Resumes & Cover Letters

ISP 499z

May 26, 2004

Jennifer Powers

You’ve got 20 seconds

What is the potential employer looking for?

What are you looking for?How do you say it?

Your First Resume, 5th ed., Ron Fry, 2001

Who are you?

What do you like? Courses you liked the most Courses you liked the least Courses in which you got the best grades Courses in which you got the worst grades

Who are you?

What are you good at? People skills

Taking instructionServingSensing/feelingCommunicatingPersuadingPerforming, amusingManagingNegotiating

Who are you?

What are you good at? People skills, con’t

LeadingTreatingAdvisingTraining

Who are you?

What are you good at? Informational skills

ObservingComparingCopying/storingComputingResearchingAnalyzingOrganizing

Who are you?

What are you good at? Informational skills, con’t

EvaluatingVisualizingImproving/adaptingCreatingDesigningPlanningExpeditingAchieving

Who are you?

What are you good at? Manual skills

HandlingPhysical strengthEarth and natureFeedingMonitoringMechanicalVehicle skillsPrecisionAssemblingRepairing

Who are you?

What motivates you? Celebrity/fame Money Power Fulfillment Affiliation

Second opinion

Career path

Process of eliminationWinners and losersDo your research

Industry as a whole Major companies in that field Trends, new products, etc Major players (companies and individuals) Jargon/buzzwords

Career path

Also consider… Promotion possibilities Training opportunities Salary Benefits

Real-world experience

Internships Practical experience Learn about company from inside Ask questions Make contacts Try a career

Co-opVolunteer work

Finding the right company

My Ideal Company Profile

Musts Preferences Never

Finding the right company

Geographic preferences Large city, small town Warm or cold climate Large or small company Frequency of travel (what

percentage of your time)

Salary (preference = max, must =min)

Benefits you’d like Graduate school in future

(tuition reimbursement) Kinds of

products/services Formal employee training

program

Finding the right company

Company evaluation chartList potential companies down the sideMake columns for everything in Must/Preference

columns from previous chartJob description

Practical skills Hidden skills Educational credentials

Finding the right company

Corporate culture Dominated by single personality

Ted Turner, Jack Welch, Bill Gates

PoliticsDecision making is spread around employees, so

there is competition

High-energy/low-key

Networking

Creating your ideal network Diversify Include everyone Make specific requests Value your contacts Maintain detailed records

Networking

Informational interview Gain knowledge and understanding Investigate company’s hiring process Sell yourself (leave resume) Seek advice Obtain referrals Develop list of follow-up activities

Resume writing

Assemble your stats Report cards, transcripts, licenses Employment, internship, volunteer records Activities, clubs, memberships, hobbies Honors and awards Specific skills and talents Military service records

Tips for best-looking resume

Select format Chronological

Contact infoObjectiveQualificationsEducationWork experience

Tips for best-looking resume

Select format Functional

Contact infoObjectiveQualificationsSkills/achievementsEducation

Tips for best-looking resume

Select format Combination

Contact infoObjectiveQualificationsSkills/achievementsWork experienceEducation

Tips for best-looking resume

1-2 pages“continued” at bottom of 1st pageSerif typefaceTraditional typefaceReadable sizeChoose face and stick with it

Tips for best-looking resume

Highlight with bold fontUse ALL CAPS and underlining sparinglyAvoid italicsUse generous margins (1 inch)Use ragged right (not justified)Avoid hyphens

Tips for best-looking resume

Single space within listings, double space between listings

Use bullets4-5 lines per paragraphShorten line lengthKISSFind your own simple format

Must haves

Name, address, phone, email addressEducation and trainingSkills and experience

Could haves

Job objective (<12 words)Summary of qualificationsVolunteer experienceOutside interestsAwards and honorsProfessional and social organizationsMilitary experience

Don’t haves

Photographs/illustrationReasons why you left past jobsReferences (or “Available on request”)Salary infoFeelings about travel/relocationTestimonialsPersonal statistics (married, age, health, etc)Personality profiles “Resume” at top of page

Power words

Supervised vs. oversawFormulated vs. thought upOrganized vs. put together

Electronic resume

Companies scan resume in Need key words Computers don’t read cover letters 2-3 pages ok San serif font, no bold, ital, etc Design keyword-only version for

online/e-mail

Web resume

Electronic Resumes and Online Networking, Rebecca Smith, Career Press 2002

Editing and rewriting your resume

Big questions Right format? Communicate that I fill a need? Emphasize my strengths/eliminate

weaknesses? Too long or cluttered? Does every element count?

Editing and rewriting your resume

Details Name header Job objective Skills summary Experience profile Education Miscellaneous Style

Editing and rewriting your resume

Use a ruler to go line by lineDon’t rely on computer spell checkRead bottom up and backwardsHave someone else read itRead it aloud

Editing and rewriting your resume

Printing White, off-white, ivory Good quality, medium weight paper Avoid glossy or textured paper Matching envelopes and stationery Black ink

Editing and rewriting your resume

Keep in mind: The resume you send out must always be

perfect, clean, accurate, flawless, pristine, untouched, perfect, clean, perfect, perfect, perfect

Letter writing

5 questions Why am I writing this letter? To whom am I writing? What am I trying to accomplish? Which lead will grab the reader’s attention? How should I organize the letter to best

accomplish my objectives?

Letter writing

When to write Answer an ad Prospect (many companies) Inquire about specific openings (single company) Obtain referral and/or informational

interview(network) Obtain job interview Say “thank you” for informational or job interview Accept/reject job offer Withdraw consideration for a job

Letter writing

Key components On letterhead Address manager by title and name (spelled correctly) 1st paragraph states reason for letter 2nd and 3rd paragraphs = sales pitch Lively—refer to resume, tell a little more, but don’t overdo it Mention name of company and some facts about it Don’t mention anything *not* job related 1 page

Resumes & cover letters in a nutshell

Any questions?