resumes & cover letters how to get the wow factor 2017... · resumes & cover letters how to...

Resumes & Cover Letters How to Get the WOW Factor

February 15, 2017

Presented by: Monica Giorgini, Career Program Coordinator

Overview of today’s session

4 Essential Elements of a resume - Relevant & targeted - Accomplishment based - Easy to read - Error free Cover Letters - Standard Formats Services available on campus

UCC 210 • WSS 210 | 519-661-3559 • success.uwo.ca

Resumes



4 Rules of Resumes

- Relevant & targeted

- Accomplishment based

- Easy to read

- Error free

Relevant & Targeted


Reflect what employers are looking for to show your “fit”

Prepare your resume for the right audience


Accomplishment Based

“Accomplishment statements” show skills, actions and outcomes of your work.


Write an Accomplishment Statement

• An accomplishment is the action you took and the result that came from it • Be honest when describing your accomplishments; provide specific examples • When possible, quantify with numbers (# hours saved, amount of money raised)

Use the acronym CAR in your statement:

C - What was the CHALLENGE you faced? What was the problem(s) or issue(s)? A - What was the ACTION that you took? What did you do in response to the problem or issue? What skills did you use? R - What were the RESULTS you obtained? What was the benefit of your actions? (Qualitative: improved staff morale / Quantitative: increased participation by 50%).

Graded papers of 300 undergraduate Biology students, providing written feedback and opportunities for additional help at weekly drop-in sessions.

Researched and wrote a paper on the effects of cyber bullying on pre-teenagers, and was invited to present findings at a national conference for Safe Schools.

More Accomplishment Statements • Facilitated groups of 5 - 15 first year students in activities and discussion which

helped them in their transition to university.

• Organized a fashion show fundraiser which raised $1200 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and increased student awareness.

• Maintained clear, concise and accurate records, ensuring compliance with organizational and professional standards

• Grew new product sales 100% in 120 days and sustained 20% annual sales growth for five consecutive years by introducing new marketing initiatives, forging effective strategic alliances, and implementing innovative sales techniques

• Participated in planning recreational events at Boys and Girls Club, to engage children in productive after school programs

• Wrote 44 page review of existing research that formed the rationale for requesting and winning a $2,000 research grant


Use Effective Skill Action Verbs

Accelerated

Analyzed

Assessed

Assisted

Audited

Balanced

Bought

Budgeted

Calculated

Enabled

Encouraged

Enforced

Facilitated

Forecasted

Founded

Guided

Increased

Influenced

Inspired

Instructed

Integrated

Interviewed

Led

Managed

Mentored

Monitored

Motivated

Planned

Prepared

Prioritized

Produced

Re-invented

Reported

Reviewed

Revitalized

Simplified

Practice Activity Accomplishment Statement

• Take a few minutes to reflect on one example of work from your past

- paid, unpaid, school projects, extracurricular

• Formulate an accomplishment statement - what skills you used - what task you worked on - the results of your work

• Share with a partner - feedback


Easy to Read


Average time an employer/recruiter

takes to read a resume is 6 seconds!

Easy to Read

DE-CLUTTER YOUR RESUME

• Use an organized layout and a strong visual order

• Avoid distracting formatting such as oversized font, heavy lines or overuse of highlighting

• Consider the visual centre of the page & how recruiters read resumes

• Make it aesthetically pleasing

6 seconds!


Formats

Chronological • most common and traditional format • experience listed in reverse chronological order • works well for people with years of related work experience

http://success.uwo.ca/careers/pdf/chronological_resume1.pdf

Functional/Skills Based • highlights relevant skills and abilities • best for someone who has skills but no related work experience • hides gaps in employment

http://success.uwo.ca/careers/pdf/FunctionalResume.pdf

Combined/Hybrid • frequently best for new graduates • highlights and organizes skills & experiences in most relevant way • more time-consuming to prepare, but very effective http://success.uwo.ca/careers/pdf/combined_resume1.pdf





http://success.uwo.ca/careers/pdf/combined_resume1.pdf

http://success.uwo.ca/careers/pdf/combined_resume1.pdf

Chronological Format

Functional

Format

Combined Format

Content

Profile / Summary Section • Summary of Qualifications, Profile, Proven Competencies, Strengths, Skills • short summary of your skills and relevant experience • often considered to be one of the most important parts of your resume

Education • reverse chronological order • include the month and year of completion; list concentration • relevant coursework or advanced level classes showing key skills Experience • list in reverse chronological order • use action verbs, focus on accomplishments and industry specific language • target appropriate keywords so that hiring managers don’t have to guess

Other considerations

Margins • between .5” - 1” around the entire document

White Space • avoid crowding but include enough details of skills and achievements

Line Spacing • maintain consistency throughout document for a balanced look

Font • use simple fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri throughout

• 10 - 12 point size (name slightly larger; contact information slightly smaller)

• keep it simple; avoid excessive formatting

• left justify text

Bullets

• use basic round bullet points. • try to limit bullets to five or six per category/position

Punctuation • consistent throughout

Error Free


Grammar checkers can miss errors!

• Accomplishments: Instrumental in ruining the entire operation for a Midwest chain store

• Skills: Strong Work Ethic, Attention to Detail, Team Player, Self Motivated, Attention to Detail

• Job Duties: Provided superior in-person customer service using the telephone

• Awards: Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year

Cover Letters

What Makes

a Good Cover

Letter?

Do’s - One page - Concise and clear - Demonstrate confidence - Positive tone - Show your research - Demonstrate how you are a great fit for the position - Use several short paragraphs – for easier reading - Personalize your letter by addressing it to the appropriate contact person - Proofread your letter ......and Don’ts - Repeat your resume in your cover letter - Send a resume without a covering letter - Use same cover letter to apply to every position - Use Dear Sir or Madam..… or To whom it may concern

Standard Format For a Cover Letter

• Your name, address & contact information

• Date

• Contact’s name, title, organization name & address

• Salutation

• Body

• Closing


Standard Cover Letter Format

Sample Cover Letter

Resources

• Website: Resumes, CV's & Letters (resources and examples) http://success.uwo.ca/careers/resumes__letters/resumes/index.html

• Western’s Employment Resource Centre (WERC) UCC 210

No appointment required! Mon - Fri from 10:00am – 4:00pm http://success.uwo.ca/careers/career_counselling/westerns_employment_resource_centre.html

• Check Internet for more resources / examples For example, do a Google search: - “sample job description for Employment Counsellor” - “sample job posting for Software Developer” - “sample resume for Civil Engineer”


http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverlettersamples/a/coveranalyst.htm

http://success.uwo.ca/careers/resumes__letters/resumes/index.html

http://success.uwo.ca/careers/resumes__letters/resumes/index.html

http://success.uwo.ca/careers/career_counselling/westerns_employment_resource_centre.html

http://success.uwo.ca/careers/career_counselling/westerns_employment_resource_centre.html

Visit success.uwo.ca Career and Employment Events

Employer Information Sessions

Workshops

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Interview Help Transition & Leadership Experiential Learning Information and Resources


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