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Résumés and Cover letters

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What is a Résumé?

A personal summary of: Experience (paid and volunteer) Professional qualifications Skills Accomplishments

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What is a Résumé? A résumé includes:

Contact info Objective/summary (optional) Education Experience Activities/honors Skills

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Style Guidelines Length

Depends upon experience Typically one concise typed page

Font 10 - 12 points Black Larger size for name No more than two kinds In body

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Style Guidelines Paper

8 1/2” x 11” White or ivory

Bullets Only for three or more items Line them up! Don’t use multiple levels/types

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Style Guidelines Emphasis

Consistent tenses, punctuation, capitalization Limit bolding/formatting changes

Language Avoid repeating words/phrases Prove your claims with numbers or other proof

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Preliminary Research Find out

General job info. Desired qualifications Key values & words

Check with

Career Resources The web Trade journals Personal contacts Company literature

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7nDh06Hjz0

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Personal Data Your name (make it stand out) Permanent address or campus address Phone numbers (with professional voice mail) Professional email address

Jane Doe 100 High St.

West Chester, PA 19383

JDoe@wcupa.edu

(610) 555-1212

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Objective Statement Optional and only appropriate in limited

circumstances 1-2 sentences:

Summarizing position you want Stating marketable skills

Useful for unsolicited résumés

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Summary Statement Optional Best for significant experience Short paragraph or bulleted list Tailored to job Answers question – “What can this

applicant do for me?” experience

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Summary StatementSummary Developed national ad campaigns to

launch technical products 10 years experience business to business

sales of IT services and technical products Managed diverse projects in a deadline

driven team atmosphere

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Education Begin with the highest level of educational

achievement. Include full name of institution and

city/state

West Chester University, West Chester, PA.

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Education, cont.

List…. Degrees earned or expected Date of degree completion Major/minors Overall GPA and/or GPA in Major Relevant courses No high school

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Education Cont.

West Chester University, West Chester, PABachelor of Arts in Communication StudiesAnticipated Graduation: May 2011GPA: 3.5/4.0Major GPA: 3.6/4.0Relevant Courses: Business to BusinessMarketing, Public Speaking, Business &Professional Communication, Sales.

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Employment Experience Describes past/present employment or

volunteer experience Describe experience relevant to job sought Be specific – give numbers Begin with an action word Avoid repetition

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Employment Experience Include:

Company name City, state Job title Dates of employment Duties performed.

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Employment Experience Cont.Iron Hill Restaurant, West Chester PA. (August 2006-May

2009)Assistant Manager* Collaborated with restaurant management to develop a

marketing and advertising campaign for a new restaurant location.

* Trusted by management to train over 25 new employees in proper restaurant opening and closing procedures

* Communicated clearly and professionally with management and coworkers to ensure successful restaurant operations.

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Employment Experience Cont. When describing your jobs:

Use bullet points instead of paragraphs Reverse chronological format Choose the appropriate tense Globalize your skills

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Activities and Honors

Optional Include relevant activities/honors that:

Show valuable experience or skills Recognize your effort and commitment

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Specialized Skills Optional Include skills that make you unique

Computer skills Foreign language skills Research or writing skills Budget creation Military service

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Specialized Skills Describe your skills:

Name computer programs Years you studied a foreign language Dates of military service

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References

Employers and/or professors familiar with your work.

Ask permission Create separate “Professional References

and Personal References” page DO NOT write “References available upon

request” on résumé

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Reference SheetJulie Pfaff, Esq.

Main Hall, Room 214

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA 19383

(610) 555-1212

jpfaff@wcupa.edu

Ms. Pfaff was my Business and Professional

Communications Professor and my academic

advisor.

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Organization Reverse chronological Functional

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Reverse Chronological Organizes experience by time Begin with most recent experiences first Most common format Hilights career growth and advancement

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Functional Résumé Style Organizes experience by skill Highlight experiences related to job sought Good for:

Applicants with little experience Gaps in employment history Career changers

Use with caution!

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Résumé Dos Do:

Research the company/job before writing Have a professional proof-read for spelling &

grammatical errors

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Résumé Donts Don’t

Use lots of underlining or fancy bullet points Include personal information (ht, wt, hobbies) Send a résumé without a cover letter Leave lots of blank space

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Cover Letters

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What Is a Cover Letter? Expresses your interest States your qualifications First introduction to employer

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Why Send a Cover Letter? Hilight important parts of your résumé. Expand relevant employment experiences. “Sell” qualifications to employer.

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Header Address your letter to a specific person.

Find name on web site Find name on recruiting brochures, Call the organization and ask

If all else fails use: Hiring Manager

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Header Ima HiringHuman Resources ManagerWhadda Great Company100 N. High StreetWest Chester, PA 19080

Dear Ms. Hiring:

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Introductory ParagraphYour first paragraph should: Get the reader’s attention. State what job you are seeking State where you learned of the job Show knowledge of company Highlight impressive qualifications

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Introductory ParagraphI was excited to see the Media Coordinator

position posted on Johnson & Johnson’s website. I admire Johnson & Johnson’s long standing commitment to ethically manufacturing and marketing high quality, effective, healthcare products. I believe my comprehensive knowledge of public relations and my proven communication and leadership skills make me a strong candidate for the Media Coordinator position.

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Body Paragraphs Sell your strongest qualifications/skills Demonstrate how you used these qualifications

successfully (situation-action-result) State how qualifications benefit the employer.

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Body ParagraphAs a sales agent, I assisted customers with merchandise questions, handled upwards of $5,000 a day and stocked sales items.

As a marketing intern at Pizza Hut, I initiated a program to attract customers to Southeastern Pennsylvania Pizza Hut’s, which resulted in a 5% increase in sales for the month of June.

.

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Conclusion Paragraph Ask the employer for an interview Be flexible regarding a date/time for interview Say thank you State that you will follow up (and do it!)

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Conclusion Paragraph

I believe my marketing and communication experience will be a valuable asset to your organization. I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with you in person to discuss how I could contribute to Johnson & Johnson’s marketing department. Please contact me at your convenience to arrange an interview. I can be reached at 610.555.1212

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Key Points Don’t exceed one typed page Appeal to company values/attitudes by

incorporating lingo & buzz-words Demonstrate knowledge of the company Spell check and proof-read!!!!