resume & cover letter workshop
DESCRIPTION
Press the F5 button to begin the presentation and press the right arrow key ( ) to hear the recorded webinar. Resume & Cover Letter Workshop. Resume : a marketing tool. Resume Purpose. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Press the F5 button to begin the presentation and press the right
arrow key ( ) to hear the recorded webinar
Resume & Cover Letter Resume & Cover Letter Workshop Workshop
RESUME : A MARKETING TOOL
3
Resume Purpose Resume Purpose
The goal of a resume is to provide prospective employers with a concise summary of your
experiences and qualifications.
This is the first impression of YOU that organizations and companies will see!
4
Common Resume Pitfalls Common Resume Pitfalls
Grammatical ErrorsObjective [not needed]High School Information [not needed]Exaggerations and broad statementsFormatting Inconsistencies
January 2009 – 7/2009
font styles and sizes Verb tense uniformity
5
Resume EssentialsResume Essentials
Current Contact InformationEducationExperienceLeadership & ActivitiesSkills
6
TemplateTemplate
7
Each activity/experience should be clearly identified in your resume
Company /Organization [Bolded], City, State Month Year(sp)dash(sp)Month Year
Position [Italicized] Bullet Bullet Bullet
ExampleXYZ Corporation, Miami Lakes, FL October 2008 - January
2009Finance Intern, Cost Accounting Group Assisted in the consolidation of world-wide financial statements Collected and pre-verified documentation for Sarbanes Oxley testing Created an Excel-based index for all financial reports published monthly Assisted with CFO ad-hoc requests such as currency conversion impact on sales and
net income
BulletsBullets
8
Begin with strong action verbs Analyzed, Presented, Prepared, Organized, Performed, Supervised, Managed No punctuation is needed
Use descriptive bullets without being too wordy Quantify your experience if possible
i.e. How big was the budget that you managed? How many people did you supervise?
Answer at least two questions in each position/experience What did I do? How did I do it ? What were my results?
Examples Tracked daily expenses for 40 ongoing projects and ensured compliance with
budgets and financial plans Analyzed financial statements and reported on company owned assets using
CFROI and other company metrics Created and analyzed monthly ‘Budget vs. Actual’ reports on plant spending and
communicated key drivers to company controller
Current Contact Current Contact Information Information
Necessary Components Mobile number Email address College mailing address Permanent mailing address is optional
9
EducationEducationNecessary Components
Majors, minors Expected graduation date Study Abroad GPA Honors & Awards Relevant Coursework (optional*)
10
Experience Experience
11
Leadership & ActivitiesLeadership & Activities
12
SkillsSkills
• Necessary Components Computer [MS Office Suite, Java, C++] Languages [ Fluent, Proficient]
13
Resume Writing TipsResume Writing Tips•A resume is a marketing tool, not an autobiography•Formatting: one page, no typos, no high school
experience•Concise, quantifiable, action-oriented summary of
experiences, education and skill sets•Highlight leadership roles, clubs/organizations &
unique achievements/awards•Tailor your resume for the job you want•Keep your resume current and available•Always carry a few copies to events where
networking opportunities exist14
COVER LETTER: A WRITTEN INTRODUCTION
15
11stst Paragraph Paragraph
• Answer the question as to why you are writing and the position to which you are applying
• From your research, explain why you are interested in this position or organization
• The goal is to make a connection - do this briefly and specifically or leave it out; sweeping statements will not work so make sure to tailor each cover letter for each job you apply for
16**http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/career/guides/cover_ltr.shtml
22ndnd Paragraph Paragraph• The first sentence should be a hard-hitting opener- a
quick introduction, which is accomplishment-oriented and directed at the skills and qualifications needed for the job/industry
• The body of the paragraph should provide evidence to back up what you've just claimed
• Discuss why what you did is relevant to the employer- relate the facts to the job. Strong examples are important!
• The final sentence is a summary of what you've discussed above
17**http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/career/guides/cover_ltr.shtml
Final ParagraphFinal Paragraph
• You should refer to the enclosed resume and request an interview. It is vital that you thank the reader for his/her time and consideration.
Sincerely, Your Signature Your Name
Enclosure(s)
18**http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/career/guides/cover_ltr.shtml
Tips to Make your letter Tips to Make your letter Professional Professional
• Research the company and the specifics about the position to tailor your letter to the position
• Avoid using too many sentences that in the passive voice (ex. "This experience enabled me to..." or "Through my internship, I was responsible for..."); instead, make yourself the subject of each sentence and use active descriptions (ex., "In this internship, I demonstrated sound judgment and problem-solving skills on a daily basis.").
19
Tips (Cont.)Tips (Cont.)• Do not use contractions (I'd, didn't, it's). • Spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes are
out of the question! Cover letters are a reflection of your writing skills, so make each cover letter an example of your best work
• Be sure to sign your letters (black ink is suggested)
• Keep your letter short and simple• If sending via mail, use good quality paper that
matches your resume paper and envelopes20
SummarySummary• Make sure there is uniformity and consistency• Use a bulleted format that begins with strong
action verbs• Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical
errors• Use matching verb tenses• Full sentences are not necessary• Do not put anything in your resume that you
cannot explain clearly and precisely21
QUESTIONS?