Resume and Cover Letter Writing WorkshopNovember 2007

Mission: To support the personal and intellectual success of every student, every day.

LBUSD Leadership

Pipeline Development

Preparing the Next Generation of School Leaders

Why does this matter to you? First part of selection process is paper

screening Resume and cover letter scored by a panel They only know what you have accomplished

and who you are from these documents

Administrative Power Standard #9 Using skill in written and oral

communication to establish strong lines of two-way communication with students, staff, parents, and the community.

Education

Experience

Additional Qualifications

.

Resumes…

Are you qualified for the job you are seeking???

Resume Format 1-2 Pages:

Education (Academic Preparation) Dates, degrees & credentials Chronological (most recent first)

Experience (Jobs and Positions) Chronological (most recent first)

Additional Sections (as needed--support above) Ex: special skills, awards, publications, related

experience, volunteerism, affiliations, references, etc… Use of margins and/or columns for readability

Resume Polishing Ideas Job Title, Site, Year(s)

Action verb, activity, followed by description of accomplishment

Focus on leadership experiences in various jobs Teacher, ABC Elementary, 9/00-6/04

Chaired the SBDM Committee and led the creation of a school-wide discipline plan.

Served as the BTSA Coordinator and redesigned the site service delivery model.

Common MistakesCan’t follow progression of jobs

Address gaps in cover letter (if needed)Formatting is sloppy

Should be a clean copy w/o typosMerely a list of items or a summaryLack of (or too) much descriptionDeception and/or “Padding”

Experiences as they relate to the position

Beliefs, Values, Priorities

Why you are a match

.

Cover Letters…

Are you the right person for the job you are seeking???

Cover Letter 1 Page in length Author’s voice is clear and distinct Targeted

Clearly states what you are seeking Organized

Paragraphs with effective transitions Professional

Easy to read (12 pt. font) Clear margins

Suggested Letter Format Purpose

What are you applying for and why The Position

What you will bring to the position Why this position is a next step for you

Strengths Brief summary of experiences Why you are a match (specific examples of skills) Mismatches, if any, show alternate strength

Summary With a final statement

Common Mistakes

Summarizing the resumeUsing an informal toneHeavy use of education jargonAdding personal informationCriticizing your bossDeception and/or “padding”

Remember...

The scoring panelists need to know…

Who you are and why you are the right person for the job!

Ask your friends and family to review your documents carefully before you submit.