Resumés & Cover Letters Foundations of Business Saint Michael’s College

Resumés are... a summary of your qualifications a brief history of your experiences a tool to alert prospective employers to your skills used to get you an interview, not to get a job Hermione Watson Home Address 12 Grimmauld Place ∙ Phoenix, CT ∙ (203) ∙ School Address Saint Michael’s College ∙ One Winooski Park, Box 7000 ∙ Colchester, VT ObjectiveMarketing Manager EducationSaint Michael’s College, Colchester, VT Bachelor of Arts in English Literature; anticipated May 2010 Minor in Marketing 3.5 cumulative GPA3.6 GPA in major HonorsDean’s List all semesters Saint Michael’s Scholarship, Academic years present SkillsTechnical: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Adobe Photoshop CS3 Languages: proficient in French Strong writing and organizational skills MarketingMarketing Assistant and Newsletter Editor, Watson Inc., Phoenix, CT Experience∙ Created the layout and graphic design of the monthly company newsletter. ∙ Interviewed, researched and composed articles for publication ∙ Planned and organized the annual corporate party. ∙ Assisted in the composition of numerous magazine advertisements for print. ∙ Collaborated in the design of marketing products for upcoming 2009 tradeshow. ∙ Designed motivational posters for workplace. Summer 2008 Other Human Resources Office Assistant, Saint Michael's College Employment∙ Opened and distributed incoming mail. ∙ Filed payroll paperwork. ∙ Entrusted with confidential information. ∙ Answered phones and provided administrative support. Academic years 2006 – present Nutritional Lab Assistant, Watson Inc., Phoenix, CT ∙ Assisted in the preparing of lab tests. ∙ Revised and organized lab files electronically. Summer 2007 Library Page, Albus Library, Gilderoy, CT ∙ Organized bookshelves and materials. ∙ Assisted clients in locating books. Fall Summer 2006 InterestsHiking, kayaking, skiing, travel, and literature. ReferencesAvailable upon request

General Resumé Tips Time to prepare vs. “3-10 second rule” Know your audience Keep to a reasonable length based on your experience (1-2 pages) Consistency throughout the document:  Capitalization (summer/Summer)  Abbreviations (VT/Vermont, St./Saint)  Years (four or two digits: 2009 or ’09) and months (spelled out, abbreviated or numbers: December, Dec., 12)

Resumé do’s and don'ts Do’s  proofread thoroughly  highlight experiences, both employment and volunteer  use a standard print style and font size, easy to read font  consistent format  use action verbs and be concise  use high quality paper in real employment situation Don'ts:  no typographical errors  for U.S.-based resumés, do not include personal information (height, weight, marital status, health, etc..)  stay away from hard-to read type  information should not be difficult to find  don’t exaggerate experiences

Identifying Data Name Addresses  current, campus, temporary  permanent Phone numbers  voic and answering machines  Clearly label cell number  check regularly  professional address

Career Objective Be clear  provide a definite objective Keep it short  don’t get too wordy, not more than one line Don’t be too restrictive  “To obtain the Sales Division Trainee position with XYZ Company in Boston” For the “real world”, can put a sentence in your cover letter instead, but create one for this class

Career Objective Examples Entry-level accounting staff A marketing position with an advertising or public relations agency An internship with a financial services organization A position in human resources working with benefits administration

Education College Name and Location Degree and Major Date of Graduation Minor, Concentration GPA, Awards, Honors Scholarships Relevant Courses Other Colleges, Study Abroad

Skills Technical/Computer  Hardware  Software  Operating Systems Language  Proficiency Level Laboratory Communication

Skills Examples Software Applications  Dreamweaver, SPSS, Microsoft Office Suite, FrontPage, Exchange, Internet Research Operating Systems  Macintosh, DOS, Windows Programming Languages  HTML, C++, COBOL Foreign Languages  Highly proficient in German  Working knowledge of Italian

Experience Employment vs. Experience Consistent format Reverse chronological order in each section Bullet points vs. paragraph format Job descriptions: use ACTION VERBS, not full sentences

Experience Example Sales and Public Relations Intern, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Burlington, VT Fall 2008  Sold subscriptions and advertising space  Composed press releases and public service announcements to publicize events  Oversaw production of posters, flyers and programs  Helped increase event attendance by 10%

Relevant vs. Other Experience Relevant  Experiences related to the position  Can be employment or volunteer Target your skills and responsibilities to the job Action verbs Other  highlight skills that may be useful to any employer (communication, integrity, loyalty)  Shows consistent employment Action verbs

Activities & Campus Involvement Campus Organizations Athletic Involvement Volunteer Experiences Community Organizations Artistic Endeavors Leadership Roles

Interests Things you like to do Comfortable talking with others about them Only one line Be politically correct

References “Available upon request” How many? Who? Permission to use Verbal vs. written List on separate page from resumé

Cover Letters are... A letter of introduction to a prospective employer Tailored to the available position Well-written, with no typographical errors Written in business format Focus attention on your experiences that relate directly to the employer’s needs Usually one page in length

Writing a Cover Letter Why you are writing Your qualifications and examples of experiences, expanding on resumé Refer to enclosed resumé Follow-up Business closing Remember to sign your letter