Chautauqua Works Summer Youth Employment Program

Work Readiness Work Shop

Contents

Portfolio Application Cover letter Resume References Follow-up and thank you letters

Portfolio

What is a portfolio? A portfolio demonstrates a level of preparedness

beyond the simple resume. A portfolio is an opportunity to show off skills,

strengths and talents. A portfolio should be taken with you on job interviews. The portfolio should be reviewed every few months or

as you gain new skills, strengths and talents.

By the end of the Summer Youth Employment Program each youth will have developed a portfolio.

Portfolio

A portfolio should include: A personal profile – the 60-second infomercial about you Resume/fact sheet Five-year plan Work essential documents Academic documents Samples of work Awards and recognition References Community resources

Application

Application

Take your time filling out the application, employers want to see your handwriting, correct spelling and accurate information.

Make sure you go prepared to fill out the application on site Bring 2 pens with you, never ask for a pen because

this gives the appearance of being unprepared Have a copy of your cover letter, resume and

references

Cover Letter

Cover Letter

If an employer asks for a cover letter be sure to include one, as some employers use that as a screening tool, meaning if you did not include one you may be screened out.

Even if an employer does not request one, it is always good business etiquette to include one.

Don’t merely copy your resume, but instead sell yourself to the employer, use this as an opportunity to demonstrate why the employer should choose you.

Spend some extra time customizing your cover letter to mention the desired skills you possess that the employer requested in their posting. (e.g. multitasking)

Direct the letter to the individual that is in charge of hiring for that position, if you do not know the person’s name, find out.

Cover Letter

Provide your contact information at the top of the letter Direct the letter to the person in charge of hiring Include a reference code where you reference where you learned

about the opening and which opening you are applying for, as the company may be hiring for various positions

The body of your letter should be a sales pitch, sell yourself to the company by highlighting your skills and credentials that the company referenced

Keep your letter positive and upbeat In the final paragraph express your strong interest in an interview

and state that you will follow up to ensure that your resume was received

End the letter with a professional close, such as “Best regards,” “Sincerely,” or “Respectfully yours”

Your Name Your Street Address City, State Zip Your Email Address Your Telephone Number

Date

Hiring Managers Name Title Company Street Address City, State Zip

Dear Name:

Introduction

Body of Letter

Closing Paragraph

Respectfully yours,

Your Signature Your Name

Enclosure: Resume

Resume

Resume

What is a resume?Review of your work-related experiencesEssential information onlySkills, strengths and talents focusedUnique – what makes you distinctiveMarketing yourself to an employerEffective – gets you an interview

Resume Information that is relevant on a resume

Contact Information Objective Education

Relevant Coursework Extracurricular Activities

Experience Part-time Jobs

Volunteer Work Awards References

Resume

ActivityRetail Sales Position or Restaurant Wait

Service Which courses would be applicable to the chosen

position and which are not? Which extracurricular activities would be applicable

to the chosen position and which ones are not?

Resume

Activity (continued)Coursework in mathematics may be relevant

to the sales position because the job requires working with money and numbers

Coursework in keyboarding may not be as relevant, but would be for an administrative support position

Resume

Activity (continued) Extracurricular Activities and After School Programs

may be relevant if they contain leadership and teamwork activities

In which case, these would be added to demonstrate the applicants ability to take on extra responsibility or to work well with others in a group setting

Involvement in drama club may be relevant for someone applying for a position working with children, but may not be useful for someone working in an office setting

Resume

Resume EssentialsBefore you write, take time to do a self-

assessment on paper. Outline your skills and abilities as well as your work experience and extracurricular activities. This will make it easier to prepare a thorough resume.

Resume

Contact Information Name, Address, Telephone Number and Email

Address should go at the top of your resume Avoid nicknames. Use a permanent address. Use a permanent telephone number and be sure to include

the area code. If you have an answering machine, be sure to record a neutral greeting.

When using an email address, choose one that sounds professional.

Resume

ObjectiveAn objective tells potential employers the sort

of work you’re hoping to do. Be specific about the job you want. For example:

To obtain an entry-level position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills.

Tailor your objective to each employer you target/every job you seek.

Resume

Education Students and new graduates without a lot of work

experience should list their educational information first.

Your most recent educational information is listed first. If graduated, include your degree (A.S., B.S., B.A., etc.),

major, institution attended or attending, and minor or concentration.

Add your grade point average (GPA) if it is higher than 3.0. Mention academic honors.

Resume Work Experience

Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills. Use action words to describe your job duties. Include your work experience in reverse chronological order – that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first relevant job.

Include: Title of position Name of organization Location of work (town, state) Dates of employment Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific

skills and achievements

Resume Action Words

A – accomplish, adapt, administer, advise, advocate, analyze, arrange, assess, assist

B – balance, bargain, brainstorm, built C – calculate, change, check, clarify, coach, collaborate,

communicate, compile, compose, conduct, contribute, construct, coordinate, create

D – decide, deliver, demonstrate, design, develop, discover, distribute, drive

E – edit, encourage, engage, enforce, establish, evaluate, examine, exceed, execute, explore

F – facilitate, file, follow, formulate, founded G – generate, give, guide

Resume Action Words I – identify, implement, improve, influence, increase, initiate, inspect,

inspired, instruct, install, integrate, interpret, invent, investigate L – lead, learn, led, listen, lobbied M – make, manage, mediate, mentor, modify, monitor, motivate N – negotiate O – observe, operate, organize P – paint, perform, persuade, photograph, pilot, plan, prepare,

present, preside, print, produce, program, promote, provide, publicize, purchase

R – recommend, reconcile, recruit, reduce, relate, renegotiate, reorganize, repair, report, represent, research, reshape, resolve, restore, review

S – save, schedule, sell, shape, share, simplify, solve, speak, strategize, study, succeed, supervise

T – taught, teach, train, translate, tutor, type

Resume

Other InformationA retention specialist can advise you on other

information that you may add to your resume, such as

Key or special skills or competencies Leadership experience in volunteer organizations Participation in sports

Resume

ReferencesAsk people if they are willing to serve as

references before you give their names to a potential employer.

Do not include your reference information on your resume. You may note at the bottom of your resume, “References furnished upon request.”

Resume Don’t forget…

Run a spell check on your resume before you hand out your resume.

Get a friend (an English major), an English teacher or a professor to do a grammar review.

Ask another friend to proofread. The more people who see your resume, the more likely that misspelled words and awkward phrases will be seen and corrected.

Resume Design

These tips will make your resume easier to read and/or scan into an employers database.

Use white or off-white paper. Use 8-1/2 x 11-inch paper Print on one side of the paper. Use a font size of 10 to 14 points. Use non-decorative typefaces. Choose one typeface and stick with it. Avoid italics, script, and underlined words. Do not use horizontal or vertical lines, graphics or shading. Do not fold or staple your resume. If you must mail your resume, put it in a large envelope.

References

References

References should include Work References

Supervisor Coworker Customer

Personal References Community leaders Mentors

Educational References Instructor Professor Advisor

References

Carefully select references Choose references that know the value of your work and will

speak positively about you Don’t include references that have impressive titles but don’t

know much about you Your references should have good communication skills so they

can convince hiring managers you would be a valued employee Speak with each of your references to ensure that they

fully understand your skills and accomplishments, this will help them effectively sell you to the hiring managers

Follow-up and Thank You Letters After a job interview there are several ways you

can keep the potential employer's attention on YOU as the likely person to hire, through thank you and follow-up letters.

Thank you letters are critical to your job search success.

Thank you letters should be typed. Job-seekers should send a thank-you letter right

after you've been on a job interview. At the very latest, send thank-you or follow-up letters by mail within 24 hours of an interview.

Follow-up and Thank you Letters Thank you letters

In the first paragraph, thank the interviewer (or express your appreciation) for the chance to meet with them to discuss the job and see the premises (use the term "meeting" rather than "interview" if it seems appropriate). Make some reference to your positive impressions of the company.

In the second paragraph, offer some new information or additional reason for the employer to be interested in you for that job-perhaps a "goodie" that you didn't mention in the interview. (You might even link this new information to a problem or opportunity the company is experiencing.) Repeat the job title you are applying for, and show continued interest in it.

In the last paragraph, let the employer know (graciously) that you expect to hear from them again and "plant" the idea in her mind of a phone call to you. Make it clear you're willing to come in and discuss the job further, if necessary.

Follow-up and Thank You LettersSample Interview Follow-up Letter

7 Apple CourtEugene, OR 97401503-555-0303

Mr. Archie Weatherby California Investments, Inc.25 Sacramento StreetSan Francisco, CA 94102

Dear Mr. Weatherby,

Thank you for taking the time to discuss the insurance broker position at California Investments, Inc., with me. After meeting with you and observing the company's operations, I am further convinced that my background and skills coincide well with your needs.

I really appreciate that you took so much time to acquaint me with the company. It is no wonder that California Investments retains its employees for so long. I feel I could learn a great deal from you and would certainly enjoy working with you.

In addition to my qualifications and experience, I will bring excellent work habits and judgment to this position. With the countless demands on your time, I am sure that you require people who can be trusted to carry out their responsibilities with minimal supervision.

I look forward, Mr. Weatherby, to hearing from you concerning your hiring decision. Again, thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

John Oakley