S ENIOR J OB S EARCH G ROUP : R ESUME W RITING Dane Furfaro Career Services Intern Strommen Career and Internship Center

S TROMMEN C AREER AND I NTERNSHIP C ENTER

W HAT IS A R ESUME ? a document to market your skills, experience, education and accomplishments to employers meant to get you an interview NOT your life history very concise and easy to scan for information

B ASIC G UIDELINES use consistency in your presentation utilize a 10 to 12 point, plain font organize your information to make it easy to read use your white space effectively proofread to check for errors

B ASIC G UIDELINES do not use high school information place your most relevant information towards the top include industry related keywords target it to the career field you are entering keep your margins even

C ATEGORIES Objective Summary of Qualifications Education Honors Related Coursework Internships Research Related Experience Additional Involvement Volunteer/Comm unity Service Skills Employment Activities

R ESUME S TATEMENTS resume statements are used to describe what you did on the job use past tense action verbs to describe what you did in each position or experience be descriptive and specific – who, what, where, when, how, results action verb + details + results = strong resume statement look at job postings to get ideas practice telling someone else what you did in each position or how you demonstrated each skill

P ERSONAL I NFORMATION LEAH M. HELPER 2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN ,

I NTRODUCTION Objective states what type of position you are looking for and what you will bring to the position Summary of Qualifications highlights your related qualifications for the position

E DUCATION Bachelor of Arts, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN May 20XX Major: PsychologyMinor: Communication Studies GPA: 3.7 Honors: Dean’s List, Psychology Honor Society, Augsburg Academic Scholarship Study Abroad: University of Galway, Galway, IrelandSpring 20XX

R ELATED E XPERIENCE Student Worker, Augsburg Admissions Office, Minneapolis, MN, Sept. 20XX – May 20XX Promoted the college to prospective students by giving campus tours and providing them with college information Provided administrative tasks including student mailings, filing, and data entry

O THER E XPERIENCE Server, Applebee’s, Minneapolis, MN, June 20XX – May 20XX Trained new employees and evaluated their performance Succeeded in providing excellent customer service to six tables of people by multitasking and prioritizing orders

A CTIVITIES Student Orientation Leader, Augsburg College, Sept. 20XX – May 20XX Served as a mentor for first-year students by introducing them to the college, showing them resources on campus and helping them meet new students Coordinated large on-campus events for 400 students to participate in

F INAL T IPS have your resume reviewed by a career specialist print on good quality paper look at sample resumes to get help Practice resume

Q UESTIONS ?

C OVER L ETTERS

W HAT IS A C OVER L ETTER ? is a letter that gives you a chance to elaborate on more skills you have that may not be specifically highlighted on your resume is meant to get the employer to read your resume

B ASIC G UIDELINES should always accompany a resume even when not requested needs to be well-written and in a professional tone do not start all of your sentences with “I” customize each letter with a job description of the organization you are applying for

H EADING your name and address should come first then put the date next the employer’s name, title, and work address always address your employer as: Dear Mr. or Ms. Last Name:

O PENING indicate the position you are applying for and how you came to learn about the position state why you are interested in the position say something you know or admire about the organization shows you have done your research

M IDDLE S ECTION ( S ) highlight your experience as it relates to the position provide them with the key skills you have that are mentioned in the job description be specific about how your achievements and education have prepared you for the position elaborate more in-depth than what is on your resume

C LOSING reiterate your interest in the position and thank them for their consideration state that you hope to discuss your qualifications in an interview say when you plan to follow-up with them and then do so

F INAL T IPS sign your letter with sincerely and your signature do your research on the employer PROOFREAD! use the same font and paper as your resume show enthusiasm for the position

Q UESTIONS ?

R EMINDERS Strommen Career and Internship Center Anderson Hall, Room Monday – Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.