cover letter and resume writing. during today’s workshop you will… 1. analyze position...
Post on 24-Dec-2015
212 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
Cover Letter and Resume Writing
During today’s workshop you will…
1. Analyze position description to identify content for cover letter/resume
2. Select appropriate category headings for your resume
3. Identify relevant content and articulate it on your resume
4. Leave with draft or revised resume
Cover Letter vs. Resume
Cover Letter• An introduction• Communicates
interest• Directs readers
attention to highlights of resume
• Asks for an interview
• Writing sample
Resume• Markets your
relevant qualifications
• Secures an interview
Purpose
Cover letter contents• Paragraph 1: Why you are writing? Mention
referral source in the first sentence.
• Paragraph 2: Why should they consider you? This hooks the reader. Connect your skills and experience to the job description.
• Paragraph 3: Why do you want to work for them? What attracts you to the organization? How does the organization/job match up with your values and qualifications. Incorporate your research.
• Paragraph 4: The close. Be assertive. “I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you in person in order to discuss….
Cover letter tips
• Individualize each cover letter• Target letter to a specific job or employer• Be positive, natural, direct and interesting• Avoid being repetitious of resume• Be brief (concise)• PROOFREAD!
Paragraph format
Preparation
• Develop a clear career goal and clarify the objective of your documents
• Research industry, specific jobs or graduate programs and learn what skills and knowledge are valued
• Identify your qualifications, interests and skills relevant to a position or program of interest
Requirements/Qualifications
• Self-starter• Relationship building or
customer service
Your Relevant Experience
• Led….• Served….
Create a T chart
Wordle
Most utilized formatChronological• Reverse chronological order• Familiar to employers• Effective for new graduates• Focus on job titles work history
Combination or Related Experience• Two or more experience sections, Relevant and Additional• Showcases the experiences that are most relevant
Additional format optionsFunctional• Highlights transferable skills in clusters• Effective for career changers and those with varied experiences• Focuses on groups of functional skills and related experience
Federal
Resume styles
Chronological
Combination
Functional
Federal• Federal Resume • Longer than traditional resume and includes
additional information such as:Veteran/Federal civilian status Security clearance Citizenship Job announcement information Highest civilian grade held
• Resources for drafting your Federal ResumeTen Steps To A Federal Job by Kathryn Troutman (Available in Career Library) Moving On Guide USA Jobs Resume Builder
Curriculum Vita (CV)
CV• At least 2 pages (commonly 3-8 pages)• Lean towards completeness rather than brevity • Special focus on:
Teaching and Research ExperiencePublications and PresentationsAwards and Honors
• Primarily used for academic, scientific , fellowship, grant or research positions
• Includes information about where credentials were earned (i.e. names of professors, institutions, etc.)
Resume 101 Hiring Manager Complaints
Not tailoring resume
Not highlighting clubs/organizations,
class projects, volunteer experiences
Grammatical errors
Bullets that are too vague
Inappropriate email addresses
Generic, self focused
objective statements
Resume content
• Contact Information• Education • Objective Statement/Summary of Qualifications• Experience• Additional Information
Relevant Coursework/ ProjectsPresentations HonorsTechnical SkillsProfessional AssociationsLanguage
Contact information
Georgia Masoncheercutie98@yahoo.com(703)-555-5555
Georgia Mason111 University Drive ▪ Fairfax VA 22030 ▪ 703-993-1111 ▪ gmason@gmu.edu
Contact information
• Name – Put in bold to make your name stand out• Full address – Current and/or permanent, if
applicable• Phone number – Include number at which you can be
reached during day/evening and a professional voicemail
• Email – Include a professional username
Example:Georgia Mason
111 University Drive ▪ Fairfax VA 22030 ▪ 703-993-1111 ▪ gmason@gmu.edu
Objective statement
OBJECTIVE: To obtain a challenging position where my education, skills and experiences can be highly utilized and later be applicable for growth and possible advancement.
OBJECTIVE: An internship in a non-profit agency with special interest in working with issues of children and families in need.
Objective Statement/Highlights
• Clear, concise, and tailored to position of interest• Focus on what you are seeking and what skills you
will contribute, not what you expect to gain from the position
• May include specific title of the position, type of organization/industry, special interest, and skills you offer
Example:OBJECTIVE: An internship in a non-profit agency with special
interest in working with issues of children and families in need.
Education
GMU 2009- PresentBiology MajorSpanish Minor
Robinson High School 2005-2009
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Minor in Spanish May 2014George Mason University, Fairfax, VA GPA: 3.43
Associate in Science in General Studies August 2011Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA GPA : 3.72
Education• List in reverse chronological order
• Include name of degree(s), major & minor, institution, location, city and state, month & year of graduation
• Spell out degrees or use proper abbreviations (Bachelor of Science, or B.S.)
• Should include GPA, if 3.0 or higher; relevant courses; honors/awards; study abroad; training/certification
• High School is usually omitted from the resume after first or second year of college
Example:EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Minor Spanish, May 2014George Mason University. Fairfax, VAGPA if 3.12 Associate in Science in General Studies, August 2011Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VAGPA 3.56
Experience
Assistant Mangager Sweetwater Tavern • Supervise staff• Handle cash• Oversee operations
Assistant Manager, February 2010 – Present Sweetwater Tavern, Fairfax, VA
• Maintain health and safety standards of contemporary fine dining restaurant (98% rating)
• Schedule and supervise 17 wait staff• Commended by supervisors for customer service skills in
fast-paced environment, serving 250 customers per shift
Experience• Include job title, name of organization, location (city and
state) and employment dates
• Statements describing your accomplishments
• Statements are concise, descriptive, and include numbers to show results if possible
• Use action verbs to begin statements (see Moving On for a list of action verbs)
Example:EXPERIENCE
Assistant Manager, February 2010 – Present Sweetwater Tavern, Fairfax, VA•Maintained health and safety standards of contemporary fine dining restaurant (98% rating)•Scheduled and supervised 17 wait staff•Commended by supervisors for customer service skills in fast-paced environment, serving 250 customers per shift
Questions to ask yourself
1. What did I do?2. Why did I do it?3. How did I do it?4. How was the organization
improved as a result of what I did? What was the impact?
Before
• Led new marketing campaign for sorority
After
• Created and led month-long social media campaign to promote recruitment event which attracted 125 attendees and resulted in 20% growth in new membership
Self-starter example
Before
• Provided customer service at Verizon
After
• Handled customer inquiries, complaints, and billing questions
• Accommodated requests when possible to diffuse situations, which resulted in retention of a $1,500 account
• Awarded Employee of the Month for going above call of duty
Customer service example
Action verbs
Relevant coursework/projects
• Include coursework and/or projects that are related to your field(s) of interest
• Incorporate technical/specialized knowledge that you utilized in the class
• Don’t just list course projects, explain relevant accomplishments
Additional content areasSKILLS• Technical skills for example Microsoft Office Suite, e.g.,
beginner, intermediate, advanced
• Language proficiency level, e.g., conversational, bilingual, fluent
• Skills relevant to position of interest
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP(S)• American Marketing Association (student member), Dates
• Golden Key Honor Society, spring 2012 – present
LEADERSHIP/ACTIVITIES
• Role/title, organization, dates and major accomplishments
• Student organizations, volunteer activities, and community service may all apply
For international students
• Describe foreign companies and schoolsOne of the top five universities in ChinaA $30 million consulting firm
• Include language skills Bilingual (Farsi/English); Conversational French
• Emphasize English language skillsTranslated written and spoken English for two years
• Check for grammar, spelling & sentence structure
• Do not include personal dataVisa/employment status, age, race, religion
Formatting•PAGE#: One page recommended, two pages max
• FONT: Times New Roman, Garamond, or Arial – 11pt
•MARGINS: 3/4” to 1” Margins
•PROOFREAD: No spelling errors or typos
•BOLDING: Use bold and capitalization to highlight DON’T OVERBOLD!!!!!!!!!!
•PLACEMENT: Be consistent! (e.g. titles, dates)
During today’s workshop did you…
1. Analyze position description to identify content for cover letter/resume
2. Select appropriate category headings for your resume
3. Identify relevant content and articulate it on your resume
4. Leave with draft or revised resume
Additional resources
• Moving On Guide
• careers.gmu.edu
• Books in UCS, SUB 1 Room 3400 Resource Room• Sample Resumes by Industry
• Resume/Cover Letter reviews at UCS
University Career Services
• SUB 1, Rm. 3400 • (703) 993-2370• http://careers.gmu.edu• Call to make an
appointment OR
• Come during daily Walk In Hours (check web site for days and times)
School of Management Career Services
• Enterprise Hall, Rm. 008 • (703) 993-1880• http://www.som.gmu.edu/c
areer• Walk-In Hours for SOM
Career Services• Monday & Friday 2 -
4pm• Thursday– 10am to noon
Visit us
Questions?
top related