MARKETING YOUR LEADERSHIP
EXPERIENCE
Keith Munson, Career Specialist
Strommen Career & Internship Center
Lower Level Anderson Hall
munsonk@augsburg.edu
AGENDA
Why your leadership experience matters
 Highlighting leadership experience on your
resume
 Marketing your leadership experience in cover
letters
 Using strong leadership stories in interviewing
 Other topics?
 Questions (and possibly answers)

IN A NATIONAL SURVEY OF EMPLOYERS THAT
TYPICALLY HIRE NEW GRADUATES, THESE
SKILLS WERE RANKED AS THE MOST DESIRED:
Communication Skills
(written & verbal)
 Honesty/Integrity
 Teamwork Skills
 Strong Work Ethic
 Analytical Skills
 Adaptability

Interpersonal Skills
 Motivation/Initiative
 Computer Skills
 Detail-orientation
 Organizational Skills
 Leadership Skills
 Self-Confidence

National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook Report, 2009
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS @ AUGSBURG

Orientation Leaders are responsible for administering successful Orientation Programs. These programs
include SOAR I, SOAR II, SOAR III, SOAR IV, TRANSFER-mation, and Auggie Days. Orientation Leaders
will work as a team to ensure that new first-year students have quality transitional experiences and are
introduced to Augsburg College in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Through this experience, Orientation Leaders will:


Learn to work in a changing environment, demonstrate flexibility and problem solving skills
Develop a sense of responsibility and professionalism through work with new first-year students and being
accountable for completion of work

Gain knowledge in setting and meeting personal and professional goals

Work independently and in a team to make progress towards set goals

Gain skills in areas as leadership, facilitation, presentation delivery, as well as conflict resolution

Train on topics such as cultural difference, anti-racism work, the LGBTQIA community, persons with
disabilities, and other areas of human difference

Duties & Responsibilities

Attend CAO Student Leadership Summit

Attend and complete SOAR Training

Facilitate Auggie Days

Begin initial Homecoming Planning (4 OLs)

Facilitate TRANSFER-mation; Facilitate SOAR IV

Serve as Homecoming Student Committee (4 OLs)

Plan and Implement Student Homecoming Events (4 OLs)

Help recruit 2012 Orientation Leaders
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS @ AUGSBURG

Orientation Leaders are responsible for administering successful Orientation Programs. These programs
include SOAR I, SOAR II, SOAR III, SOAR IV, TRANSFER-mation, and Auggie Days. Orientation Leaders
will work as a team to ensure that new first-year students have quality transitional experiences and
are introduced to Augsburg College in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Through this experience, Orientation Leaders will:

Learn to work in a changing
environment, demonstrate flexibility and problem
solving skills

Develop a sense of responsibility and professionalism through work with new firstyear students and being accountable for completion of work

Gain knowledge in setting and meeting personal and professional goals

Work independently and in a team to make progress towards set goals

Gain skills in areas as leadership, facilitation, presentation delivery, as well as conflict
resolution

Train on topics such as cultural difference, anti-racism work, the LGBTQIA community, persons with
disabilities, and other areas of human difference

Duties & Responsibilities

Facilitate TRANSFER-mation; Facilitate SOAR IV

Serve as Homecoming Student Committee (4 OLs)

Plan and Implement Student Homecoming Events (4 OLs)

Help recruit 2012 Orientation Leaders
MARKETING YOUR LEADERSHIP
EXPERIENCE ON RESUMES
EMPLOYMENT
Admissions Office Assistant, September 20XX – Present
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
 Promoted the college to prospective students and their parents by providing helpful
information regarding college life at Augsburg.
 Conducted campus tours that highlighted the benefits of an Augsburg education.
 Followed-up thru written and phone correspondence with potential students.
 Answered all student and parent questions and referred them to appropriate resources
for additional assistance.
Server, June 20XX – August 20XX
Ciatti’s Restaurant, St. Paul, MN
 Provided excellent service to customers and promoted quality public relations.
 Resolved customer complaints in a professional manner.
 Selected as Employee of the Month for providing outstanding customer service.
ACTIVITIES
 Orientation Leader
 Member of International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
 Tutor of At-Risk Junior High Students
 Participant of Augsburg Intramural Volleyball and Broomball
RELATED EXPERIENCE
Admissions Office Assistant, September 20XX – Present
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
 Promoted the college to prospective students and their parents by providing helpful
information regarding college life at Augsburg.
 Conducted campus tours that highlighted the benefits of an Augsburg education.
 Followed-up thru written and phone correspondence with potential students.
 Answered all student and parent questions and referred them to appropriate resources
for additional assistance.
Orientation Leader, August 20XX – December 20XX
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
 Planned and coordinated campus orientation events for incoming freshmen.
 Advised students on how to get involved on-campus and appropriate courses to take.
 Assisted faculty in teaching the Freshmen Augsburg Seminar.
 Researched and presented topic on developing effective study skills to students.
Server, June 20XX – August 20XX
Ciatti’s Restaurant, St. Paul, MN
 Provided excellent service to customers and promoted quality public relations.
 Resolved customer complaints in a professional manner.
 Selected as Employee of the Month for providing outstanding customer service.
ACTIVITIES
 Member of International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
 Tutor of At-Risk Junior High Students
 Participant of Augsburg Intramural Volleyball and Broomball
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Orientation Leader, August 20XX – December 20XX
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
 Planned and coordinated campus orientation events for incoming freshmen.
 Advised students on how to get involved on-campus and appropriate courses to take.
 Assisted faculty in teaching the Freshmen Augsburg Seminar.
 Researched and presented topic on developing effective study skills to students.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Admissions Office Assistant, September 20XX – Present
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
 Promoted the college to prospective students and their parents by providing helpful
information regarding college life at Augsburg.
 Conducted campus tours that highlighted the benefits of an Augsburg education.
 Followed-up thru written and phone correspondence with potential students.
 Answered all student and parent questions and referred them to appropriate resources
for additional assistance.
Server, June 20XX – August 20XX
Ciatti’s Restaurant, St. Paul, MN
 Provided excellent service to customers and promoted quality public relations.
 Resolved customer complaints in a professional manner.
 Selected as Employee of the Month for providing outstanding customer service.
ACTIVITIES
 Member of International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
 Tutor of At-Risk Junior High Students
 Participant of Augsburg Intramural Volleyball and Broomball
RESUME STATEMENTS
Fair:
 Planned campus orientation events
 Better:
 Planned and coordinated campus orientation
events for incoming freshmen.
 Great:
 Planned and coordinated small and large-group
campus orientation events for incoming freshmen
class of 200 students; Resulted in significantly
improved student survey results on program
evaluations.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY



Three years experience serving in leadership positions on campus.
Strong communication and teamwork abilities developed through leadership positions on
campus.
Excellent teamwork ability developed through on-campus leadership positions.
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Orientation Leader, August 20XX – December 20XX
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
 Planned and coordinated campus orientation events for incoming freshmen.
 Advised students on how to get involved on-campus and appropriate courses to take.
 Assisted faculty in teaching the Freshmen Augsburg Seminar.
 Researched and presented topic on developing effective study skills to students.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Admissions Office Assistant, September 20XX – Present
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
 Promoted the college to prospective students and their parents by providing helpful
information regarding college life at Augsburg.
 Conducted campus tours that highlighted the benefits of an Augsburg education.
 Followed-up thru written and phone correspondence with potential students.
 Answered all student and parent questions and referred them to appropriate resources
for additional assistance.
ACTIVITIES
 Member of International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
 Tutor of At-Risk Junior High Students
 Participant of Augsburg Intramural Volleyball and Broomball
MARKETING LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE ON
YOUR RESUME
Use section headings to highlight your experience
 Place leadership experience in your “experience”
section rather than in “activities”
 Use strong resume statements to “sell” your
experience:

Results
 Numbers/context
 Transferable skills


Highlight leadership experience in a
“professional summary”.
LEADERSHIP & COVER LETTERS
COVER LETTER BASICS

Additional marketing tool
Highlights, not entire story
 Identify 3 aspects of skills/experience of importance
to the employer
 Encourages employer to read your resume


Typically 3 paragraphs
Middle paragraph highlights what you have to offer
 Opportunity to market your leadership experience
 It is critical to support your claims with a specific
experience


Market your leadership experience in addition to
other experience
LEADERSHIP IN COVER LETTERS


I have excellent communication skills.
As the vice president of the Augsburg Student Senate, I
consistently demonstrated excellent communication and
conflict management skills. For instance, I led weekly
meetings that involved over 30 on-campus leadership
members which included setting the agenda, managing
group discussions, and assisting fellow students in finding
creative solutions to disagreements. In addition, I
successfully found ways to communicate difficult topics to
the student body and met regularly with campus
administration in order to voice student concerns. Because
of my communication skills, I was able to convince the
administration to implement a new way of reporting and
addressing crime in the residents halls, which led to a 25%
decrease in incident reports during my senior year.
LEADERSHIP STORIES IN INTERVIEWS
WHAT TO EXPECT...

Questions about your background
Tell me about yourself
 Walk me through your resume


Questions about your education and goals
Why Augsburg?
 Why your major?
 What do you hope to do?


Behavioral based questions

Situations that demonstrate a trait of skill.
WHY BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING?
PAST BEHAVIOR
OR EVENTS
FUTURE
BEHAVIOR
SAMPLE BEHAVIOR BASED QUESTIONS
Tell me about a time you led a team toward a
common goal.
 Give me an example of time you had to resolve a
conflict among team members.
 What kind of leader are you? Can you give me an
example of a situation that demonstrates your
leadership style?
 What role do you typically play on a team? Give
me an example.

INTERVIEW STORY TELLING





Just enough details to give the listener a picture of what you were
doing or how you work
Concise enough to demonstrate your point
 includes important details
 excludes unimportant details
Not too short; not too long
There’s a character that the listener needs to “see” in action
Leave enough for the interviewer to ask follow up
questions…don’t start with the whole story
S.T.A.R. PREP

S.T.A.R. technique is ONE tool:
Situation-What was happening?
Task (goal)-What were you trying to accomplish?
Action-What did you specifically do?
Result-What was the outcome? How did your work
affect the organization or situation?
INTERVIEW TIPS FOR S.T.A.R.
Start with writing if it helps
 Move to bullet points of most important points
 Rehearse-over, over, over
 Ad lib story to different speakers
 Adjust story to answer several questions, but
make sure you answer the question!
 Practice out loud, not just in your head!

ON CAMPUS LEADERSHIP IS IMPORTANT