The New Planner — Summer 2010

Job-Finding for Planners, Part 1: Writing a Resume That Works By Erik C.B. Olsen This is the first in a two-part series on job-finding for planners. The purpose of Part 1 is to highlight several important keys to finding a job — keys that are applicable to students in school, recent graduates, and experienced planners. These include evaluating your experience and creating a resume that will get you the job you want.

Speaking of Experience Directly relevant, somewhat relevant, and not apparently relevant — that's how we will start this conversation about job experience. Of course, directly relevant experience seems like the best to have, right? Yes! If you have recently worked (or volunteered) in a planning position, it is easier for a potential employer to see that your experience is relevant. But then many people run into the dilemma of needing experience to get a job and needing a job to get experience. This is where it pays to be creative. Say you have worked as a researcher or perhaps in sales. When you are ready to start the first draft of your resume, look at all the skills and tasks you performed and list them. Then view the list from the perspective of the person you want to work with. An experienced planner will likely value those skills and can make the connection between what they need and want and what you have learned from other positions. A research position might have involved preparing grant proposals, writing concept or white papers, or analyzing data. Summarize these experiences to show you are organized, can plan and complete tasks, and are proficient in using relevant computer applications. Maybe you worked in retail sales at the mall during the holiday break. Did you interact successfully with customers and sell products? That is not a far stretch from selling an idea about a planning project being proposed. Did you spend time arranging displays in a showroom window? Again, these same skills can be used for assembling a good presentation or an easy-to-read brochure or handout. You may have other experiences that may not seem at all relevant. So again, think about the required underlying skill or ability. Did you babysit? List some of your duties and show that you were responsible, reliable, and able to work independently. Did you work in food service? List how you were a team player, effectively handled customer concerns, were able to memorize the menu, and are able to think on your feet. Other experience may include volunteer work, leadership activities in civic organizations, solo or team sports, or active participation in clubs, charities, or fund drives. The bottom line is to link your life experiences to those listed in the job posting. This is essentially the ability to transfer what is learned in one situation to a different situation — in this case, applying your experiences to a job or internship. (If you do not have experience, contact someone at a company that does what you want to do, request an informational interview, and volunteer to gain experience.) Finally, think about class work or projects you have completed or are involved in now. Did you write a paper on a relevant topic? In the last round of applications for a transportation planning internship where I work, our intern had written a paper on TOD (Transit Oriented Design), and that got him the position. Did you participate in a group project or a campus event or go to a site visit or facility tour? This may not be a large part of your resume, but with some creativity, you may be able to come up with some relevant bullet points for your resume.

Drafting Your Resume: Beyond Writing 101 Now that you have thought through how to describe your experience, the next step is to take your best shot at writing a draft resume and cover letter.

For this task, Writing 101 is not enough. You need to present your ideas clearly, of course, but first you need to step back and think about how the resume and cover letter will help get you the job. Think of your resume and cover letter as tools to help communicate your personal pitch about you as a future planner in your targeted position. If you have a resume (or not), start from scratch — and do some brainstorming. Read through the job description. If one does not exist, write your own: On a blank piece of paper or computer screen, write three to four short paragraphs describing your ideal job. If the job description asks for applicants who are "dependable, creative, and task-oriented," write a short paragraph titled "dependable." Without editing, describe relevant examples and experiences demonstrating that you have this quality. Do the same for "creative," "task-oriented," and so on. Now you have some readymade material to plug into your resume. If you are unsure where to start, here is another approach: Develop a simple chronological resume. Online tools and resources are available to help you create a basic resume. Once you have a draft, ask a willing mentor, parent, or professor to review it. Plan ahead and treat your resume as if it were a semester project and not an all-night cram session. The last-minute resume will be just that — too general and unpolished. If you are applying for five very different positions, you may actually have five slightly different resumes and customized cover letters. Scannable resumes are a thing of the past. That said, keep in mind that your resume may only get 20 to 30 seconds of viewing time, so aim for a clean, straight-forward, one-page document.

Visiting a Career Counselor After you have what you think is a polished product, make an appointment with a career counselor. Visit a career services center for feedback and to receive some face-to-face input to fine-tune your personal marketing materials — and yes, that is exactly what your resume, cover letter, and business cards are! This is also where you can receive coaching and advice on appropriate dress, appearance, and manners; develop your personal pitch; and learn how to use your resume and cover letter as talking points. You may even have the opportunity to practice via a mock interview. In the end, you will have a marketing package for a product: you in your new planning position.

The Next Step: Networking Envisioning and creating your future is an important step in obtaining a meaningful career in planning. By developing your personal pitch based on your work, school, and other experience, you will be ready both in informal networking situations and during formal interviews. Be sure to receive feedback to fine-tune your resume and cover letters, and develop your personal pitch as the foundation upon which your interviews can be built. Stay tuned for Part 2, "Networking Your Way into Planning Jobs and Opportunities," which will appear in the Fall 2010 edition of The New Planner. Special thanks to the article reviewers contributors: Anne McClung, AICP, director of planning and building, Town of Blacksburg, Virginia; Janet Telford (mom), technical editor, Soulsbyville, California; Kevin Byrd, AICP, executive director, New River Valley Planning District Commission, Radford, Virginia; Debbie Freed, alternative transportation manager at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia; Lyndsay McKeever, an undergraduate student majoring in humanities, science, and the environment at Virginia Tech; and Chris Lawrence, town manager, Vinton, Virginia.

Erik C.B. Olsen earned a Ph.D. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2003. He is pursuing graduate certificates in economic development and in local government management offered respectively by the Urban Affairs and Planning Program and the Public Administration and Policy Program at Virginia Tech. He works as a transportation planner for Blacksburg Transit, a department of the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia.

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