career and major exploration/ resume and cover letters career development services lake-sumter state...

CAREER AND MAJOR EXPLORATION/

RESUME AND COVER LETTERS

Career Development ServicesLake-Sumter State College

The Career Exploration Process

Conduct Self-Assessment

Research Academic/ Career Options

Relevant/Practical Experience

Job Search or University Transfer Preparation

Career Development Services

• One-on-One Career Advising • Career/Major Exploration

assistance • Resume and cover letter tips and

critiques • Full-time/part-time employment

and Internship search tips and strategies

• Career assessments• Interview tips and mock interviews • Networking tips• Professional Etiquette

• Salary negotiation tips• Career-related presentations and

webinars • Online Job listings (posted on the

CDS website)• University Transfer and Graduate

School research tips• On-campus employer interviews

and information sessions • Hiring Events • Career-related resources online

and in-office library

Making the Right Choice

• Choosing a career is like buying a car. • Driver-Car match:

– Characteristics of the Driver• Personality• Interests• Skills• Values

– Characteristics of the Car• How much does it match the driver?

– Pay– Hours– Benefits– Typical Work Environment

www.lssc.myplan.com

Assessing Your Personality MyPlan: What is your personality type?

Extraverted (E) or Introverted (I)How people interact with the world and the way they prefer to receive stimulation and energy.

Sensing (S) or Intuitive (N)The way people prefer to gather data

Feeling (F) or Thinking (T)The way people prefer to make decisions

Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)The manner in which people prefer to orient their lives (structured or spontaneous and adaptive).

Assessing Your Interests

Assessing Your Skills

Basic Skills

Social Skills

Problem Solving

Technical Resource Management

Assessing Your ValuesValues: What is important to me?

Achievement: Ability Utilization, AchievementIndependence: Creativity, Responsibility, AutonomyRecognition: Advancement, Recognition, AuthorityRelationships: Co-Workers, Social Service, Moral

ValuesSupport: Company Policies & Practices, Supervision:

Human Resources, Supervision: TechnicalWorking Conditions: Activity, Independence, Variety,

Compensation, Security, Working Conditions

MyPlan.comTutorialwww.lssc.myplan.com

Job Searching

Lakehawk Career Connect• Careers that target LSSC studentsNetworking• Your next best option—who you knowJob Listings• Indeed.com• Other sites tapered to your industry

What is a Resume?

• A resume is the first step in the application process

• It summarizes your qualifications and experiences as they relate to the position(s) you are seeking

• It is a marketing tool

• A good resume:– Demonstrates your qualifications– Helps the employer see you in the

position– Leaves them wanting to know more

Resume Vs Cover Letter

Resume• Highlights your skills and

qualifications• Gives a summary of your

experience• Written in bulleted format• “Checklist”

Cover Letter• Demonstrates knowledge

of the company and reason for your interest

• Showcases your fit with the organization

• Much more targeted• “Personality”

Imagine…

You are an employer, looking to hire someone to work in the field of customer service. There are two candidates that your team is reviewing. But time waits for no one and you have a business to run. So you have….

30 Seconds to review each candidate.

WHAT DRIVES A RESUME’S CONTENT?

Anatomy of a Bullet Point

• Taught• Taught inner-city high school students • Taught inner-city high school students and they earned the

highest scores in the district on English assessments.

Verb (Past Tense) Description Result

Experience Example

Lake-Sumter State College Leesburg, FLStudent Assistant, Admissions Jan. 2014-Present• Assist staff in marketing, scheduling, and organizing

information sessions for prospective students• Maintain log of prospective student inquiries, including

contact information• Provide customer service to front desk visitors• Streamlined the office’s marketing process by creating an

easy-to-follow checklist

COVER LETTERS

Cover Letter

• What is it?– A letter you write in business format to an

employer that accompanies your resume

• Purpose– Supplements the information on your resume– Showcases match with organization– Showcases your research of the organization– Explains how your qualifications have prepared

you to do your job– Focuses on the future– Showcases your writing ability

Format

• Three Paragraphs– Introduction

• State purpose of the letter (and job #)• How you learned about the opening• Why you’re interested

– Body• Why you’re the best candidate for the job and how you’ll

contribute to the role• Highlight how your qualifications have prepared you to excel at

this job• Showcase what you know about the company

– Closing• Summarize contents of letter• Express interest in interview• Thank employer for time and consideration

Resources

Optimal Resume

• Nice website for building your resume, cover letter, and interview skills

CDS Website• A host of resources available

Access Resources & Schedule an Appointment Today!

Visit the CDS website to access Job Seeker Resources: www.lssc.edu/careers

Office Hours (Walk-ins and Appointments):• Leesburg: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am-4:30 pm• South Lake: Mondays, 8:30 am-4:30 pm• Sumter: By appointment only

To schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor:• Tel: (352) 323-3603 Web: www.lssc.edu/careers

Visit us Online: • Facebook: www.facebook.com/careerslssc