Dietetics Resume Workshop

Kimberley Rawes

Tamar Kafka

Natalie Lim

Winnie Ng

Agenda

1. Accomplishment statements, the building block of your resume

2. Where should it go - cover letter or resume?

3. Formatting and structure

What do you write …. ?

Based on this experience – what do we know about this persons skills?

How to Write Accomplishment Statements

Verb Task Result

Action Verb

• Sentences start with an action verb

• Highlights a key transferable skill

• Creates a strong, consistent language on your application

Task

• What you did

• Choose a task relevant to what you might do in your future role

Results

• Outcome

• What happened?

• Measurable success (e.g. Achievements, size of project, # of people at your event, recognition)

How did this improve the resume?

• Added clarity to tasks and goals of job

• Transferred skills from seemingly not-so-relevant examples

Action Verbs

Communication SkillsAddressed, arbitrated, arranged, authored, collaborated, convinced, corresponded, developed, directed, drafted, edited, enlisted, formulated, influenced, interpreted, lectured, mediated, moderated, negotiated, persuaded, promoted, publicized, reconciled, recruited, represented, referred, spoke, translated, wrote

Leadership SkillsAdministered, assigned, attained, chaired, coordinated, delegated, developed, directed, evaluated, improved, oversaw, prioritized, produced, recommended, reviewed, supervised

Team SkillsAssessed, assisted, clarified, coached, facilitated, familiarized, guided, motivated

Final thoughts

• Take time to write

• Bridge the gap between your experience and the reader

COVER LETTERS

Why do I have to write a cover letter?

Select committees need to know more about you than your past experience

Past experience informs future behavior

Cover letters can serve as mini-interviews

Resume

• Describes all of your RELEVANT experiences

• Describes all of your RELEVANT skills

• Point form and accomplishment focused

Resume or Cover Letter

Cover Letter

• Conveys who you are

• Answers “why” you should be accepted in to the program

• Narrative based

• Fewer examples, more detail

Program Guidelines for Application

Your reasons for applying to dietetics.

Any specific professional goals you may have.

Personal attributes, skills, work/volunteer experience, and any qualifications or highlights that speak to your suitability for dietetics.

Any information that you feel the review committee should be aware of in assessing your application that may not otherwise be apparent from reviewing your application package.

Cover Letter strategies

Answer two main questions

1. Why would you be a good dietitian?

2. Tell me about a time when …

• Team skills

• Communication skills

• Leadership skills

• Remember, this is a mini-interview

Things to avoid

• Try not to start the story at the beginning, you don’t have a lot of space

• Do not skip over the details

• Summarize information selectively, and try to provide as much relevant detail as possible

Try instead

• Be personal

• Focus on the most relevant and excellent examples

• Tell the committee stories about your experiences, and then link those stories back to the program

“Why would this experience make you a better dietitian?”

“Why would this experience make you successful in the program?”

Final Thoughts

Cover letters are a great place to…

• Tell stories

• Be relevant

• Be descriptive and specific

• Chose less examples than your resume

• Provide more detail than your resume

Formatting

Fonts: Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, Verdana, Tahoma, Helvetica, or others.

Size: 12 pt.

Spacing and 1” margins

*** Consistency in bold/italics*** Consistency in order of job title/employer

Additional Resources

Career Services Resume AdvisingMonday through Thursdaycareers.ubc.ca

Blog postingSlides, sample resume, audio postedcareers.ubc.ca

My contact: kimberley.rawes@ubc.ca

(Advising services are available to current UBC students and alumni)