Hailing from campus-based, commuter and online programs, HIM students filed into the Student Academy to answer that priceless question: How do I land my first job? Network, said Barbara Black, MBA, SPHR, director of human resources at Care Communications. A stellar resume and polished interviewing skills don't hurt, either.

A daylong, preconference event, the Student Academy boosted enthusiasm for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Convention and Exhibit and gave students a leg up in the job market.

"This profession, in your career, is going to be the center of the health care universe," said Craig May, director of public relations, AHIMA, who reinforced the critical role of HIM. Quality health care cannot exist without quality information, he said.

Following May's welcome, Black began the morning seminar, which focused on drafting attention-grabbing resumes and cover letters. Black applied the common advice "dress for the job you want" to resume writing. "Your resume should reflect your next job, not your current job," she said.

Instead of listing daily duties, focus on the results achieved in each position, Black advised. Similarly, consider a "positioning statement"--a summary of unique talents--in lieu of an "objective." That way, potential employers learn what you can do for them, not the other way around.

Be concise, factual and positive, and use action verbs like "devise," "facilitate" and "modify" to put life into an otherwise ho-hum resume. But never lie; a simple fib can come back to haunt you, Black said. Misrepresenting yourself can also land you a position you're not ready for, which only adds to stress and makes employer relations difficult down the road, added Gwen Hughes, RHIA, CHP, director of eHIM consulting services, Care Communications.

Addressing Generation Y in particular, Black urged students to Google themselves and remove any information that could be unattractive to employers. Keep ringback tones and e-mail addresses appropriate, and rid your Facebook account of any incriminating photos, she said. But Black didn't forget those pursuing second careers or returning to the HIM field, either. Make sure your credentials are up-to-date, she said, and ditch the "References upon request" line at the bottom of your resume. Instead, hand potential employers a "Professional References" sheet before you leave an interview; hiring managers will be impressed with your initiative and you'll have more time to alert references that a phone call might be coming their way.

Students refueled over lunch, which also gave them time to compare notes on curriculum requirements and internship experiences. After the break, they hunkered down for a crash course in interview etiquette. Prepare before you head to the interview, Black and Hughes said; research the employer, rehearse answers to common questions and prepare your own questions to ask the hiring manager. Be punctual, professional, prepared and positive during the interview, they said. Take notes, but keep the Blackberry away--it's distracting and rude, Black said.

Employers have instituted fair hiring practices, but discrimination can still happen, according to Black. She advised job seekers to be on the lookout for improper interview questions. To test students' awareness, Black gave examples and asked students to raise a green "OK" or red "Not OK" card to signal the appropriateness of a question. After the exercise, Black sprung another activity on students, asking volunteers to act out various interviewing scenarios, which observers then critiqued. Don't forget to follow up after an interview, Black advised. An e-mail can suffice, but there's nothing like a handwritten note, she said.

Landing a job often depends on getting your foot in the door, Hughes said. She urged students to get experience through part-time or volunteer work. Joining local educational committees can also get your name out there. Most importantly, get credentialed upon graduation; it's nerve-wracking, but the benefits "add up over time," Hughes noted.

The Student Academy capped off with presentations from Marsha Dolan, MBA, RHIA, who shared statistics related to student demographics and educational concerns, and Angela Morey, MSM, RHIA, winner of the AHIMA Ethics Poster Contest, who explained the "Risk of Inadvertent Disclosure of PHI Within a Research Study." Students then broke into groups led by HIM mentors; it was a chance to ask questions and flex their networking muscles.

Cheryl McEvoy is an assistant editor with ADVANCE.