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Resume Workshop for Educators
Resumes, Cover Letters & References
Jeremiah 29:11
What is a resume?
Your first meeting with an employer
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Marketing tool
Calling card
Qualifications brief
NOT an autobiography or a curriculum vitae
How do you use a resume?To obtain an interview
To articulate unique skills, quantifiable outcomes and your value proposition
To track your job history, education, training events, achievements and awards/honors—the facts
To articulate and remind you what you are “selling”
To narrow your job focus
The Resume Writing ProcessAn “everything” resume or the Master Resume
All the experiences, skills, activities and accomplishments that help define YOU
A history from which to pick and choose what to include in your “target” resumes
The “specific” resume or the Targeted ResumeResearch the employer, i.e., product or service,
culture, values, mission, historyStudy the job description
Highlight strengths AND weaknesses Keywords: nouns and verbs Demonstrate by “telling your story”
Resume Format: ChronologicalReverse chronological order (2014-Present, 2013,
2012, 2011)New grads generally list education first, otherwise
it typically follows work historyInclude internships, volunteer work and other
experiencesSkills and accomplishments of each (metrics?)Advantages and disadvantages
Most common and familiar Employment gaps emphasized Skills not as easily highlighted
Resume Format: FunctionalOrganized by skill sets and
accomplishmentsCluster style by set, i.e., clerical,
administration, customer service, managementAdvantages and disadvantages
Used by career changers and those with little work experience
Employment gaps are not as noticeable Can raise “red flags”
Resume Format: CombinationUses features of bothPresents skills and experiences as themesPositions and companies are still
organized in reverse chronological orderMatch skills and achievements to job
requirements, i.e., Profile Summary, Skill Highlights, Achievement Highlights
Advantages and disadvantages Versatile Impactful More effort
Appearance Visual impact!
Good use of “white” space (3-5 foot test)
Even margins (0.8-1.5 inches)
Font size (10-12)
Font choice (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, Verdana)
Format needs consistency: indentations, bullets, hyphens, commas, dashes, bold, capital letters, underlining (do not use when scannable resumes are requested)
Length (1-2 pages; Dick Johnson Resume, Page 2)
Check and double check!
ContentAccurate & honest
Professional email & phone message
Keywords, specific nouns & action verbs
Use a thesaurus & avoid abbreviations
Include GPA or Major GPA (3.0 or above)
Avoid unnecessary repetition
Quantify, i.e., Implemented lesson plans across all disciplines for 1st, 3rd, and 4th grade students with classes ranging in size from 20-25 students. Think STAR: situation or task, action, results for maximum
Additional ThoughtsReferences
Career portfolio (keep adding to it)
LinkedIn profile (Join Alumni LinkedIn Group)
Think like an employer!
Network, network, network
What is a cover letter? Expresses your motivation for applying, i.e., letter of application
Convinces the employer to read your resume
Makes connections
Draws employer’s attention to specific qualifications
Provides a sample of your written communication
Establishes your credibility
Identifies the “next step”
Cover Letter TipsAddress the letter to an individual, if at all possible
Keep the letter to one page or less and only 3-5 paragraphs
Customize for each application
Stress the positive
Use language consistent with the job description
Appeal to employer culture, values and goals
Strategies for Future SuccessKnow your strengths and weaknesses
Work on developing your strengthsCompensate for your weaknesses
Practice communicating your strengths in both written and verbal formElevator speechesMini-resume card
Judson Resources
MyJudson/Student Success Center/Online Career Center
Illinois Small College Placement Associationwww.collegecentral.com/iscpa
CareerFest in the Spring Semester
Alumni LinkedIn Searches
Teacher Credential FilesThe following information is located on Land a Job in Your Field in the Online Career Center:
Cover SheetWhy is this sheet helpful? (Used to inform districts)
Content SheetWhat makes up a file? (See Content Sheet)How is it stored and transmitted? (Hard drive, flash drive,
often posted on Regional Office of Education website)When does it need to be updated? (Every couple years or
more, depending upon professional accomplishments)
Additional Online Resourceswww.Teachers-Teachers.Com Directory of Regional Offices of Education:http://www.isbe.net/regionaloffices/pdf/roedirectory.pdf
Illinois Education Job BankK-12 Job SpotUS Department of Education
Ten Best Teacher Job Sites:http://certificationmap.com/the-ten-best-teacher-job-sites/