Resume 101: Preparing Your Resume and Cover Letter
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This document provides an outline for a seminar on resume writing. It discusses the purpose of a resume as a marketing tool to get an interview. It covers what to include in a resume such as contact information, objectives or qualifications summaries, education, work history and formatting options. The document also discusses what not to include and best practices for resume submission and customizing it for specific job postings. Finally, it provides guidance on writing cover letters by focusing on why the applicant is qualified and following up.
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Resume 101: Preparing Your Resume and Cover Letter
- 1. Resume 101 Athens State Career Development Center
- 2. Seminar Outline The purpose of a resume How to format a resume What your resume needs to include What not to include on a resume Best practices for getting your resume noticed by employers BONUS!- Cover Letters
- 3. Purpose A resume is a marketing tool
- 4. Purpose
- 5. Purpose A resume is a marketing tool The goal is to get you an interview
- 6. What to Include Contact Information Objective vs. Summary of Qualifications “Preparing Your Resume” Handout page 1 & 2
- 7. Objective “Seeking a position in Human Resources where I can utilize my knowledge and expertise in the field.”
- 8. Summary of Qualifications “Results-oriented Human Resource Management Professional with 7+ years extensive experience handling full spectrum of human resource functions in a manufacturing and distribution environment. Strong knowledge of principles and procedures for recruitment process, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and business and management principles. Highly effective communicator capable of building strategic partnerships and relations at all organizational levels. Adept in developing guidelines and effective processes through proven analytical and problem resolution abilities.”
- 9. What to Include Contact Information Objective vs. Summary of Qualifications Education / Training Work History “Preparing Your Resume” Handout page 2 & 3
- 11. Formatting- Functional Source: AIDT Interview T.I.P.S.
- 12. What not to include Ask yourself 2 questions: 1. Is it job related? 2. Does it answer for the employer, “Why would I want to hire him or her?” Most likely, these things are “no” to the two questions: Hobbies Picture Objectives Color, word art or unusual fonts
- 13. Best Practices Handout for submitting online Make sure formatting remains- PDF your file Save as your First_Last Name, as it would appear on your contact information of your resume Customize for the job opening
- 14. Customize to the Job Posting
- 15. Cover Letters First Paragraph: How you found out about the opening and why you are interested 2nd Paragraph: Why you are uniquely qualified for the role. Focus on stating things that may not be easily captured in your resume Take the qualifications for the job and map them to yours Close: How you will follow up with them
- 17. Questions? Today’s Presentation Materials are posted on: http://www.slideshare.net/HorizonPoint Contact: Mary Ila Ward, Horizon Point Consulting, Inc. miw@horizonpointconsulting.com www.horizonpointconsulting.com
Editor's Notes
- Marketing tool
- Be your own cheerleader! If you won’t who willWith that being said, don’t ever exaggerate or fabricate the truthMarket yourself quick and from the get-go; the average time a recuiter spends looking at each resume is 6 seconds- count to six for themThe most important thing to highlight should be on top
- It is not to get you the job
- Refer to handout “Preparing Your Resume”contact info- make sure your email is appropriate, make sure you are answering the number that is listed there and that the message is appropriateGive example of hotmama@hotmail.com and lady saying “syke!” on the phone recordingThese are extreme examples, but it is worth your time to consider reviewing it. Objectives don’t answer the questions “What is in it for me” for employers, it answers “what you want” and that is not the best route, the best way is through a summary of qualifications that lends itself to explaining or answering the employers questions, what can this person do for me and my company?
- Even if you don’t have this much experience, you can see how this would draw employers’ attention more by answering the question “what can he/she do for us” as opposed to an objective that is all about you
- Refer to “Preparing Your Resume” Handout to capture all the information you need to includeEducation on top if different career field- when put put which first- If you are changing career fields and your education is relevant to what your applying (more so than your work experience, list it first, if the education you have is REQUIRED for the job, list it first)Example of client wanting to get into a higher edu. Position, the degree was the first thing listed as required. Training- provide lists of relevant training- especially if it is listed as a required or preferred qualification in the postingSAP or LMS see LinkedIn stuffExample of HR : if PHR or SPHR is required, have you received these or have you passed the body of knowledge test as a student, then include itExample of Accounting: Have you or are you pursuing your CPA license, list itWork experience- Include what is relevant and/or what establishes a consistent work history-discuss how based on where you are in your career, could dictate what is importantSomeone in their early 20s should probably put part time work that may not be specifically related to the job in which your applying to establish work historySomeone who has worked for 25 years doesn’t need to include part-time or unrelated work early in career (unless you are trying to transition back into something related to this experience)
- No more than 2 pages unless the specifically request a CV or the industry standard is moreSample here is chronological- traditional student just coming out of school, education at the top is most importantWhat could be added to this to standout to employer? Summary of Qualifications
- Most people focus on chronological, but if your jobs are:-a repeat several times of what you do-your trying to transition your skills into a job title that is different from the job titles in your experienceconsider a functional formatNo more than 2 pages unless the specifically request a CV or the industry standard is moreFirst paragraph/statement very similar to a summary of qualificationsAdding a summary of qualifications can combine the best of functional and chronological
- Cover submitting online- refer to handout -target- example: SIOP, asmartplace.com (by profession, location) -add keywords- will discuss when we cover targeting for specific postings -refresh your resume online sites -keep track of where you’ve posted and what login info isPdf- formatting can change with different versions of word- example of call I received about formatting being totally off- different versions of Word caused the errorSave it is as your nameCustomize to every job openingShow how to do this with a sample job posting
- Sample- Configuration Analyst 1- found by searching “logistics” on asmartplace.comWhat keywords, skills, education would you want to make sure you put on your resume? Where on your resume?