2. Basic Resume Content:
• Contact information (Name, phone, professional email address (not “hotlips99@hotmail.com)
• Professional Experience (paid, internships and some volunteer)
• Objective (not always required but can be helpful)
• Education (post High School only)
• Training and Skills
• References (second page or furnished upon request)
6. Resume
Do’s & Don’ts:
• Keep it to one page with less • Make it too long
than 10 years work • Just list the tasks you did
experience and never more in a job
than 2 pages • Add extraneous or
• Focus on accomplishments vs. irrelevant information
tasks • Use personal pronouns
• KISS (Keep it simple and
short)
• Use action verbs to describe
responsibilities & experience
7. Resume
Do’s & Don’ts:
• List all relevant work • Add jobs that aren’t
experiences relevant
• Use numbers to • Exaggerate numbers
quantify experience • Leave out job titles
• List job titles and • Lie, exaggerate or
employers together embellish
• Be accurate with your
information
8. Resume
Do’s & Don’ts:
• List Skills (advanced • List skills you don’t
computer, language, have or that everyone
familiarity with has (ie: MS Word)
political databases) • List language classes
• List languages in or study abroad
which you are better experiences
than conversational • Leave off non-political
• Describe non-political jobs if that’s your only
experience in terms of experience
“translatable skillsets”
9. Naming Your Resume
• Most resumes are emailed Good Examples:
around to employers and most Tanner, Seth resume.doc
employers get lots of resumes Seth Tanner resume.pdf
• Resumes should be named
with the your full name in it
Bad Examples:
My resume.doc
Political resume.pdf
10. Cover Letters
• Only include if you are specifically asked for one
• Tailor it to the specific position/organization
• Should be 3 paragraphs:
• 1 – Introduction and how (or from whom) you heard about the job
• 2 – Narrative of your professional experience that summarizes but does not simply
repeat your resume
• 3 – Explanation of why your experiences will make you good at this specific job
11. Writing Samples
• Only include if you are specifically asked for one
• Use relevant samples, not college term papers
•IE: if applying for a press job, include a press release you wrote from a previous job
(or make one up if you’ve never written one before)
12. Interview Tips
• Remember this isn’t about YOU and what you want, it’s about how you can
make their life better by hiring you
• Be prepared. Research the organization before you apply for the position and
refresh your memory before the interview
• Remember they need you, but there are dozens of “yous” out there – why are
you better than the rest and why should they stop looking and hire you?
• Use action verbs and numbers when discussing your experiences
• Never exaggerate your skills, abilities, accomplishments or job titles
• Be honest about any less-than-stellar experiences but do not bad mouth
anyone personally
• Be confident in yourself, your skills and what you bring to the table
13. The Search Plan
Be honest about what do you need? Needs:
• Money • Financial requirements?
• Schedule • Schedule
• Location • Location
What do you want? Wants:
Where do you want to be in 5 years? • More money
What are your skills? • What type of job responsibilities
What skills do you want to learn? are you interested in?
Who can help you? • Move up in your career
14. Who Can Help You?
• Who you know is as important as what you know!
• Make a list of former bosses, colleagues and
acquaintances. Let them know you are looking. Ask
them to keep an eye out for you.
• Make a list of the types of jobs you may want and
find people who are already there. Call and ask if you
can have coffee with them (informational interviews)
15. Networking 101
• Networking is a fancy word for “meeting people” – don’t be intimidated
•Go to where the people are and meet them! Happy hours, fundraisers,
luncheons, “Dem hang outs” (ie: Stetson’s, Hawk & Dove)
• Follow up with everyone who is kind enough to give you their card and build
that relationship
• Go on informational interviews – both to learn things and to build new
relationships
• Talk to everyone anyone tells you to (Hi, I’m calling because X told me I should reach out to you…)
• Don’t feel bad asking people to help you build your career. Using our
networks is how we all got our jobs and how we will get our next job.
16. Lobby for the Job
• When you hear of a job you really want –
lobby for it! Call anyone you know who might
know someone at that org and ask them to put
in a good word for you.
• Don’t just rely on your email to info@org.com
17. Network Online
Social & Professional Networks:
• Use these tools to see who you know and who they might know
• Use them to keep in touch with colleagues and acquaintances
• Don’t “friend” people you don’t actually know – it’s annoying
• Don’t ever put anything up you wouldn’t want published in the NYT
18. Network - Network - Network
College Democrats
Drinking Liberally
Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century (New York)
Democracy for America
Democratic GAIN
Netroots Nation
New Organizing Institute
Women’s Information Network
Wellstone Action
Young Democrats
19. Types of “political” jobs
• Campaigns • Consultants
• Legislature (state & federal) • Party Committees
• Administration • Non-profits
• Unions • PACs & 527s
• Advocacy Groups • Lobbying Firms
23. Don’t forget other Campaigns:
• School Board
• Municipal
• Judicial
• County Legislative
• State House and Senate
• Ballot Initiatives and Referenda
28. Training Organizations:
• Organizations include 21st
Century Democrats, Center
for Progressive Leadership,
Democratic GAIN, EMILY’s
List, HRC, DFA, NOI and
Wellstone Action.
