Hanson Career Workshop

1. Hanson Career Workshop Session 1: Finding Your Career Fit Session 2: Writing Resumes Session 3: Writing Cover Letters/Work Search Strategies Session 4: All About Interviews

2. My career

3. Values Goals Achievements Strengths 3 adjectives to describe yourself Role models motto

4. Your career life statement

5. Activity: Resume screening • Form groups of 3 • Your group is the HR Manager of a financial firm, and you are looking for an Administrative Assistant

6. Activity: Resume screening • Job description: • The Admin Assistant will contact clients of latest product promotions and maintain good relationships with them • Perform regular office duties such as filing and assisting clients, and filling out forms • Assist the executive team in their appointment booking and travel reservations • You have 3 candidates: Business Student 1, 2 and 3. • Whom will you choose? Why?

7. The Résumé • A marketing tool, a way to sell yourself to an employer • A summary of your qualifications, skills, experience and education • Only you can build your résumé, we will assist you with format and language • Every résumé is similar but different

8. The Résumé As in any marketing piece, emphasizefeatures, advantages, and benefits. Sell your skills! Features  What are your skills? Advantages  How can they be used? Benefits  What results will they produce?

9. The Résumé Goal? To get an interview! How long do you have to persuade an employer to read your resume? 6 seconds How do you persuade an employer to read your resume? You must grab the employer’s attention and convince them that you have the qualifications to be a great candidate for the position

10. The Résumé Goal? To get an interview! How long do you have to persuade an employer to read your resume? 6 seconds How do you persuade an employer to read your resume? You must grab the employer’s attention and convince them that you have the qualifications to be a great candidate for the position

11. Group activity: Assessing Resumes Split into groups Each group is an HR department of a company Evaluate the resumes you will receive: whom will you hire, and why?

12. RESUME SAMPLE

13. The Résumé Two components: Form Content

14. The Résumé: Form Form: 1 page; 2 pages maximum Keep it simple Keep it organized Keep it clean Use colours, but not too much!

15. Employer ‘Hit List’ • Form: • Poor paper quality • Vibrant or unusual paper colour • Typographical errors • Attention-getting visual effects (ie. unusual type styles or photographs) • Paper size other than 8 ½ by 11 inches • Length of more than two pages in most cases

16. The Résumé: Content

17. 1. Personal Information John A. Smith 102A – 155 Consumers Rd. Toronto, ON M2J 0A3 (416) 977 – 8188 info@canadahanson.com John A. smith 102A – 155 consumers Rd. Toronto, ON M2J 0A3 4169778188 info@canadahanson.com • Personal Information: • Name • Full Address • Phone Number (this phone number should be easily answered at all times by the applicant or there should be a working voice mail system) • Email Address

18. 2. Highlights of Qualifications The Highlights of Qualifications section communicates that you have the skills, abilities, and professional qualifications to competently perform the job applied for.

19. 3. Education • Education Information: • Begin with your most advanced education • Name and location of institution • Major or specialization • Graduation or expected graduation date • Any scholarships or awards related to career

20. 4. Experience • Notes: • Connect experience to the job applied for • Minimize space for jobs that do not relate and maximize space for jobs that do relate • Focus on more recent jobs • Describing major responsibilities is good; stating major achievements with responsibilities is best • Reverse chronological order starting from the most recent work experience

21. Choosing your experience bullet points:

22. Writing Effective Accomplishment Statements • Verb • Task • Result BY/THROUGH • Results • Outcome • Goal • Product produced • Measurable success • (e.g. $$ raised, # of people at your event, positive feedback) • Task • What you did • Choose a task relevant to what you might do in your future role • Action Verbs • Highlight a key transferable skill • Create strong, consistent language on your application

23. Power Words • Power Words Are: • words that employers, résumé screeners and scanners, and HR personnel are looking for. • words that impact the employer and instill a specific confidence or belief. • words that inspire employers to give more weight to the considering of your résumé . • verbs that will help you construct active descriptions of your duties and accomplishments. • Things to think about: • Begin each statement with a power word-not "I." • Use past tense in your descriptive statements, even if you're describing accomplishments relating to your current job.

24. Power Words

25. 6. Achievements References: Generally, it is best not to include the actual names and contact information of your references UNLESS ASKED FOR.

26. Do Not Include: • The word “Resume” at the top • Fluffy or rambling statements • Salary Information • Full address of former employers • Reasons for leaving jobs • Names of supervisors • Reference contact information

27. PROOFREAD!! PROOFREAD!! PROOFREAD!! Even have your friend read it!!

28. Feel free to email me: karlo.avenido@canadahanson.com For any questions, advice, or concerns about your career exploration!

29. THANK YOU! Session 3: Writing a cover letter!