Résumés Cover Letters Thank You Notes

1. RésumésCover LettersThank You Notes

2. A Résumé • is the first meeting between you and the employer. • tells a great deal about you. • gets you the interview. • is your calling card, so remember that “First impressions are lasting ones.”

3. A Résumé will NOT . . . • Get you a Job • It’s an advertisement that entices employers • Make up for not Being Qualified • Hide your Reputation • Employers will ask for references • Make up for a Poor Portfolio • Employers want proof • Make up for Poorly Written Cover Letter

4. Attributes Employers Considered During Hiring Process Rank these from 1 to 4 with 1 being least important. • Reputation of College • Past work experience • Reputation of Specific Program • Interview Perception does not always equal reality • Past work experience (4) • Interview (3) • Reputation of college (2) • Reputation of Specific Program (1)

5. Perception ≠ Reality • Consider that what you think is important to employers may not be what is actually important. Ask Yourself: What experience did you receive that will allow you to make an immediate impact?

6. Student-Athlete Experience • Remember: You didn’t just playgames you GAINED AN EXPERIENCE • Athletes have many transferable skills

7. Résumé Principles • No ugly résumé– format must be pleasing to the eye • Do not lie, exaggerate or use words that the interviewer has to look up in a dictionary • Focus on your strengths and accomplishments • Use 8 1/2” x 11” 20 lb paper

8. Résumé Do s • Target your qualifications for a specific job • Keep it to one page • Accompany with reference page • E-mail – keep it professional • Use descriptive action verbs • No errors • Pleasing layout • List relevant work • History or volunteering • Use jargon of the profession • Mention you were a student-athlete • Always format in order of importance http://www.siue.edu/careerdevelopmentcenter/jobpreparation/pdf/action_verbs.pdf

9. Résumé Don’ts • Avoid abbreviations and acronyms (NRA) • Never use pronouns such as: “I”, “me”, “my”, “our” • Never type - use a laser jet printer • No fancy fonts, binders, layouts • Don’t Have errors http://www.resume1-2-3.com/

10. Summary of Qualifications • 2 years professional experience providing excellence in customer service. • Proven ability to coordinate and complete multiple projects within deadlines. • Skilled at developing and retaining partnerships with clients and customers. • Driven, dedicated, and effective team player.

11. Education • This is an important section for recent college graduates or students seeking internships or summer jobs. • Beginning with the highest level of educational achievement, include information such as University attended, degrees earned/expected, major, minors, grade point average, date of program completion, and so forth. Bachelor of Science in Accounting Expected 2007 Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA GPA: 3.7/4.0 Major GPA: 3.6/4.0 Include GPA only if 3.5 +

12. Other Categories • Awards & Achievements • Activities & Honors • Professional Experience • Volunteering • Relevant Course Work • Employment Experience • Specialized/Technical Skills Reference Page Dr. Mary Smith Business Department Faculty Saddleback College Mission Viejo, CA 92692 (949) 555-1212

13. Chronological Résumé • most common listing of your jobs and experience with most recent mentioned first • good for job seekers who have practical work experience with long periods of employment • résumé type most preferred by employers http://www.siue.edu/careerdevelopmentcenter/jobpreparation/pdf/chronological_style.pdf

14. Functional Résumé • focuses on your skills and accomplishments • highlights what they are, not when you developed them • Great for job seekers who have great transferable skills but little direct experience http://www.siue.edu/careerdevelopmentcenter/jobpreparation/pdf/functional_style.pdf

15. Combination Résumé • maximizes the benefits of both the functional and the chronological resume • contains a heading for skills and accomplishments, followed by a reverse chronology of work experience http://www.siue.edu/careerdevelopmentcenter/jobpreparation/pdf/combination_sample.pdf

16. Summary, Headline, or Objective? • Summary – briefly describes your experience and skills in a impressive way • Headline – states your experience more specifically • Objective – states your professional intent

17. Sending your Resume • Title your resume properly if attaching it to profile or through email • “Joe Smith_Sr.GraphicDesigner_Resume” • Follow this format! • Name_Position_Resume

18. Cover Letters • Must be sent with résumé • explains to the reader your situation and what action you are requesting • should give the employer a reason to look at the résumé • must be tailored to each job opening • will get eight to 10 seconds of the reader’s time, so it must be brief, yet informative

19. Cover Letter Layout • limited to one page of three to four paragraphs • No indented paragraphs • Should not summarize your resume but add to it • Opening paragraph should answer why you are writing, what position you are interested and where you found out about the job • If you were referred mention this in the opening paragraph

20. First Paragraph I am a (your identifying characteristic)+I am a (your profession)+I have (your years of experience or education)+I have worked in (your area of expertise)+I am interested in (what position you're looking for)

21. Middle Paragraph • Revealing statements about who you are and your skills • Why you are interested in working for this employer • Relevant or related work/volunteer experience • Emphasize skills and abilities in relation to position • Provide additional qualifications that are not on resume

22. Closing Paragraph • Be proactive • What will you do next • What you would like the recipient to do next • Pave the way for an interview • “I will follow up in a week after the closing date of the position has passed. I look forward to speaking with you further.”

23. Closing Paragraph Thank you Sentences Confidence in a Callback I look forward to your reply. I look forward to hearing from you. I look forward to your response. I look forward to your call. • Thank you for your time. • Thank you for reviewing my qualifications. • Thank you for your consideration. • Thank you for your review of my qualifications. BAD: It would be an honor to meet with you. BAD: Call me tomorrow, please.

25. Scannable Format • Do not fold or staple • Avoid punctuation when possible • Avoid vertical & horizontal lines as well as graphics • Abbreviations - use only those known in your field • Use Keywords • Use fonts like Times New Roman, Courier New, Helvetica • size 11-12 • Bolding and CAPITALS are acceptable as long as they do not touch each other • avoid condensing the spaces between letters and lines

26. Thank You Notes • Sent after you complete interview • Must be sent within 24 hours of interview regardless of the day of the week • Individual letter must be sent to each person you interviewed with • Always add one unique detail from the interview • Do not sell yourself, only thank them for their time