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Broad range of interests can boost appeal

Cecilia Lui

IN A BUSY city such as Hong Kong, people are constantly under pressure, trying to balance work commitments with a hectic social life and other personal obligations.

Final year students also face pressure, but of a different kind - impending examinations and the need to find a job after they graduate.

For their job search, one of the essential tools is the resume. That is the document which opens doors, attracts the attention of employers and, most important of all, secures interviews. Therefore, it requires careful consideration and long-term planning.

When preparing to enter the job market, students should put themselves in the shoes of a recruitment agency or prospective employer and take a critical look at what their resume has to offer. Does it stand out from hundreds of others? Does it show you have the drive and potential to offer more than the other graduates competing for the same position?

Understandably, many students make it a priority to get consistently good grades. They focus on getting straight As and find little time for extracurricular activities. They forget that employers tend to look beyond academic results. When hiring, companies do not want bookworms, but candidates with diverse achievements and well-rounded personalities. They want to see evidence of skills in leadership, teamwork and communication - vital for success in the workplace.

One of the best ways of gaining extracurricular experience is by getting involved in volunteer work. It demonstrates a genuine interest in giving something back to the community and says a lot about one's character. It is also a way of gaining new skills, which are often directly transferable to other work environments.

'The things you do outside the required coursework are what sets you apart,' said Ashley Steinhausen, operations director for permanent recruitment at Manpower Hong Kong. He said volunteer experience kept candidates in tune with the rest of the world and made them more attractive to employers.

'Someone who's already involved in a range of activities will be seen as more balanced,' he said. 'An employer looks for that, not proof of being a workaholic.'

According to Mr Steinhausen, if students have run university clubs, organised trips, or taken on duties which require public speaking, this demonstrates both initiative and management skills.

'It doesn't matter if it's a church group or a scout troop. The key is to show an interest in things unrelated to the curriculum,' he said.

Employers usually say that technical competencies are easily taught on the job. It is sometimes more difficult for new recruits to develop the so-called soft skills, such as communicating effectively and working well in a team. Anyone who has these skills will immediately catch the eye.

As a leader in the beauty industry, L'Oreal Hong Kong has a local workforce of more than 200 and is part of a company with about 50,000 employees worldwide. Places on the company's graduate recruitment programme are highly sought after, and the screening process is very precise. According to recruitment and integration manager Bocco Chen, volunteer experience is an important consideration.

'We look for internships, tutoring, extracurricular activities and volunteer work,' Mr Chen said. 'This should involve leading projects, organising events and committee work, not just attending or helping out occasionally.'

He said having volunteer experience definitely helped a graduate to stand out from others with similar academic records.

'Our advice to students is to get involved with external activities whenever there's an opportunity,' Mr Chen said.

This might involve giving up an hour a week to visit an elderly person, or organising a student group to take part in a tree-planting project. The ability to do this, while keeping up with coursework, is also a sign of good time management skills and an interest in helping others.

When scanning a resume, employers gain valuable insight about a candidate's personality from the type of volunteer work undertaken. It gives a useful indication of how well someone will fit into the organisation and in which type of role. For example, a candidate who had volunteered for a charity would almost certainly settle in quickly in a customer service post.

'If people spend some of their spare time taking care of others, it's already a plus for the employer,' said Christine Pace, operations and marketing director for Adecco Personnel.

Next week, we will look at things from the perspective of students and recent graduates. We will find out how volunteer work helped them prepare for their job search and gave them practical skills and experience which could be put to use in many different environments.

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