1. Jennifer Greenwood Career Specialist RESUMES, COVER LETTERS, AND INTERVIEWING

2.  Helping students gain a better understanding of how to compose an effective, professional resume and cover letter  Provide an introduction to the process of a professional interview.  At the conclusion of the lesson, students should know how to:  construct a resume for effective display of information and ease of reading  compose a cover letter that is concise and informative  know what to wear to an interview, how to behave, and what types of questions to expect from the interviewer/s LESSON OBJECTIVES

3. Tips and Tricks RESUMES

4.  Keep a folder of everything!  Use bulleted lists  Use action words  Never use abbreviations or acronyms  Keep resume in the correct tense  Highlight your strengths  Use keywords from the job posting  White space is good –try not to cram too much information onto a page. A resume should be an overview, not a detailed essay  Stick to the basics  Be specific  Spell check!! RESUMES GENERAL PRACTICES

5.  Your contact information  How professional is your e-mail address?  A summary  Current school information  Related work experience  Extracurricular activities  Honors, Awards, Recognitions  Skills, Abilities  References  Professional, not just personal RESUMES THINGS TO INCLUDE

6. Tell me what you notice. What do you like? What do you not like? EXAMPLE RESUME

7. Tell me what you notice. What do you like? What do you not like? EXAMPLE RESUME

8. Tell me what you notice. What do you like? What do you not like? RESUME EXAMPLE

9. What should you include? COVER LETTERS

10.  Include your contact information  Consider using a similar header for your cover letter and resume  Employer Contact information  Greeting  Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Last Name  Dear Hiring Manager  Try to avoid “To Whom It May Concern” Why?  First Paragraph  Include information on why you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for and where you found the job listing. Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have one.  Yes, tactful name dropping is okay!  Middle Paragraph(s)  Describe what you have to offer the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are applying for.  This should not be your resume in paragraph form. Just hit the high points. COVER LETTERS

11.  Final Paragraph  Thank them for considering you for the position  Let them know you’re looking forward to hearing back from them, or that you welcome an opportunity to further discuss your qualifications/interest in the position.  Let them know how you will follow up.  Are you calling next week? Are you planning to wait it out, letting them make contact first? Will you send a follow up email?  Closing  Sincerely,  Thank you,  Respectfully yours,  Signature  Handwritten, if possible.  Type your name below where you plan to sign COVER LETTERS

12. Tell me what you notice. What do you like? What do you not like? COVER LETTER

13. Dos and Don’ts INTERVIEWING

14.  What to Wear  Casual  Business Casual  Business Attire  What to Bring with you  Anything they requested  An additional copy/copies of your resume and cover letter  Questions you have for your potential future employer  Paper to jot down things you want to remember  How to Act  Be professional  NO: cell phones, chewing gum, or profanity.  Use formal rather than informal register when speaking  Be yourself  Yes, you want to make a good impression. Yes, you will be nervous. HOWEVER, you also want them to know who you are. INTERVIEWING EVERY INTERVIEW WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN THE NEXT. THAT CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO PLAN AHEAD, OR TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT!

15.  Tell us about yourself.  Be ready to give a 2-5 minute speech about yourself. Include anything you’re comfortable with, including  General information about your family or your hometown  Where you go to school, any activities/organizations in which you are involved  Why are you the best candidate for the position?  How do you handle conflict (or another job-specific example)?  Tell me about a time that you failed and what you learned from it.  What experience have you had?  What is your work ethic like?  How do you handle criticism? INTERVIEWING QUESTIONS YOU CAN EXPECT

16.  What do you know about our company?  What are you looking for in a supervisor? Co-workers?  What did you like/dislike about your previous job?  What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?  What motivates you?  Questions about teamwork and working alone…  What can you contribute to this team?  Where do you hope to be in 5 years?  What can this job teach you?  Do you have any questions about our company or this position specifically? INTERVIEWING QUESTIONS YOU CAN EXPECT

17.  How many of you have facebook? Twitter? Tumbler? Four Square? Instagram? (Myspace or Xanga?)  I know that you feel like you are lectured ALL the time about this, but it matters- Not just in a social context, but in a professional one.  Social networking can influence your career, not just your safety.  Are you posting vulgar images or using profanity? Are your friends posting those things on your wall, or tagging you in them? Are you drinking or smoking, taking inappropriate pictures, or even complaining about your teachers, parents or current boss?  What are your privacy settings? Public? Friends of friends? Only your networks? Only friends? Is your twitter account locked or public?  If a potential boss wants to find information on you, they will. Maybe your friend who already works there shows him your page, thinking they’re helping you…  There are endless examples. Just think about it. THINGS TO CONSIDER

18.  Helping students gain a better understanding of how to compose an effective, professional resume and cover letter  Provide an introduction to the process of a professional interview.  At the conclusion of the lesson, students should know how to:  construct a resume for effective display of information and ease of reading  compose a cover letter that is concise and informative  know what to wear to an interview, how to behave, and what types of questions to expect from the interviewer/s LESSON OBJECTIVES

19. Want to discuss further? Come see me! Jennifer Greenwood Career Specialist Room N101 Monday & Tuesday THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME! PLEASE COMPLETE AN EXIT SLIP– I WILL COLLECT THEM AS YOU LEAVE CLASS.