Resumes, Cover Letters, and InterviewsOhio Public Service Internship Network (OPSIN)

Overview• Resumes

• Cover Letters

• Interviews & Professionalism

What is a Resume and why do I need one?

• A first impression • Paper profile

Structure

• Page Length• Traditionally 1-page in length unless you’re 4-5 years out of

college or grad school • Font and Margins

• Should be written with conservative fonts (11-12pt)• Margins should be between ½ - 1 inch

Structure • Break your resume up into sections

• Education• Relevant Experience• Work Experience• Volunteer Experience• Honors and Awards• Technical Skills• Leadership Experience • Extracurricular Experience

• Use action verbs to begin bullet points• Minimum of 3 bullet points statements per position

Education

• No High School• ONLY degree granting institutions

• If you transferred from another university, only list the one you graduated or plan to graduate from

• Deans List/Honors under Education section• No abbreviations

• BA/BS/MPA/MA need to be spelled out

Chronological Resume• Most common resume format• Arrange experiences in reverse chronological order

(most recent experience first)

Experience• Layout should look like this:

OrganizationPosition

-DESCRIPTION-DESCRIPTION

• Labels as Work/Relevant/Volunteer Experience• Your job description broken up into bullet points• Don’t forget location and dates!

Experience• You can quantify these!

• How often do you do them?• Daily? • Weekly? • Monthly? • Yearly?

• Action verb + task (quantify) + result • Ex: “Developed survey in an effort to gauge

student satisfaction which received a 97% response rate”

Examples of QuanificationOriginal: Called prospective clients to increase sales of Dunder Mifflin paper

Quantified: Increased sales of Dunder Mifflin paper products by 23% in the first quarter through effective relationship building and cold calling

Original: Created, planned, and executed various community events

Quantified: Spearheaded the creation of St. Louis’ first ever “Restaurant Week” promotion with approx. 35 restaurants participating and 1500+ individuals attending

Editing Your Resume

• Draft and tailor your resume to the position you are applying to using the tips mentioned

• Meet with your career advisor to make any changes

Master vs. Application Specific Resumes

• Application Specific Resume� This is the resume you are submitting to the specific job you are applying for � ONE page � This will include relevant and recent experiences

• Master Resume� The formatted list of all of your experiences to date � A ”living” document that you pull from when applying for internships or jobs � This can be as long as it needs to be and can include any and all leadership and

work experience

Avoid the following on your resume• Pictures• Colors• Strange fonts• Social activities – hiking, partying, laying in a

hammock on the beach, etc• References• Relevant coursework • Personal information -- race, religion, political

affiliation

Other Tips and Suggestions• Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

• “An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that works like a resume database to help companies streamline their hiring process and review applications more quickly.

• A staggering 72% of resumes are never seen by employers, so it is important to start the process right.

• Remove images, columns, tables, fields, text boxes and graphics so the ATS can quickly scan your text for keywords and phrases. The ATS may not be able to read data placed in images, tables, and text boxes, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.”

- Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer, Chameleon Resumes

Cover Letters: The Basics

• Use the same font in both your resume and cover letter

• Address the letter to a specific person• Avoid “To Whom It May Concern”• “Hiring Manager” is okay

• Keep it to one page in length• Tell an employer what YOU can do for them– get to

bragging!

Cover Letters: Structure

• 1st Paragraph• Grab the attention of the reader• Items to address:

• “I am excited to be considered for XX position at XX organization”

• Story of self – why you want this job (1-2 sentences)

• Problem point – how can I fix your problem by being the best applicant? (1 sentence)

• 3-4 sentences in length

Cover Letters: Structure

• 2nd Paragraph• Discuss the relevant experience that makes you

qualified for the position – get specific • Do not just regurgitate your resume • Provide tangible examples of your

accomplishments, projects and responsibilities• 5-7 sentences in length

Cover Letters: Structure

• 3rd Paragraph• Remind them why you’re perfect for the job• PASSION STATEMENT – why should they hire

you? Why are you really DRAWN to this position?• Write that you are looking forward to an interview

and that you appreciate their time• 2-3 sentences in length

Interviews• Phone interviews

• Skype interviews

• Behavioral Questions – STAR Method

• Professional Dress

• Purpose: First Cut

• Quiet and no distractions• Prepare as if it were in person

• Practice with a friend• Pause and ask for clarification

Phone Interviews

• Professional dress – yes, even the pants

• Make sure your tech is working BEFORE the interview time

• Look into camera NOT screen• Don’t look like you’re reading from

notes • Turn phone and laptop on Do Not

Disturb

Skype/Zoom Interviews

• Ask for clarification• Avoid clichés

• “I'm good with people”• “I'm a workaholic”

• Descriptive and specific• “Um”; “Uhh”; “Like”• Nervous? Power pose!

• Don’t be negative• Body Language• BE ON TIME!• Watch your response length

• 90 second rule

General tips & tricks

TITLE SLIDE

2 different types of questions

STAR Method!

Situation Give context of the situationTask More specific context about the

exact task you were doing within the situation

Action What occurred that caused the result?

Result What was the outcome? Reflect on how you grew in your role and position. How did you move forward? Keep this positive.

• Remember, you are interviewing them too!

• Also helps to show interest from your end too • DO NOT

• Ask Nothing• Ask about compensation or benefits

• Examples:

• “What is your favorite part about working for ____________?”• “What are some of the initiatives you see on the horizon for

__________ within the next 10 years?”• “I have read the job description, but was wondering if you could talk

more about what I would be doing day-to-day in this role”

Prepare questions to ask

• Can you “get by” with what you currently have?• Graduation/birthday gifts• Thrift stores (ThredUp, Goodwill, etc) • Start building your professional wardrobe now for later!

Be remembered for what you say, and how you look the part…not for being dressed inappropriately.

Professional dress

• Make sure skirts are not too short– knee length is good • Be sure it fits you properly– you don’t want to sit down and be

uncomfortable • If it’s a sleeveless dress or shirt, wear a blazer over top

People who wear skirts or dresses….

• Modest shoes are the way to go– wear heels only if you’re comfortable

• Nothing open-toed for an interview • Make sure they’re a neutral color like black, brown, or navy

People who wear high heels….

• Choose a neutral color like black, grey, or navy • Be sure that your belt matches your shoes to the best of your

ability• Make sure the suit fits you and doesn’t make you feel

uncomfortable when you sit • Button jacket when you are not sitting, unbutton when seated • Wear a tie if you are planning to wear a full suit • A white or blue dress shirt underneath the suit jacket are the

most common

People who wear suits….

• Nothing too flashy that would take away from your interview• Nose rings and other facial piercings are typically more accepted

nowadays, but if you are able to remove any larger piercings during the interview, that would be good

• If you have tattoos, try your best to cover them however tattoos are widely accepted and if they’re visible, they shouldn’t cause too much of an issue.

People who wear jewelry….