|
 Texas
A&M University-Commerce Career Services |
|---|
|
Career
Services
Email: Tandee Criswell, Coordinator
You are Visitor Number
Since September 1, 2007 |
Tips on Writing Your Resume & Cover Letter The Resume and Cover Letter Guide that follows is designed to give you step-by-step directions for developing clear, effective, resumes and cover letters -- both of which are critical parts of a successful job-search. But we ALSO encourage you to come by our office for personalized, individualized advice on how to revise or adapt your resume to emphasize your unique experiences. Bring a draft copy of your resume, and we'll be glad to offer suggestions on style or organization or wording and help you decide what information should be included and how you can emphasize your strongest qualifications. If you call ahead for an appointment we can promise to give you our undivided attention (and spend as much time with you as you need) -- but "drop-ins" are also welcome. Or -- if you're not able to visit our office -- you may send your resume as an email attachment to Tandee Criswell, and we'll review it and respond with comments and suggestions. You're also invited to browse through the library in our office to get more ideas. The following are just a few of the books we have available: Job Choices, a NACE publication The Everything Cover Letter Book, by Steven Graber Adams Cover Letter Almanac Resumes to the Rescue, by Stanley and Jonathan Wynett
|
|
|||||
|
A resume is an essential tool in your job search. It “advertises” your skills and qualifications. It, and your cover letter, are the tools that get you in the door for the employment interview.
Employers receive dozens, sometimes hundreds, of resumes in the mail each week. Sadly, only 2 out of every 100 resumes will result in a job interview. Why only 2 out of 100? Because few employers read all of the resumes they receive. Instead, they give each resume a quick, ten-second glance. If the resume is too long, too wordy, too cluttered looking, or too disorganized, it gets “filed”—into the wastebasket. The resumes that get read are one page long. They are easy to scan. They are inviting to look at. They have sizzle—they show that the person applying for the job is qualified and can deliver results. [Source: The Job Hunting Handbook: Dahlstrom & Company, Inc., 1998, p. 14]
There is no magic formula for writing the perfect resume—many styles and formats are acceptable. And you can often reorganize the basic information on your resume—adapting it for specific employers—to highlight your most important qualifications for a particular position.
How to get started
Think about—and make a list of—everything you know or have done that could be included in the following categories or topics: education, training, skills, accomplishments, experience, employment, memberships, organizations, honors or awards. After you have written down all the information you can remember, look back over your list and cross out anything that is (1) something that you never want to do again, and/or is (2) completely irrelevant to the type of work you now want to do. Now look back over your list again. The next step is to group the items in your list into categories with headings. Remember what you were taught in English 101 about topic sentences and unified paragraphs. The headings (like Education or Experience or Skills) are “shorthand” topic sentences that say, “I have the Education (or Experience or Skills or . . . ) that I need to be able to do the job I’m applying for.” And the information you list under each heading should “prove” that point; the details from your list are the evidence that support the conclusion that you actually have that qualification. If you have items “left over,” that didn’t quite fit under any of the headings already suggested, here are some other possible topic or skill headings (or feel free to make up your own, now that you’ve gotten the basic idea!): Equipment Language Competency Computer Hardware Additional training Computer Software Qualifications Highlights/Summary Other Related Experience Licenses/Certificates Professional Affiliations Strengths/Accomplishments/Achievements How to Write it Down
Forget what you were taught in English 101 about the necessity of writing complete sentences. Your resume should be written in phrases—or fragments—rather than sentences. Employers won’t take time to read through paragraphs of prose, but will scan your lists of qualifications that you’ve grouped into categories like those described above. You may be able to adapt some of the following phrases to describe what you’ve done.
SAMPLE PHRASES USED IN RESUME PREPARATION * Supervised administration of _______________________ Developed new _______________________ Planned and designed _______________________ and _______________________ Coordinated with _______________________ Solved problems by applying _______________________ methods Identified and classified _______________________ Developed improved methods for _______________________ Improved qualities of _______________________ Developed _______________________ programs for _______________________ Constructed and tested methods of _______________________ Analyzed and evaluated data Served as liaison between _______________________ and _______________________ Ordered and evaluated _______________________ Planned and directed preparation and service of _______________________ Made quantitative and qualitative _______________________ analysis Obtained data for _______________________ Developed new data for _______________________ Prepared _______________________ drawings Kept accurate records, notes, sketches Studied _________________ records to establish ____________________ Interpreted data concerning _______________________ Constructed graphs and charts regarding _______________________ Kept records on _______________________ Planned work flow with production schedule Prevented emergencies by _______________________ Set up sequence for _______________________ Receiving incoming _______________________ and directed to _______________________ Took physical inventory of ________________ and maintained ____________________ Initiated successful _______________________ Organized and chaired _______________________ Increased sales in _______________________ by _______________________ Initiated improvements in _______________________ and _______________________ Negotiated __________________ between __________________ and ____________________ Matched up _______________________ and _______________________ Researched and authored _______________________ Demonstrated experience with _______________________ Effective and knowledgeable in working with _______________________ * Source: Resumes & Cover Letters: A guideline written and compiled by the Cabrillo College Career Planning and Job Placement Center. Obviously, you can use these kinds of phrases to describe your work or employment experience. But you can also use them to describe your experiences as an intern or a volunteer or as an organizational leader. You may even use them to detail work you’ve done on significant class projects, or to describe special skills you’ve developed in the classroom. Remember, as you write down your qualifications, try to describe what you’ve DONE. The following list of “action words” help phrase your experience in the strongest terms.
How to Organize ItThere are three basic ways to organize the information on your resume, using the chronological format, the functional format, or the combined functional/chronological format. Their advantages and disadvantages are described below, followed by an example of each. THE CHRONOLOGICAL FORMAT The chronological resume works best for those individuals who are looking for the same type of employment that they have held in the past. If your work history has been a series of well-defined, clearly understood jobs such as teaching, accounting, etc., then the chronological or conventional resume format may be the best method to present your skills. This format is straightforward and lends itself to concise writing. If done properly, it comes off as strong, believable, and persuasive. This format lists your work history in a chronological order. Your most recent position is listed first, with your previous positions listed next, in descending order through time. Generally your work history on a resume will not exceed ten years, unless you have spent an extended time in a particular position, or you have pertinent work history that extends past that time period.
THE FUNCTIONAL/SKILLS FORMATThe functional or skills format resume works best for individuals who are career changers and are either combining skills from several past jobs into a new career, or who have undergone recent re-training or education to give them new job skills. The functional resume stresses strengths and accomplishments rather than presenting a chronological work history. It is called functional since it is organized under the heading of skills or functions, rather than by time block, job titles, or companies. This format is a good one for people who have erratic work histories or who have been employed in widely varied types of employment.
THE COMBINED FORMATThis format includes both the functional/skills format, followed by a brief chronological employment history, which includes previous job titles, employers’ names, and dates of employment. The combined format includes the best of both worlds for many job seekers. It allows you to highlight your skills and still gives past employers an idea of your past work history.
Sample
Chronological Format LESLIE P. GRADUATE9000 Monroe Street Commerce, Texas 75428 (903) 886-1234
Objective: A High School or Junior High Mathematics teaching position.
Education:
2000-2003 Texas A&M University-Commerce Bachelor of Science – May 2003 Major: Mathematics Major GPA: 3.42 Secondary Certification in Mathematics
1998-1999 Paris Junior College Completed 32 hours of General Studies courses Overall GPA: 3.51
Related Experience:
2002-2003 Greenville High School § Internship and Residency of field-based education program § Taught development mathematics, beginning algebra and introductory geometry to 9-12th grade students § Attended parent-teacher conferences
1998-2000 East Texas State University – TRIO Programs § Tutored students in basic arithmetic and pre-college algebra § Proctored tests given to students with disabilities
1997-2000 Commerce Public Library § Organized, planned, and implemented summer enrichment programs for youth in our community. § Assisted librarian with record keeping
Special Skills:
§ Comfortable with QPRZX tutorial program in math § Able to converse in Spanish § Yearbook layout and photography experience
Activities, Awards:
Deans List six out of eight semesters at A&M-Commerce President, Theta Theta Theta honorary Teaching Society, 1999 Recipient of Keith McFarland Excellence Scholarship, 1997 and 1998
Sample
Functional/Skills Format Pat Wilson2200 Taylor Drive Commerce, Texas 75428 (903) 886-5000 Pat_Wilson@boisdarc.tamu-commerce.edu
Objective: Sales or management Trainee Position
Summary of Accomplishments
s Completed BBA in management at Texas A&M University-Commerce s Succeeded academically while participating extensively in university leadership activities s Earned 80% of college expenses working part-time and summers at a variety of jobs
Relevant qualifications and Skills
Planning & Organizationn Planned student leadership conference, involving representatives from 18 diverse campus organizations n Organized fund-raiser that netted $463,000 for campus scholarships n Developed residence life program plan for the 1998-99 academic year, including scheduling of speakers and facilities
Marketingn Created marketing campaign for local business that produced 10% increase in customers n Developed and implemented marketing plan for increasing membership in campus organization n Lead team in creating advertising plan for fictional corporation (class project)
Computer & Internetn Created web page for campus organization, using html n Studied basic computer programs and systems, including Windows 2000, MS Office, FoxPro, and Novell Netware
Education
Texas A&M University-Commerce – BBA in Management, December May 2003
Kelly Adams2200 Taylor Drive Commerce, Texas 75428 (903) 886-5000 Kelly_Adams@hotmail.com
Objective: Sales or Management Trainee position
Summary of Qualifications
n Planned student leadership conference, involving representatives from 18 diverse campus organizations n Organized fund-raiser that netted $463,000 for campus scholarships n Developed residence life program plan for the 2000-2002 academic year, including scheduling of speakers and facilities n Created marketing campaign for local business that produced 10% increase in customers n Developed and implemented marketing plan for increasing membership in campus organization n Headed team that created advertising plan for fictional corporation (class project) n Created web page for campus organization, using html n Studied basic computer programs and systems, including Windows 2000, MS Office, FoxPro, and Novell Netware
Education
May 2003 – Texas A&M University-Commerce – BS in Psychology
Recent Employment
Applebee’s Restaurant – Server/Bartender (May 1999 – Present) Provided customer service Balanced cash receipts at end of shift
Gee Library, Texas A&M University-Commerce – Student Assistant (January 1998 – May 1999) Directed students to resources Shelved periodicals accurately and quickly
Greenville Public Parks Department – Lifeguard (1996 – 1998, summers) Taught basic swimming classes Insured swimmer safety
Basic Resume “Rules”
1. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread! Make sure that grammar, spelling and typing are absolutely error free. Have someone else read it over to check for errors—don’t rely on your spell check program alone—and to make suggestions about anything that isn’t clear. 2. Include a job or career objective—either in your resume or in the accompanying cover letter—to help focus your qualifications in a clear direction. 3. Give details, but be brief and concise. Choose details that highlight your strengths, but don’t list things like hobbies and high school awards just to seem impressive. If you’re selective—and include only details that are relevant and/or important—you can probably hold the length to one page—with plenty of white space, and 1-inch margins. 4. Readability counts. Font size should be 10 or 12, and font style should be simple (i.e., arial, century gothic, tahoma—especially if transmitted electronically or scanned) and printed with a laser or ink jet printer. 5. Use top-quality paper. Paper should be 20-25 weight bond, rag or linen and of neutral color. Envelope and cover letter paper should match resume paper. 6. Do NOT include references on your resume. But DO have them readily available.
What About References?
While they don’t need to be included as part of your resume, you should prepare a list of people who have agreed to serve as references for you. Carry this list with you (in case you need to use the information when filling out an application, or are asked for references during an interview). Before you include anyone’s name on your reference list, be sure to ask if they are willing to provide a recommendation for you!! Leonard Tamuc2200 Taylor Drive Commerce, Texas 75428 (903) 886-5000
Dr. Larry Jones, Professor Department of Literature & Languages Texas A&M University-Commerce Commerce, Texas 75429 (903) 886-5160 Larry_Jones@tamu-commerce.edu
Ms. Eleanor Powell [mentor teacher] A.C. Williams Elementary School 3001 Charity Road Commerce, Texas 75428 (903) 886-2345
Mr. Adam Smith [former supervisor] Applebee’s Restaurant 3001 W. I-30 Greenville, Texas 75401 (903) 455-1111 Adam_Smith@hotmail.com
Preparing a scannable resume is easy; like the traditional style resume, you focus on format and content.
FormatTo maximize the computer’s ability to read your resume, provide the cleanest original and use a standard style resume. The most difficult resume for the computer to read is a poor quality copy that has an unusual format such as newsletter layout, adjusted spacing, large font sizes, graphics or lines, type that is too light, or paper that is too dark. To maximize scannability: Use white or light-colored 8 ½ x 11 paper, printed on one side only. Provide a laser printed original if possible. Avoid dot matrix printouts and low quality copies. Do not fold or staple. Use standard typefaces such as Helvetica, Futura, Optima, Universe, Times New Roman, Palatino, New Century, Schoolbook, and Courier. Use a font size of 10 to 14 points. (Avoid Times 10 point.) Don’t condense spacing between letters. Use boldface and/or all capital letters for section heading as long as the letters don’t touch each other. Avoid fancy treatments such as italics, underline, shadows, and reverse (while letters on black background). Avoid vertical and horizontal lines, graphics, and boxes. Place your name at the top of the page on its own line. (Your name can also be the first text on pages two and three.) Use standard address format below your name. List each phone number on its own line.
ContentThe computer extracts information from your resume. You can use your current resume; however, you may decide to add a few key words to increase your opportunities for matching requirement or getting “hits.” Recruiters and managers access the resume database in many ways, searching for your resume specifically or searching for applicants with specific experience. When searching for specific experience, they’ll search for key words, usually nouns such as: writer, BA, marketing, collateral, Spanish (language fluency), San Diego, etc. So make sure you describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions. The computer system will extract the words and information from your sentences; you can write your resume as usual. To maximize “hits:” Use enough key words to define your skills, experience, education, professional affiliations, etc. Describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions. Use more than one page if necessary. The computer can easily handle multiple-page resumes, and it uses all of the information it extracts from your resume to determine if your skills match available positions. It allows you to provide more information than you would for a human reader. Use jargon and acronyms specific to your industry (spell out the acronyms for human readers). Increase your list of key words by including specifics; for example, list the names of software you use such as Microsoft Word and Lotus 1-2-3. Use common headings such as; Objective, Experience, Employment, Work History, Positions Held, Skills, Accomplishments, Professional Affiliations, Certifications, etc.
* “Preparing the Ideal Scannable Resume,” Distributed by Southwest Airlines.
Applications
Sometimes employers will ask you to complete an application form—even though you’ve already provided a resume—and you need to be aware of some basic “rules.” Do NOT say “see resume” in answer to any question; fill in the information on the application. The application does not necessarily need to be typed—but it DOES need to be clear and easily readable. If asked to give a reason for leaving a position, choose your words carefully. Do NOT write: Fired, Personality Conflict, Personal/Family problems, Burn Out, Injured, Hospitalization, or Travel. Instead—if these reasons are true—write: Company Restructuring, Growth Opportunity, Career Shift, Career Change, Further Education, Seeking employment with more career opportunity, Work Force Reduction, Seasonal Work Relocated.
Any time you mail a resume or an application or a portfolio to a potential employer, you should also include a cover letter. That letter should answer the following three questions: 1. Why is the employer receiving your resume or application or portfolio: [For example . . . . “I saw your advertisement a copy editor in the June 25th Dallas Morning News.” “My student teaching supervisor, Tyson Bennett, told me that you are looking for a third grade teacher.” “I talked with your district manager last week at the A&M-Commerce Job Fair, and she suggested that I contact you.” “I will be graduating with a bachelors degree in accounting next month, and hope to begin working for a small firm where I can use a broad range of accounting skills.”]
2. Why should the employer read your resume or application or portfolio? [For example . . . . “I not only have the college degree you require, but also have experience working in a similar environment at ABCD, Inc.” “Although I have no paid employment experience as a teacher-coach, I have completed a year-long site-based teacher training program and have coached little league softball every summer for the past six years as a volunteer.” “I am proficient at programming in C++ and in using CASE tools, technical skills which I know your organization uses.”] Personalize and adapt this paragraph—as much as you can—to the specific needs of the employer. At the very least, include the name of the employer somewhere in the paragraph—or elsewhere in the letter.
3. What’s next? [For example . . . . “I will call you next week to see if we can arrange an interview.” “I will be in the area next month and would like to visit with you in person during that time.” “Please contact me at (903) 886-5000 if you would like to schedule an interview.”
Sample Cover Letter 1000000 Lion Way Commerce, Texas 75428 March 1, 2003
Ms. Mary Smith, Personnel Director Accounting Software International 4678 East Commerce Street, Suite 208 Dallas, Texas 75160
Dear Ms. Smith:
In response to your ad in the Commerce Journal, dated February 28, 2003, I am enclosing my resume for your consideration.
I was particularly attracted to the position because of my interest in accounting software and the opportunity to use my computer skills in a more specialized career. I have extensive experience and skills in implementing conversions to new computer software systems and programs. I feel that these talents could be valuable to Accounting Software International since I know you are expanding into new markets throughout the nation.
I believe I would be a good candidate for your position as a service representative and look forward to hearing from you soon. I can be reached by phone at (903) 886-5000 or by e-mail at leonard-tamuc@tamu-commerce.edu
Sincerely,
Leonard Tamuc
Enclosure
1. What kind of envelope do I use when I mail my resume and cover letter? Use a standard, number 10, business envelope—preferably one that “matches” the paper you use for your resume and letter. No, you don’t have to buy a big 8 ½ x 11 inch envelope . . . and, yes, it’s OK to fold your resume and cover letter.
2. Do I need to staple or clip the pages together?
Probably not – IF – you put your name somewhere on every page you’re mailing or delivering. (Of course it will be on the first page of your resume and in your cover letter; but be sure you put your name on any “extra” pages.)
3. If I completed an associate’s degree at a junior college, should I include that on my resume? Should I also include my high school education?
Yes, you should probably list any degrees you completed at a junior college (it shows that you complete/finish tasks). However, you don’t need to list every college you’ve ever attended because most of the classes you took elsewhere will have helped meet the requirements for the degree you earn at A&M-Commerce. No, don’t include high school information, unless there’s a specific, good reason for doing so. (i.e., you graduated from Greenville High School as a star athlete and you’re applying for a job there as a coach.)
4. Is it better to send my resume by mail or e-mail? Or is it better to deliver it in person?
There’s no simple, right answer to this one! It depends on what the employer prefers – and you often need to employ your best critical thinking skills (and reasoned guesswork) to figure that out. If an employer supplies you with an e-mail address, for example, that’s a pretty good hint that he/she likes to communicate by e-mail. And if a physical address isn’t given, he/she probably wants to receive a letter or e-mail or fax.
In short . . . . try your best to discover what’s the employer’s “rules” are, and follow them!
5. Exactly how do I send my resume by e-mail? What do I say in my message?
Send your resume (done in a standard word-processing program like MSWord) as an attachment to your e-mail message. Your message should be your cover letter (although you may want to shorten it a little to fit traditional e-mail message conventions).
|
|||||