Writing an Effective Resume and Cover Letter

Career and Professional Planning

Presenters

Erick Larson, Manager

Career Advising & Professional Development

Career and Professional Planning(CAPP)

We help students with all aspects of the job and internship search process, as well as serve as a resource for service-learning and other experiential education opportunities.

Overview of Workshop

Resumes, Cover Letters and Interviewing Techniques Basic outlines Philosophy and purpose Common pitfalls

The Next Step

Purpose of a Resume

A self-marketing tool.Represents YOU—your

accomplishments and skills.Summarizes what you have to offer

employers—your unique selling points—in an easy-to-read format.

SAMPLE RESUME & REFERENCE LIST Perhaps more than you realize, resumes reflect what you think is important about your accomplishments and skills. Agonizing over finishing a draft of your resume will go a long way toward helping you understand more about what you can offer a potential employer and how you can effectively present yourself in an interview. Here is a framework for building a solid resume. All it needs is your input!

LYNN A. STUDENT (www.uidaho.edu/your web site/, if designed for employers, or e-mail address if you have limited space)

College Address: Street Address, City, State Zip Area Code/Phone Number E-mail Address Permanent Address: Street Address, City, State Zip Area Code/Phone Number E-mail Address

OBJECTIVE

Briefly indicate the kind of position (e.g., internship, summer, entry-level) and mention field of study or career field.

EDUCATION Your Degree, Major

Minor/Emphasis/Option: [whichever apply, or omit] University of Idaho, Moscow ID Expected Graduation Date: Month Year

GPA: ____/4.0 [If below a 3.0 consult with CAPP staff.] Earned _____% of college expenses.

Course Highlights: [List the courses of most interest to the employer and most advanced first. If you are currently taking a course but will complete it before the internship begins, indicate the semester and year after course name, e.g., Fluid Mechanics (spring 2005)]

SPECIAL SKILLS List skills unique to your major or career interests.

COMPUTER SKILLS Computer skills are a MUST and may be included as a separate section or with special skills. List specific programs.

PROJECTS Name of Project. Describe briefly [Projects help identify hands-on experience through lab, design, team or research.]

EXPERIENCE Organization, City, State (month year – month year) Your Job Title. Describe briefly using action verbs. [See examples.] Focus on unique tasks within the project. Emphasize “transferable” skills. Both paid and unpaid experiences may be listed here.

REMEMBER: Internships and volunteer work help you build critical, career-related skills. Use paid and unpaid work as experience. Also, bulleted items often stand out more effectively.

HONORS/ACTIVITIES/SERVICE List in reverse chronological order by category [most recent first]. List those which will be of employer interest. As freshmen/sophomores, you may use some high school activities; however, you MUST build college-level activities. Involvement in a student professional organization is important.

REFERENCES Available upon request. (This line may be omitted or may be centered as ‘References available upon request’ at the bottom of the resume.) Develop a separate reference page listing at least 3 professional references.

Basic Resume Outline

How we read resumes….

Top to bottom, left to right 10-second glance, most recent and relevant

Important information needs to be found easily and quickly!

Resume as Map: Make it easy for your reader!

Bold, italics, underline

Font size Category headings

Order of categories Use of white space Bullets

Don’t “lose” the employer in a maze of job descriptions and extracurricular

activities.

Common Pitfalls of Resumes

Manger for manager: Failure to proofread!

Microsoft Word or other widely distributed templates.

[Click here and type address] [Put phone, fax, and e-mail here]

Deborah Greer

Objective [Click here and type your objective]

Experience 1990–1994 Arbor Shoes South Ridge, WA National Sales Manager

Increased sales from $50 million to $100 million.

Doubled sales per representative from $5 million to $10 million.

Suggested new products that increased earnings by 23%.

1985–1990 Ferguson and Bardwell South Ridge, WA District Sales Manager

Increased regional sales from $25 million to $350 million.

Managed 250 sales representatives in 10 Western states.

Implemented training course for new recruits — speeding profitability.

1980–1984 Duffy Vineyards South Ridge, WA Senior Sales Representative

Expanded sales team from 50 to 100 representatives.

Tripled division revenues for each sales associate.

Expanded sales to include mass-market accounts.

1975–1980 Lit Ware, Inc. South Ridge, WA Sales Representative

Expanded territorial sales by 400%.

Received company’s highest sales award four years in a row.

Developed Excellence in Sales training course.

Education 1971–1975 South Ridge State University South Ridge, WA

B.A., Business Administration and Computer Science.

Graduated summa cum laude.

Interests South Ridge Board of Directors, running, gardening, carpentry, computers.

Tips Select text you would like to replace, and type your information.

Microsoft Template

Resume Pitfalls: Objectives

Too specific: A mechanical engineering position at Micron

Too vague: A summer internship where I can gain valuable work experience.

Leave off objective. This information is already in your cover letter.

Mention field: A human resources internship for summer 2005.

Resume Pitfalls: “Special Skills”

DON’T: List subjective, vague skills– Sample: Good people skills, excellent

teamwork capabilities, enthusiastic, hard worker.

DO: List concrete, job-specific skills– Computer Skills– Certifications– Languages– Skills relevant to field

Resume Pitfalls: Not Making the Most Out of Your

Experiences Use strong action verbs and key words to describe

your work experience. Numbers count! Create a section of “Projects” or “Course Highlights”

to show specialized knowledge in your field. Don’t forget about extensive volunteer or

extracurricular activities.

- Use these “experiences,” even if you were

not paid.

Volunteer and Extra-Curricular Activities as Experience: Examples

Treasurer, Delta Chi Fraternity (2004-Present) Manage over 100 active accounts receivable for members on

campus. Manage and prepare payroll and benefits for nine employees. Work with collection agency to collect delinquent accounts.

Student Alumni Relations Board (2003-Present)

Committee chair responsible for coordination of “Graduation

Salute” event. Assist with organization, planning, and execution of

campus events such as Homecoming and Moms’ Weekend.

CRYSTAL S JOHNS BEFORE 1671 Lenter st. apt# 3, Moscow, ID 83843 (208) 882-9654 john2534@uidaho.edu

OBJECTIVE Presently, my objective is to graduate from college. Upon graduation I hope to get a job. My dream job would be to work for a company in the entertainment industry. I would like to work out in the real world for about ten years. After gaining extensive experience from working in a real corporation, I hope to return to school for a graduate degree. I hope to get an MBA from a university on the east coast. Ultimately, I hope to teach business at a post-secondary education level.

RELATED COURSEWORK

MBA-like experience in 18-credit, team-based Integrated Business Curriculum (IBC).

Team Building, Managing the Firm’s Resources, International Portfolio Management, Product and Process Planning, Web-based Application Development, Visual Basics, Planning and Decision-making in Organizations, Business Operating Decisions

EXPERIENCE

Global Crossing Inc., Beverly Hills, CA. (Summer 2004). “Intern for Program Management Organization.” I developed a reporting application that was used globally to track the progress of the construction of this company’s global fiber optic network. I also successfully led a demonstration to a multi-functional group on the utilities of the Monthly Project Report Database.

Panhandle Mobile Home Service Inc., Coeur d’Alene, ID (Summers/Winters 2000-2003) “Home Installer” This job allowed me to help pay for college by setting up and tearing down modular homes. I helped improve the company’s customer relations, training over 6 employees.

I also have experience with Windows 95, 98, NT, MAC, Unix, Bloomberg Term, Office Suite 97, 2000, Publisher, Adobe, Primavera, Visual Basics, VBA, SQL, ASP, JavaScript, HTML, EWMA, Regression models, ACC, SWAT, and Competitive Analysis.

PROJECTS

Monthly Project Report, E-commerce Web Page, IBC Presentation Projects, IBC Research Project, Financial Recommendation Report

EDUCATION

University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho. Expected Graduation Date: Dec 2006 – Dual Bachelor of Science Degrees, Information Systems/Finance. GPA 3.40/4.0

Studied abroad at the University of Brighton, England (Sept 2004-Dec 2004). I was able to interact in and enjoyed another culture while maintaining a full classload for one semester.

HONORS ACTIVITIES

Golden Key National Honors Society, Management Information Systems Association, Event Chair, Kappa Delta Sorority, Kappa Delta Outstanding Scholar Award, Kappa Delta District Leadership Conference, Fundraising advocate for Jimmy V. Foundation and U of I Women’s Athletics, Participated, Coached, and Refereed various sport activities

Putting It All Together: Before

CRYSTAL S. JOHNS A F T E R

1671 Lenter St. # 3 Moscow, ID 83843 (208) 882-9654 john2534@uidaho.edu

OBJECTIVE Seeking an internship for the summer of 2006 that will allow me to further develop my experience in the field of business

EDUCATION University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho Dual Bachelor of Science Degrees: Information Systems/ Finance Expected Graduation Date: December 2006 GPA: 3.40/ 4.0

University of Brighton, England Study Abroad Experience

Fall 2004 GPA: 3.2/ 4.0

RELATED COURSEWORK Integrated Business Curriculum (IBC) Team-based MBA-like experience (18 credits)

Web-based Application Development Managing the Firm’s Resources International Portfolio Management

Product and Process Planning Visual Basics Team Building

Planning and Decision-making in Organizations

Business Operating Decisions

EXPERIENCE

Intern for Program Management Global Crossing Inc., Beverly Hills, CA SUMMER 2004

Developed a reporting application used to track the progress of the construction of company’s global fiber optic network.

Successfully led a presentation to a multi-functional group on the utilities of the Monthly Project Report Database.

Construction Supervisor Panhandle Mobile Home Service Inc., Coeur d’ Alene, ID SUMMERS 2000-2003

Constructed modular homes for resale to customers in the Coeur d’ Alene region.

Improved the company’s reputation by developing a program to evaluate customer satisfaction after home installation.

Trained seven employees in areas of construction, safety, project managements, and customer relations.

COMPUTER SKILLS Operating Systems Office Applications Programming Languages Business Software

Windows 95, 98, NT Apple Macintosh Unix

MS Office Suite 97 – 2000 MS Publisher Adobe Photoshop

Visual Basics JavaScript HTML

Regression models Competitive Analysis Primavera

PROJECTS Monthly Project Report, E-commerce Web Page, IBC Presentation Projects, Financial Recommendation Report

HONORS ACTIVITIES Golden Key National Honors Society Management Information Systems Association Event Chair -- Kappa Delta Sorority Kappa Delta Outstanding Scholar Award

Kappa Delta District Leadership Conference Fundraising advocate for Jimmy V. Foundation and U of I

Women’s Athletics Participated, coached, and refereed various sport activities

Putting It All Together: After

Cover Letters: What Your Resume Can’t Do

Show writing ability. Demonstrate

specific interest in the organization and position.

Allow for greater personalization.

YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME College Address: Street Address, City, State ZIP, Area Code/Phone Number, E-mail Address

Permanent Address: Street Address, City, State ZIP, Area Code/Phone Number Month 21, 2004 Ms. Potential Employer Title Company Street Address City, State Zip Code Dear Ms. (employer’s last name):* Explain why you are writing: name the positions, or field, or general area about which you are asking. Tell how you heard of the opening or organization. Mention one or two qualifications you think would be of greatest interest to the employer. Slant your remarks to the employer’s point of view. Tell why you are particularly interested in the company, location, or type of work. Refer to any related experience or specialized training you have had. Discuss some personal qualities that you possess that the employer specifically asks for in the job description. If you do not have a job description, describe some qualities you possess that would be valuable to the employer and mention if possible where you obtained these qualities (such as from specific work experiences, school, projects, etc.) This is the paragraph in which you can mention qualities about you that don’t quite fit anywhere in your resume. Direct the reader to the enclosed resume, application form, and other materials. Close by making a specific request for an interview, suggesting date and time, and indicate that you will call for a confirmation of the appointment. If your request is for further information concerning the position, instead of wanting an interview, it would be polite to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Restate your interest in the position. Make sure your closing is not vague, but makes a specific action from the reader likely. It may be helpful to give your phone number, in the event that the employer would like additional information from you. Sincerely, (Legible Signature) Type your name Enclosure * If you cannot distinguish the employer’s gender, use: Dear Pat Johnson: ** If you do not have a name to address your cover letter, use: RE: Internship in________

Basic Cover Letter

Outline

FIRST AND LAST NAME College Address: Street Address, City, State ZIP, Area Code/Phone Number, E-mail Address

Permanent Address: Street Address, City, State ZIP, Area Code/Phone Number March 14, 2004 Ronald A. Smith, Ph.D. Director of Environmental Analysis Charlton National Laboratory Charlton, MN 43567 Dear Dr. Smith: As a junior at the University of Idaho majoring in chemistry and chemical engineering, I am looking for practical chemical job experience. The UI's Career and Professional Planning staff told me of your excellent internship program and I am very interested in your summer 2004 position. My chemical engineering background ties in closely with the research of your division. As a chemical engineer I am interested in conducting tests to analyze the environmental effects of different chemical contaminants. The research done on water, plant and animal tissue, and soil samples is also of interest to me, as both a chemist and an engineer. As my grades show, I am an excellent student capable of understanding new ideas and concepts. I possess the qualities of a good lab worker. I am cautious but confident in my work, and not afraid to ask questions and seek help when needed. I am a hard worker and am able to successfully complete tasks that I start. I have the aptitude to learn all I can about environmental analytical chemistry. The experience of working with chemists will greatly enhance my knowledge, techniques, and understanding. If chosen for an internship, I would adjust and work smoothly with the operations of the laboratory support group. I am willing to work closely with the other workers to ensure that things run well. I would like the opportunity to learn from and work with other chemists who will allow me to contribute my share of the work. I enjoy conducting analyses, and will take the initiative when confronted with a problem to see that it is solved. Thank you for reading this letter and the attached resume. I hope that you will consider me for this position, and will be pleased to interview at your convenience. If I can provide any further information, please contact me at 885-1234 or stud5432@uidaho.edu. Sincerely,

Samuel A. Student Samuel A. Student enclosure

Sample Cover Letter

Cover Letter Pitfalls: No Personalization

DON’T use the same letter to apply for all positions.

DO your research and tailor your letter to the position and the organization:

– “Based on the project descriptions, it is clear that my skills and experience would be a valuable contribution to your program. Both the University Residences and Commons projects, for example, will require a complete analysis of student, faculty, and staff needs.”

– “I am very interested in an internship position with your agency. I was impressed with your recent campaign for Nike, and I would enjoy the opportunity to work in such an innovative environment.”

Cover Letter Pitfalls: Generic Statements

Avoid vague clichés:– “I am a hard worker and a good team player.”– “I have excellent problem-solving skills.”

Use specific details and examples. – “One project in particular demonstrates my teamwork skills. Last

year, I participated in a robotics design competition with four other students….”

– “My strong background in accounting would be a valuable addition to your team. As an office assistant for ABC Rentals and Sales, I was responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and quarterly reports. I have also completed several upper-division accounting courses.”

Cover Letter Pitfalls: No Action Plan

DON’T wait for the employer to take the next step:

“Thank you for reading theenclosed application materials. I look forward to hearing from you about the opportunities available at Micron.”

DO be proactive and suggest a plan of action:

“Thank you for reading this letter and my resume. I shall call you the week of February 7to discuss opportunities atMicron and the possibility of an interview.”

What Now?: Taking the Next Step

Review sample resumes for more ideas.– Websites: VandalTRAK.com and Jobweb.com– CAPP Library: Resume guides and student samples

Sign up for an individual resume review with a career advisor at Career and Professional Planning.

Participate in a resume clinic. Send it out! Visit Career and Professional

planning for suggestions on how to begin your job search.