format for student resumes that could help give graduates the advantage in a job interview scenario.

Waiting to be called upon by an advisor, several students relayed their expectations and goals.

“My main goal is to have a wonderful resume that will be up to par with the companies that’ll I’ll be applying for,” Veretta Gray said, a special Education and elementary education major. “There are so many people going into my field, so I want to make sure I have a good resume.”

Many students just want to stand out.

Sara Bloomquist, a marketing major said, “I’m trying to differentiate myself just a little bit with some of the activities I’m involved in. I really wanted (the counselor) to help me see how I can highlight those and bring them out.”

As of August, the unemployment rate in the United States was 9.6 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Illinois exceeds the national average at 10.1 percent unemployment.

This would indicate that graduates attempting to enter the workforce will be facing fierce competition.

“I’m sure there’s a lot of people trying to jump on the same jobs I am,” Bloomquist said. “I’m hoping that I differentiate myself a little bit with my personality when I go into interviews.”

Programs aiming to help Eastern students prepare for a life after graduation, such as the Resume Critique Blitz and the upcoming Career Network Day, will provide Eastern’s students with an opportunity to prepare them for after graduation.

“I will probably come back and get some more help. I like that it was fast, you go in and go get it done,” Bloomquist said. “You just talk about your key points and you can get out, I like that about it too.”

Career Services’ Career Network Day will be held Sept. 29 in the Martin Luther King Jr. Union starting at 10 a.m.

Mel Boydston can be reached at 581-7942 or < a href="mailto:mmboydston@eiu.edu">mmboydston@eiu.edu.