LOVE what you DO

Let’s face it, life is short.  Each day that goes by we will never get back so we must make the most of the time that is given to us.  That is why choosing a career is so important!  If we are going to do something for the immediate future, it should be something we enjoy doing.

Money, unfortunately, does play a role in our decision making because we need money to survive and prosper.  Whether money is something you value also plays a role in what type of career you choose.  If you love money, you may settle for a position you do not care for because the money you receive will compensate for your overall unhappiness of the position.  If money is something you do not value, and you would rather spend your time doing something you love, you may decide on a career that fits your interests and values more accurately but may not have a large financial compensation.

The relationship between money and love of job is not so direct as the one I just illustrated for you.  I once had a friend who loved to draw and paint.  Most would think that a career in art would not offer a very high salary.  However, this man was in love with drawing and painting and wanted to make a career of it.  He ended up starting his own stamp business where he designed special stamps and made a ton of profit.  He had a passion for something as well as the innovation to find where his skillset could be used to make the most money in this society.  He chose stamps and never looked back.

Find what you love.  Do some soul searching.  Find out who you are and what makes you happy and pursue it.

DO what you LOVE.

Scott Davidson, Career Center Graduate Assistant 

Consider the Big Picture with Graphic Resumes

Having just wrapped up the fall Career Fair season here at the Career Center, we have seen a whole lot of resumes over the past few months! One trend I noticed as I was looking at the resumes coming into the office or circulating around the fairs was an increase in the number of graphic resumes, that incorporate some creative design or layout into the document. This doesn’t seem to be a trend specific to our world at Hofstra, either; I was talking with a close friend about his resume, and the updated version he sent me was a graphic one, a complete departure from the previous, more conservative layout.

So, should you take the plunge and create a graphic resume? Consider these points:

Be mindful of your industry. If you’re in a design field, using a platform like InDesign, Photoshop, Publisher, or Canva to create an eye-catching resume can show your expertise using that particular platform. In more traditional fields such as finance or law, where the chronological format and tried-and-true layouts reign supreme, a graphic resume may stand out – for the wrong reasons.

Don’t compromise your content. Resumes should always be as clear, concise, and consistent as possible – the 3 C’s we talk about here at the Career Center! Graphic resumes often end up having a nice, clean layout; take care to make sure that you aren’t sacrificing valuable accomplishments that the employer should know just to get a certain look. The last thing you want to do is under-sell your great experience!

Too much of a good thing? You may be thinking of adopting a graphic resume at some point, but not just yet. Color can help bring a fresh feel to the resume, and can make headings (or your name) pop. But, it’s definitely possible to go overboard and have it detract from the overall “first-glance” impact you’re going for. Try not to use more than one color, and always print your resume in black-and-white first before sending it out to see how the color turns out in grayscale, especially if applying online where you don’t know if or how the employer will print your resume.

Like most changes to the resume, the decision to use a graphic resume is a personal one. Think about your industry, the position and company to which you’re applying, and your own personality to determine what works best for you! And, of course, let us know how we can help.

Happy Designing!

Amy K. Smith 

Associate Director of External Relations 

The Career Center at Hofstra University 

Meet our HU Students: Kirupajini Gnanamurthy

My name is Kirupajini Gnanamurthy. I am a junior. My major is Community Health and my minor is nutrition science. My future plan is to become a surgical physician assistant. While attending Hofstra University I have gained a lot. I have gained new connections that help me with my future career and pathway to graduate school. I have also met some amazing people who are now my friends. I have acquired several resources that have helped me get farther into my career in the form of internships and guidance counselors.