Resumes &

Cover letters

Sandy BrownCareer Services Center

Old Main 280(360) 650-3240

www.careers.wwu.edu

LETS FACE IT…

There is a lot of conflicting advice out there about resume writing

While there is no format that will work for every employer we have included the most popular guidelines that are generally accepted by most employers

What is the purpose of a resume?

The resume is a tool with one specific purpose: to win an interview

It convinces the employer that you have the experience and the skills

It isn’t a history of your past, a personal statement or self expression.

It IS marketing your skills for future potential

Target Your Resume!Research companies

www.workforceexplorer.com

Research positions

WorkSource.com

O*net

Occupational Outlook Handbook (bls.gov)

Network

Information interviews

WHAT IS A TARGETED RESUME?

keywords and content will match you with the job, industry, career field, and employer.

Resume Formats

Chronological or historical * Highlights past job titles, accomplishments

*Works well if you have relevant professional experience

Combination Resume*Emphasizes skills and related job titles*Relevant experience can include volunteer & class projects/coursesSkill-based (Functional)*Emphasizes skills rather than job titles

*Works well if you have limited relevant job history or are changing careers.

Resume sections

Qualification Summary-what is it?

A brief paragraph or bullets that showcases your most effective skills and experience as they pertain to the position.

declares what you can do for the targeted company

Education and Training

If you’ve just graduated from college or an entry level candidate with little professional experience-your education should be presented immediately after the Qualifications Summary

You could include:

GPA-(if 3.5 or above)

Awards/scholarships

Dean’s list

Course work relevant to job search

Continued……

If you’re a professional with five or more years of experience, education should be listed last on your resume.

Include all specialized training that is transferable to the position!

Professional experience

Can be showcased in the three formatsChronological- providing work history dating back from the present- most common Combination- stressing what you know in one section, while providing work history in another-one of the most popularFunctional- you are stressing what you know over where you gained your experience.

More!

Begin with action verbs (see pg 20 of green packet), avoid phrases like ‘responsible for’ or ‘ duties included’

Emphasize accomplishments and skills

Quantify what you’ve done- (i.e- number of employees supervised, savings as a result of your actions) be specific!

Highlight your skills and accomplishments

List your job title, company name, location and dates worked

Under each job, list problems you solved, issues you addressed, accomplishments you achieved, skills you gained or used

List other skills you’ve gained or used in school

AS IT PERTAINS TO THE POSITION!

ONE, TWO, THREE

Skills and accomplishments

EXAMPLE:

BARISTA (TITLE)

Provided excellent customer service in fast paced setting serving 200+ customers per day

Developed efficient strategies for organization of work station

Created client base of over 50 customers for returning business

Formatting for maximum impact

•20 second rule

•Easy to read fonts-Arial

•Use bold or italics sparingly

•Effective use of white space

•Prioritization of data

LETS TALK ABOUT E-RESUMES

e-resumes are delivered electronically -- via e-mail, submitted to Internet job boards, or residing on your own Web page. More than 80 percent of employers are now placing resumes directly into searchable databases and an equal percentage of employers prefer to receive resumes by e-mail

FORMATTING

text-based (ASCII, Text only), you might also want to have a Rich Text (RTF) version and a scannable version.

Your e-resume must be loaded with keywords!

STILL CONFUSED?

You must tailor your e-resume to each employer's or job board's instructions. Some employers want your resume as an attachment, usually as a Word document (but if no format is specified, and you can't find out, RTF is the safest bet). Others want your resume as text pasted into the body of an e-mail message. Still others want you to paste your resume into an online form!

Recruiter "Pet Peeve" Survey - ResumeDoctor.com undertook the immense project of conducting a survey of over 2,500 recruiters / headhunters throughout the US and Canada to find out their "Pet Peeves" with resumes

20. Burying the important info in the resume19. Gaps in employment18. 1st or 3rd Person - Resumes in either 1st or 3rd Person17. Not easy to follow summary16. Pictures, Graphics or URL links no recruiter will call

up15. Resumes sent in .pdf, .zip files, faxed, web page

resumes14. Font choice – poor font choice or style13. Objectives or meaningless introductions12. Lying, misleading (especially in terms of education,

dates and inflated titles)11. Employer info not included and/or not telling what

industry or product candidate worked in

Recruiter "Pet Peeve" Survey - by ResumeDoctor.com

10. Personal info not relative to the job9. Unqualified Candidates – Candidates who apply to positions

they are not qualified for8. Paragraphs – Long paragraphs….not Bullet-points7. Long Resumes – too long6. Functional Resumes as opposed to writing a Chronological

Resume5. Poor formatting – boxes, templates, tables, use of header

and footers etc.4. Contact Info – none or inaccurate contact info or

unprofessional email addresses3. Dates not included or inaccurate dates2. Too Duty Oriented – reads like a job description and fails

to explain what the job seeker’s accomplishments were and how they did so

1. Spelling Errors, Typos and Poor Grammar

Cover Letters!

Types of Job Search Letters—Cover Letter or Letter of Application

Letter of Inquiry

Networking Letter

Thank you Letter

Writing Effective Cover Letters

A cover letter should complement, not duplicate your resume

explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your most relevant skills or experiences

express a high level of interest and knowledge about the position.

Reality check!

Cover letter should be about how you meet the employers needs

be able to articulate your personal value & skills you bring to the position

Format: Three Paragraphs: Keep it short and simple.

A. Introduction Why you are writing (application, referral, inquiry) Where you heard about the opening Capture their interest

B. Body Share your interest in why you want to work for the

company Tell the employer what you can for him/her Give concrete examples from your experience that

directly relate to the needs listed in the job announcement Show how your education is related to this field C. Closing

Be direct. Ask for an interview; ask for a spot on the Team

State how and when you will follow up; be specific. Give dates and times you are available Include your phone number in the body of the letter

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