Resumes, Cover Letters & References Jeremiah 29:11

What is a resume? Your first meeting with an employer Advertisement Marketing tool Calling card Qualifications brief NOT an autobiography or a curriculum vitae

How do you use a resume? To obtain an interview To articulate unique skills, quantifiable outcomes and your value proposition To track your job history, education, training events, achievements and awards/honors—the facts To articulate and remind you what you are “selling” To narrow your job focus

The Resume Writing Process An “everything” resume or the Master Resume All the experiences, skills, activities and accomplishments that help define YOU A history from which to pick and choose what to include in your “target” resumes The “specific” resume or the Targeted Resume Research the employer, i.e., product or service, culture, values, mission, history Study the job description Highlight strengths AND weaknesses Keywords: nouns and verbs Demonstrate by “telling your story”

Resume Format: Chronological Reverse chronological order (2014-Present, 2013, 2012, 2011) New grads generally list education first, otherwise it typically follows work history Include internships, volunteer work and other experiences Skills and accomplishments of each (metrics?) Advantages and disadvantages Most common and familiar Employment gaps emphasized Skills not as easily highlighted

Resume Format: Functional Organized by skill sets and accomplishments Cluster style by set, i.e., clerical, administration, customer service, management Advantages and disadvantages Used by career changers and those with little work experience Employment gaps are not as noticeable Can raise “red flags”

Resume Format: Combination Uses features of both Presents skills and experiences as themes Positions and companies are still organized in reverse chronological order Match skills and achievements to job requirements, i.e., Profile Summary, Skill Highlights, Achievement Highlights Advantages and disadvantages Versatile Impactful More effort

Appearance Visual impact! Good use of “white” space (3-5 foot test) Even margins ( inches) Font size (10-12) Font choice ( Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, Verdana ) Format needs consistency: indentations, bullets, hyphens, commas, dashes, bold, capital letters, underlining (do not use when scannable resumes are requested) Length (1-2 pages; Dick Johnson Resume, Page 2) Check and double check!

Content Accurate & honest Professional & phone message Keywords, specific nouns & action verbs Use a thesaurus & avoid abbreviations Include GPA or Major GPA (3.0 or above) Avoid unnecessary repetition Quantify, i.e., Implemented lesson plans across all disciplines for 1 st, 3 rd, and 4 th grade students with classes ranging in size from students. Think STAR: situation or task, action, results for maximum

Additional Thoughts References Career portfolio (keep adding to it) LinkedIn profile (Join Alumni LinkedIn Group) Think like an employer! Network, network, network

What is a cover letter? Expresses your motivation for applying, i.e., letter of application Convinces the employer to read your resume Makes connections Draws employer’s attention to specific qualifications Provides a sample of your written communication Establishes your credibility Identifies the “next step”

Cover Letter Tips Address the letter to an individual, if at all possible Keep the letter to one page or less and only 3-5 paragraphs Customize for each application Stress the positive Use language consistent with the job description Appeal to employer culture, values and goals

Strategies for Future Success Know your strengths and weaknesses Work on developing your strengths Compensate for your weaknesses Practice communicating your strengths in both written and verbal form Elevator speeches Mini-resume card

Judson Resources MyJudson/Student Success Center/Online Career Center Illinois Small College Placement Association CareerFest in the Spring Semester Alumni LinkedIn Searches

Teacher Credential Files The following information is located on Land a Job in Your Field in the Online Career Center: Cover Sheet Why is this sheet helpful? ( Used to inform districts ) Content Sheet What makes up a file? ( See Content Sheet ) How is it stored and transmitted? ( Hard drive, flash drive, often posted on Regional Office of Education website ) When does it need to be updated? ( Every couple years or more, depending upon professional accomplishments )

Additional Online Resources Directory of Regional Offices of Education: Illinois Education Job Bank K-12 Job Spot US Department of Education Ten Best Teacher Job Sites: