For High School Students RESUMES COVER LETTERS & THANK YOU NOTES OH MY!!!

A resume is a personal summary of your professional history and qualifications. It includes information about:  Your career goals  Education  Work experience  Activities  Honors  Any special skills you might have. WHAT IS A RESUME?

 Heading  Objective *  Education  Experience  Skills  References- in resume or as an addendum KEY COMPONENTS

 Personal Skills and Assets  Honors, awards and activities  Community service  Foreign language proficiency  Computer skills & applications  Volunteer experiences ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS

 Make your name stand out with a bold, larger font size  Use standard fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier  Type Size: Point  1 inch margins all around  White, beige, or light gray quality bond paper  Use a laser printer for best finish  Limit entry level resume to one typed page!  Conform to a standard resume format ! FORMATTING & APPEARANCE

Includes contact information:  Top of the page  Name: large and bold- so it stands out!  Address: street, town, state & zip code  Telephone number(s): with professional message  address: professional looking is not appropriate) check on a daily basis HEADING

SAMPLE HEADINGS Mike Jones 1 Meadow Way Altamonte Springs, FL (407) Susan Williams Current Address Permanent Address 325 Maple St 55 Sycamore Drive Orlando, FL Miami, FL (407) (305) CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL  (407) 

CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL (407) 

 What is an objective?  A one sentence summary of position desired.  Short  Specific  Tailored to the position  What does an objective do?  Clarifies the purpose of your resume  Presents a clear statement of your goals 9 OBJECTIVE

(Descriptive words) Seeking a….  Part-time position at spa or salon  Receptionist at a veterinarian’s office  Customer service representative at a call center  Hostess at a upscale restaurant  A part-time job or summer internship at a communications firm  Part-time retail sales position in a clothing store SAMPLE OBJECTIVES

A couple of sentences or bullets that describe what you are like as a person and how you do things, including personality traits, attitudes, work habits, etc. This is a useful section, especially if you do not have much work experience. Think of the skills you use in school that employers want!!! ▫ Punctuality, Time Management, Teamwork PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS

CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL (407)  _____________________________________________________ OBJECTIVE Dedicated, trustworthy individual seeking a part time position as a clerk in a dental office

Hard Working Responsible Dependable Goal Oriented Self-Starter Motivated Willing to Learn Quick Learner Reliable Team Player Works well with people Enthusiastic Punctual Friendly Flexible Outgoing Articulate Effective at time management Able to multitask Confident Honest SAMPLE PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS Try it now! List three to five of your personal qualities.

SAMPLE PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS SECTION PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others. SKILLS SUMMARY Detail oriented and well organized Excellent verbal and written communication Strong customer service focus Outgoing with a positive attitude Professional demeanor

 Name and location of the school  Major, minor and area of concentration (“SHOP”)  Graduation or anticipated graduation date  GPA – if 3.0 or higher  Relevant Coursework- See next slide for more information EDUCATION

CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL (407)  _____________________________________________________ OBJECTIVE Part time position as a clerk in a dental office PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others.

 List relevant courses that:  Help you stand out from the crowd  Have provided you with specific skills or knowledge Spanish (4 semesters) Computer Science Marketing Economics  Do not include courses that are part of a required curriculum- Ex. English  Include courses that are at an advanced level if they are relevant to the position- eg. Biology, Calculus EDUCATION- RELEVANT COURSES

SAMPLES OF EDUCATION SECTION EDUCATION Winter Park High SchoolWinter Park, FL Aug 2005–present Graduating May 2009 GPA 3.0 Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology; Marketing Received an award for being a best student EDUCATIONColonial High SchoolOrlando, FL High school student Graduate 2009 Composite Act score of 15 GPA of 3.1 Relevant Courses: Biology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Calculus

CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL (407)  ___________________________________________________________ OBJECTIVE Part time position as a clerk in a dental office PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others. EDUCATION Winter Park High SchoolWinter Park, FL Aug 2005–present Graduating May 2009 GPA 3.0 Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology, Marketing, Biology Received an award for being a best student

 Remember – Experience can be:  Paid part-time/full-time positions  Internships  Volunteer work/ Community Service *  Club/campus group involvement  Summer Jobs 20 EXPERIENCE

 Guidelines for duties, responsibilities & accomplishments  Include most relevant skills & qualities  Most relevant information comes first  Use strong action verbs- see handout  Provide evidence of skills & qualities by  Quantifying information  Acknowledging accomplishments & evaluations 21 EXPERIENCE

WORK EXPERIENCE 2005-present Pizza Paradiso Orlando, FL Waitress Provided excellent guest service Dealt with complaints Took orders and served guests in timely manner Handled cash SAMPLE EXPERIENCE SECTION VALLEY STATE BANK, Huntington, IN Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006 Provided friendly, professional customer service Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and deposits/withdrawals WORK EXPERIENCE

CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL (407)  ___________________________________________________________ OBJECTIVE Part time position as a clerk in a dental office PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others. EDUCATION Winter Park High SchoolWinter Park, FL Aug 2005–present Graduating May 2009 GPA 3.0 Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology, Marketing, Biology Received an award for being a best student WORK EXPERIENCE Valley State Bank, Huntington, IN Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006 Provided friendly, professional customer service Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and deposits/withdrawals

SPECIALIZED SKILLS Include skills that make you unique, such as computer skills, foreign language skills, or military service. Be specific in describing your special skills; name computer programs you know, how long you studied a foreign language, or your dates of military service.

SAMPLE SKILLS SECTION COMPUTER SKILLS Experienced with Macintosh, IBM PC, Windows XP, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Publisher LANGUAGES Bilingual Spanish and English

CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL (407)  ___________________________________________________________ OBJECTIVE Seeking a part time position as a clerk in a dental office PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others. EDUCATION Winter Park High SchoolWinter Park, FL Aug 2005–present Graduating May 2009 GPA 3.0 Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology, Marketing, Biology Received an award for being a best student WORK EXPERIENCE Valley State Bank, Huntington, IN Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006 Provided friendly, professional customer service Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and deposits/withdrawals COMPUTER SKILLS Experienced with Macintosh, IBM PC, Windows XP, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Publisher LANGUAGES Bilingual Spanish and English

 If your resume is strong, it is enough to state that references are available upon request or to include as an addendum  Choose references that are knowledgeable about your skills, abilities, and work ethics. Former employers, teachers, and counselors would be good references, your friends and relatives would not.  Always obtain permission from references in advance and provide them with current resume REFERENCES

SAMPLE REFERENCES REFERENCES Kristin Wilkin, English Teacher, Winter Park High School, Bob Jones, Supervisor, Valley State Bank, REFERENCES Kristin Wilkin English Teacher Winter Park High School Bob Jones Supervisor Valley State Bank

CHRIS SMITH 83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL (407)  ___________________________________________________________ OBJECTIVE Part time position as a clerk in a dental office PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others. EDUCATION Winter Park High SchoolWinter Park, FL Aug 2005–present Graduating May 2009 GPA 3.0 Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology, Marketing, Biology Received an award for being a best student WORK EXPERIENCE Valley State Bank, Huntington, IN Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006 Provided friendly, professional customer service Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and deposits/withdrawals COMPUTER SKILLS Experienced with Macintosh, IBM PC, Windows XP, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Publisher LANGUAGES Bilingual Spanish and English REFERENCES Kristin Wilkin, English Teacher, Winter Park High School, Bob Jones, Supervisor, Valley State Bank,

Your resume is your first impression to your prospective employer. It gets you the interview (or not)!  Can your resume pass The 20-Second Test? Resumes are usually scanned, not read in depth, so the reader should be able to pick out the most relevant details in 20 seconds or less.  Swap resumes (& cover letters) with a buddy and evaluate your partner’s work. If you were a hiring manager, what advice would you give?  Use the checklists on back of sample pages to help you. FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

31 REMEMBER Always submit a cover letter with your resume A resume does not get you a job… A resume does get you an interview. And, putting time and consideration into your resume is one of the best ways to prepare for your interviews! Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!

COVER LETTER The cover letter will:  Introduce you as a candidate.  Clarify the position for which you are applying for.  Enable you to highlight your strengths.  Ask an employer to take action.

COVER LETTER WRITING TIPS  Your cover letter should be job-centered not self-centered.  The cover letter should be 1 page maximum.  Use regular business letter format.  Always address the letter to a specific person, not “To Whom It May Concern.”  Research the name of the contact person or hiring manager.  You may use, “To the Hiring Manager” or “To the Selection Committee Chairperson” if needed.  Proofread and check your letter for proper grammar.

BREAKING IT DOWN Your Contact Information Name Address City, State, Zip Code Phone Number Address Date Employer Contact Information (If you have it) Name Title Company Address City, State, Zip Code Salutation Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name: Anita Job 1234 Street Avenue Wilmington, CA March 13, 2012 Sally Boss, Hiring Manager Kaiser Permanente Vermont Harbor City, CA Dear Ms. Boss:

FIRST PARAGRAPH  The first paragraph should include information on why you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for and how you will follow-up.  I would like to express my interest in a Medical Secretary position with Kaiser Permanente. I am confident that Kaiser’s values and objectives would highly complement my own strengths and enthusiasm. I would like to be considered for your Medical Secretary position.

MIDDLE PARAGRAPH  The next section of your cover should describe what you have to offer the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are applying for. Remember, you are interpreting your resume, not repeating it.  Evidence of my skills and qualifications can be seen in my responsibilities as a Program Assistant at Los Angeles Harbor College where I provided customer service and scheduled counseling appointments. My educational background in Computer Applications & Office Technology-Medical Office Assistant has been excellent preparation for a career with Kaiser Permanente.

FINAL PARAGRAPH  Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position. Include information on how you will follow-up.  Please review the enclosed resume and consider my application for your Medical Secretary position. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the positive contributions I would offer as a member of your organization. To reach me for an interview, please contact me at (555) or Thank you for your

COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE & SIGNATURE Complimentary Close Respectfully yours, Signature Handwritten Signature (for a mailed letter) Type Signature Respectfully yours, Anita Job

1111 Figueroa Place Wilmington, CA June 20, 20XX Ms. Karen Fields Human Resources Director Kaiser Permanente 2075 Palos Verdes Drive North Lomita, CA Dear Ms. Fields: I am applying for the medical secretary position that you advertised through the Job Placement Center at Los Angeles Harbor College. My resume is enclosed. Your position requires skill in various accounting and medical software programs. My Associate in Science Degree, Option in Medical Office Assistant emphasized the understanding and use of Billing software and Intuit QuickBooks software. I have one year of experience working in an office setting with an increasing level of responsibility. My experience as a Program Assistant gave me the ability to work well in a busy office setting and the interpersonal skills to assist the public. My background and career goals match your job requirements well. Your company has an excellent reputation not only for its services but as an employer. I am confident I would make a lasting contribution to your organization. Thank you for your consideration. To reach me for an interview, please contact me at (555) or I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Anita Job

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES  Susan Ireland’s Resume Site  Resume Resource  Sample Resumes  CalWORKs/Job Placement website

 Always send a handwritten note thanking the hiring manager/interviewer for his/her time, and reiterate the following:  The position for which you have applied.  That you will be in contact for an update.  Your name (sign it / write it!) THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!