Anyone who’s seen the film "Jerry Maguire" remembers the line “Show Me The Money!” - something most grads will be thinking about soon after the May 28 graduation.

But money isn’t always everything, according to Cherine Morris, director of human resources for a 250-employee auto parts company in Southern California.

Morris, who has been in the HR field for over 20 years, said grads can package themselves to get a great deal, and that doesn’t just mean financially. Part of that packaging is selling yourself to your potential employer in order to get the best package from the boss.

For instance, Morris said when she sits down to look at résumés she often turns to the kinds of volunteerism and clubs new grads have been involved in.

“Of course where you went to school can be number one if you’re looking at a Fortune 500 company, but I look for people whose past activities relate to the job they’re applying for,” she said. “If someone is applying for a sales job, I want to see things like whether they were part of a fund-raising committee during school, so I know they’ve done things relative to the job they’re applying for.”

As for résumés, Morris said she always looks for consistency in format and the use of good language skills and spelling. She advises job-seekers to keep information to a minimum, but also informative.

“I hate cover letters (because) they’re all the same,” she said. “Let me see the meat – what they can do and have done - in their résumé.”

Jack Brewer, director of SF State’s career center, said résumé help is available to students Monday through Friday during the center’s drop-in times, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For students who have waited until after they have graduated to get their résumé together, the career center is open during the summer, and all career center services are available to SF State students for six months after they graduate.

“We at the career center know how it is,” said Brewer. "You have good intentions, and then time just slips by. But we are fully staffed during the summer and we can help you.”

Morris said the interview is when she finds out what other companies an applicant is interested in, and it’s also a time for the grad to impress.

Important tips she offered included showing that you have initiative - know about the company, do your homework, and ask questions.

“At the end of an interview, I expect the candidate to have some intelligent questions based on what I’ve told them. When they don’t, I’m not interested,” said Morris.

Monster.com founder Jeff Taylor recommended interviewees make their initial answers to questions as brief as possible in a compilation of interviewing tips available at monster.com.

“Some of your best stories probably take time to detail, but your initial interview answers should be brief,” Taylor said. “Check in with the interviewer after two minutes and prompt an invitation to go on.”

Interviewing help is also available through SF State’s career center.
“The number one complaint we get from employers is the students are not prepared for interviews,” Brewer said. To address this issue, the career center offers mock interviews both with career counselors and with actual employers on specified days.

Morris also said employers need to know their competition. This can be extremely important for comparing small and large companies.

“In a big company, you may get a better starting salary and comparable benefits, but often they can’t personalize those benefits to help a grad,” Morris said.

She gave an example of a consulting firm where she worked for several years.

“The interviewee would tell me they had this opportunity at a larger firm, and I would always tell them, ‘Yeah, but here you have the chance to work one-on-one with the principal. He’s one of the best in the business,’” said Morris. She added that bigger firms may offer a better starting salary, but you may wind up as one of many cogs in a wheel.

“In a smaller firm, you have the chance to take on entire projects; that’s an intangible benefit,” said Morris.

She said smaller firms are also often willing to offer perks like help in paying off student loans, more vacation time, and her favorite - spot bonuses.

“When a project is due and the employee finishes it ahead of schedule, they’re rewarded by free lunch, a day off or a cash bonus," said Morris. "This kind of good will shows potential employees that the employer cares.”

Resources
 Plan ahead. Find out about the company, its culture and who you’re interviewing with so you can sell your best self.

 Have a clear understanding of what’s important to you and only market yourself to those companies.

 Present a professional resume and appearance.

 Think about your career path and where you want to end up.

 Don’t just "go get a job" – this is the beginning of your life.