Building a Professional Resume & Cover Letter

Learn how to build a resume and cover letter that highlight your strengths and get employers attention!

Agenda

• Academic Support Services & ResourcesAcademic Support Services & Resources•What is it? •What is available?

• Building a Professional ResumeBuilding a Professional Resume• Crafting a Persuasive Cover LetterCrafting a Persuasive Cover Letter• ResourcesResources• Questions? Ask throughout!Questions? Ask throughout!

Learning Coaches & Content Tutors

• One-to-one appointments in person or via phone, e-mail, Internet, etc.

• Workshops (online & onsite)

• Small group assistance (online & onsite)

• Online Content Area Tutoring – Smarthinking (www.esc.edu/smarthinking)

Online Support

• ANGEL Community Group - NEC Academic Support http://www.esc.edu/ole•Log in with your MyESC Username & Password

•A self-paced or credit-bearing study & resources - http://AcademicEye.pbworks.com

• On Facebook - NEC Academic Support & Student Services

Academic Support Academic Support @ NEC@ NEC

Services & Resources

Helping You Connect the Pieces for Academic Success

The Pieces of Academic SuccessThe Pieces of Academic Success

Time Management

Effective Thinking

Goal Setting

Understanding Learning Styles

Developing a Study Plan

Active Reading WritingCritical Thinking

Academic Research

Stress Management

Meet the Learning CoachesWhat is a learning coach?

A learning coach is someone who provides academic support to students in one-on-one or small group settings in all areas of the writing process and related study skills strategies including time management, organization, reading efficiency, developing a study plan, goal setting, critical thinking, library research skills, note-taking, and learning styles.

Sarah Spence-Staulters is located in Latham working with Schenectady & Latham/Albany students Her hours are: Mondays - 4:30pm- 8:00pm

Wednesdays - 4:30pm-8:00pmFridays - 9am-11:15am

Contact Sarah to make an appointment : (518) 783-6203 ext 5992 or Sarah.Spence-Staulters@esc.edu

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Kate Stockton is located in Latham working with Johnstown & Latham/Albany students Her hours are: Mondays - 4:30pm-7:30pm

Tuesdays - 4:30pm-7:30pmThursdays - 4:30pm-7:30pm

Contact Kate to make an appointment : (518) 783-6203 ext 5992 or Kate.Stockton@esc.edu

Mary Sanders-Shartle is located in Saratoga working with Saratoga & Queensbury students Her hours are: Mondays – 12pm-2pm

Wednesdays – 3pm-6pmThursdays 4pm-6pm

Contact Mary to make an appointment :(518) 587-2100 ext 2827 or Mary.Sanders-Shartle@esc.edu

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Cover Letters and Resumes

• Your cover letter and resume should work together in presenting you effectively to a potential employer

• Your cover letter will allow you to present your “voice” through written word while…

• Your resume will be an accurate and detailed representation of your experience and accomplishments

• Make a list of your education, recent work experience, community service, research, etc.

• Make a list of your strengths and limitations• Think about the details of your ideal job• Use job descriptions to help you write your work

tasks• Ask your mentor, instructors, current employer for

their advice (sample resumes, pet peeves, etc.)

Information Gathering

• A resume is a quick reference for someone to quickly gauge whether or not you are a qualified candidate

• A resume is a snapshot of your professional writing ability

• A resume is a first impression• A weak resume is an excuse to “weed out” i.e. too

many resumes, too little time• A well-written resume can have the power to make a

candidate seem well-organized, proficient with technology, a strong writer, and many other positive attributes!

Consider the Purpose

Purpose continued…

• A professionally crafted resume should…– Sell you as the best candidate– Clearly match your experience and credentials to

the open position’s requirements and qualifications

– Evoke a sharp first impression– Get you an interview!

A Professionally Designed Resume• Does highlight your unique

talents, interests and experience

• Does appear well organized and succinct

• Does use meaningful action words

• Does fit on 2 or less pages• Does reflect the field you are

in or are entering• Does take time to develop into

a masterpiece• Does win you an interview!

• Doesn’t only list tasks performed

• Doesn’t use more than 2 pages

• Doesn’t look like anyone else’s• Doesn’t have spelling,

grammar or punctuation errors

• Doesn’t leave out information like degree earned, graduation & employment dates and locations of employers and education.

Pertinent Information

• Name and contact information• Email addresses should be professional! • Recent and relevant career experience• Education• Community involvement• Awards, recognition, specific skills

Tips in writing work experience details• Use powerful action words in all of your job

descriptions (see next slide)• Research job duties for each work experience• Always include anything above and beyond your actual

job title• Use numbers if possible (ex. Increased productivity by

12% over last 12 months, decreased number of errors from 25 to 10 per day)

• Include any professional development you obtained during that experience

• Try to point to any responsibilities and/or duties that would be beneficial or suitable for the position for which you are applying

Action Words

Chronological

• Lists positions from most recent on top to the oldest on bottom

• Education section should be placed depending on how recent and relevant it is to the job

• Other sections can be presented at the end

Functional

• Sections are divided into skillsets • Still should include a list of employment but

this can be listed in order of relevance to the job

• Employment history can be listed at the end to allow your skills to be highlighted

Combination

• Sometimes it is beneficial to use a combination of the functional and chronological resume

• Sections can labeled in similar job clusters, “Marketing Experience” and then list all employment that is relevant in chronological order (most recent first)

Electronic

• Keep it simple• Use many action verbs• Make sure to include searchable keywords

that employers are likely to use in their searches

Types of Resumes

Chronological

Functional/Skills Format

Combination

Electronic

Best forThose whose work history is very closely related to the desired job

Those who want to highlight their skills and people who are seeking a career change

Those who have a mix of relevant skills and similar work experiences

Best for

Best for

Best for Everyone!

Crafting a Persuasive Cover Letter

• Make it clear that you really want this job• Show that you have done research on this position

and the company• Use specific names and titles whenever possible!• Always focus on your strengths and the positive

elements you will be bringing to this job• Express interest in an interview• Try to steer the reader to consider you even if…

Stylistic Tips to Consider

• Testimonials• Bulleted list of “potential values to the

company” for hiring you• Two columns comparing the qualifications in

the posting to your own experiences• Finding the common themes in your varied

work experiences and allowing them to work FOR you rather than AGAINST you

Your Requirements• Communicates in Portuguese and

Spanish

• International Experience

• Public Relations/Liaison/Communications/Sports Experience

My experience• Fluent in reading, speaking and

writing Portuguese, Spanish and English

• Translated an entire book from Portuguese to English

• B.A. in International Relations• US Citizen who has lived in Brazil,

Japan, Australia and Africa

• Completed Sporting Goods Analysis on Brazil’s economy for US Department of Commerce

• Resolve ongoing public relations and communications challenges as the “flight attendant in charge”

Date

Your Street AddressCity, State Zip

Their NameTitleCompanyStreet AddressCity, State Zip

Dear Mr./Ms Blank:

1st paragraph - Explain why you are writing; identify the position and your source of information.Indicate in summary form your strongest qualifications for the position using a series of phrases.Should contain at least 3 sentences.2nd paragraph - Outline your qualifications and experiences in detail and show how they match theposition requirements. As much as possible, provide evidence of your related work, extracurricular,and academic experiences and accomplishments. Refer to your resume. Should have between 5-10sentences.3rd paragraph - Optional. Convince the employer that you have the personal qualities and motivationto succeed. Relate your interests and qualities to your knowledge of the company. Should have 3-8sentences.4th paragraph - Thank the person for looking at your application. Offer to provide any necessaryadditional information and indicate how and when you can be contacted. Should have 3-5sentences.

Sincerely,(Handwritten signature)Your name, typedEnclosure

Cover Letter Format1. Why you’re writing, identify the position, summarize your strengths.2. Match

your qualifications with the preferred requirements.

3. Sell yourself!

4. Offer gratitude and state how you can be reached. http://www.coloradocollege.edu/careercenter/Publications/pdfs/Cover_Letter_Development.pdf

Rough Drafts, Editing & Feedback• You have to start somewhere!• Save all rough drafts if possible• Save some templates based on similar job types • Use smarthinking.com!• Ask anyone else you trust to look it over (mentor,

instructors, colleagues, friends)• If you are using your own templates, scrutinize very

carefully that you changed every detail!• Everyone has their own hang ups about resumes and

cover letters, in the end – it’s up to you!

Creating a System

• Have a “Job Search” folder• Have similar jobs in separate folders• In each folder keep a generic resume and generic

cover letter• Keep a copy of each individualized resume and cover

letter• Sometimes it is helpful to house a resume and cover

letter in one document• Keep track of each job application

ESC Online Career Resources

Go to www.esc.edu/library, Library Resources by Subject Name, Career Resources

Resume & Cover Letter Resources

Fall 2010 Workshop ScheduleSept. 20 Start the Term Right27 Time Management29 Start the Term RightOct. 4 Navigating the ESC Websites6 Critical Thinking 8 Introduction Library Skills ( 10am-11am )13 Navigating the ESC Websites14 Time Management18 Critical Thinking20 Reading More Efficiently25 Leveraging Your learning Style28 Unblock the Writing Experience

Nov.1Reading more Efficiently 33 Introduction to Library Skills8 Unblocking the Writing Experience17 Stress Management19 Time Management (10am-11am)22 Resume and Cover Letter Writing

Dec. 1Stress Management6Ending the Term Right8Ending the Term Right9 Writing a Rational Essay13Stress Management20Resume and Cover Letter Writing

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