This document provides information about resumes, cover letters, and applying for jobs online. It discusses different resume formats, components of an effective resume, tips for fine-tuning your resume, and different types of cover letters. It also describes how applicant tracking systems (ATS) work and tips for ensuring your resume is ATS-friendly. The document lists upcoming workshops from the Lake County Workforce Development and McHenry County Workforce Network and provides success stories.

1. Resumes, Cover Letters & Applying Online
brought to you by
Bruce A. Bennett
Career Coach Corner
March 31, 2022
St. Joseph Employment Ministry

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God our Father and Creator, You bestow upon us
gifts and talents to develop and use
in accord with your will.
Grant to me, through the intercession of St. Joseph
the Worker - as model and guide - employment and
work, that I may, with dignity, provide for those that
depend on me for care and support.
Grant me the opportunities to use my energy,
talents, and abilities for the good of all and the glory
of Your name. Amen.
Opening Prayer to St. Joseph the Worker

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Sherry Hedenberg, an SJEM “graduate”, who recently started at Dairy.com, alerted us to a
number of job openings there in a variety of functional areas there:
(Customer Support, Product Management, Sales & Marketing & Software
Development)
Many of these openings feature remote work opportunities.
You can check out the job descriptions at: https://www.dairy.com/careers/
If interested, send your resume to Sherry at: MarketingCampaigns4u@gmail .com ,
with the subject line: Dairy.com and the Job Title.
…and she will make a referral and forward your resume on to HR.
“ Dairy.com is the leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions provider to the dairy industry. Our suite
of sourcing, trading, transaction facilitation, data processing and data analytics solutions are trusted to
power certain mission-critical activities. Today our solutions and services help clients solve real and
complex supply chain problems.”
Dairy.com: Job Openings

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April Workshops (Partial Listing) :
Accelerate Your Job Search Tues, 4/5, 1- 2:30 PM @ Lake County Job Center (Virtual/In-Person)
Get on the fast track with secrets and strategies from workforce professionals to help you put your job search into high gear.
IT Career Lab Information Session Tuesdays, 4/5, 12, 19 & 26 11:00 AM - 12:30 AM @ online
Interested in an information technology career? Whether beginner or an expert, IT Career Lab can help find your tech career fast! Earn globally-
recognized Cisco and Microsoft certifications in just 16 weeks. Attend this info session to learn more about this hands-on training program (& how to
receive a free laptop)!
Personal Brand & Resume April 12, 1- 2:00 PM In-person or online at the Job Center of Lake County (Registration is required)
Are you seeking a job or changing careers? Regardless of your job title or field, you have a personal brand. Learn how to customize your resume and
other written tools to help you land a great job!
Resume Assistance Wednesdays 4/13, 20 & 27 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM @ Job Center of Lake County in Waukegan
Use our computers to create a new resume or bring an electronic copy of your resume to edit. Seating limited. Registration is required. Call 847-377-
3450 to reserve a seat! Arrive promptly at 1:00 PM.
Virtual Interviewing April 19, 1 - 2:00 PM PM In-person or online at the Job Center of Lake County (Registration is required)
Virtual interviews are becoming a staple of the candidate recruiting process. Learn the necessary tips and tricks to interview by video successfully.
More Info, Sessions & Registration at:
https://www.lakecountyil.gov/393/Calendars
Lake County Workforce Development:

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April 28 - GUIDE TO THE WINNING INTERVIEW
Your resume gets you the interview, but you need to ace the interview itself in order
to be hired. Carla Schroeder, Talent Acquisition Director, will give us a
recruiter’s perspective on the interview process from preparation, to the interview
itself, to the follow up. She’ll also share the “inside scoop” on things that drive
recruiters crazy during the interview phase! Please join us - it’s free and all are
welcome!
Pre-register using the link at: https://stjoseph-libertyville.org/employment-ministry-1
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about
joining the meeting.
For info & to register for our next meeting, just Google:
“St. Joseph Employment Ministry”
Next SJEM meeting:

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Email: 1) Meeting Reminders
2) Opportunities & Resources
(Training, Job openings, etc.)
3) Networking List :
Why Join St. Joe’s Employment Ministry ?
Most
Recent
Session
Name Ph.
Topic & Date
Functional Target
Area
Email Previous
Company

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Mailing List
If you would like to get on our mailing list,
please send an email to:
johnfjennings1@gmail.com
Please include the following:
- Your Name
- Email address
- Phone No.
- Target Job Function (e.g. Accountant, Marketing Mgr., etc.)
- Previous Company

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Introduction & Notes for Workshop
Introduction
MCWN Volunteer since 2010 & Contractor from 2018
Career Coach Corner Blogger & Presenter
B² Discuss LinkedIn Podcaster
General Notes for Today
My contact info is on last slide
Presentation file available on SlideShare
Workshop is interactive, Q/A & Parking lot
Red Arrows
Social Media Revolution

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Outline for Workshop Today
Resume
Different Formats
Components
General Points & Mistakes
Fine Tuning Your Resume
Cover Letters
Standard Format
Comparative Style
Applying On-line
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
Identify specific ATS vendors

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Goals for Workshop
Goals
Identify core elements of resume and cover letter
Restate job responsibilities into STARs
Use of Job Boards and Employer ATS
Know Thyself – Personal Intelligence

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Resources Available On-line

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Not all Resumes are Created Equal
Paradigm for job search changed radically
One resume does not work
Customize resumes to fit job posting
Keywords from description must be in resume
Detail work experience history by dates
Self Awareness

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Not all Resumes are Created Equal

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Not all Resumes are Created Equal
What do you want?
Identify five job titles
Determine target companies
Research what skills are needed for those jobs
Create a spreadsheet with 3 columns
List your skills and which skills are required
Ascertain any shortfalls
Decide on how to address issue
Education or Training?
Catherine Breet Byers suggests 3 simple steps

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Resume Formats
Chronological
Details work experience history by dates
Most common & widely accepted
Functional
Highlights skills and expertise
Infographic
Graphic, colorful, & creative
Marketing, graphics designer & graduates
Main drawback is not ATS friendly format
Plain Text

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Resume Formats
Chronological Resume Format
Functional Resume Format
Infographic Format
Plain Text Format
Plain Text Format File

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Resume Components
Contact information
Name
Address (printed vs. digital)
Phone number
Provide only one phone number, not labeled
Use format 234-567-9876
Email
Update email from AOL or Yahoo
Provide a gmail address to be more “current”
LinkedIn URL

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Resume Components
Career or Professional Summary
Elevator speech scripted out
Skills, Keywords or Buzzwords and phrases relevant to industry
& skills
Work Experience
Company, Job Title and Dates (Month/Year)
Description about company and/or URL if not easily recognised
Achievements, not duties or responsibilities
Previous performance appraisals helpful
More bullets for current position
STARs or CARs

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Work Bullets - Experience Metrics
Maintained accounting records for AR and AP
Managed 1,000+ AR & AP accounts working directly with CFO
Answered the phone
Resolved customer issues through inbound calling system,
averaging 60 calls a day
Sold computers and printers to customers
Practiced consultative sales techniques to provide customers
with their hardware & software needs
Managed and supervised 10 staff members
Coached and developed 22 direct reports into supervisory role
positions

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Resume Components
Begin bullet points with an action verb
Use the right action verb to make a difference
Bloom's Taxonomy Action Verbs

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Resume Components
Education
College Degree, Activities, or GPA if recent grad
Acceptable to omit year from education
Continuing Education
Seminars, Workshops, Special training
Military Experience
Rank, Duties, Responsibilities, Relevant Experiences
Technical or Computer Skills
Community Activities
Volunteer Experience

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General Points
White space
Two pages maximum
Consistent font type
Print pages on standard paper 20# or 32-36#
resume paper
Amanda Augustine Suggests Resume Advice
Andrew LaCivita - 3 Steps to a Perfect Resume

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Typical Resume Mistakes
Typos
Objective
References available upon request
ABC’s of references
Providing a Home and Cell phone number
25+ years of experience
Putting a 3 page resume on 2 pages
Distracting formats and/or fonts
Overused stale terms
Responsible for or Duties include

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Fine Tune Your Resume
Chrome extension – www.grammarly.com

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Fine Tune Your Resume
Grammarly as Microsoft addin

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Fine Tune Your Resume
These websites help refine your resume
Match your key skills with job description
Empower you to get past ATS robots
www.jobscan.co
https://cultivatedculture.com/resume-scanner/
https://theprofessional.me
https://skillsyncer.com/
This is How Job Scan Works

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JobScan.co
 www.jobscan.co - Five scans per month

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JobScan.co

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JobScan.co

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JobScan.co

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JobScan.co

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JobScan.co

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JobScan.co

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Cultivated Culture

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Cultivated Culture

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Cultivated Culture

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Cultivated Culture

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Cultivated Culture

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theprofessional.me

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theprofessional.me

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theprofessional.me

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theprofessional.me

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theprofessional.me

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SkillSyncer

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SkillSyncer

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SkillSyncer

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SkillSyncer

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SkillSyncer

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SkillSyncer

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SkillSyncer

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Cover Letters
Cover letters beg the question - to include or not to include?

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Cover Letters
Cover letters beg the question - to include or not to include?

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Cover Letters
A recent Ladders article stressed several
changes in hiring practices post Covid-19
Recruiters say if you don’t do this, you may as
well not apply for the job
Survey by TopResume revealed these findings
A cover letter is more likely to be read - 48%
Candidate’s thank you note is more significant - 68%
Employment gaps no longer have red flag - 87%

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Cover Letters
What function does it serve?
Introduce yourself to the recruiter
State your interest in the position
Relate why you are a good fit
How to write a cover letter by ZipJob

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Cover Letters
Provides additional means of communication
Gaps in employment
Why Company or position interests you
Relevant experience or industry knowledge
Bullet points to highlight skills
No more than a few paragraphs

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Cover Letters
Types of Cover Letters
Traditional format
Comparative format
Pain Letter by Liz Ryan
4 Sentence Cover Letter by Andrew LaCivita

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Traditional Cover Letter Example
Header information matches resume

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Traditional Cover Letter Example
Bullets and closing statement

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Traditional Cover Letter Example

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Comparative Cover Letter Example
Comparative Cover Letter

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Applicant Tracking Systems - ATS

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What is an ATS?
Human Resource Information System (HRIS)
Vast majority of major companies use an ATS
Software that enables the electronic handling of
HR documentation
Cradle to grave capability
Tracks hiring compliance for company
Taking the human out of Human Resources

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How Does an ATS Work
Scans resumes to qualify candidates
Parses your resume into the system
Performs data mining and collecting
Matches keywords in job description
Ranks candidates by resumes & responses

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How Does an ATS Work
Can manage many tasks
Identify top candidates/Reject unqualified
Send applicant emails
Schedule interviews
Onboarding process
Tracks reviews, promotions, terminations

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ATS Pitfalls
Many ATS cannot read PDF, unless specifically
directed to submit PDF, submit a docx
Word Docx not Doc format
Resume templates
Cannot read tables or multiple columns
Cannot read wording in header & footer
Misspelled words are not recognized

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ATS Pitfalls
Single column format using left justification
Avoid borders, lines and underline usage
Serif fonts are not accurately read
Times New Roman
Sans Serif fonts are better
Arial, Helvetica, Cambria, Gotham, Trebuchet MS, etc.
Size does matter - 11 or 12 pt font is better
Margins of 1” preferred, .75” at the maximum

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ATS Resume Friendly Tips
Use standard terminology for section titles
Work Experience not Career Achievements
Education not Professional Training
Keyword matches found in job description
Name document for relevant position
BruceBennettManager.doc, not resume.doc
Use full name instead of acronym ION
Interactive Opinion Network, then (ION)

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Applicant Tracking Systems

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Applicant Tracking Systems

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McHenry County Employer ATS

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McHenry County Employer ATS

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McHenry County Employer ATS

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McHenry County Employer ATS

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McHenry County Employer ATS

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McHenry County Employer ATS

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Upload Your Resume On-line
Glassdoor - https://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm
Indeed - https://www.indeed.com/
ZipRecruiter - https://www.ziprecruiter.com
Careerbuilder - https://www.careerbuilder.com
Monster - https://www.monster.com
Dice - https://www.dice.com/
Mashable - http://jobs.mashable.com/
Slideshare - https://www.slideshare.net/
JobServe - https://www.jobserve.com
O*NET Online - https://www.onetonline.org/
Stella - https://www.stella.ai/welcome
University & College Career Centers

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Find Jobs On-line
See Previous Slide
Corporate Website
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
And many, many others!
Ladders.com
Nexxt.com
Resume-now.com

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Wordle.net
A visual representation of your industry or career

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Video & Blog Links
Social Media Revolution - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k_G_h41ZaQ
Catherine Breet Byers - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8od1iolitg&feature=related
Amanda Augustine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP-S9rvAYYo
Andy LaCivita - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwEsfXS6y8
Donna Svei, Avid Careerist - https://www.avidcareerist.com/2015/06/08/does-resume-need-cover-letter/
Zip Recruiter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHg0b7Nai6c
Pain Letters - https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/11/26/how-to-use-pain-letters-in-your-job-
search/#310855967b44 –
Andy LaCivita - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfmVSFg_zSI
ATS Do’s and Don’ts - https://www.resumetoreferral.com/ats-resumes/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/do-employers-care-about-cover-letters

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Success Stories
Elena B. – Manufacturing
Attended Resume workshop and worked 1 on 1
Rafael R. – Accounting
Attended workshops and one on one LinkedIn Critique
Liz F. – Graphics Designer
Attended workshops, incorporated concepts and was hired
Tom W. – Customer Service Professional
Attended workshops and was hired after three interviews
Michael B. – Marketing
Incorporated my recommendations from workshops
I want to add your name to the list!

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McHenry County Workforce Network
April Calendar of Events & Services
Personalized Job Search Assistance Services
To sign up, request the professional directly by email
Resume Critique
30-45 minute sessions
Dean Eitel
April 11 & 18
10:00 - 12:00
Email: deitel@depaul.edu
Resume Critique
30-45 minute sessions
Kathy Hayhurst
April 7
9:00 - 11:30
Email: : mcwnkmh@gmail.com

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Upcoming Webinar Events
Network to Success Job Club
Job Search for Over 50
Wednesday April 13, 2022 at 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Guide to a Winning Interview
Monday April 11, 2022 from 10:00am to 12:00pm
LinkedIn for Your Job Search
Monday April 18, 2022 at 10:00am to 12:00pm
LinkedIn Strategic Guidelines
Wednesday April 20, 2022 at 10:00am to 12:00pm

83. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn
Bruce A. Bennett
Mobile: 815-302-9552
Email: BABennett73@gmail.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bruceabennett
Career Coach Corner Blog: http://bruce73.wordpress.com/
https://bruce73.wordpress.com/upcoming-presentations/
Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/b-squared-linkedin