Plus: STAR strategies for behavioral interviewing
Plus: STAR strategies for behavioral interviewing
Tufts | Career Center
Grad Career News
March 2019
March Greetings from Tufts Grad Career Services
This month we'll help you create resumes that beat the ATS robots (otherwise known as  Applicant Tracking Systems) and prepare stories for challenging behavioral interview questions. For more about interviewing, negotiation, and other essential career topics, check out our Grad Student Career Guide.
Read the Grad Student Career Guide (PDF)
Spotlight on ... STAR Stories for Interviewing
You may be familiar with using the STAR framework to answer behavioral interviewing questions. It stands for Situation (give context with a brief bit of background info) -- Task (talk about what you had to do to address the problem or situation) -- Action (tell what you actually did and the skills you used) -- and Results (share what happened and what you achieved or learned).
Many interviewers are not well prepared to answer common behavioral questions such as "Describe a project where you worked as part of a team" or "Tell me about a time when you resolved a conflict." Use the tips below to prepare 6-8 stories from your experiences and increase your interviewing confidence.
Review Do's and Don'ts for Interview Storytelling
Practice Interview Questions
Schedule a Mock Interview Appointment with a Grad Career Advisor
FAQ of the Month
I'm applying for a job, and I'm aware that my resume may need to get through a computer screening process before it reaches an actual person. Have any tips for beating the resume robots?
It's true -- If you're applying to a position with a larger employer, chances are you'll meet an ATS, or applicant tracking system. These systems use keywords and algorithms to screen resumes and make a first cut before the documents reach human eyes. Good news, though: You can beat the machines when you know how they work! Here’s how ...
  • Pay close attention to the job description and use the employer’s lingo.  This isn’t a word-for-word repetition of the description; rather, you’ll take note of various keywords and incorporate those items into your document. Pasting a job description into a site like wordclouds.com can help you quickly zero in on important elements of a position by identifying frequently used words. That said, don’t go overboard by cramming in too many instances of a particular word. Aim for 2-3 mentions at most.

  • Focus on concrete skills.  Soft skills like communication and attention to detail are wonderful, but the ATS is generally seeking industry-specific hard skills, relevant position titles and other credentials that mesh with the job description. Use a Summary of Qualifications section in lieu of an Objective statement to convey your strongest competencies at the top of your resume

  • Keep the formatting simple.  Steer clear of abbreviations, logos, graphics, headers/footers and any fancy formatting. Spell out any acronyms and use a standard resume font, e.g., Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
Discuss Your Resume with a Graduate Career Advisor
Upcoming Career Webinars
Webinars take place at 1 pm ET (UTC+5) on Wednesdays and are led by Tufts Alumni Career Services staff. All you need is a phone and/or a computer to participate.
  • March 13 -- Ace That Interview!
  • April 24 -- Salary Negotiation: Ask for it!
  • May 8 -- Job Search Success Secrets
Register for Career Webinars
Featured Listings in Handshake & Beyond
United in Design - Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Scholarship -- Union Studio Architecture & Community Design, Providence, RI
Speech Therapist -- Helen Keller Services, Brooklyn Heights, NY
Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis -- GENEWIZ, South Plainfield, NJ
Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Psychiatry -- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Researcher -- U.S. Department of Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Director of Leadership Development -- Cornerstone Research, Boston, MA
Associate Director, Analytics -- Penguin Random House, New York, NY
Project Manager -- Infinity Consulting Solutions, Denver, CO
Developing Conversational Fluency
Open workshop series for international graduate students on alternating Mondays and Wednesdays
Career Fairs, Events & Special Opportunities
PhD and Master's Virtual Career Fair -- Wednesday, March 20, 9 am - 7 pm ET
Tufts Boston Health Sciences Career Expo -- Tuesday, March 26, 12:30 - 2:30 pm, Boston, MA 
Latino Career Expo -- Thursday, March 28, 1 - 5 pm, Boston, MA
MA Sustainable Communities & Campuses Conference -- Friday, March 29, 8 am - 4 pm, Cambridge, MA
Sports & Entertainment Career Fair -- Thursday, April 11, 12 - 4 pm, Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Grad Career News is a publication of the Tufts Career Center
Grad Career Services is a resource for MA and PhD students in Arts, Sciences, and Engineering. Contact us for assistance as you navigate your career path. In-person, phone, email and Skype appointments are available.
Tufts University Career Center
 
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Dowling Hall Suite 740
617-627-3299
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