How to Be Professional Day Two Résumés and Cover Letters

Discuss with your group Is it okay to exaggerate on your résumé? Discuss with your group

1. Name and Contact Information 2. Objective 3. Education 4. Experience 5. Skills 6. Honors/ Awards 7. References  available upon request Basic Résumé Outline

First and last name Full address Phone (landline or cell, whichever is best to reach you) Email address 1. Name & Contact Info

Show your interest and enthusiasm in the job, school, etc Show your interest and enthusiasm in the job, school, etc., whatever you are applying for Be realistic Make sure your objective fits the employer/ university to whom you are giving the résumé 2. Objective

3. Education School most recently attended Awards and Honors from the school Any classes taken outside of school Optional: GPA, SAT/ACT Scores, Other Standardized Test Scores 3. Education

4. Experience List any paid or volunteer work you may have had Include: The name of the employer, location (city, state), dates worked, the position held, and at least two or three bullet points of your responsibility and achievements Also include participation in afterschool or other out-of-school programs. Any activity that helped you learn a new skill can be listed here. 4. Experience

Have you led a team, organized an event, or built something Have you led a team, organized an event, or built something? What skills did you need to accomplish it? Computer skills (Ex. Microsoft Office), languages you may speak, experience with specialized equipment, other special talents or knowledge that you have in a specific area 5. Skills

List the name of any awards you have received and the dates you received them 6. Honors/ Awards

Typically, you do not want to include your references with your résumé Typically, you do not want to include your references with your résumé. Instead, prepare a separate list of references to give your employer should they request it. References can be former supervisors, teachers, coaches, youth workers, or mentors who know you well enough to speak of your abilities. Do not use your family members as references. *Always ask beforehand if they are OK with being a reference for you* 7. References

Do’s & Don’ts

DO’s: Keep your résumé to one page Use an 11 or 12 point type font in the Arial or times new roman font style Use bold/caps to make all section headings stand out Make sure your résumé is well organized, accurate, and easy to read Use résumé quality paper in white or ivory if giving a résumé in person Double check spelling and grammar Keep your résumé up to date DO’s:

DON’TS: Don’t use the word “résumé” Don’t use the word “I” Don’t include any salary information Don’t give personal statistics or profile (height, weight, etc.) Don’t include photographs *(Funny Story by Ms. R)* Don’t use too many font styles or sizes Don’t make anything up DON’TS:

A bad résumé will obliterate your chances, but a good résumé gets you in the door for that interview. It is a glimpse of your life, but ultimately you have to sell yourself as hirable. Why it matters

When applying for a job, a cover letter should be sent or posted with your résumé. A cover letter is a (typically) one-page document that explains to the hiring manager why you are an ideal candidate for the job. It goes beyond your résumé to explain in detail how you could add value to the company. A Cover Letter

Basic Cover Letter Outline 1. Opening 2. Reason for writing 3. Introducing yourself 4. Talking about your education and experience 5. Why you are the best for this position 6. Closing Comments 7. Signing Off Basic Cover Letter Outline

1. Opening To Whom It May Concern, / Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Mr./Mrs. _________ *Typically, you are going to know who you are addressing, but other times you will be sending a cover letter to the HR department at a company 1. Opening

“I am writing to express my interest in the position of…” “I wish to apply for the position of...” “I am writing in response to your advertisement for...” “I am writing to inquire as to whether there are any vacancies...” 2. Reason for writing

“I am currently working as…./ I am currently studying...” “At present, I am working for ____ where I am responsible for...” “I have been working in my current position for the past [time]...” “I have recently graduated from...” 3. Introducing Yourself

4. Talking about your education & experience “I graduated from [university] with a degree/Master’s degree in…” “The nature of my studies has prepared me well for a position such as this one.” “As you can see from my résumé, I have worked…and gained experience...” “My mother tongue is English and I am fluent in both Spanish and French.” 4. Talking about your education & experience

5. Why you are the best for this position “I feel like I am suitable for this role as I have a great deal of experience in…” “I consider myself to be a friendly, efficient, enthusiastic worker.” “I believe I would be the ideal candidate based on the fact that I...” “I am very keen to work for an ambitious company such as yours.” 5. Why you are the best for this position

“Thank you for taking the time to consider my application.” “I am available for contact and/or interview at any time.” “If you wish to contact me, you can do so on [phone number/ email]” “Should you require further information, do not hesitate to contact me” 6. Closing Comments

7. Signing Off “I look forward to hearing from you.” “Yours sincerely,” “Thank you for your consideration,” 7. Signing Off

You are applying for your dream job, but you need to plan out what to say on your cover letter! Create an outline for these Cover Letter categories: Introducing yourself, Talking about your education & experience, and Why you are the best for this position. Under each category, include a bullet list of at least THREE things you would want to include on your cover letter. In-Class Assignment