A Guide To Resumes And Cover Letters

re su me (rez'oo ma', ra'zoo-; ra'zoo ma') n.[Fr., pp. of resumer: see prec.] a summing up; summary; specif., a statement of a job applicant's precious employment experience, education, etc.

Sounds pretty technical and cold doesn't it? This is what Webster's Dictionary defines "resume" as, but where does it leave us? I know that I need to write one, but how do I get started? This guide should give you a reasonably good idea about how to start and develop the resume that best reflects you, and only you.

Everyone should have a resume and a resume file into which they are dropping notes to themselves on experiences they should add to their resume. It is not only handy to have an updated resume around, but it also feels good.

So let's start from scratch.

A resume is a concise written statement which highlights the qualities and skills you possess as a result of your life experiences. It communicates a maximum amount of relevant information through a minimum number of words. A resume is a printed synopsis, a capsule biography designed to persuade an employer to grant you an interview or to request your formal application. A resume is just one of three ways we can communicate our experiences with potential employers. The other two ways are through the cover letter, and through the interview.

A well-prepared resume is a necessary tool for effective employment seeking. The time and effort devoted to resume preparation is a worthwhile investment in your future. Another major advantage to developing your own resume is that the very discipline required to collect, analyze, and prepare your data for writing provides the opportunity for necessary self-assessment. In addition, you will be better prepared to interview effectively with your educational and employment history at your fingertips.

Resumes may include any or all of the following:
Career objective
Education and/or training
Qualification statement
Paid work experience
Skills and competencies
Interests/hobbies
Honors/memberships
Reference availability
Unpaid work experience

The 1st All-Important Rule To Resume Writing: There is no correct way to write a resume.

It is easy to adapt someone else's style and form and "fill in the blanks." In fact, if that is what you have in mind, go ahead...

But first consider this: you are unique. And it is that very uniqueness which will land you a job if you are willing to spend the time learning who you are, what you want, and how this can be presented to an employer.

If you would like to create a personalized vechicle to present you and your strengths to a prospective employer, read on.

Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae

There can be some confusion as to the difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae. A resume, usually one page, summarizes the education, experience, and skills of an individual; and may also include leisure interests and community activities. Resumes are developed to fit a particular purpose; to target a specific job pool.

Curriculum vitae (CV or just "vitae"), usually 3-10 pages, is a biographical statement that has been traditionally used in higher education, but is now finding its way into more mainstream areas, such as corporate applications. The CV emphasizes professional qualifications, and activities including degrees earned, teaching and research experience, publications, and presentations. Usually as a recent undergrad, experience in these areas is limited. Although some contend that the difference between a resume and CV is not length but content, recent undergrads should keep their resume to an acceptable one page.

"So, Now What?"

The format of your resume should be determinded by arranging your unique combination of skills in a manner that will interest a potential employer enough to grant you an interview.

Obviously then, you cannot write a resume in a vacuum. It must be directed toward a particular career area. You may choose to omit this career OBJECTIVE on your resume (you can state it in the accompanying cover letter if you prefer). Knowing your career objective will allow you to present the skills and strengths which are most relevant to that particular field first.

Sometimes, it is difficult to write a directed resume because you are undecided about your career choice. If you are considering more then one field, you may wish to write different resumes that are specific to each field.

Most job applications require that you list all past experiences in reverse chronological order. For most of us, that is not necessarily in our best interests. Perhaps the skills we gained as a result of an experience several years ago are the skills we want to emphasize, and we don't want those buried in the middle or the end of your resume.

If at this point you do not know to whom you are submitting your resume or for what type of position, you need to stopand spend some time collecting information about the position. you ought to be able to answer the following:

* If you were hired, what would you be doing on the job?
* Could you describe the job to someone who is unfamiliar with the activities?
* What do you know about the company or institution in which you would be employed?
* What does the company or institution look for in an employee?
* Are you "right" for the employer? Is the employer "right" for you?

Information-seeking takes time but it is crucial to your job hunt. The better informed you are, the better you will be able to present yourself in the job interview. Always remember that a resume's goal is to get you an interview, not a job. Once it has served the part of getting you that all-important interview, it is up to you to perform in the interview. If you need help with your information gathering or interviewing techniques, contact the Career Development Office in Mears Cottage at x4940.

Formatting

After you have completed the worksheets from the booklet "Guide To Resumes And Cover Letters" that you can obtain from the Career Development Office, you can begin thinking about the best format to present your "case." Although there is no one right format for a resume, there are three commonly used variations:

Chronological:The chronological resume features your work and educational experience in reverse chronological order. It assumes your most recent experience and length of experience are most favorable.

Functional:The functional resume is skills-oriented and can be very effective for liberal arts job seekers. It can highligh skills that are transferable from one field to another.

Combined:The combined resume is a blend of chronological and functional, representing some information under traditional headings and organizing other elements according to job functions.

In the CDO are sample resumes written in each format to give you a feel for the difference in emphasis. Use them as jumping off points for your personalized resume. Sometimes it might help to "imitate" one or more forms and then "play around" with what you have created until you arrive at something that is uniquely "you."

Begin with a rough draft, and work it and re-work it.

The following are points to remember:

* A resume should be 100% honest.
* A resume should reflect your "uniqueness."
* Spend some time stating your career goal. Consider your values, interests, objectives, and skills. While your goal should not be overly narrow, it should show purpose and direction.
* Do not include personal information such as birthdate, height, weight, marital status, number of dependents, or health.
* A short, concise length of one page is best.
* Write in phrases, not complete sentences.
* Do not use personal pronouns.
* A resume is not a book-it is designed to pique the curiosity of the reader, not answer all questions.
* Whatever you do, never use abbreviations.
* State: References available upon request rather than listing names and addresses.
* Have your resume professionally printed. Noyce Computer Center offers laser printer workshops for resume writing. The choice of paper, style and color should be consistant with your image of yourself and appropriate to the career field you are addressing (i.e., what appeals to a bank may not to an advertising agency, and vice versa!). Cover letter stationary and envelope should match resume.
* Resumes should be consistent in format.
* Never mail a resume to a prospective employer without an accompanying letter (cover letter).

If you have trouble pulling your resume or cover letter together, bring your worksheets and rough drafts into the Career Development Office for help or constructive criticism. We are here to help you. If you have worked with our staff on your resume, we will provide you with 15 free copies of your resume. Ask us for details.

SAMPLE RESUME CONTENT

The suggested content and order is not meant to be perscriptive. Your most supportive information should appear at the beginning (in terms of your entire resume and within categories). Then let the second most important information appear second, and so on.

YOUR NAME
(Permanent Address) (Present Address)
Address (area code) Telephone #
Including Zip Code E-mail Address (optional)

EMPLOYMENT OBJECTIVE
The employment objective is a short, concise statement of the position you are seeking, which may include the kind of organization in which you wish to be employed. Avoid being general or too diversified in your statement. A clear employment objective indicates to an employer that you have given considerable thought to your career goals. Other possible titles include: POSITION DESIRED, EMPLOYMENT GOAL, OBJECTIVE, JOB OBJECTIVE, OBJECTIVE STATEMENT, etc. (This statement should always be developed although some experts suggest it be incorporated into the cover letter as an alternative to being printed on the resume itself.)

EDUCATION
In reverse chronological order, list degree received (or anticipated if within a semester) including major, the awarding institution, its location (city and state), and the date your degree was received. You may also want to include course work emphasis, areas of concentration, honors, scholarships, GPA, etc. Other possible titles include: EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL HISTORY, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS
This optional category may be especially helpful to the college student who does not have much work experience or to a person making a career change. It usually consists of three to five concise statements describing those skills and/or qualities that indicate your ability to do the job. Keep in mind that during the interview you may be asked to substatiate these statements with examples of activities which demonstrate that you possess the capabilities you have described. Other possible titles include: SPECIAL SKILLS, AREAS OF EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES, OTHER QUALIFICATIONS, TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE, etc.

EXPERIENCE
This category includes all past and present work experience. It may also include part-time work, volunteer experience, student teaching, interships, assistantships, military experience, etc. This section is logically organized (usually in reverse chronological order) and includes job titles, name of the employer (company or firm name), location (city and state), duties or responsibities, and inclusive dates of employment (month and year). Duties and/or responsibilities are described here in short, concise phrases (you might want to use action words from the list provided later in this document). Other possible category titles include: EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, WORK EXPERIENCE, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, RECENT POSITIONS, etc.

OTHER CATEGORIES
You may use any category or heading you want to get across your uniqueness in the most positive light. Some possible titles include:
INTERESTS
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
SPECIAL AWARDS
COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
PUBLICATIONS
PROFESSIONAL WRITING
RESEARCH
PERSONAL INTERESTS
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

REFERENCES
There are many schools of thought regarding references. One school states that all references (names, titles, professional addresses and telephone numbers) should be included on the resume. Another holds that the inclusion of references is unnecessary suggesting that all that is needed is the brief statement "References available upon request." A third school recommends having a separate list of references ready to present to an employer when requested. In all cases, references should be selected ahead of the time they are needed and their permission obtained. You need to be prepared in case a prospective employer asks for this information.

It is important to be specific when describing your experience. The following list of words will help you communicate your skils in a positive and active way.

102 ACTION WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOUR SKILLS

ACT
ADAPT
ADMINISTER
ADVISE
ADVOCATE
ALLOCATE
ANALYZE
APPROVE
ARRANGE
ASSIST
CATALOG
COLLATE
COLLECT
COMMUNICATE
COMPILE
COMPOSE
CONDUCT
CONSULT
CONTRACT
CONTROL
CONVEY
COORDINATE
CORRESPOND
COUNSEL
CREATE
DESIGN
DETERMINE
DEVELOP
> DIRECT
DISAPPROVE
DISSEMINATE
DISTRIBUTE
DOCUMENT
DRAFT
EDIT
ENCOURAGE
ENLARGE
ESTABLISH
EVALUATE
EXERCISE
EXPAND
FACILITATE
GOVERN
GROUP
GUIDE
HARMONIZE
IDENTIFY
IMPLEMENT
IMPORVE
INDEX
INFORM
INITIATE
INNOVATE
INSTRUCT
INTERPRET
INTRODUCE
INVENT
INVESTIGATE
MAINTAIN
MANAGE
MODERATE
MONITOR
MOTIVATE
NEGOTIATE
OPERATE
ORGANIZE
OVERSEE
PERFORM
PLAN
PREPARE
PRESENT
PRESIDE
PROCESS
PROMOTE
RECEIVE
RECOMMEND
RECORD
RECRUIT
RECTIFY
REFER
REPRESENT
RESEARCH
RESHAPE
RESOLVE
REVIEW
REVISE
ROUTE
SCHEDULE
SELECT
SERVE
SORT
SPEAK
STRAIGHTEN
STRENGTHEN
SUPERVISE
SURVEY
SYSTEMATIZE
TEACH
TESTIFY
TRAIN
WRITE

Effective Cover Letters

The importance of a strong cover letter cannot be overestimated. Your cover letter is your writing sample. It reflects your ability to make an articulate, succinct statement about yourself and your goals and their relevance to an employer. Interview decisions are often made on the basis of the cover letter alone; a poorly written cover letter will eliminate you from consideration.

For that reason, your cover letter must be letter-perfect, punctuation-perfect. If spelling and grammar are not your forte, be sure to ask for help. In addition, have your final copy proofread by at least two individuals.

Cover letters should never be copied or xeroxed, but should be individually typed (or done on a word processer) and personalized. Doing research on the organization or company before you write will make this task easier.

Never copy someone else's cover letter. You cover letter must be your own; it expresses your writing style and personality. You may get, and use, suggestions and ideas from another person's letter. but never copy a cover letter word for word. You letter should give prospective employers an idea of you. Not who you've copied.

When you write your cover letter, think of it in three different sections, or paragraphs. The first paragraph should cover the reason you are writing. It should address questions such as, "where did you hear about the company, or the position?"

Use the second section to highlight your resume. In this section, you want to convince your potential employer to read your resume and then grant you an interview. You want to be convincing, but not pushy. This section can be an excellent opportunity to really "blow your horn" and draw attention to your unique skills and abilities. Be sure to back up each of your points you make with relevent experience that you have accomplished.

The third, and last, section should tell the reader what you intend to do at this point. Will you be calling them next week? Will you be waiting for a call or a letter from them? You need to be very clear here. The reader should have no questions in his or her mind about what the next step is and their role in it. Failure to be very clear in this section could result in the end of the whole process for you right then and there.

Some Final Thoughts...

So, you have now read the guide, done the worksheets, compiled the information, written your resume and your cover letter. All you need to do now is send it out, right? Before you do that, let us take a few moments to ensure that your resume is up to the standards that you deserve. First of all, let's remember there is no right or wrong way to write a resume. It should be accurate in reflecting you. The resume should be able to give potential employers an idea of who you are. Also, please remember that the resumes' ultimate goal is not to get you a job, but rather, to help you get an interview. The interview is an opportunity for you to breathe life into the information you provided in your resume and cover letter.

IN SUMMARY

Write it yourself: It is OK to look at examples of resumes in order to get an idea of how to write yours, but don't copy them. The resume should reflect who you are, not someone else.

Make every word count: Limit your resume to one page. After you have done a first draft, edit it at least two more times. If a word or phrase does not support your objective (whether you have it listed or not...), edit it out.

Keep it free of any errors: Ask as many people as possible to check over your resume for any grammar and spelling errors. Check everything as many times as possible to make sure that it is perfect. Nothing will kill your chances for success faster than a resume full of grammatical mistakes and misspelled words!

Make it look good: Have your resume typed professionally and copied on good quality paper. Using the same standard of paper for your cover letters and envelopes shows nothing but class and a true sense of professionalism.

Stress your accomplishments: A resume is no place to be humble or shy.

Be specific: Give facts and numbers. Instead of saying you work well with people, say "I supervised and trained three people and increased our productivity by 40%." That will mean something!

Keep your resume active and positive: Use action verbs and short sentences. Avoid negatives of any kind. Emphasize accomplishments and results.

Keep your resume updated: Pull your resume out every 4-6 months and update it with recent information. Why wait until you have to look for a job to revise your resume? Make it part of your professional "to-do" list.

Remember that resumes and cover letters represent you to a potential employer. It is a first impression. It is your job to make that first impression a good one!

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