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Mike PhillipsCareer Development Counselor

phillipsm@uncw.edu

Survey of 2000 Americans in middle management:

1. 60% agree that working conditions ll b b h h d

g gwill be better than they are today

2. More than 1 in 4 workers 55 and older say they never expect to retire compared with 1 in 10 under age 30

3. 77% of females agree that it will be easier for them to get ahead in business

4. 82% of those surveyed report that they “work to live” and not “live to work”

5. 49% of individuals ages 35-54 say that workers under age 35 are and will continue to be “slackers”

Taken from Business Week, August 20&27, 2007

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According to a recent Career World article: f 1 470 t lt i j b one of every 1, 470 resumes sent results in a job

offer.According to an article in Kiplinger’s magazine in 2005, one out of every 254 resumes a company receives will result in an interview.Th I b C i R hl 20% f j b The Iceberg Comparison: Roughly 20% of job openings are ever advertised publicly. Much like an iceberg, most jobs are “below the water”. This is why networking is important.

FORMAT CONTENTBrief1 page, 2 at mostNeat Uniform-consistentEqual margins

HonestAccurateNO personal pronounsDemonstrate accomplishmentsNO hi h h l Equal margins

“Target Resumes”NO high school information

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Personal DataObjectiveEducation

Work Experience (relevant vs. other)Activities / Honors

SkillsSkillsReferences

NameAddAddress

Permanent and LocalPhone NumberEmail AddressWeb Site

NAMECurrent Address: Permanent Address:101 Wilmington Way 202 Chicago AvenueWilmington, NC 28403 Chicago, IL 60606(910) 962-0000 (312) 111-1111

Email: needajob@hotmail.com

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Concise, focused and positiveP f f di Purpose of forwarding resumeObjective statements improve your resume by helping you emphasize your main qualifications and summarize them for readersI f d f th iti Inform your readers of the position you are seeking and your career goalsEstablish your professional identity

An (XXX) position with organization where (YYY) and (ZZZ) would be needed(YYY) and (ZZZ) would be needed

(YYY) and (ZZZ) are compelling qualities, abilities, or achievements which make you stand out; that are illustrated through your resume and are skills they are looking for based on your research

Bad example: An internship allowing me to utilize my knowledge and expertise in different areas.

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Degree & MajorCollege & Location GPA (major/overall)College & LocationGraduation Month & YearMinor or Concentration

GPA (major/overall)Self supporting (?)Honors: Dean’s List, ScholarshipsRelevant coursework (if major is different f iti from position applying for)

Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies May 2008yUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington

University of North Carolina Wilmington May 2008Bachelor of Arts in Communication StudiesOverall GPA: 3.5

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Percentage of employers who rate new hires as deficient in applied skills:deficient in applied skills:

Written Communication: 28%Leadership: 24%Professionalism/Work Ethic: 19%Creativity/Innovation: 17%Lifelong learning/self direction: 14%Lifelong learning/self direction: 14%

“Are they really ready to work”, The Conference Board, 2006

Include job title, place of employment, city and state, dates (most recent first). Typically go back 4-5 years or summer ( ) yp y g yafter high school. Describe job in a way that clearly highlights relevant skills. This will be done with concise bulleted statements.Do NOT use personal pronouns Use power verbs , action verbs and qualifying adjectives. If it's a present job, use present-tense verbs; if it's a past job, use past-tense verbs. Quantify when possible - use numbers (%, $, etc...) Describe your experience as it relates to the position or field of interest

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ABC Public Relations Network, UNC Wilmington May 2006-August 2006

•Planned and executed first charity concert for QQQ Transitional Housing, a non-profit y QQQ g, porganization in Wilmington, NC. •Managed actual event by fundraising and serving as spokesperson for UNCW•300+ people attended, raising more than $6,000

PPP Productions, Wilmington, NC April 2007-PresentIntern

•Assisted in client relationsR h d d d l d l f h•Researched and developed new outlets for company growth

•Established filing process and aided in production process

PowerPoint makes formatting difficult so remember that organization should go under Planned in the first section. Also, try not to have anything under dates.

RELEVANTInternships

OTHERUnrelated workInternships

Related ExperiencesDetail Skills & Related DutiesUse field “buzz” words

Unrelated work experienceDetail skills rather than unrelated dutiesShows work history

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ACTIVITIESCampus organizations

HONORSDean’s ListCampus organizations

Community activitiesVolunteer experiencesLeadership rolesAthletic involvement

Dean s ListScholarshipsAwards (academic and non-academic)Academic honors may be listed under Education section

SAMPLE SKILLS SAMPLE SKILLS CATEGORIESComputer / technical

Hardware, software, Internet

LanguageLanguageSpanish fluency (don’t put

this unless you can prove it)

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FORMATTIPS

Send a “good” copy FORMATLeft justifiedDo NOT use:

Tabs, bulletsLines, boxes, graphicsBold, italics, fancy fonts

U hit d

Send a good copy alongMaximize key / buzz word hitsAppropriate to call to determine if company

i Use white space and capitalization to differentiate sections

This format is not acceptable for your class assignment

uses scanning technology

Quick TipsNo more than 1 page / 4 paragraphsAddress to specific person – the one who’s hiringHave a clean printer cartridge Tailor each letter to the company / positionUse linen/watermark paper (cardstock problems)Send an originalM k it t dMake it easy to readUse your own wordsUse same paper as resumeProofread, proofreed, proofread!!

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Your addressCity, State ZipCity, State ZipCurrent Date

Mr. Supervisor, CEOSuper Industries222 Super RdWilmington, NC 28400

Dear Mr/Ms. Supervisor:

Paragraphs 1-3 (or 4 if doing one on class experience and work experience)

Sincerely,(4 spaces – sign your name here)Typed name

Note: Please have the same header on your cover letter and resume for consistency in brand.

First Paragraph Sample:Tell why you are sending this letterName the position for which you are applyingTell how became aware of position

Sample:I am submitting my resume in response to the ____ position listed in the September 12, 2007, edition of the Wilmington Star News. After talking with ____, I am excited about working for your organization. I want to work for an organization that supports aware of position

Name person who referred youWhy you want to work for them

for an organization that supports the community and I saw on your website where your company gave $5,000 to the Wilmington Arthritis Walk.

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Second Paragraph (and possibly third)h h ld b h dWhy should YOU be hired

Arouse the employer’s curiosityHighlight special accomplishmentsDisplay enthusiasm for position and companyExplain how you are a good fit with this position and organization – what you can do for themand organization what you can do for themThis paragraph shows you’ve done your homework / research on organizationSell yourself – Don’t be shy!

Third ParagraphWrap it upWrap it upCall for actionTake the initiativeInclude a phone where you can be reached

Last but not least…DON’T FORGET TO SIGN YOUR NAME

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Always send a cover letter with a resumeAlways keep a log of where & to whom you’ve sent resumes and whenAlways follow-up on resumes you’ve sentAlways stay positive ☺

THANK YOU