Resume & Cover Letters

RESUME & COVER

LETTERS

WHAT IS A RESUME?

a brief document that summarizes your education, employment

history, and experiences that are relevant to your qualifications for a

particular job for which you are applying.

Quick overview

Usually no more than 1 page

long.

Often used in job

applications

Detailed overview

Usually more than 2 pages

long.

Often used in respect of

jobs/research in the academia.

RESUME VS CV

Resume Curriculum Vitae

TYPES OF RESUME

Types

Chronological

Targeted Functional

CHRONOLOGICAL

A chronological resume starts by listing your work history, with the

most recent position listed first.

Jobs are listed from the most recent, followed by education, skills,

and other information.

FUNCTIONAL

A functional resume focuses on your skills and experience, rather

than on your chronological work history.

Usually adopted by those who are shifting into a new field, or

where there’s a gap in the employment history.

TARGETED

A resume customized so that it specifically highlights the

experience you have that is relevant to the job you are applying for.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

MOST IMPORTANT!

ALWAYS BEAR IN MIND

WHO WILL BE READING

YOUR RESUME!!!!!

Do your research on your

prospective employer.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Length

Layout

Accurate

Font & Size

Profile

Identification

Education

Experience

Achievements

Skills

Personal info i.e. weight,

height.

Marital Status

Hobbies

Irrelevant

qualifications/experience

ACCURACY

Information to Include Information to Exclude

Include all contact

information

Profile + objective

Tips Scholarship keywords

Choose the best

Resume Format

Prioratise the

Contents

COVER LETTER

COVER LETTER: TYPES

Application Letter

• Responds to an opening.

Prospecting Letter

• Which inquires about

possible positions

Networking Letter

• requests information and

assistance in your

job/scholarship search

GENERAL CONTENTS

First Para

• Why you are writing

Middle Para

• What you have to offer

Concluding Para

• How will you follow up

WHY YOU WRITE?

If referred by someone:

• Be sure to mention this mutual contact, by name, up front since it is

likely to encourage your reader to keep reading. Do this in the first

paragraph.

Responding to a job/scholarship description:

• indicate where you learned of the offer/position and the title of the

position. More importantly, express your enthusiasm and the likely

match between your credentials and the position’s qualifications.

Prospecting letter:

• state your specific job objective. Since this type of letter is

unsolicited, it is even more important to capture the reader’s

attention.

WHAT YOU HAVE TO

OFFER?

Refer specifically to the qualifications listed and explain how you

fit the bill.

Try to draw the attention of the reader to your resume.

Highlight how your skills, experience and education would make

you the best candidate for the job.

HOW YOU WILL FOLLOW

UP?

Indicate how you intend to follow up.

Be sure to do as you indicated.

TIPS!! !

Be brief!!!

• Try to describe your experience in 1, 2 sentences.

Highlight achievements that are

relevant to the job. (Briefly)

Do not “copy paste” the job

description/requirement.

Try to keep it formal, even if it

is by email.

EXAMPLES