Resume & Cover Letters

The 1st key to getting a job.

Employment Documents

• Employment documents include resumes, cover letters, and any business message that concerns employment.

• Your message will be directed to your contact(s) in the organization and will vary depending on what your intent is upon writing.

What is a resume?

• A resume is a brief document that summarizes your education, employment history, and experiences that are relevant to your qualifications for a particular job for which you are applying.

• The purpose of a resume (along with your cover letter) is to get an interview.

• Research has shown that it takes an average of ten (10) interviews to receive one (1) job offer, so your resume needs to be persuasive and perfect.

• Given this, your resume must be user-centered and persuasive.

WHAT SHOULD IT LOOK LIKE?

• A resume should be a brief summary of your experience.

• Should be as concise as possible-no shorter than one full page and no more than two pages.

• Resumes differ from letters and papers, and they are written in a concise style using bullet lists rather than long sentences and paragraphs.

• A resume is designed to be skimmed quickly.

RESUME BASICS

• What is the goal/purpose of my résumé? To get an interview!

• General guidelines: Length: Limit resume to one typed page Font: Arial for heading, Times New Roman for

body text, between 10-12 point font Paper: Use 8 1/2” x 11” 20 lb paper, white,

light cream, or grey

RESUME RESEARCH

• Getting started Before you write your résumé:

Conduct some research on the company, job:• Company name, contact information, description• Job title (job number if applicable), requirements• Contact person (person to whom you address letter)• Application requirements (does company require a

résumé, application, cover letter, list of references?) If you have some missing information, you have some

research to do… Also, it’s better to tailor résumés to a specific

job, company because it shows you have researched position, organization

WHAT SHOULD IT INCLUDE?

There are several sections that almost every resume must have including:

• Contact information• Objective• Education• Work experience

CONTACT INFORMATION

• The contact information section is where you detail how potential employers can get in touch with you.

• Make sure all information is accurate and current.

• At minimum, include your name, address, and phone number. Many people also include cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and web pages.

• It is in your best interest to make sure your potential employers can contact you.

OBJECTIVE

• The objective should be short and concise, but it must also be “user-centered”, tailored to the specific organization and position.

• State the organization's name and the specific position title, and they briefly outline how the applicant will help the organization achieve its goals:

#1 Objective: Help ABC Bakery achieve its mission of creating healthy food choices by joining the Bakery team as an evening baker.

• Creating a user-centered objective is important because you don't want to sound like you're using the organization selfishly to further your own career

#2 Objective: Expand my skills in cake decorating in the wedding and event planning field.

• Notice how the second objective does not mention the specific organization or job, and it does not discuss how the applicant plans to help the company.

EDUCATION

• In the education section, state the highest degree you have earned and provide the following details:

• Institution where the degree was granted• Date of graduation• Level of degree (B.A., M.A., etc.) and field

(Electrical Engineering), any minors(English), and your GPA.

• You are not required to state your GPA, but potential employers may assume you left it off because it was low. However, if your GPA is lower than a 3.0, consider omitting it.

Information to include in Education Section

The Education Section must include pertinent facts about your education. It should include the following:

• Name of the institution where you earned your highest degree.

• City and state of the institution.• When you graduated or received the degree• What specific degree was earned.• Any minors and/or double majors.

Work Experience

• The section on work experience is usually broken down by company or position. For each, provide the following: Name and address of the organization Dates of employment Position title Responsibilities. Your employment dates for each job Duties you performed.This section can also

include any promotions you might have gotten while on a job.

OPTIONAL SECTIONS

Include other optional sections to provide a more accurate idea of your skills, achievements, education, etc. These can include the following: Computer skills Honors and awards Languages Certifications Volunteer experience Hobbies and interests Foreign travel Professional memberships Community service

If you believe there is information about you an employer needs to make an informed decision (and you cannot include it in a cover letter), you may create a section on your resume to showcase that information.

What does it mean to tailor employment documents?

• Make sure that you use a writing strategy that will effectively reach your reader.

• Keep your audience in mind. • Who will read my document? When you

tailor you are adapting your writing for a reader.

• Consider what you want your message to convey to the audience.

For what types of readers should I tailor my employment documents?

• There are two kinds of readers that an employment document should be tailored for: Skimmers and Skeptics.

• Skimmers are readers that are typically very busy. Pressed for time, they often skim employment documents in a rather short period of time.

• Consequently, the documents you prepare for this particular reader should:1. State the main point clearly and up front.2. Place the most important information at the beginning or

ending of paragraphs.3. Highlight key dates or figures.

SKIMMER OR SKEPTICS?

Example 1: Managed $10,000 in project accounts, compiled

and published engineering reports as assistant to Vice President, coordinated registrations, payments, and literature for software training seminars.

Example 2: Managed $10,000 in project accounts. Compiled and published engineering reports as

Assistant to Vice President Coordinated registrations, payments, and

literature for software training seminars.

SKEPTIC READER

• A Skeptic reader is cautious and doubtful. • Tend to read a document carefully,

questioning its validity and question the writer's claims.

• It is necessary to support your statements with sufficient details and evidence: Provide specific examples, numbers, dates,

names, and percentages to meet their needs.

SKEPTIC WRITING

• For example:• NOT: I performed very well in my

classes.• BUT: I received the Dean's List

Honors 7/8 semesters and received a Women in Communications Scholarship in May 2001.

PROOF READING SKIMMERS

• To proofread for skimmers: • Perform a 20-second skim test on

your document to see if your message effectively reaches skimmers.

• See what stands out most to you or someone else in that time and see what stands out or conveys your message clearly.

PROOF READ FOR SKEPTICS

To Proofread for Skeptics:• Question each of your assertions and be sure that you provide

specific and sufficient evidence to support each assertion:• You should also ask yourself:

Is my main point stated clearly in the first paragraph? Did I include enough details and examples to support my main point? Is it clear by the end of the message what I want the reader to do or

know? Do I provide enough context for the message or is more background

information required? Have I included keywords in my document? Did I specifically mention my reader's name (or the company's name)? Did I use language that the reader will understand? Does my message have a sincere and appropriate tone?

WRITING COVER LETTERS

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

• A cover letter is a document that presents your: Job goals Education Job history.

• The cover letter explains why you are capable of filling the job position you want and precedes your resume.

Why do I need to do a cover letter?

• Many employers need a cover letter to go with a resume.• Employers use cover letters and resumes to see who can do a job.• Employers also use cover letters to read about your past jobs. • They explain why you want the job and how you can fulfill the job

requirements.• Your cover letter is also important because it shows employers

you can communicate effectively. • Your cover letter and resume should work together to convince an

employer to give you an interview. • It is good to have a cover letter even if you do not need one for a

certain job.• It is easier to update a cover letter than to write one from scratch

in a hurry.

What should I do about any times I was not working?

• Short times in between jobs or work experience should not hurt your chances of getting an interview.

• Be prepared to talk about those breaks when you meet with the employer.

• If you were not working for pay but volunteered doing something in the community, talk about that experience to show you were busy doing something.

FORMATS

• BLOCK:the text of the entire letter is left justified (against the left margin).

• MODIFIED:the body text of the letter is left justified, but the date and closing are tabbed to the center point.

• SEMI BLOCK:the body text of the letter is left justified except for the first sentence of the paragraphs. The date and closing are tabbed to the center point.

• FORMATS: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/653/02/

What sections should my cover letter include?

• Heading• Introduction• Argument/body paragraphs (2-3)• Closing

Please note that your cover letter needs to be free of spelling grammatical errors. You should also avoid using contractions: won’t, can’t, I’ll. Instead, spell out these words: Will not, cannot, I will.

HEADING SECTION

• Date you are writing• Your mailing address• Phone number (home, cell)• Email address• Address of the employer’s company’s

of the employer’s company

Heading EXAMPLE

June 9, 2009

Karl M. Jones900 N. 7th St. Apt. 6Lafayette, IN 4790465-123-4567mjones123@gmail.com (an email that says hotchick69@yahoo.com = not acceptable!)

Alex Carson Manager, A & D Industries437 State Route 26Lafayette, IN 4790465-891-1011

INTRODUCTION SECTION

• Greeting (a specific person if you know)• State the position you are applying for and

how you heard about it• State why you believe you are a good

match for the position and organization, including 2-3 experiences you will talk about in the rest of the letter (these items should come from your resume)

Introduction EXAMPLE

• Dear Hiring Professionals:• Dear Selection Committee:• You may greet the contact person using the full name if you find the

contact person but do not know the gender: Dear Ms. Kincaid: (for Amy Kincaid) Dear Alex Carson: (for Alex Carson ~ Alex is usually a male name, but it can also

be used for women. Alex can be short for Alexandra.)

Here is an example of an introduction:

Dear Alex Carson:

I read in the June 7, 2009 Journal and Courier employment section that A & D Industries is hiring a bakers apprentice, and I would like to speak with you about this position. My strong work ethic and solid teamwork skills make me a good match for A & D Industries. Also, my pastry fundamental experience at the Art Institute of Philadelphia where I am currently attending courses in the baking & pastry program to earn my diploma, makes me a good candidate for your apprentice position.

ARUGUMENT/BODY SECTION

• Tailor the cover letter for each job application.

• Focus each paragraph on one experience that shows you are a good match for the job opening.

• Tell a story; do not just list your skills• Mention your resume.

What to include in body section

• Should support your statements in the introduction: that you are a good match for the company and that you can do the job.

• Should also explain the 2 examples you used in your introduction based on information in your resume.

Body EXAMPLE

• For the past two years, I have been working as a cake decorator at Russellís in Lafayette. My strong work ethic and solid teamwork skills helped me increase my part-time hours at Russellís from five to ten hours per week. I also received the employee of the month award for May 2006 and April 2008 at my full-time position as a cashier and baker at Village Pantry in Lafayette. I believe that my responsible approach to work makes me a good match for A & D Industries.

• In addition, during my two years at Russellís I have developed my pastry skills to include piping chocolate, icing with various buttercreams, assembling layer cakes, working with commercial cooking equipment and small wares, diagnosing baking errors as well preparing recipes using varied mixing methods and dough handling procedures. I have knowledge of basic mathematics, and I can read bakers formulas,standardized recipes and can convert recipes to any degree of an establishment needs.

• During coursework at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, I have studied baking principles, wedding cakes, bread baking, classical cakes & tortes, nutrition and chocolate making principles. Lastly, I am familiar with workplace safety practices and currently have my Servsafe Certification. I believe my work experience and my coursework make me a strong candidate to fill the bakers apprentice position at A & D Industries.

CLOSING SECTION

• Close with a strong reminder of why you are a good match for the job

• Ask for an interview in some way• Provide your phone and email contact

information again• Sign your name• Include your attachment reference about

your resume (Enclosure: John Smith Resume)

Closing EXAMPLE

I am looking forward to meeting with you to interview for the bakers apprentice position. I am sure that my strong work ethic, customer service skills, and baking experience can help A & D Industries. If you have any questions, please call me at (765)123-4567. You may also email me at kmjones@gmail.com. For your reference, I have included my resume. Thank you for taking the time to review my documents.[1 space]

Sincerely,

[4 spaces]

SignedKarl M. Jones[1 space] Enclosure: Resume for Karl M. Jones

REFERENCES

• Some employers may not ask for references with your resume. But it is good to have a references list ready if an employer requires it.

• Include at least three references. • Remember to contact your references to double-check their contact

information and to ask permission to use them as references. Here is a sample references list:

REFERENCES:

Russell Clark, Owner of Russellís 404 State Route 26, Lafayette, IN765-789-1011

Rebecca Singh, Manager Village Pantry630 Greenbush St., Lafayette, IN765-121-3141

Anthony Taylor, Manager Village Pantry4004 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN317-516-1718

How Should I follow up?

• Allow 10 days before calling or emailing the employee about your cover letter and resume.

• When you contact the employer remember that they are probably busy. Try to be patient.

• Perfectly acceptable to ask about your job application documents ten days after submission.

• Also remember that the goal of your cover letter and resume is to get an interview for the job opening.

• When you follow up first ask whether or not the employer has received your documents. If the employer received the documents, ask if she has had time to review them. If so, ask if she is setting up interviews yet.

How Should I follow up?

• If the employer has not received your cover letter and resume in the past ten days, offer to resend the documents and double check the employer’s mailing address and contact person.

• You should also offer to drop off your cover letter and resume in person. Remember to dress professionally if the company expects.