The document provides information on finalizing resumes and cover letters for a job search. It discusses customizing the cover letter, includes tips for resume formatting and components, and provides a sample resume and cover letter. Career services resources are also listed that can help with individual appointments, online job postings, and career preparation materials.

1. Finishing Touches on Your Resume
Customizing Your Cover Letter
ECE Job Search Workshop
Tanya Gokhshteyn
Career Services & Co-operative Education
Winter 2013

2. Resume & Cover Letter Quiz
1. On average, a potential employer will take between one
and two minutes to read a resume for the first time.
2. It is not necessary to address your cover letter to someone
specific.
3. Your resume should be one page only.
4. Your education should always come first in your resume.
5. Your resume and cover letter should look the same.

3. Resume & Cover Letter Quiz
6. Youcan use correction liquid or make handwritten changes
on your resume/cover letter – it is more important to get
your application in on time.
7. You do not need to know anything about a company before
you apply to work for them.
8. You should not include international experience in your
resume.
9. You can lie on your resume – who will know?
10. You should have someone else write your resume for you.

4. A resume is…
• A marketing piece to convince the employer to
meet you to learn more about your strengths
• It’s an overview about your academic and
professional qualifications – not about your life
history
• It is presenting your skills and achievements to
the employers
•To Get You The Interview

5. Features of a good resume
• 30 second rule
• Must be consistent
• Must be easy to read
• Must target and sell your qualifications to a
specific job
• Must be error free – absolutely no
mistakes!

6. Basic Components
• Contact Information – appropriate voice mail & email address
• Career/Job Objective – specific, skills, what you can do for the organization
• Summary of Qualifications – # years of experience in ECE; current
Canadian ECE knowledge and skills; professional memberships
• Work Experience – incl. placement; focus on your accomplishments and
results rather than just listing your responsibilities
• Education – Centennial College + overseas education; GPA (scholarships);
relevant courses; major projects
• Professional Development – relevant workshops, conferences, etc.
• Community Involvement – volunteer, memberships
• References – “Available Upon Request” optional; names and contact info
of references on separate paper

7. Sample Job Posting
We are looking For A New ECE With The Following Skills:
• Knowledge of the Day Nurseries Act and the Metro Criteria – educational
qualifications – ECE Certificate, First Aid, CPR
• Effective behaviour management skills and strategies in relations with children,
parents and staff
• Ability to work as a team member, maintaining an ongoing positive relationship
with other team members, parents and most importantly the children
• Effective communication skills, written and verbal
• Ability to take initiative and follow through on tasks with little direction
• Flexible, enthusiastic, empathic, confident, dependable and has the ability to
respond to the various needs of the children
• Can effectively participate and implement programs for the preschool children
• Has the ability to develop a warm, sincere and respected relationship with the
children

8. Resume Sample
PAT M. SMITH
1234 College Street Cell: (416) 111-9999
Toronto, ON M4C 1Z1 psmith@centennialcollege.ca
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Position as an Early Childhood Education Assistant where my practical
experience, knowledge of child development, and communication abilities
will be useful in maintaining a safe learning environment

9. Resume Sample
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
• Early Childhood Education Diploma from Centennial College
• Two years of experience in child care positions working with infants, toddlers
and preschoolers
• Skilled at assisting with development and facilitation of activities for children
and demonstrated ability to foster appropriate interaction with children
through observation of cues and behaviours
• Familiar with Day Nurseries Act and Metro Criteria and how to apply in work
environment for the protection and safety of children
• Sound leadership skills and strong communication abilities; fluent in English
and French
• Currently certified in First Aid and CPR
• Strong computer skills in MS Word, Excel and the Internet

10. Resume Sample
RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
Early Childhood (Field Placement) Oct. – Dec. 2012
Red Riding Hood Day Care, Toronto, ON
• Provided supervision and guidance of daily activities, field trips and special
activities that facilitated children’s cognitive, social, language, physical and
sensory motor development
• Prepared craft materials and assisted 18 pre-schoolers in their use for
small projects, improving children’s fine motor skills
• Prepared and served nutritious meals
• Assisted management in the daily administrative tasks of the facility

11. Resume Sample
Nanny (Part-time) Feb. 2009 – Aug. 2011
The Peterson Family, Scarborough, ON
• Supervised and cared for children ages 1, 3 and 6
• Organized activities such as games and outings for children
• Provided nutritious meals and snacks for children following parental input
• Performed light housekeeping and cleaning duties
• Kept daily log of children’s activities, behaviours and progress and
reviewed weekly with parents

12. Resume Sample
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE
Cashier (Part time) Jan. 2010 - Present
123 Sales Inc., Toronto, ON
• Answer inquiries and provide general information to customers
• Perform administrative duties according to established procedures
• Maintain composure and professionalism under pressure
• Accurately and efficiently balance cash and receipts at end of shift
• Maintain clean and tidy work area at all times

13. Resume Sample
EDUCATION
Early Childhood Education Diploma Sept. 2010 - Apr. 2012
Centennial College, Toronto, ON
Academic Projects:
•Studied age-appropriate daily routines for children
•Researched Health and Study Guidelines pertaining to Early Childhood
Development Centres
First Aid/CPR Certificate Apr. 2012
St. John’s Ambulance, Toronto, ON

14. Resume Sample
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Secretary, School Council May 2009 - Present
Centennial Public School, Toronto, ON
• Take minutes at monthly school council meetings and distribute minutes
to school principal, teachers and parents in a professional and timely
manner
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Leadership Certificate Apr. 2012
• Customer Service Certificate Dec. 2010
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

15. Things to remember…formatting
tips
• Include your name, phone number and email on all pages
• Use underlining, bold and capitals to enhance certain information
• Keep your resume to a maximum of two pages
• Use a font size of 11 or 12
• Write short bullet-like phrases beginning with action verbs; not
“responsible for”/ “duties include”
• List relevant experience and duties first
• Irrelevant duties and information omitted
• Spelling and grammar mistakes free; consistent formatting &
alignment
• Make your name stand out at top of page – 16-18 font size
• Targeted to the job/organization with a specific
objective

16. Resume Application Tips
By Email
• Subject of email = position you are applying
• Attach cover letter and resume as one MS Word document to the
email, and never copy and paste them into the body of the email
• In the body of the email,
Address the employer
Briefly mention the position you are applying for
Thank the employer for reviewing your application
Online
• Change your resume’s format into plain text or ASCII format before
copying and pasting it onto the online application
• Add Keyword Summary

17. It doesn’t stop there …
Writing a Cover Letter
• Keep your letter to one page in length with at least 4
paragraphs
• Address your letter to a specific person within the organization
(if you have information) – if none – could use Hiring Manager,
Hiring Committee, etc.
• If no name provided or title – use Dear Sir/Madam in your
salutation – do not use “To Whom It May Concern”
• Be specific about your qualifications - match requirements of
job – refer to the job posting for “keywords”
• No bullets – don’t repeat your resume!
• Do not start every paragraph with the word “I”

18. MORE TIPS FOR THE
COVER LETTER
• Make sure your address, date and employer’s name and
address are at the top of the letter – you can use “Header”
from resume
• Your name and signature must be at the bottom of the letter
• Don’t forget to talk about the company! – this is the most
important paragraph on the letter!!!!
• Proofread, and have someone else proofread for grammar
and spelling mistakes, alignment & formatting – show you
can write well & pay attention to the details
• Same font style and font size as resume, same margins

19. Four Elements
• Paragraph 1
– Position, how you heard about it, date and where you saw the ad
• Paragraph 2
– Skills, experience, education, achievements – short summary
• Paragraph 3
– Why this organization i.e., research organization and show your knowledge of
it’s mission, history, philosophy, values, awards, etc.
• Paragraph 4
– Ask for an interview - provide your contact information – thank the employer
* Be confident, show your personality, passion for the job/field,
compliments from supervisors, patients, team members

20. Sample Cover Letter
PAT M. SMITH
1234 College Street Cell: (416) 111-9999
Toronto, ON M4C 1Z1 psmith@centennialcollege.ca
January 15, 2013
Mrs. Chris Brown - Director
ABC Day Care Centre
3000 Lawrence Ave East
Scarborough, ON M1P2V5
RE: ECA position, Ref #1098
Dear Mrs. Brown:

21. Sample Cover Letter
Please accept the enclosed resume for the Early Childhood Assistant
position for ABC Day Care Centre, as advertised in the Toronto Star on
January 13, 2013. I am very interested in this exciting employment
opportunity and have enclosed my resume for your consideration.
I am a graduate from the Early Childhood Education Diploma program at
Centennial College where my educational studies provided me with both
hands on and theoretical experience in assessing the developmental needs
of children. As part of my program, I completed a field placement as an
ECE Assistant with ABC Day Care, and this position allowed me to gain
excellent skills in working with infants, toddlers and pre- schoolers in a
warm childcare setting. In addition, I have successfully taught children in
various creative and innovative activities to develop basic motor and eye-
hand coordination skills.

22. Sample Cover Letter
It would be a pleasure to be part of ABC Day Care Centre team. The
chance
to work with qualified educators and young children in a fun, interactive and
safe learning environment such as ABC Day Care Centre promotes would
be a privilege.
An interview at your convenience to further discuss my qualifications and
review my child care portfolio would be appreciated. I can be reached at
416-123-4567 or by e-mail at psmith@centennialcollege.ca . Thank you
for your time and consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Pat Smith
Pat Smith
Encl: Resume

23. In Summary
Always customize your cover letter and
resume to the job and organization!
Check for grammar and spelling mistakes!
PROOFREAD! PROOFREAD!

24. Services Offered by Career
Services
• Individual Appointments: resume, job search, interview preparation
including interview practice
• Career Fairs/Employers on Campus
• Online Resources via myCentennial > Student Service tab
– Place Pro - access to jobs advertised by employers
– Employment Success Pack - an all-in-one online resource including
sample résumés and cover letters targeting a variety of programs, tip
sheets on topics from job search and interview techniques to business
etiquette and accepting job offers
– Job Vision Guide - a comprehensive and detailed job search guide
Call 416-289-5000 ext. 8121 or ext. 2241 for an appointment
www.centennialcollege.ca/employment
employmentresources@centennialcollege.ca