2.+Resumes+&+Cover+Letters

//The lessons in this chapter will prepare you to: //  How to Write a Résumé ** Purpose: ** A Résumé is a selling tool that outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the employer’s workplace. More to the point, what we are actually doing is applying for an interview.  1. Write your résumé to show employers:  2. Use statistics or numbers when you can to show the results of what you did 3. Keep your résumé brief, clean and easy to read 4. Be 100% honest 5. Do not mention salary on your résumé 6. Try to keep your résumé on one page 7. When mailing résumés, do not staple any documents together 8. Do not include:  1. Chronological 2. Functional 3. Combination
 * Objectives: **
 * Complete a professional résumé 
 * Complete a cover letter
 * Résumé Guidelines: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The amount and kind of responsibilites you have handled
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The results you have achieved
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The relevancy of your past responsibilites and
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Marital status
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Names, ages, and number of children
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Spouse's job
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Age
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Race
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Photograph of yourself
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Religious and Political affiliations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Height and weight
 * <span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">3 Résumé Formats: **

<span style="display: block; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; text-align: center;">Résumé Formats Pros & Cons Chart 2. Logical flow, easy to read 3. Showcases growth in skills & responsibilities 4. Easy to prepare ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Emphasizes gaps in employment 2. Not suitable if you have no work history 3. Highlights frequent job changes ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Individuals with steady work record || than employment 2. Organizes a variety of experience 3. Disguises gaps in work record ||< 1. Viewed with suspicion by employers due to lack of information about specific employers and dates ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Individuals with no previous employment 2. Individuals with gaps in employment 3. Frequent job changes || skills and accomplishments 2. De-emphasizes employment history in less relevant jobs 3. Minimizes drawbacks such as employment gaps and absences of directly related experience ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Confusing if not well organized 2. De-emphasized job tasks; responsibilities 3. Requires more effort and creativity to prepare ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Career changers or those in transition 2. Individuals reentering the job market after some absence 3. Individuals pursuing the same work they’ve had in the past || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; text-align: center; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Résumé Format ||< <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; text-align: center; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Advantages ||< <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; text-align: center; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Disadvantages ||< <span style="display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; text-align: center; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Best Used By ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Chronological ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Widely used format
 * < <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Functional ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Emphasizes skill rather
 * < <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Combination ||< <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Highlights most relevant
 * Sample résumés**:

<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">How to Write Cover Letters <span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">** Purpose: ** Introduce yourself and sell the employer on how well your specific knowledge, skills and abilities match the organizations’ needs. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. Identify the specific job and how you learned about it. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">2. Match your skills, training, and experience with those required for the job, using your specific knowledge of the company. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">3. Last line should emphasize your interest in the job and indicate your plan for follow-up. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">1. The cover letter should not repeat your resume. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">2. Use standard business letter format. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">3. Type the letter on bond paper that matches your resume. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">4. Proofread carefully. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">5. Sell yourself! Make the reader want to speak with you. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">6. Keep the letter to a page or less. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">7. Sign and send the original. Keep a copy. <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">8. Address the letter to the hiring authority and include their title. If you cannot get a specific name, start the letter with “Dear __title of position__.” <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">9. Do your homework on the company. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">**Sample Cover Letter:**
 * Cover Letter 3 Main Parts:**
 * <span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Cover Letter Guidelines: **