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Resumes and Cover Letters
MAPH Spring Workshop
grad.uchicago.edu
gradcareers.uchicago.edu
graducon.uchicago.edu
Why Attend GRADUCon?
grad.uchicago.edu
• LEARN HOW TO LAUNCH A CAREER IN VARIOUS FIELDS
• Careers in Museums panel
• Careers in Nonprofits panel
• Where Else Can You Teach? panel
• CONNECT WITH MAPH ALUMNI
• Kamran Swanson, Asst. Professor, Harold Washington College
• Katie Rahn, Director of Marketing, Art Institute of Chicago
• Anna Piepmeyer, Manager, Chicago Public Education Fund
• BUILD NEW SKILLS
• Negotiation workshop
• LinkedIn workshop
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AGENDA
1. Job Doc Overview
2. Drafting Resumes
3. Drafting Cover Letters
4. Resume Workshop
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AGENDA
1. Job Doc Overview
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• Resumes and cover letters are
arguments
• They use claims and evidence to
convince employers that you are a
great fit
• They must be tailored to every job
description
• They are not a replacement for
networking
Overview
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How do they fit together?
Resume LetterLife
Sources Article Abstract
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AGENDA
2. Drafting Resumes
Formatting: 11-12 Pt. Font
AVOID
Arial
Times New Roman
CalibriCambria
Comic Sans
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USE
Garamond
GeorgiaPalatino LinotypeHelvetica Neue Light
Century GothicTrebuchet MS
Formatting: Margins
.6” – 1” for all docs
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Formatting: StructureContact Info
Education
Thesis?
Awards?
Study Abroad?
Headings
Bullets
Spacing
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Formatting: Structure
Vertical
Reverse
chronological
order in each
section
Under each
heading, most
relevant bullets
on top
More bullets for
most recent,
relevant
experiences,
fewer for past
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Formatting: Structure
Horizontal
Most
important
information
on the left
Compound
bullets can
get lost
Strong action
verbs should
run down the
left-hand side
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Content: Education
• Top of page
• Lead with name of university
• Degree-based programs only (incl. study abroad)
• Prominent awards/honors
• Relevant course work (optional)
• Thesis title (optional)
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Content: Experience• Begin with a master resume containing
all experiences, then tailor to each job
• Consider organizing experiences by
job function
• “Research Experience”
• “Administrative Experience”
• “Customer Service Experience”
• “Teaching Experience”
• Include academic and volunteer
experiences
• Proportions of information included do
not need to reflect actual work
responsibilities
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Reality
Resume
Content: ExperienceBrilliant Bullet Points
• Begin with strong action verbs: led, analyzed, organized,
optimized, developed, etc.
• Try not to repeat the same verbs or competencies
• Implied first person sentence fragments (no pronouns
or periods)
• Present tense for ongoing roles; past tense for past roles
• 1 or 2 lines, never 3
Demonstrate Your PPI
• Project: What did you do?
• Purpose: Why did you do this?
• Impact: What impact did your actions have?
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Content: Skills
Skills and Languages Section: Recommended
• Technical skills: Highlight most impressive,
less common competencies
• Language skills: Fluent, conversational,
basic
Interests Section: Optional
• Chance to “humanize” yourself
• Make these specific and unique
• Use only when space allows
• One line maximum
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grad.uchicago.edu
AGENDA
3. Drafting Cover Letters
• Expands on a few items in your resume
• Discusses your motivation for seeking
employment in this field
• Explains why you are a good fit for the
specific organization and/or team
• Shows how you will make an impact
• Provides proof of legitimate interest in
and knowledge of the organization
• Demonstrates writing skills
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A Good Cover Letter . . .
Generic Cover Letter
• Introduction
• Reason(s) for interest in organization
• Mention conversations with employees
• Thesis: 2 distinct competencies, A & B
• Claim and evidence of competency A
• Relate example back to the company
• Claim and evidence of competency B
• Relate example back to the company
• Wrap up and thank you sentence
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¶ 1
¶ 2
¶ 3
¶ 4
Cover Letter Formatting
Their full
address
Date
Address a
real person
Physical
signature
Your contact info
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AGENDA
4. Resume Workshop
Resume Workshop
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• Form small groups
• Share your resume
• Receive feedback from your peers
• What story is this document telling?
• Is it organized and easy to read?
• Do the bullet points show impact?
• What changes would you suggest?
