Cover Letters Davis High School Financial Literacy Course Let’s Get That Interview!

What is a Cover Letter? A cover letter is a 3 to 4 paragraph business communication that usually accompanies a job applicant's resume. The purpose of the cover letter is to interest the employer enough to want to get to know the applicant better through an interview.

Showings of a Cover Letter A well-written letter shows: Written Communication Skills Organization Professionalism

Reasons for a Cover Letter Job applicant has the opportunity to: Persuade an employer they are the most qualified for the job Demonstrate any research that has been done about the company Create a personal touch to the resume

Things to know about Cover Letters Introduce you to employers Catch their attention Persuade the potential employer that you are the person to interview. Always ask yourself the question: “Why am I the most qualified for this job?”

Parts of a Cover Letter Addresses Introduction Paragraph Body Paragraph Closing Paragraph

Hey Read About Me! Developing Your Resume Davis High School Financial Literacy Course

A person may have spent thousands of dollars on education and training and all he/she now has is 20 seconds to sell themselves to a prospective employer.

Resume A Resume is a personal summary of one’s background, experience, and accomplishments Goal – To interest employer enough to want to learn more

Categories for a resume: Heading An Objective Educational Background Special Skills Work Experience Honors Awards Activities Volunteer Work References

Heading A Heading includes the name, address, phone number, and an address Required List current and permanent address if applicable. Phone number should have voice mail with a professional message.

Objective An objective clearly describes the position one would like to attain. Should contain 3 characteristics: The job type The industry The geographical area

Educational Background Educational background is the history of a person’s education, with the most recent educational experience listed first. Required

Educational Background Include Degree (received or sought) Institution attended, date of graduation or an expected date (month and year only) Concentrations Special workshops or coursework related to job applying for Grade point average – if above a 3.0

Special Skills Special Skills are skills related specifically to the desired job. Skills include: Knowledge of software, programs Foreign Language Leadership Teamwork ETC…

Work Experience Work Experience should describe work responsibilities at each job. Most applicable – Fully describe List jobs with most recent first Position held Name and location of organization Dates of employment (month and year)

Work Experience Experience comes in many different forms: Part-time Seasonal jobs Internships

Honors, Awards, Activities, and Volunteer Work Honors, Awards, Activities, and Volunteer Work may also be mentioned particularly if the activities relate to the position sought. Leadership roles should be listed

References References should be available as an attachment, but not listed on the actual resume. 3 – 5 references Name Job Title Address Phone Number GET PERMISSION FIRST!!!

Most important, all items listed on a resume should be factual. Be HONEST, do not stretch the truth!

Action Words Action words are used to emphasize responsibilities related to work experiences. Action words bring life to tasks performed and communicate those skills to a potential employer Participated Generated Implemented Organized Utilized

Action Statements Action Statements are short statements that get to the point and describe a task or work experience. Action statements should include numbers or quantities of the item described.

DON’T DO IT!!! Things NOT To Put In A Resume

Do NOT Include Weight Height Social Security Number Birth Date Marital Status Photographs Salary Histories Reasons for Leaving Past Job Avoid using “I” statements Never list the date it was created