Robert J. Pietrykowski, assistant vice president for human resources and chief negotiator at Cleveland State University, explains that when it comes to college degrees, confusion is often the order of the day.
Bad Assumptions
"Degrees in the hard sciences or other technical fields of study are often presumed to reflect a level of competency that may not actually exist or for which the candidate is still working to attain," Pietrykowski says. Simply put, you may find yourself not even being offered an interview because your degree either appears to have no real-world application or, worse, it seems to overstate your actual abilities.
In yet another scenario, you may also find that the degree path you take very seriously is being (unfairly) snickered at by those reviewing it. Why? "English, undergraduate and especially graduate degrees, [are sometimes incorrectly perceived as implying] laziness on the part of a student; that he or she couldn't decide on a 'real' major," explains Sandra Podesta, corporate trainer, co-author of "201 Killer Cover Letters," and host of an online resume workshop.
So do "real" or serious majors exist only in the eye of the beholder? Not if you're willing to meet this sort of educational confusion, or simple ignorance, head-on.
"Any degree will be misunderstood if it appears on a resume in a way that is unclear," cautions Podesta. "This tends to happen more frequently with math, science, technology, medicine, economics, engineering, and similar degrees -- but it can happen in any field." She says that it's always best to use terminology that can be easily grasped and that suggests a clear mastery and defined application of a needed and related skill set.
"No matter what the factoid, anything that is misunderstood is a negative." Bottom line: The better you can clarify and crystallize the immediate impact you and your degree will have on someone's business, the better your chances for employment.
Only You Can Clarify
You may think that midterm class project spent troubleshooting the university's library research system had little to do with your ultimate degree, but the real-world implications of it can add immense value to you as a prospect.
"If there was a special project, thesis, or collaboration that was [part] of an individual's career focus, [it] will distinguish the candidate," says Pietrykowski. Doing this may lead to a longer physical resume, but it will clarify your talents in a concrete way that actually means something to potential employers.
"If the applicant fails to make a direct connection between his/her course of study and career aspirations, then he/she is allowing other more focused candidates to rise above," continues Pietrykowski. For your degree to pay dividends, you have to put in more effort than just adding the fancy letters behind your name.
"No matter what career you pursue in life, the abilities to read, analyze, evaluate criticism, and, most importantly, write, will be of great value," says Podesta. "Delivering a more strategic and creative perspective results in a stronger, competitive resume that is more likely to make you irresistible to employers."
So go ahead -- make the best use of your hard-won skills by using them to illuminate your college degree in a way that will entice, and excite, any HR manager. Your future employer -- and your degree -- will thank you for it.
Also on Yahoo! HotJobs:
10 reasons your job search isn't working
Common boss blunders in a tough economy
The online essentials for your job search
Find a new job near you
