Writing the perfect resume might not earn applicants jobs, but with a little work and a few pointers, job hunters can get a jump on the competition and come one step closer to finding a job.

NIU Placement Counselor Jennifer Brooks said students planning to graduate should prepare their resumes at the beginning of their last semester.

“Ideally, students planning to graduate in May should have their resumes prepared by February to allow enough time to find employment before they graduate,” Brooks said.

Because internship positions are limited and fill up quickly, Brooks suggested students applying for summer interns also have their resumes complete by February.

Dick Gannon, senior manager of client accounting at Leo Burnett Co. in Chicago, said the main quality he looks for in a resume is initiative.

“Burnett wants doers. I look for related work experience and campus activities that show me that this person does more than just what is required,” Gannon said.

Gannon said he also looks for indications that the person is a team player, which is reflected through jobs and activities that show the person can work well with others.

As far as grade point average is concerned, Gannon said, “I look at GPA, but it is not a major consideration.” He added, “GPA is not a good indicator because school standards are so varied.”

Brooks said GPA varies in importance depending on a student’s major. “In areas such as computer science and accounting, GPA is very important because the classes are directly related to the work the student will be doing on the job.”

“In other areas of business, as well as liberal arts and sciences, a strong GPA is helpful, but it’s not as important,” she said.

Brooks said resumes should be prepared differently according to the type of position the student is seeking. “Resumes for an internship position should be more academically oriented because employers are very interested in how far the student is in their major,” she said, adding that a specific career objective is less important on an internship resume.

“A big problem with the resumes I see is that they are not specific enough,” Gannon said, adding “it’s important to give the employer an idea of the type of industry or environment you want to work in.”

He also said if possible, students should tailor their resume to the specific job for which they are applying. “This lets the employer know that you’re serious about the company,” he said.

Brooks said writing a career objective is often the most difficult part of preparing a resume.

“Some individuals make their objective general, so as not to close themselves out of any particular job,” she said, adding, “an effective career objective should include a specific job title, a specific industry which you want to work, or specific skills you want to utilize.”

NIU’s Recruitment Coordinator Jean Callary said physical appearance is also very important in a resume, but added it is not necessary to spend a lot of money.

“As long as the resume is well-balanced on the page, has no typos and is laser printed, there is no need to spend a lot of money,” Callary said.

“Quality of paper is also important,” said Callary, adding that resume paper has weight and texture and is usually inexpensive.

“As far as color is concerned, I recommend white, off-white or light gray for most students, but students in fields like art or fashion merchandising can be flexible with color,” Brooks said.

Brooks said NIU’s Career Planning and Placement Center offers free resume critiques to students on a walk-in basis Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.