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RESUME & COVER LETTER 101 LWTech Employment Resource Center West Bldg. W207 (425) 739 - 8113 [email protected]
Agenda:• What is a resume?• Three types of resumes and examples. • Best resume templates and fonts.• Tailoring resume sections and accomplishments.• Getting past Applicant Tracking Systems. • What is a cover letter? Overview and examples.• How to contact LWTech Employment Resource
Center and additional services.
Mind-blowingStatistic According to a 2018 Forbes article What Your Resume is Up Against employers only spend 6 seconds looking at a resume before they decide if they will interview the candidate or not.
What is a Resume?
The Resume
What it is • It’s a self-marketing tool that helps you
find a job, internship, or make a career change.
• It convinces an employer to offer you an interview.
• It shows the employer you match the job, so you customize it for each job using keywords.
• It’s a “snapshot” of your achievements, experience, education and how you can help them.
• It gives you talking points for your interview.
• It’s well structured, easy to read, andpresents your qualifications for the job.
What it isn’t • Your entire work history or life story. • You don’t have to include every skill you
have or account for your time – only share what’s relevant for the position, industry, or company.
• Two pages. Most resumes are only one page, unless you are applying to a high-profile job or if you have extensive, related experience.
• While the resume is an accurate and true portrayal of you and your experience, it’s not a “legal” document. You decide what you include and what to leave out.
Three Types of Resumes • Functional Resume• Chronological Resume• Combination Resume
• Best resume fonts: Arial, Calibri Light, Calibri, Garamond, Cambria
Let’s look at some examples!
Functional Resume 1• Best for large gaps in
time or career changers
• Emphasizes Skills, Strengths, Projects, Accomplishments
• Minimizes or omits dates if more than 10 years old
Functional Resume 2• Focus on career
summary, professional accomplishments (leaving out dates in those sections) and pushing “work history” dates to bottom.
• Could consider leaving out “work history dates” and put “5+ years” instead of “1989-1994.”
Chronological Resume
• Organized by dates
• Recent experience first, older experience last
• For people with no significant time gaps, most info is related to same profession or transferable
Combination(Hybrid) Resume• Mixes features
from Functional & Chronological
• Some areas list dates if in the last 10 years, some areas omit older dates and former unrelated jobs
Best Resume Templates • Jobscan
Templates (www.Jobscan.co)
• Microsoft Word (New, Templates, Resume)
• Google Drive –Template Gallery (Google Docs)
Templates – Beware!Don’t use templates that: • Show a picture of you (Discrimination! Nothing
to do with your ability to do the job!)• Includes weird charts that are hard to read.• Too colorful or busy (consider industry you are
going into.) • Have unusual formatting that might be hard to
read at a glance.• You can usually alter a template to simplify it.
Tailoring Resumes • Use keywords from
the job description. • Give examples to
“prove” you have those skills.
• Research the company (Google it, LinkedIn page, website/mission statement, Glassdoor.com, etc.)
Use Strong Action Words Ask yourself: When did I save the company money? What problems did I solve? What awards did I receive? What stands out of past performance evaluations? How did I stand out among others? What process improvements did I suggest? When was I recognized for a job well done?
• Solved budget issue by securing donations on short notice• Improved financial reports by automating process • Awarded Employee of the Month based on performance• Collaborated with departments to improve consistency • Resolved customer issues to strengthen sales • Managed complex data base to ensure client privacy • Developed method to ensure product quality
Duties Versus Accomplishments
A duty is a simple task that you are required to do. An accomplishment is a task you did well and shows an impactful result. When possible, turn job duties into accomplishments!
Job Duty: • Responsible for delivering, scanning, and loading heavy
packages
Job Accomplishment:• Developed innovative process to improve package
production delivery rate; increased rate from 77 to 120 packages delivered per hour resulting in time/money savings.
Add Awards, Achievements, Projects • Dean’s List/President’s List, GPA 3.5+.• Volunteer activities, Awards, Scholarships.• Employee of the Month, Eagle Scout. • Projects that prove your ability to use specific
technology, meet deadlines, solve problems, overcome obstacles, and collaborate with others.
• Relevant workshops, certificates, certifications, industry associations, club involvement, and LinkedIn Learning courses.
Transferable Skills Prove soft skills by giving examples of times you were….• Creative• Persuasive• Collaborative• Adapted quickly
What is a Resume Headline? • It goes at the top of the resume, usually under your
name and contact information. • Sometimes this is referred to and titled as
Professional Summary, Profile, Career Summary.• Some resumes put a header/title over it, some
don’t.• It can be one to three sentences, or it can be your
industry related skills. • It’s important, because it’s the first thing the
employer will read on your resume.
Resume Headline Examples
Analytical project manager with a knack for motivating people
Web Developer | HTML5 | jQuery | PHP | JavaScript
Supply Chain Analyst - Experience in Logistics, Merchandising, Accounts Payable, Master Data, and Distribution
Resume Headline Tips• Create other resume sections, then write it last.• Is it attention-grabbing, intriguing?• Does it summarize what YOU can do for
THEM?• Does it answer the question, why should I be
interested in interviewing you? • Does it showcase your unique skills (but also
match the job description?)
Resume Headline Do’s and Don’ts
No (too generic)• “Objective”• Looking for opportunity
for growth• Seeking full time
position near home • Seeking role with
work/life balance • Interested in remote
work-from-home jobs
Yes• Award-winning graphic
designer• Bio-medical device
technician with IPC certifications
• Human resources professional specializing in recruiting for innovative tech companies
NOT ON MY RESUME!
Don't include:
Your height, weight, age, date of birth, place of birth,
marital status, gender, ethnicity/race, health, social
security number, reasons for leaving previous job,
picture of yourself, religion (unless relevant to the position) or
political affiliations (unless applying for a job/career in politics).
Don’t list hobbies (unless directly related to
company/job/industry)
Don’t write “References available upon request.”
Applicant Tracking Systems 98% of Fortune500 companies use Applicant Tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes. ATS only send resumes to real people if the resume matches the job description by 80% or more.
What is a Cover Letter?• It highlights your skills related to the job description
and the company. It’s short – about 300 words. • It answers the question, “Why are you applying for
this position at this company?” • Can include numbers to impress employers.
(Example, “Last year, I recruited and trained more than 60 new volunteers, which saved the organization $10,000 and increased productivity by 40%)
• Can list your top strengths and achievements, which will benefit the employer and the team.
Cover Letter Examples One Page, Uses Bullets, Generates Interest
Style/Font Matches Resume
Cover Letter Basic Structure 1. First Paragraph:• What position you are applying for and how you found the opening. • Personal referral or other connection you have. • Why the position interests you and why you are a fit for the employer.2. Second paragraph:• Your knowledge of the occupation (refer to the job posting details) and
how your skills and strengths match the position. What sets you apart from others who might be applying?
• How have you demonstrated in the past that you have the needed skills? Give examples of achievements, skills, and accomplishments.
3. Third Paragraph:• Thank them for their consideration and ask for an interview to discuss
the opportunity further. Convey your enthusiasm and that you look forward to meeting with them to learn more and share ideas.
Tips & Best Practices
• Ask people you know (friends, family, colleagues, LinkedIn connections) if they can refer you to a job. Use their name.
• Don’t write “To Whom it May Concern” on your cover letter. Find the person’s name or department name by researching the company. (If you can’t find info, write ”Dear Hiring Manager and Team.”)
• If emailing the resume and cover letter to an employer as an attachment: Send as PDFs so formatting stays in place.
Employment Resource Center Services (W207) • 1:1 appointment with a career specialist • Resume and Cover Letter development • Job Search help • Mock Interviews and referrals for free interview clothing• Access to employment events (employer panels, guest
speakers, internship/externship opportunities, and job fairs.) • Visit the ERC webpage: www.LWTech.edu
• Career Spot Videos • Hire Lions online job board • Follow us on LinkedIn – using icon on webpage
• Contact us to schedule an appointment at (425) 739-8113 or [email protected]
