Professional Development 101 Writing Resumes, Cover Letters, Searching for that Job

FIRST, know 3 functions of cover letters (employers have 3 questions - must be addressed in 3 separate paragraphs): 1. What do you want? (I am applying for position X) 2. Why should I care? (These skills/abilities can help your company) 3. What do you want me to do? (Please contact me at your convenience)

SECOND, know the 3 functions of resumes (areas of evaluation): 1. This is my work experience (how motivated I am/have been) 2. This is the level of my education (how able I am to learn, how trainable) 3. This is my character (how I fit/can fit in your organization)

THIRD, understand the professional code of conduct necessary, and carry out a job search plan: 1. Define and sell skills, show diversification, show ability 2. Show clear intent, but with flexibility/adaptability 3. Show motivation/assertiveness 4. Show respect (always listen first), be tactful 5. Engage in a process (processes can be improved) – always learn from each experience (use what works, improve what does not)

Resume Guidelines: 1. Your name should stand out. You should have your contact information close to your name. 2. Write in technical form. Be blunt, not wordy. Be clear and concise. Use a dictionary and thesaurus to help with wording. This will broaden your vocabulary and perhaps avoid “common” language. 3. You should keep a consistent format throughout your resume.

Resume Guidelines: 4. Never abbreviate! People do not often know the acronyms placed in resumes. Many do not even know the abbreviations of states let alone where they are. Do you know the different states abbreviations (MO, MI, MN, MT, MS)? Many people do not know what SPC, CNC, CAD, JIT, or ERP are. 5. Never over-exaggerate! Remember, anything placed in a resume is subject to be challenged in an interview.

Resume Guidelines: Resume Guidelines: 6. Spell-check your resume. It goes without saying that misspellings reflect a degree of ignorance in the individual. With today’s technology, misspellings should never happen. Do not skip this simple step. 7. Have others proofread your resume. Often, thoughts you are trying to convey are clear to you, but are not clear to others.

Resume Guidelines: 8. Fill the page. Format your resume so that the appearance is organized and easy to read. Stick with standard fonts such as Times, Arial, or Universe. Many large companies will input the resumes in a scanner to read and search out for certain criteria as a means of screening. 9. Organize headings in a way that include education and all related items, work experience and all related items, and other areas. Usually headings include OBJECTIVE, EDUCATION, COURSE WORK IN MAJOR, SKILLS, WORK EXPERIENCE, AWARDS AND HONORS, PERSONAL INTERESTS, PERSONAL PROFILE, ACTIVITIES, and AFFILIATIONS.

Resume Guidelines: 10. Content under headings should include THE WHAT (degree, position, title, skill, award), in most cases THE WHERE (company, institution, club, organization), WHERE THE WHERE IS (city, state), THE WHEN (month, year), and THE SPECIFICS (i.e. Duties, details). 11. References are usually on a separate page. You might send a list of references with your resume to avoid unnecessary time spent by managers to request that information. The cookie-cutter approach on many resumes is to place a “References available upon request” statement at the bottom of the resume page. This is not only a waste of your time but is also a waste of management’s time as well (they want to find someone a quickly and easily as possible). Why wouldn’t you send references with your resume? Be sure to have your name and address on your references in case they become separated from your resume.

Interview Guidelines: 1. Tour/shadow informally beforehand 2. Show up 15 minutes early. 3. Be prepared for the standard questions. 4. Never ask “How much?” 5. Be prepared to demonstrate ability (writing, testing, etc.) 6. Be prepared to ask them questions.

Interview Guidelines: 7. Be intuitive, get personal, but not too personal 8. Don’t rush to answer 9. Look at the interviewers 10. Be inquisitive (be curious about operations) 11. Take copies of records (portfolio of what is important, resume) 12. Expect to be tested 13. Follow-up thank you – short, sweet, to the point – mistake free