Resumes, References, and Cover LettersA H E L P F U L G U I D E F O R E N T E R I N G T H E J O B M A R K E T

1

STEP 1

BrainstormEmployment trends indicate workers will change careers—not just jobs— several times in a lifetime. For this reason it is important to know that resume writing is a skill you will use throughout your life.

Before beginning your resume, put together an accomplish-ments history, including your most significant achievements from work, hobbies, volunteer projects, school, extracurricu-lar activities, travel, and other life experiences.

Write everything down and do not limit yourself! Action verbs from the list on page 9 may help you remember things you have done and give you ideas for new ways to describe those activities. Friends or family familiar with your work and work style can be good sources of assistance as well. (Refer to Action Verb List)

Gather documents related to your experiences, e.g., performance reviews, letters of appreciation, job descriptions, documents, or presentations you wrote or prepared, etc. This can be helpful now with your brainstorming and later to review, check, and confirm details. Categories to generate ideas and organize your information include:

• Education(universitiesattended,classesrelatedtoyourcareer goal, certifications, special training)

• Experience(paid/unpaid,part/full-time,internships,military)

• Volunteerexperience(church,civicgroups,tutoring)

• Activitiesandhonors(studentorganizations,professional associations, scholarships, academic achievements, sororities or fraternities)

• Importantcareer-relatedskills(computerproficiency,foreign languages, problem solving, critical thinking, communication abilities)

• Personalachievements(financingyoureducation,overcoming obstacles)

• Hobbiesandinterests(planningtrips,managingpersonal investments)

Keep your accomplishments history file and add to it over time because this will not be the last time you write a resume. Once you compile and organize information in your accomplishments history, it will be invaluable for all resumes you write throughout your career.

STEP 2

Organize and Write Initial DraftName & Contact Information (Required)• Includeyourname,phonenumber,address,ande-mail.

Only include your permanent address if it serves a purpose such as if you are looking for a position in your hometown.

• Yournameisgenerallyboldandafewpointslargerinfont size than the rest of the resume.

Resume writing tips and instructions

REMEMBER…

• Resumesdonotgetjobs;theygetinterviews.

• Resumesshouldconveyyouruniqueskillsandabilitiesastheyrelatetothepositionforwhichyouareapplying.

• Resumesshouldnotincludeeverydetailaboutyou.Theyshouldhighlightthespecificsthatmakeyouaqualifiedcandidateforthepositionyouseek.

• Resumesshouldnotbesoshortorsovaguethatanemployerhasnoideawhatyourskillsareorwhatyoudid inyourlastjob.

• Humanresourcesprofessionalsknowthatthebestpredictoroffutureperformanceispastperformance.Inyourresume,highlighttheresultsofyourexperiences.

2

• Ifyouuseyourcellphoneasyourcontactphonenumber, be prepared to handle a professional conversation wherever you may answer your calls. Only use a work phone if it is appropriate for you to receive calls at work.

• Youremailaddressshouldbeprofessional (i.e., DO NOT USE hotlips@ku.edu).

Objective (Optional)A well-crafted objective indicates that you are clear about opportunities available with an employer and that you are clear about the position you are seeking. Objectives can be a liability if they do not match the position for which you are applying.

Customize the resume for each position or industry. When included, objective statements should tell an employer about the next step on your career path, not your life goals.

Youmaynotneedanobjectivewhenpostingaresumetoan electronic job board or when handing it out at a career fair. Objectives work best when they are written for a specific job or career.

Employers expect applicants to customize their resumes for each position. The employment objective needs to be supported by the content of your resume.

Examples of objectives:

• Toobtainanentry-levelsalespositionintheconsumerproducts industry.

• SeekingasummerinternshipininvestmentbankingwithXYZCompany.

Summary of Qualifications/Profile (Optional) Typically used by job seekers with more professional experience, this summary should focus on the big picture and help the employer understand how your experiences fit together. Summary information briefly communicates your experience, training, and personal abilities as they relatetothespecificjobyouseek.Informationofthistypemay be included in a cover letter, eliminating the need to include it in the resume. Details of your experiences belong in other sections of the resume.

Examples:

• Twoyearsexperienceinamedicalenvironment;familiarwith confidentiality issues and medical terminology

• Stronganalyticalskillsdevelopedthroughlabexperience in chemistry and biology

• Provencommunicationskillsasdemonstratedthroughclub leadership, debate competition at state level, and writing for the university student newspaper

Education (Required)This section can include your credit-based higher education degrees and certificates as well as noncredit learning.Yourinformationshouldinclude:

• Degree(i.e.,BachelorofScience,MasterofArts)

• Major(s)

• Minors,concentrations,orareasofemphases

• Universityname,city,andstate

• Monthandyearofgraduation

• GPA(s)(typicallyifabove3.0)—IfyoulistanythingotherthanyouroverallGPA,besuretospecifywhichGPAyouareusing

Listyourmostrecentdegreefirst(Ph.D.,Master’s,Bachelor’s).Youdon’tnecessarilyneedtolisteverycollegeor university at which you have taken a few classes. Once you are in college, high school is not typically included on a resume unless you have a good reason you want an employer to know where you went to high school.

POSSIBLE HEADINGS

Objective

SummaryofQualifications

Profile

Awards and Recognition

Honors

HonorsandAwards

Education

SpecializedTraining

Accomplishments

Activities

Relevant Experience

Related Experience

Internships

EmploymentHistory

International Experience

Volunteer Experience

Professional Experience

Additional Experience

StudyAbroadExperience

Other Experience

RelevantSkills

ComputerSkills

TechnicalSkills

Computer Software

Certification

Licensure

Languages

ProfessionalMemberships

ProfessionalAffiliations

Additional Information

WorkAuthorization

Ima J. Hawk

1415 Louisiana Street Lawrence, KS 66045

785-123-4567 imajhawk@ku.edu

3

NOTGOOD

• Responsibleforpublicity.

• Dutiesincludedhandlingcustomercomplaints.

• Responsibilitiesincludedadhering to safety policies and ensuring otherlifeguardsknewpolicies.

• Workedwithdelinquentyouthin after-schoolathleticprogram.

BETTER

• Interactedsuccessfullywith publicaffairsrepresentativesand localmedia.

• Resolvedserviceandbilling problems.

• Carriedoutsafetyprecautions and instructed staff in the proper useofequipment.

• Explainedteamstrategiesand instructed youth on how to executestrategies.

BEST

• Interactedsuccessfullywithpublic affairs representatives and local media, increasing community awarenessofagencyby25%.

• Resolvedserviceandbillingproblems.Consistently recognized for promptnessandprofessionalism.

• Carriedoutsafetyprecautionsandinstructed staff in the proper use ofequipment,resultingina50%reductionofinjuryaccidentsover thesummer.

• Explainedteamstrategiesandinstructedyouthonhowtoexecutestrategies.Development of enthusiasm and team resultedinwinningcitycompetition.

DESCRIPTIONS OF EXPERIENCE

Includingacademicawardsorscholarshipscanshow academic breadth and intellectual accomplishment. SometimesitmaybebeneficialtoincludeGPA(typically3.0orhigher),classrank,and/orrelevantcourses.

Ifapplicable,itcanbeagoodideatoincludeastatementabout your contribution toward financing your education—for example: “Financed 75% of college education through scholarships and employment.”

Bachelor of General Studies in Geography, expected May 2013 The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas•Minor in Geology•GPA 3.65

Experience (Required)The experience section should communicate what you accomplished in past paid or unpaid work experiences.

•Includethepositiontitle,employer/organizationname,location (city, state), and dates with months and years.

•Typicallyyourexperienceislistedinreversechronologicalorder with your most recent experience first.

•Highlighttransferableskillsandabilitiesratherthandescribing work duties and responsibilities. Think about the types of things that you did in your job or activities that relate to the types of things you will be doing in your future professional positions.

Forexample,“Interviewed,hired,andtrainednewteammembers” or “Led closing of store by assigning roles at the appropriate time, balancing the cash registers, securing all cash, and setting the alarm.”

• Describeyourexperienceinaresult-orientedfashionbecause employers know the best predictor of future performance is past performance. Whenever possible, useconcreteinformationtoqualifyand/orquantifyyourexperience.Forexample,“Increasedsalesby25%overathreemonthperiod”or“Taughtaclassof300students.”

• Donotusefullsentencestodescribeyourexperience;use short phrases beginning with an action verb.

• Considerthetypeofpositionforwhichyouareapplying.Youmaywanttotrytousethewordslistedin the position description when describing your experience.Highlighttheskillsthataremostrelevanttothe position for which you are applying.

4

• Generallynewcollegegraduateswillnotincludeexperiencesfromhighschoolorearlier.However,ifyou have relevant experience (i.e., you owned your own business) or if you are earlier in your college career (i.e., a freshman or sophomore), it may be appropriate to include experiences from high school.

• Includearound3to5bulletstodescribeeachexperience.

• Usepresenttensewhendescribingcurrentpositions. Use past tense when describing your past experiences.

Activities & Organizations (Optional)This section can include membership in campus or community activities, professional organizations, volunteeractivities,orrelevantinterests.Youmaychooseto format this section as a list, or you may choose to set it up with the same format as your jobs with descriptions of the leadership roles you performed in these organizations.

Activities might be included to:

• Demonstrateawell-roundedpersonwithmoredimensions than just work.

• Pointoutskillsthathavebeendemonstratedinyournonprofessional life.

• Accountforgapsinemployment.

• Startconversations(possiblytheemployersharesorisintrigued by your interest).

When you choose to include activities and interests, be aware of “hot buttons.” A hot button is an activity or interest to which some employers may have a strong positive or negative reaction, such as religious or political affiliations. When you have an activity or interest that is a“hotbutton,”youhavethreeoptions.Makeaninformedand reflective choice.

Options include:

• Includethisinformationonyourresume—Manyapplicants feel the employer should know who they are, inside and outside of the workplace, and they may not want to work for an employer who cannot accept them as a whole individual.

• Omitthisinformation—Youmaywanttheopportunityto present yourself as a candidate rather than be prematurelydiscountedduetotheemployer’sbias.

• Generalizetheseactivities/interests—Presentthemin a generic format (e.g., “Director of a choir” without specifying religion or denomination).

Interestsareunstructuredindividualpursuitsandcanbeincluded if relevant. Examples would be golf, marathon running, personal investment management, etc. When considering if you want to include an interest, think about how the employer would view the activity.

Honors & Awards (Optional)Thissectioncanincludescholarships,honorroll,dean’slist, competitive awards, juried shows, and so on.

• Youmaywanttoprovidesomeinformationonthecontext of the award if it is not evident. For instance, “One of ten students selected from across the nation for the Fulbright Scholarship.”

• Donotincludedollaramountsforscholarships.

• Yourhonorsandawardsmaybelistedasaseparatesection or may be included within your Education section if there are only a few items in your list.

Skills (Optional)This section is included to highlight particular abilities. Frequently, technical skills, laboratory skills, and proficiency or fluency in a foreign language are found inthissection.Itemsinthissectionshouldrelatetothepositions for which you are applying. The placement of this section on your resume may vary depending on the relevancy to the employer.

References (Required but separate from the resume)The statement “References Available Upon Request” is not needed as this is a given in the job search process. Reference names and information are generally listed on a separate page (see References section in this handout). Usually references are provided to an employer once they are requested or at an interview.

Activities:

University of Kansas Student Ambassador Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs Alpha Chi Omega Sorority

• Scholarship Coordinator • Chairperson of Rush committee

Big Brothers/Big Sisters volunteer

Honors and Awards:

• Golden Key National Honor Society

• Dean’s List, six semesters

• Leadership Scholarship

5

STEP 3

Format ItThere are many different ways to write a resume and a lot ofdifferentopinionsaboutwhatisgood.Youropinionisimportant, too, so be sure to create a resume that reflects whoyouarewhilealsotargetingtheemployer’sneeds.

Passthe15-secondglancetest.Employersseehundredsofresumes,andtheyskimfirst.Ifthisfirsttestispassed,theymay look at your resume more thoroughly.

• Whenorderinginformationandsectionsinyourresume,prioritize according to the needs of the employer, putting the most important information toward the top and to the left.

• Chooseaformatandheadingsthatallowyoutoeffectivelycommunicate the combination of skills and abilities that highlight your qualifications for the position and provide insightintoyouasauniqueperson.RefertoPossibleHeadingsboxforideasonheadings.(Seepage2.)

• Lengthofresumevariesaccordingtofieldofinterestand level of experience. Generally, an undergraduate with little or no professional experience will have a one-page resume. Experienced workers and some graduate students, along with students in certain disciplines, may have two pages. See your career services office for help in determining the appropriate length for your experience and desired career field.

Resume Styles Reverse Chronological Resume: the traditional resume style lists professional experience in a reversed chrono-logical order, starting with the most recent position and workingbackward.Mostresumesfornewcollegegraduatesare written in this format, and employers are accustomed to seeing chronological resumes.

Reverse Chronological resumes are particularly effective in the following cases:

• Youareorwillbeanewcollegegraduate.

• Youhaveexperienceinthefieldofinterest.

• Youcandemonstratemeasurableresultsfromworkactivities(e.g.,“Marketedevents,resultingin50%increase in attendance”).

• Youhaveheldimpressivejobtitlesand/orhaveworkedfor big-name employers.

• Youcandemonstratepromotionsandincreasedresponsibilities.

Functional Resume: summarizes your professional “functions” or experience and minimizes employment history. Functional resumes are often useful for:

• Olderworkersandthosereturningtotheworkforcesinceit minimizes dates.

• Careerchangerssinceitoutlinestransferableworkskills.

• Emphasizingknowledgeandskillsthathavenotbeenused in recent work.

Elements of both reverse chronological and functional styles can be combined if needed to show your experience.

Resume templates and resume wizards: Yourresumeisareflection of you and your accomplishments. Utilizing a word processing template or wizard that produces a document similar to others may reflect that you did not give significant thoughtandconsiderationtoyourapplication.Itisimportantthat you learn how to write and produce an effective resume that best represents the value you can bring to an employer. Difficulty in formatting and inappropriate headings are just two of the issues that often arise with resume templates and wizards. KU Career Services staff are available to assist you in getting started and finding the most appropriate resume writing solution for you.

CHECKLIST FOR PROOFREADING YOUR RESUME

Is the resume pleasing to the eye?

Doesitfitcomfortablywithinthepage(asopposedto too crowded or too empty)?

Istheresumeoncottonbondpaper?

Is the print clear, unsmudged, and large enough to read – does it pass the photocopy test?

Didyouusetoomuchbold,italic,orunderlining?

Doescontentsupporttheobjective?

Could you tell the same story with fewer words?

Isittooshort?Doesitlookasthoughyoustruggledto fillapage?

Hasextraneousmaterialbeeneliminated?

Doestheformatpresentyourqualificationsinthemosteffective manner?

Isallimportantinformationincludedandeasytofind?

Is the format uniform throughout?

Doestheresumemarketyourabilitiesandpaintapicturethatmakesanemployerwanttoknowmoreaboutyou?

6

STEP 4

Proofread and EditManyhumanresourcedirectorsseetheresumeasareflection of the applicant. Spelling errors, poor grammar, poor organization, smudges, wordiness, vagueness, etc., will produce negative impressions. Employers may think, “Istheapplicantcareless,sloppy,orunprofessional?”

Haveseveralotherscritiqueyourresume.

• Contactyourcareerservicesofficeandmakeanappointment to have a professional career advisor look over your resume.

• Askyourreferencestotakealookandgivefeedback.

• Askafamilymember,friend,orroommatetolookoverthe resume. They are often great at catching typing errors.

STEP 5

Prepare Different VersionsDesigned Paper Version: highly designed with bullets, underlining, and other highlights. For the finished paper resume,usegoodqualitypaper(atleast20%cottonbond):white, ivory, or a very pale gray. Avoid patterns that would give a “dirty” appearance when copied.

Designed Electronic Version: looks the same as your paper version when emailed or pasted into a company resume database.

Plain Text Version: you would remove any stylized formatting (i.e., bullets, bolding, italics, etc.) and then it can be pasted into an e-mail message or cut and pasted into online forms.

• Saveastextfiles.

• Enternomorethan65characters(includingspaces)across the screen, then hit the “return” or “enter” keytoforcethelinetowrap.Insomeinstances65characters per line may be too many.

• Indentlinesbyusingthespacebar.

• UseALLCAPITALLETTERSforsectionheaders.

• Surroundformerlyboldedsubheadingswithinmajorsections with asterisks (*).

• Rebuildlistsusingahyphen(-),asterisk(*),orplussign(+) at the beginning of each line instead of bullets or other special characters.

• Ifhorizontallinesaredesired,createthembyusingaseries of dashes.

• Emailyourresumetoyourselfandafriendtoseehowitlooks.Identifyandcorrectanyformattingproblemsbefore sending it to potential employers.

Online ResumesBeforepostingyourresumeontheInternet,considerwhether you want your resume to be public. There are security issues inherent in posting personal contact information online. Check the confidentiality of the database or service where you are posting your resume. Never use your Social Security Number, date of birth, or other information that might make you vulnerable to identity theft.

There are ways to control the information you make available on-line:

• Considercreatingafreee-mailaccountatYahoo!orhotmail.com to use only for job-search purposes with the possibility that you will stop using the e-mail account once employment has been secured.

• Considerrentingapostofficeboxoraprivatemailbox from a mail receiving agency to use during your job search. This will eliminate the need to use a street address as your mailing address in the information posted on the web.

• Determinewhetheryourpostedresumecanbeupdatedat no cost and whether it will be deleted from the databank if you do not update it within a specified time.

FORMATTING AND WRITING TIPS

• Maketheresumeeasytoskim:bullets,shortdeclarativephrases,easy-to-readfont–10to12points,noabbreviations.

• Useonefontstylethroughouttheresume;avoidscriptfonts.TimesNewRomanandArialaregoodchoices.

• Donotusegraphics,shadowing,clipart,ordecorativebullets(use•).

• Useboldorunderliningappropriately(butsparingly)tohighlightkeystrengths.

• Putkeyinformationontheleftandnearthetopofthepagewheneverpossible(forexample,jobtitleratherthanemploymentdateslistedatthefarleft).

• Writeyourmaterialinorderofimportanceandrelevancetotheemployer/position.

• Beginphraseswithactionverbs.

• Avoidgeneralitiesandfocusonspecificsaboutexperience,projects,products,etc.

• Quantifyexperiencewhenpossible(EmployeeoftheMonth,Receivedcustomerserviceratingsof9.8/10,Workedwithabudgetof$20,000,etc.).

• Beconsistentintheformat,layout,andspacingthroughout.

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9-A

ugus

t 201

0 Fa

bulou

s Fas

hion

s, O

verla

nd P

ark,

KS

•

Ass

iste

d cu

stom

ers

in s

elec

ting

mer

chan

dise

; con

sist

ently

exc

eede

d w

eekl

y sa

les

quot

as b

y 15

%

• W

orke

d fu

ll-tim

e du

ring

the

sum

mer

and

par

t-tim

e du

ring

the

acad

emic

yea

r

• C

ondu

cted

cas

h an

d cr

edit

tran

sact

ions

with

eff

icie

ncy

and

accu

racy

Wai

tres

s an

d H

oste

ss, S

umm

ers

2007

& 2

008

Silve

rcres

t Res

ort,

Wau

tom

a, W

I

• T

rain

ed n

ew s

taff

mem

bers

in te

chni

ques

use

d to

pro

vide

exc

eptio

nal c

usto

mer

ser

vice

•

Ass

igne

d cu

stom

er ta

bles

to m

eet t

heir

indi

vidu

al n

eeds

; mai

ntai

ned

fair

dist

ribut

ion

for

staf

f

• U

tiliz

ed p

rofe

ssio

nal c

omm

unic

atio

n sk

ills

whe

n gr

eetin

g cu

stom

ers

to c

reat

e a

wel

com

ing

envi

ronm

ent

AC

TIV

ITIE

S A

ND

HO

NO

RS

•

Aca

dem

ic H

onor

Rol

l •

Big

Bro

ther

s/B

ig S

iste

rs V

olun

teer

•

Uni

vers

ity o

f Kan

sas

Stud

ent

Am

bass

ador

• A

lpha

Chi

Om

ega

Soro

rity

• Sc

hola

rshi

p C

hair,

Sor

ority

•

Rus

h C

omm

ittee

Cha

ir, S

oror

ity

7

Sample ResumesJo

urna

lism

LiberalArts

8

Mat

thew

A. M

echa

nike

r C

urre

nt A

ddre

ss:

1923

W. M

aine

Stre

et, L

awre

nce,

Kan

sas 6

6044

(785

) 312

-557

8 Pe

rman

ent A

ddre

ss:

206

S. W

ashi

ngto

n R

oad,

Sal

ina,

Kan

sas 6

2301

(31

6) 7

32-4

701

E-m

ail A

ddre

ss:

Mat

tm@

ku.e

du

E

DU

CA

TIO

N:

The

Uni

vers

ity o

f Kan

sas,

Law

renc

e, K

ansa

s

Bac

helo

r of S

cien

ce in

Mec

hani

cal E

ngin

eeri

ng, E

xpec

ted

May

201

2 –

GPA

: 3.

79/4

.00

INT

ER

NSH

IP E

XPE

RIE

NC

E:

K

och

Indu

stri

es, I

nc.,

Min

neap

olis

, Min

neso

ta

P

roje

ct M

anag

er In

tern

, Sum

mer

201

1

-

Pro

vide

d en

gine

erin

g su

ppor

t for

the

Bui

ld-it

and

Con

stru

ctio

n gr

oup

incl

udin

g de

sign

, per

mits

, and

cer

tific

atio

n fo

r

p

lann

ed p

roje

cts.

- O

rgan

ized

and

led

all c

lient

mee

tings

and

ove

rsaw

all

proj

ect c

omm

unic

atio

n.

- M

anag

ed fi

ve p

roje

cts,

estim

ated

at $

1.5

mill

ion.

T

he B

oein

g C

ompa

ny, W

ichi

ta, K

ansa

s

Eng

inee

ring

Inte

rn, S

umm

er 2

010

- M

embe

r of a

mili

tary

stre

ss g

roup

that

pro

vide

d fle

et su

ppor

t for

the

KC

-135

and

its d

eriv

ativ

es.

- P

erfo

rmed

stru

ctur

al a

naly

sis o

n di

ffer

ent c

ompo

nent

s of t

he a

irpla

ne to

ens

ure

safe

ty a

nd m

aint

aina

bilit

y.

Mar

che

Inc.

, Law

renc

e, K

ansa

s

Eng

inee

ring

Inte

rn, S

umm

er 2

009

- C

ontri

bute

d to

gro

up d

esig

n te

ams t

hat p

roto

type

d co

nsum

er re

crea

tiona

l pro

duct

s, m

edic

al c

ompo

nent

s, bu

sine

ss

in

stru

men

tatio

ns a

nd O

EM p

rodu

cts.

-

Des

igne

d pr

otot

ypes

in P

ro-e

ngin

eer a

nd p

rodu

ced

real

mod

els u

sing

FD

M m

achi

nes.

EN

GIN

EE

RIN

G P

RO

JEC

T:

B

oat L

ift D

esig

n Pr

ojec

t, U

nive

rsity

of K

ansa

s

Sen

ior D

esig

n Pr

ojec

t, 20

11-2

012

- D

esig

ned

and

man

ufac

ture

d a

hydr

aulic

lift

that

rais

es a

4,0

00 lb

. ski

boa

t out

of w

ater

for s

tora

ge.

- P

roto

type

d th

e lif

t usi

ng P

ro-E

ngin

eer,

Wor

king

Mod

el, a

nd F

EA c

ompu

ter m

odel

ing.

W

OR

K E

XPE

RIE

NC

E:

Wild

cat S

tock

Far

m, S

alin

a, K

ansa

s

Far

m H

and,

200

0-20

11

- F

ifth

gene

ratio

n to

be

rais

ed o

n a

fam

ily-o

wne

d an

d -o

pera

ted

grai

n an

d liv

esto

ck fa

rm.

- O

pera

ted

and

repa

ired

heav

y m

achi

nery

.

U

nive

rsity

of K

ansa

s Int

erfr

ater

nity

Cou

ncil,

Law

renc

e, K

ansa

s

Exe

cutiv

e Vi

ce-P

resi

dent

, 201

0-20

11

- C

reat

ed n

ew b

illin

g an

d bu

dget

ing

proc

edur

es, i

mpl

emen

ted

new

com

mun

icat

ion

and

acco

untin

g so

ftwar

e, a

nd

re

stru

ctur

ed in

vest

men

ts.

-

Con

trolle

d $5

0,00

0 an

nual

bud

get.

Will

ow B

end

Gol

f Cou

rse,

Wic

hita

, Kan

sas

S

hort

Ord

er C

ook,

Sum

mer

200

7, 2

008

- T

abul

ated

food

inve

ntor

y an

d m

erch

andi

se li

sts.

SOFT

WA

RE

SK

ILL

S:

P

ro-e

ngin

eer,

Aut

oCA

D, M

atla

b, W

orki

ng M

odel

, C++

, Mic

roso

ft Pr

ojec

t, Ex

cel,

Wor

d, P

ower

Poin

t, O

utlo

ok.

A

CT

IVIT

IES:

D

elta

Chi

Vic

e-Pr

esid

ent,

Engi

neer

ing

Stud

ent S

enat

e, G

reek

End

eavo

r Fac

ilita

tor,

Roc

k C

halk

Cas

t Mem

ber,

Icth

us B

ible

Stu

dy, D

elta

Chi

Phi

lant

hrop

y C

hairm

an, A

thle

tics,

Saili

ng C

lub.

H

ON

OR

S:

Tau

Bet

a Pi

(Nat

iona

l Eng

inee

ring

Hon

or S

ocie

ty),

Out

stan

ding

Gre

ek S

enio

r, N

omin

ated

for R

hode

s and

Mar

shal

l

Sch

olar

ship

, Pi T

au S

igm

a (M

echa

nica

l Eng

inee

ring

Hon

or S

ocie

ty),

Gol

den

Key

, Nat

iona

l Hon

ors S

ocie

ty, L

eade

rshi

p

S

chol

arsh

ip, O

rder

of O

meg

a, H

igh

Scho

ol S

alut

ator

ian,

Kan

sas

Stat

e Fo

rens

ics C

ham

pion

.

JOE

BUSI

NES

S 20

01 W

est S

ixth

Stre

et •

Law

renc

e, K

ansa

s 660

44 •

(785

) 555

-785

6 •

jbus

ines

s@ku

.edu

ED

UC

ATI

ON

Th

e U

nive

rsity

of K

ansa

s

Law

renc

e, K

S

Bach

elor

of S

cien

ce, M

arke

ting

May

201

0 In

tern

atio

nal B

usin

ess a

nd C

hine

se C

once

ntra

tion

Ove

rall

GPA

: 3.8

5; M

arke

ting

GPA

: 3.9

2 St

udy

Abr

oad:

Con

sort

ium

of U

nive

rsiti

es fo

r In

tern

atio

nal S

tudi

es

Pade

rno

del G

rapp

a, It

aly

Fal

l Sem

este

r 20

08

EXPE

RIE

NC

E M

icro

soft

W

alth

am, M

A

Acc

ount

Tea

m U

nit M

anag

er

Jun

e 20

10 –

Pre

sent

•

Dev

elop

and

lead

a te

am o

f 25

Acc

ount

Man

ager

s in

the

Sout

hwes

t dist

rict

• M

anag

e ap

prox

imat

ely

$600

,000

in sa

les

• M

aint

ain

expe

nse

budg

et c

ontro

ls an

d re

duce

d de

partm

enta

l cos

ts by

23%

ove

r an

11 m

onth

per

iod

• Su

perv

ise a

nd d

evel

op sa

les t

eam

mem

bers

and

wor

k w

ith re

gion

al te

ams t

o pr

ovid

e ac

tiona

ble

feed

back

supp

ortin

g sa

les s

trate

gies

•

Cond

uct m

arke

t ana

lysis

for n

ew p

rodu

cts a

nd d

esig

n ta

ctic

s to

com

bat c

ompe

titiv

e th

reat

s A

ccou

nt In

tern

S

umm

ers 2

008

& 2

009

• Pa

rtner

ed w

ith sa

les a

nd su

ppor

t sta

ff to

man

age

key

acco

unts

•

Built

solid

cus

tom

er re

latio

nshi

ps a

nd a

cted

as p

oint

per

son

for c

usto

mer

que

stion

s and

con

cern

s •

Dev

elop

ed a

nd p

rese

nted

a ta

rget

ed m

arke

ting

strat

egy

to th

e V

ice

Pres

iden

t of M

arke

ting

whi

ch w

as

used

in a

prin

t ad

cam

paig

n fo

r 3 y

ears

Th

e U

nive

rsity

of K

ansa

s Fin

ance

Dep

artm

ent

Law

renc

e, K

S

Teac

hing

Ass

istan

t for

FIN

101

: In

trod

uctio

n to

Fin

ance

A

ugus

t 200

9 –

May

201

0

• Co

nduc

ted

rese

arch

und

er th

e di

rect

ion

of fi

nanc

e fa

culty

on

signi

fican

t eve

nts a

ffect

ing

a m

ock

portf

olio

use

d in

cou

rse

lect

ures

•

Led

a w

eekl

y di

scus

sion

clas

s of 2

5 stu

dent

s •

Hel

d of

fice

hour

s and

ans

wer

ed q

uesti

ons f

or a

cla

ss o

f 50

• G

rade

d stu

dent

exa

ms,

proj

ects

and

hom

ewor

k to

hel

p m

aint

ain

reco

rds o

f stu

dent

s’ p

erfo

rman

ce

A

lvin

Gug

genh

eim

& A

ssoc

iate

s

Kan

sas C

ity, M

O

New

Lin

e C

inem

a M

arke

ting

Inte

rn

Sum

mer

200

7 •

Crea

ted

and

impl

emen

ted

“Spr

ing

Mov

ie F

estiv

al”

prom

otio

nal c

ampa

ign

for t

he K

U c

ampu

s •

Repo

rted

dire

ctly

to th

e M

arke

ting

Dire

ctor

on

a re

gula

r bas

is by

pho

ne a

nd e

-mai

l and

pro

vide

d w

ritte

n sta

tus r

epor

ts •

Arra

nged

new

s cov

erag

e of

pro

mot

iona

l eve

nts a

nd o

rgan

ized

pro

mot

iona

l scr

eeni

ngs

AC

TIV

ITIE

S &

HO

NO

RS

KU

Mar

ketin

g Cl

ub

• Tr

easu

rer—

elec

ted

2 ye

ars i

n a

row

by

peer

s to

man

age

a $5

,000

bud

get

KU

Lea

ders

hip

Chal

leng

e Pa

rtici

pant

•

Sele

cted

as 1

of 2

5 bu

sines

s stu

dent

s to

atte

nd th

is le

ader

ship

con

fere

nce

with

a 2

0% a

dmiss

ion

rate

Bi

g Br

othe

rs B

ig S

ister

s St

rickl

and

Mem

oria

l Sch

olar

ship

Cr

imso

n an

d Bl

ue S

chol

arsh

ip

Hon

or R

oll (

eigh

t con

secu

tive

sem

este

rs)

LAN

GU

AG

E SK

ILLS

Fl

uent

in S

pani

sh a

nd C

hine

se

Busi

ness

Engi

neer

ing

9

ActionVerbListAccomplishments achievedawardedbenchmarkedcompletedexpandedexceededimprovedpioneeredreduced (losses)resolved (issues)restoredreversedspearheadedsucceededsurpassedtransformedwon

Analytical & Research analyzedassessedcalibratedclarifiedcollectedcomparedconductedcritiqueddetecteddetermineddiagnosedevaluatedexaminedexperimentedexploredextractedformulatedgatheredidentifiedinspectedinterpretedinterviewedinventedinvestigatedlocatedmeasuredobservedorganizedprovedresearchedreviewedsearchedscreenedsolvedspecifiedsummarizedsurveyedtested validated

Communication & Persuasion addressedadvertisedarbitratedarrangedarticulatedauthoredclarifiedcollaboratedcommunicatedcomposed

condensedconferredconsultedcontactedconveyedconvincedcorrespondeddebateddefineddemonstrateddescribeddevelopeddirecteddiscusseddissuadeddocumenteddraftededitededucatedelicitedenlistedestablishedexplainedexpressedformulatedfurnishedillustratedincorporatedinfluencedinformedinteractedinterpretedinterviewedinvolvedjoinedjudgedlecturedmarketedmediatedmoderatednegotiatedobservedoutlinedparticipatedpersuadedpresentedpromotedproposedpublicizedpublishedreconciledrecruitedreferredreinforcedreportedresolvedrespondedsolicitedspecifiedspokesuggestedsummarizedsynthesizedtranslatedwrote

Creative actedadaptedbegancombinedcomposedconceptualized

condensedcreatedcustomizeddesigneddeviseddevelopeddirecteddisplayeddrewentertainedestablishedfashionedformulatedfoundedillustratedinitiatedinstitutedintegratedintroducedinventedmodeledmodifiedoriginatedperformedphotographedplannedrevisedrevitalizedshapedsolved

Financial & Data administeredadjustedallocatedanalyzedappraisedassessedauditedbalancedbudgetedcalculatedcomputedconservedcontrolledcorrectedcutdecreaseddetermineddevelopedestimatedmanagedmarketedmeasuredplannedpreparedprogrammedprojectedpurchasedreconciledreducedresearchedretrieved tabulatedtrimmedtrackedquantified

Helpingadaptedadvocatedaidedansweredarranged

assessedassistedcared forclarifiedcoachedcontributedcooperatedcounseleddemonstrateddiagnosededucatedencouragedensuredexpeditedfacilitatedguidedhelpedintervenedmotivatedpreventedprovidedreferredrehabilitatedrepresentedresolvedsimplifiedsuppliedsupportedvolunteered

Interpersonal &Teamworkadvisedcollaboratedenabledfocusedinitiatedinteractedinvolvedlistenedmediatedmentoredmoderatednegotiatedpartneredteamed

Leadership & Management accomplishedactedadministeredadvancedadvisedanalyzedappointedapprovedassignedattainedauthorizedchairedcompletedconsideredconsolidatedcontractedcontrolledconvertedcoordinatedcounseleddecideddecreaseddelegateddetermined

developeddirecteddispatcheddisseminateddiversifiedeliminatedemphasizedenforcedenhancedenlistedensuredestablishedexaminedexecutedexplainedfoundedgeneratedgovernedguidedheadedhiredhostedimprovedincorporatedincreasedinfluencedinitiatedinspectedinspiredinstigatedinstitutedinstructedintegratedintroducedlaunchedledloweredmanagedmergedmodifiedmotivatedorganizedoriginatedoverhauledoversawpioneeredplannedpresidedprioritizedproducedproposedrecommendedrecruitedreorganizedreplacedrepresentedrestoredreviewedsavedscheduledsecuredselectedshapedsolidifiedstimulatedstreamlinedstrengthenedsupervisedterminatedtrimmedverified

Organization & Detail approvedarrangedcataloguedcategorizedchartedclassifiedcodedcollectedcompiledcontainedcoordinatedcorrectedcorrespondeddistributedexecutedexpeditedfiledgeneratedimplementedincorporatedinspectedloggedmaintainedmonitoredobtainedoperatedorderedorganizedplannedpreparedprocessedprovidedpurchasedrecordedregisteredreservedrespondedrestructuredreviewedroutedscheduledscreenedset upstandardizedsubmittedsuppliedupdatedusedvalidatedverified

Teaching &Trainingadaptedadvisedappraisedclarifiedcoachedcommunicatedconductedcoordinatedcritiqueddemonstrateddevelopededucatedenabledencouragedevaluatedexplainedfacilitatedfocused

guidedinfluencedinformedinstilledinstructedmotivatedpersuadedsetsimulatedstimulatedtaughttestedtrainedtransmittedtutored

Technicaladaptedadvisedanalyzedappliedassembledautomatedbuiltcalculatedcodedcomputedcomputerizedconservedconstructedcontrolledconverteddebuggeddesigneddetermineddevelopeddiagnoseddraftedengineeredfabricatedfortifiedidentifiedimplementedinspectedinstalledlocatedmaintainedmonitorednetworkedoperatedoverhauledpreventedprintedprogrammedproposedrecordedrectifiedregulatedremodelledrepairedreplacedrestoredretrievedsolvedspecializedspecifiedstandardizedstudiedsupportedtrainedtroubleshotupgraded

10

Resumesandcoverletterswininterviews;excellentreferences can win job offers.

Ifyouarebeingconsideredforajob,itislikelythatthepo-tential employer will speak with your references. Once you have gotten this far in your job search you must be certain that your references will provide a good recommendation. A less-than-enthusiastic reference at a critical juncture can spell disaster, so select your references carefully.

WhoTo identify as many potential references as possible, consider current and former bosses, professors, advisors, volunteer coordinators, co-workers, and subordinates who have first-hand knowledge of your work and abilities. Be sure to find references who know you well enough to speak on your behalf. Roommates, friends, and family members do not make good professional references.

WhatNext, call or meet with the people on your list who are likely to deliver a very positive report and have seen you perform well. Begin by explaining that you are in a job search, and then ask whether they would be willing to actasareferenceforyou.Youmightsaysomethinglike:“Dr.Thomas,IwillbegraduatinginMayandwillbe

seekingafull-timeposition.Irealizehowimportantreferencescanbe,andIwaswonderingifyouwouldbecomfortableservingasareference?”

The answer will usually be positive. Be prepared to provide a brief idea of what you have been doing recently and the type of position you seek. With past co-workers or supervisors, you may want to state why you left that job since they are likely to be asked by the potential employer. Deliver to each reference a current copy of your resume so they will be familiar with your experiences and what you have highlighted for employers.

HowManyYouwillgenerallybeaskedtoprovideatleastthreereferences.Itisagoodideatohavea“backup”ortwoon the list in case one or more of your references is unavailable.

WhereDo not include references on your resume. Names and contact information for references take up a lot of space and usually have little meaning to a potential employer atthe“resumestage.”Makeaseparatereferencepage.Be sure to include your name and contact information at the top. When delivered with your resume and cover letter, the three documents should be complementary and professional.Itisagoodideatoprintallthreeonthesamehigh-quality bond paper.

Includereference’sname,currenttitle,agencyororgani-zation with which they are currently affiliated, address, preferredphonenumber(s),andemailaddress.Insomecases, you may also want to note your relationship to the individual (e.g., former supervisor at KU Library), particu-larly if your reference has moved to a new organization. Be certaineverythingiscorrect!

WhenProvideyourreferencelisttoapotentialemployeronlywhen requested.

Be sure to thank your references at the completion of your job search.

References

A less-than-enthusiastic reference at acriticaljuncturecanspelldisaster,soselectyourreferencescarefully.

Sample reference page

SUZY SCHOLAR

2201 West Seventh Street • Lawrence, Kansas 66044 • (785) 555-9876 • sscholar@ku.edu

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES Dr. Bob Debits (Professor for several finance courses)Professor of FinanceUniversity of KansasSchool of Business206 SummerfieldLawrence, KS 66045(785) 864-1234 (work)bdebits@ku.edu

Susan Boss (Direct supervisor) Sales ManagerMicrosoft10000 Shopping Ave.Waltham, MA 02455(339) 456-7890 (cell)sboss@microsoftmail.com

Ona Reference (Faculty advisor for Marketing Club)Robert C. Smith Distinguished Professor of MarketingUniversity of KansasSchool of Business350 SummerfieldLawrence, KS 66045(785) 222-1111 (work)(785) 333-4444 (cell)onaref@ku.edu

Joe Schmo (Former supervisor at ABC Manufacturing)OwnerSchmo Industries1234 Main Street SouthKansas City, KS 66543(913) 999-9999 (work)(913) 963-8521 (home)(785) 741-1234 (cell)schmo@schmoindustries.com

Include your relationship to the reference

Include the reference’s current job title and where they work along with current contact information

Ask your reference how they would like to be contacted and include only those phone numbers or emails

If your reference has changed jobs since you worked with him/her, note that on your reference page

11

COVER LETTERS: THINGS TO AVOID

• Startingeverysentencewith“I”or“my”

• Extraneouswordsandwordyphrases;e.g.“inorderto”and“forthepurposeof”

• Confusingandcomplexlanguageandsentencestructure(HINT:Readyourletteraloudtoidentifyawkwardness,then correct it)

• Longsentencesandparagraphs

• Weakoroverusedverbs“tobe,”“todo,”or“towork”

• Fontsizessmallerthan10pointandlargerthan12point

• Nondescriptphrasessuchas“Iwasacomputerlabassistant.”Instead,say:“Iprovidedtechnicalassistance.”“Iconductedresearchactivitiesusingobservationanddataanalysisskillswhile…”insteadof“Iworkedasaresearchassistant.”

Employers report that an impressive cover letter is often more important than the resume when making a decision whether to interview a candidate, so it can be a mistake to focus too much attention on the resume and ignore the potential value of a well-written letter. Like the resume, the cover letter is not intended to get you the job—it is intended to get you an interview (when you can convince the employer face-to-face that you are the right one for the job).

Whenever you cannot present your resume personally, a cover letter should accompany it. A cover letter should alwaysaccompanyaresumethatissentbyU.S.PostalService or e-mail. Whatever you write in your e-mail ISyourcoverletter.Acoverletterisnotnecessarywhenyou deliver your resume to a potential employer at a career fair.

The purpose of the cover letter and resume package is to motivate the employer to take action and invite you for an interview. When delivered together, the two documents should be complementary and work together to accomplish your purpose. The appearance ofyourresume/coverletterpackagewillbeenhancedifboth documents are printed on the same high-quality bond paper.

The most important aspect of a cover letter is employer focus.Presenttheemployerwithindicationsofyourpersonality and style along with your skills and abilities.

Highlightyourqualificationsforthespecificpositionyou seek, clearly stating your interests and qualifications relativetotheemployer’sneeds.

Alwayscustomizeyourcoverletter!Sendingoutageneralcover letter and resume to hundreds of employers is rarely successful.Itcancreateaperceptionontheemployer’spart that you are not a serious and thoughtful person, that youaredesperateforajob,orthatyoudon’treallycareenough about their organization to learn about them or their needs.

Yourlettershouldbejustafewparagraphsandonlyone page in length. While there is no “perfect formula” regarding length and what to include, keep it relevant and relatively brief.

Acoverlettershouldworklikeadvertisingcopy.Itshould:

•catchthereader’sattention (openingparagraph)

•communicateskillsandexperience(middleparagraph)

•supportyourstatementswithspecifics(middleparagraph)

•compelthereadertoact (finalparagraph)

Cover letters

12

13

Sample cover letter

Your

Add

ress

Firs

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Las

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e of

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Man

ager

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ame

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nkno

wn

Title

of C

onta

ct P

erso

nEm

ploy

er C

onta

ct In

form

atio

n

If em

ploy

er n

ame

is n

ot a

vaila

ble,

use

Hum

an R

esou

rces

Man

ager

, D

irect

or, o

r Hiri

ng M

anag

er

Firs

t Par

agra

ph:

•W

hy y

ou a

re w

ritin

g•

Wha

t pos

ition

you

are

app

lyin

g fo

r•

How

you

lear

ned

abou

t the

pos

iton

•W

ho re

ferre

d yo

u (if

app

licab

le)

Body

:•

Why

you

are

inte

rest

ed in

the

posi

tion

•W

hat y

ou c

an c

ontri

bute

•How

yourqualificationswouldbenefittheorganization

•H

ow y

our s

kills

and

exp

erie

nce

mat

ch th

eir n

eeds

Last

Par

agra

ph:

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efer

to d

ocum

ents

enc

lose

d or

ava

ilabl

e su

ch a

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efer

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s•

Giv

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e ph

one

num

ber a

nd ti

me

that

you

can

be

reac

hed

or w

hen

you

will

cont

act t

hem

•Th

ank

them

for t

heir

time

and

cons

ider

atio

n of

you

r app

licat

ion

Or,

“Res

pect

fully

”

Typeyourfirstandlastnam

eLe

ave

four

spa

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ou c

an s

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your

nam

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ink

afte

r it i

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inte

dLe

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only

one

bla

nk li

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pe y

our n

ame

for e

mai

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rs

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in A

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KS

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tem

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s. B

etty

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ith

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irect

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Dea

r M

s. S

mith

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m a

pply

ing

for

the

po

sitio

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f sal

es r

epre

sent

ativ

e fo

r th

e M

idw

est

terr

itory

. I le

arne

d ab

out t

his

pos

ition

at t

he r

ece

nt U

nive

rsity

of K

ansa

s ca

reer

fair

thro

ug

h J

oe J

ob,

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cago

sal

es r

epre

sent

ativ

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r B

ig T

ime

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twar

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ha

ve e

xte

nsi

ve s

ale

s a

nd

le

ader

ship

exp

erie

nce

and

brin

g st

reng

ths

tha

t in

clu

de

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om

mitt

ed

wor

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hic,

str

ong

mo

tiva

tion

to s

ucc

ee

d an

d a

dem

onst

rate

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cord

of

exce

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g go

als.

Thi

s M

ay I

will

co

mpl

ete

a B

ach

elor

of S

cien

ce in

Com

mun

icat

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Stu

dies

with

a m

inor

in B

usi

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s fr

om

the

Un

ive

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of K

an

sas.

I lo

ok fo

rwar

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brin

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aca

dem

ic

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grou

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skill

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d ex

perie

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to in

crea

se s

ales

at B

ig T

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Sof

twar

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A

fter

spea

king

with

Mr.

Job

and

res

earc

hing

Big

Tim

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oftw

are,

I am

impr

esse

d w

ith th

e in

nova

tive

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are

your

com

pany

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evel

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g fo

r th

e he

alth

car

e in

dust

ry.

You

r re

cent

re

leas

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f Sup

er S

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oftw

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repr

ese

nts

a si

gnifi

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tech

no

log

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nd

sh

ou

ld b

e w

ell

rece

ived

in th

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me

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Thi

s ra

pidl

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owin

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t of t

he in

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cre

atin

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ique

opp

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acq

uire

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clie

nts.

I h

ave

a

cons

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ecor

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ieve

men

t in

build

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cust

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rel

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ps th

at g

ener

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sale

s w

hile

wo

rkin

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am a

nd

mee

ting

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lines

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urin

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mm

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t Uni

on

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es, I

exc

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onth

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ale

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by 3

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the

ma

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les

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ne

w c

lien

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t The

Uni

vers

ity D

aily

Kan

san,

I co

nsis

tent

ly s

urpa

ssed

the

sale

s go

al o

f $50

0 in

adv

ertis

ing

per

wee

k.

As

chie

f mem

bers

hip

offic

er o

f Pi A

lpha

Pi,

an a

cade

mic

hon

ors

orga

niza

tion,

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onee

red

a re

crui

tmen

t pr

ogra

m t

ha

t bro

ug

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n ov

er 2

0 ne

w m

embe

rs,

incr

easi

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ur

me

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rshi

p ba

se b

y 52

per

cent

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Ch

ica

go

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l Res

taur

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as

sele

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tra

in

all n

ew h

ires

on p

rope

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chni

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was

ent

rust

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losi

ng th

e re

stau

rant

af

ter

only

th

ree

mo

nth

s o

f em

plo

yme

nt.

The

se e

xper

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es d

emon

stra

te th

at I

am a

hi

ghly

mot

ivat

ed a

nd g

oal-

driv

en le

ade

r w

ho s

triv

es fo

r e

xcel

lenc

e in

eve

ryth

ing

I do.

I loo

k fo

rwar

d to

the

oppo

rtun

ity to

inte

rvie

w w

ith y

ou a

nd h

ave

atta

ched

my

resu

me

as

requ

este

d. I

will

co

nta

ct y

ou

ne

xt w

ee

k to

sch

edu

le a

tim

e w

hen

we

can

furt

her

disc

uss

my

qu

alif

ica

tion

s. If

yo

u h

ave

an

y q

ue

stio

ns,

I ca

n b

e r

ea

che

d a

t (7

85

) 55

5-12

34 o

r by

em

ail a

t ja

yhk@

ku.e

du.

Tha

nk y

ou fo

r yo

ur ti

me

and

cons

ider

atio

n.

Sin

cere

ly,

Jay

Haw

k

Business Career Services Center 125 Summerfield Hall Phone 785-864-5591 Fax 785-864-5078 email bcsc@ku.edu www.business.ku.edu/bcsc

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