The document provides guidance on writing effective cover letters and resumes. It discusses why cover letters are important, cover letter formatting and components, including hard and soft skills. It also emphasizes that resumes need to grab the recruiter's attention within 30 seconds and highlights resume design, formatting, common sections, and keywords. Students are assigned to create a cover letter mind map and draft a cover letter and resume for a fictional job as an expert.

1. COVER LETTER & RESUME WRITING
that will get you noticed!
PART 1: Cover Letters
PART 2: Resumes

2. PART 1: COVER LETTERS
Why a Cover Letter?
A resume without a cover letter is like a
hamburger without a bun.
A well written cover letter distinguishes your
application & helps you stand out.

3. Cover Letter Basics
Keep it to one page
Font size between 10 & 14
Use business letter format
Keep it to 3-5 paragraphs
High Quality Paper if printing
Convert to PDF if sending electronically
PROOFREAD! PROOFREAD! PROOFREAD!

4. Cover Letter Formatting
RETURN ADDRESS – keep it the same as
your resume. It should look like letterhead.
Examples:

5. Cover Letter Formatting
Return address is followed by the DATE.
Write out the date in proper form.
Examples:
Notice that the date
is NOT written
March 12th, 2014!!
Leave off the “th”,
“st”, “nd”, etc.

6. Cover Letter Formatting
Return address, date & then Employer Contact Info.
Contact Name (if you have it)
Contact’s Title
Name of Company
Street Address or PO Box
City, ST 12345
Examples:

7. Cover Letter Formatting
Double Space after the employer contact info to begin the Salutation.
• Use Mr. or Ms. when addressing the sendee.
• If you do not know a name you could address it to a title or selection
committee.
• It is best to take the effort to CALL & find out who you should address your
letter to.
• You can include “Dear” or leave it off.
Examples:
Dear Mr. Miller,
Dear Human Resource Manager,
Selection Committee,

8. Cover Letter Formatting
Body of Your Letter
PARAGRAPH 1:
• State the purpose of your letter.
• Express your excitement about the opportunity.
PARAGRAPH 2:
• Site specific examples of hard skills, knowledge, experience, education,
accomplishments.
PARAGRAPH 3:
• Describe your soft skills and personal goals.
• Site specific examples
PARAGRAPH 4:
• Express your excitement again
• Ask for an interview
• State what your next step will be.
Hard & Soft skills
will be discussed
in more detail
later.

9. Body of Your Letter
Example
Paragraph 3:
Soft skills
Paragraph 4:
Excitement
Next Step
Paragraph 2:
Hard Skills
Paragraph 1:
Purpose
Excitement
ALWAYS SAY
THANK YOU!
To make this example stronger, I would
site SPECIFIC examples, not just restate
what’s on your resume.

10. Cover Letter Formatting
CLOSING
• Say thank you.
• Use a closing, quadruple space, & then type your name.
• If you print the letter you will need to sign between your closing & name.
Example:
Signature goes here.

11. Hard Skills:
What specific knowledge or expertise do you possess?
• Foreign language
• Computer skills &
program experience
• Leading a group, giving
instructions
• Assembling, Documenting,
Computing, Compiling, etc.
• Technical Skills
• Content Knowledge
• Skills required to do a job

12. Examples of Hard Skills on a Resume

13. Forbes reported that 5% of companies are struggling to fill jobs due to lack of available
talent. Among the top reasons for these talent shortages, 19% of employers say “lack of
workplace competencies (soft skills)” is a primary reason they’re having difficulty filling
jobs.
93% of CEOs agree that, “A candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically,
communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than their
undergraduate major.”

14. Soft Skills:
refer to a cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes
and social graces that make someone a
good employee and compatible to work with.
What specific personal qualities, habits, & attitudes do
you possess?
• Work Ethic
• Attitude
• Communication Skills
• Creativity
• Time-Management
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Teamwork
• Ability to Accept & Learn
• Flexibility & Adaptability
• Working Well Under
Pressure
• Handling Change

15. Cover Letter Assignment
• Fill out a Mind Map for your cover letter.
• You will write a Cover Letter for a fictional job
as an expert.
I have provided you with a Mind Map template
for your cover letter. Page 2 is an example of
how it could be filled out. Page 3 shows you
how to use all of the information you have
learned about cover letters and convert your
Mind Map to an actual letter that will get you
noticed.

16. PART 2: RESUMES
Where’s the beef?
A resume is the main dish of your job search
package and should contain lots of “meat”.
A recruiter may decide in only 30 seconds
whether you are worth meeting.
You need to be concise, relevant, & effective.

17. Resume Tips
Design matters – do not use a template
Make it reader friendly by using bulleted lists
Try to quantify your accomplishments & job
descriptions
Use action verbs when describing your past
work experience
Use key words that they employer is looking
for.
Review lots of examples to find a format that
works for you & the job that you are applying
for
High Quality Paper if printing
Convert to PDF if sending electronically

18. Common Resume Sections
• Objective
• Summary of Qualifications
• Educational Background
• Work Experience
• Honors & Accomplishments
• Activities
• Computer Skills
• References

19. Resume Assignment
• In order for you to learn more about building
an effective resume you need to review & fill
out the following resume worksheet.
• You will build your own resume as an expert.