Resumes and Cover Letters

Presented by Career Services

University Inn, Rm. 102 www.usu.edu/career (435) 797-7777

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Cover Letters

91 percent of executives polled indicated cover letters are valuable when evaluating

job candidates.

Source: OfficeTeam Survey, 2012

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Tips for Writing Cover Letters Address the cover letter to a specific person, if

possible

Keep your letter brief—one page

Match yourself to the opportunity Show you’ve done some research

If requested, discuss salary here—your career coach can help you identify average salaries in your field

No grammar, spelling, or typographical errors

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Elements of a Successful Cover LetterParagraph 1 Identify the position you are applying for and why

you are interested in working for the organization If possible, name any referral/contact Create interest or solve a problem/need Link your education and work experience to the

position

The web developer position posted on Career AGGIE at Utah State University matches my ability to create and implement dynamic web content using a variety of software and design tools. In December 20xx I will complete my BS degree in management information systems with a minor in computer science.

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Elements of a Successful Cover LetterParagraph 2 Identify your strongest qualifications as they relate

to the position Elaborate on applicable work, education, or service

accomplishments Include results-oriented success statements—use

data or numbers Can be paragraph or bullet point format

My course work and related experience has refined my skills in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, ezPlug, and HTML. My experience as a departmental computer consultant gave me exposure to both PC and Macintosh OSX platforms, while troubleshooting repairs on over 40 work stations. Additionally, my summer internship in computing operations for a major city newspaper enhanced my knowledge of enterprise systems, content management, and e-commerce operations.

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Elements of a Successful Cover LetterParagraph 3 Thank the employer Request an interview Discuss how and when you will follow-up

I will contact you next week to schedule an interview to discuss my qualifications as they relate to this position. Should you need to reach me before then, please feel free to contact me at the phone number or email listed above. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to talking with you.

 

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The Resume

Your resume, including a targeted cover letter, is designed to:

get you an interviewremind the interviewer of your

skillsjustify the hiring decision to

others

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Hiring managers identified the following as reasons they would automatically dismiss a candidate from

consideration:

Resumes with typos—61% Resumes that copied large amounts of wording from the

job posting—41% Resumes with an inappropriate email address— 35% Resumes that don’t include a list of skills—30%

2012 CareerBuilder Survey

Unbreakable Rules

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Remember…

Resumes get less than a one-minute scan Review/research job descriptions on the

company’s website; focus on key words and skills

Be clear, concise, and targeted One page (consider two pages only if you are a

returning or graduate student) Check for typos, spelling errors, and grammar Include a well-written, targeted cover letter Write it yourself

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Skills/Qualities Employers Seek

Based on a 5-point scale; 5 = extremely important Verbally communicate with persons inside/outside the organization 4.63

Work in a team situation 4.60

Make decisions and solve problems 4.51

Plan, organize, and prioritize work 4.46

Obtain and process information 4.43

Analyze quantitative data 4.30

Technical knowledge related to the job 3.99

Proficiency with computer programs 3.95

Create and/or edit written reports 3.56

Sell or influence others 3.55

 

Source: Job Outlook 2013, National Association of Colleges & Employers

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Header Samples

BRADY SMITH____________________________________________________________www.linkedin.com/in/bsmith (435) 797-1234

smith.brady@gmail.com

Lokesh Babu455 North 1100 East

Logan, UT 84321435.752.1010

my-mail@msn.com

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Objective and Headline Samples

Apply sales experience and marketing degree as a sales representative with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals

Contract Specialist II with the BLM in the Colorado Region

Human Resource Specialist Training Performance Evaluations Job Analysis

Teamwork

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JOHN STAFFORDSeeking Operations Management Position

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Education Sample

Education

Master of Business Administration June 20XXJon M. Huntsman School of Business GPA 3.8Utah State University, Logan, UTResearch: “Does Everyday Low Price Mean the Lowest? A Comparison of Pricing Strategies,” Dave Hart and Dr. Sue Stevens, May 20XX

Education

B.S. Marketing, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business May 20XXUtah State University Logan, UT• Maintained a 3.2 GPA while working part-time and holding campus leadership positions

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Before You Start, Ask Yourself

If yes, consider using a traditional resume (chronological)

If no, consider using a skills resume (functional)

“Is my work experience related to the job I'm trying to get?”

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Success Statements

A good success statement used in effective cover letters, resumes, and online applications should:

• Start with an action VERB and briefly describe a skill, responsibility, or task

• Identify any tools or processes (computer programs, team efforts, equipment) used to accomplish the above

• Use numbers to show results and scope/scale of your success

• Be represented as a bullet point (not written as a complete sentence—no personal pronouns or periods)

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Projects SampleMARKETING PROJECTS

• Performed a marketing audit of Cardinal Health and made recommendations to the VP of marketing

• Worked with team of 30 students to organize and deliver a public relations campaign throughout the county

• Trained 529 voters in two months for fall 20XX election

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Work Experience Sample

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Professional/Relevant Skills Sample

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Management and Training• Structured a micro-finance program that trains and finances Peruvian

entrepreneurs; oversaw the disbursement of over $21,000 in loans• Trained employees on successful prospecting strategies • Undertook cycling team training and management responsibilities• Volunteered two years of full-time service teaching, participating in

humanitarian projects, and delivering language training in Spain

Operational Excellence• Received course instruction in implementing Lean principles in all

business areas, including management, operations, and accounting • Created marketing campaign for The Shingo Prize, which carries out

Lean operations education initiatives and recognizes organizations for operational excellence

• Learned Lean practices in the Lean Leaders Club through convocations, site visits, and simulations

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Work History with Skills

Work / Service HistoryTechnical Intern, Intermountain Healthcare, Murray, UT Summer 20xx

IT Desk, Convergys, Logan, UT Jan – May 20xx

President, Society for Advancement of Ethical Leadership, Aug 20xx – Logan, UT May 20xx

Service Volunteer, Bucharest, Romania Dec 20xx – Dec 20xx

Member, Association of Information Systems Aug 20xx - Present

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Computer/Technical Samples

Computer SkillsC++ Solid Edge SolidWorksFortran MATLAB MS Excel

Technical Skills    Languages: C, C#, ASP.NET 4.0, Visual Basic,

Html, MATLAB, LABVIEW Technologies: SAP BASIS and SAP SECURITY

SALESFORCE.COM CRM, ezPlug Operating Systems: LINUX, UNIX, Windows 98-

Vista/7, Macintosh OS X Databases/Tools: Oracle 10g/9i, OLAP,

MS SQL Server 2008/BIDS, SSAS,

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Activities/Leadership/Service Samples

Service Coordinator, AIAA Student Chapter, 20XX to Present

Volunteer Math Tutor, STICKS Program, Fall Semester 20XX

Spanish-Speaking Volunteer, Baja, Mexico, 20XX-20XX

Vice President, Finance Club, USU, 20XX-20XX• Tutored 12 elementary-age students in reading for 9

months• Helped chapter receive “Superior” national ranking

LEADERSHIP & SERVICE

LEADERSHIP & SERVICE

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References Sample

BRADY SMITH __________________________________

1098 North 200 West, Logan, UT (435) 797-1234 Mye-mail@hotmail.com

REFERENCES

Mr. George HildallDr. Amy Strong Manager of Production ProfessorACME Company Natural Resources1234 Address Avenue Utah State UniversityLos Angeles, CA 93099 Logan UT 84323493-384-3382 435-797-1000george.hildall@acme.com amy.strong@Usu.eduPrevious Supervisor Professor

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Your Online Presence

 

92% of employers plan to use social recruiting in their hiring practices

and 43% say they hired better quality candidates as a result.

Source: Jobvite 2012 Social Recruiting Survey of 1000 Leading Employers

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Drop-In Resume Edits

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays

1:30 pm to 3:30 pmand

Thursdays, Fridays9:30 am to 11:30 am

No appointment necessaryOther times available by

appointment

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Visit Your Career Coach For

• Career Planning/Exploration

• Internships

• Researching Employers

• Networking

• Managing Your Social Media Presence

• Cover Letters

• Resumes

• The Curriculum Vitae

• Interviewing

• Managing Your Social Media Presence

• Evaluating Job Offers

• Testing

• Graduate School Applications

• Federal Employment

• Launching a Successful Career

• Career Search Technologies