Résumés and Cover Letters "

Transcription

1 Résumés and Cover Letters

2 Learning Objectives By the end of the session, you will n Apply the key principles of effective résumé writing to highlight your competencies for teaching jobs in the K-12 education system n Identify ways to adapt your resume for opportunities outside traditional teaching roles n Discover the activities and resources Career Services offers to support you in your work search activities

3 Session Format Tutorial first 30 minutes! n I present on résumés, cover letters and work search Lab remainder of session! n You work on your documents n In-class I circulate around and provide quick feedback

4 Finding Opportunities n Make a Future teachers/ n Independent Schools n Create an Opportunity

5 Key Principles for Résumés n Content that relates to the needs of the employer! n Most relevant information first n Clear, consistent formatting! n Balanced look with text and white space n Parallel language structure in lists n No grammar or spelling errors n One to two pages in length

6 Résumé Content Core information! n Personal Contact Info n Education n Work Experience n Competencies (skills, knowledge and attributes) n References Optional information! n Objective n Summary or Profile n Community Involvement n Additional Training and Certification n Professional Memberships n Interests

7 Résumé Formats Max Renault Douglas Street, Victoria BC, V8R 3T6 Phone: OBJECTIVE 1. Chronological! Entry-level research assistant position with a focus on social and community issues HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS Strong research and communication skills acquired through completing academic projects, managing programs, and facilitating groups Excellent analytical and problem solving ability developed through writing academic essays, working with the public and participating in community initiatives Extensive experience with MS Office in academic, work and volunteer contexts Commitment to continuous learning and development EDUCATION AND TRAINING Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy University of Victoria (Nov 2011) Received grades consistently in the 85-95% range for upper level university essays and projects ranging from words each Analyzed and interpreted government legislation, philosophical arguments and scholarly essays in Political Science and Philosophy classes Researched topics for university essays including federal and provincial policy on First Nations, Canadian national security, recidivism in the criminal justice system, as well as federal and provincial relations with the United States Delivered academic presentations to a peer audience summarizing and explaining complex philosophical arguments 2. Skills Focused! RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Restorative Justice Mentor & Facilitator (Volunteer) Restorative Justice Victoria, Victoria BC (Oct Present) Co-facilitate meetings with offenders and victims, where the offense is discussed and an agreement outlining the consequence for the offender is finalized Mentor individual offenders and support them in completing their agreements Participate in Restorative Justice training workshops and monthly meetings Employment & Volunteer Advisor (Volunteer) Volunteer Victoria, Victoria BC (April Present) Meet one-on-one with youth on a weekly basis and create an individualized strategy for work or volunteer placement including resume development and interview preparation Provide supervision and support of youth in their volunteer or employment placements

8 Résumé Formats Chronological! n Most common format - generally preferred by employers n Highlights relevant and strong work experience n May be easier to prepare than other formats n Education resume samples

9 RESUME TEMPLATE: CHRONOLOGICAL Your Name Your Address Your Contact Information OBJECTIVE: A description of the type of position you are seeking and perhaps the key types of skills you see yourself using PROFESSIONAL PROFILE # of months/years experience in a related position or field Related education, training and/or certification 2 or 3 of your strongest related skill or knowledge areas A strong and relevant accomplishment A short list of relevant technical/computer skills 2 or 3 of your strongest related attributes EDUCATION Degree Name of Institution. Location (city) relevant courses: a list of 4 to six courses that relate to your objective RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE Left-hand justify and bold important information such as your degree or position titles. Include start and end months in your dates. Give your name prominence by using bolding and a larger font. Include your address, phone and a professional sounding . This is an optional section. If you use it be specific about the type of work this resume is focused on. This is an optional section, but it can be a great way to focus the reader on your most important qualifications. Include four to six points. Date of Graduation Put your education near the top of the resume when it is relevant for the work you are seeking. Include descriptive accomplishment statements for each degree or program you list and consider adding a short list of relevant courses. Once you have started your degree, it is common to remove high school. List your relevant work experiences in reverse chronological order. Include two to six descriptive accomplishment statements for each experience. Quantify your statements to give the reader a sense of the depth and breadth of your competencies. Instead of listing duties, use action verbs to describe accomplishments that are relevant to your objective. Put your name and page 2 in Your Name the header of the second page. page 2 ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT INTERESTS A list of three to six interests or activities REFERENCES Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Include start and end months in your dates. List your less relevant work experiences. Include accomplishment statements if they are relevant to your objective. List your volunteer/community experiences in reverse chronological order. If the experiences have relevance to your objective, include accomplishment statements. This is an optional section. Highlight interests and activities that relate to your objective but also feel free to add other less related interests. Keep this section short one or two lines. You can include your references or have the statement References available on request. If the names of your references will be known to the reader and add to your credibility, you may want to include them. If you do not want to distribute your references contact information too widely, you may want to keep them as on a separate document and provide them when requested. Your references should be three to four people who know you well from work, education or volunteer experiences. Work references are often the best. Make sure to ask permission before you list someone as a reference.

10 Résumé Formats Skills Focused Functional & Combination! n Fairly common formats n Statements describing competencies are highlighted first in the resume followed by any work experience! n Customizes the focus n May be more difficult to prepare than a chronological résumé

11 RESUME TEMPLATE: FUNCTIONAL Your Name Your Address Your Contact Information OBJECTIVE: A description of the type of position you are seeking and perhaps the key types of skills you see yourself using PROFESSIONAL PROFILE # of months/years experience in a related position or field Related education, training and/or certification 2 or 3 of your strongest related skill or knowledge areas A strong and relevant accomplishment A short list of relevant technical/computer skills 2 or 3 related attributes This is an optional section, but it can be a great way to focus the reader on your most important qualifications. Include four to six points. Left-hand justify and bold EDUCATION important information such as your degree or position titles. Degree Date of Graduation Name of Institution. Location (city) relevant courses: a list of 4 to 6 courses that relate to your objective RELEVANT COMPETENCIES Competency Type Competency Type Competency Type Give your name prominence by using bolding and a larger font. Include your address, phone and a professional sounding . This is an optional section. If you use it be specific about the type of work this resume is focused on. Put your education near the top of the resume when it is relevant for the work you are seeking. Consider adding a short list of relevant courses. Once you have started your degree, it is common to remove high school. This is the heart of a functional resume. Include descriptive accomplishment statements about your education, work and volunteer experiences. Whenever possible, quantify your statements to give the reader a sense of the depth and breadth of your competencies. Instead of listing duties, use action verbs to describe your accomplishments. Group your statements into three or four subsections relevant to you objective. Ensure the reader can easily see how each statement connects to your education, work and volunteer experiences. Put your name and page 2 in Your Name the header of the second page. page 2 WORK EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT INTERESTS A list of three to six interests or activities REFERENCES Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Include start and end months in your dates. Include start and end months in your dates. List your experiences in reverse chronological order. On a functional resume, do not include accomplishment statements here. List your volunteer/community experiences in reverse chronological order. On a functional resume, do not include accomplishment statements here. This is an optional section. Highlight interests and activities that relate to your objective but also feel free to add other less related interests. Keep this section short one or two lines. You can include your references or have the statement References available on request. If the names of your references will be known to the reader and add to your credibility, you may want to include them. If you do not want to distribute your references contact information too widely, you may want to keep them as on a separate document and provide them when requested. Your references should be three to four people who know you well from work, education or volunteer experiences. Work references are often the best. Make sure to ask permission before you list someone as a reference.

12 RESUME TEMPLATE: COMBINATION Your Name Your Address Your Contact Information OBJECTIVE: A description of the type of position you are seeking and perhaps the key types of skills you see yourself using PROFESSIONAL PROFILE # of months/years experience in a related position or field Related education, training and/or certification 2 or 3 of your strongest related skill or knowledge areas A strong and relevant accomplishment A short list of relevant technical/computer skills 2 or 3 related attributes Give your name prominence by using bolding and a larger font. Include your address, phone and a professional sounding . This is an optional section. If you use it be specific about the type of work this resume is focused on. This is an optional section, but it can be a great way to focus the reader on your most important qualifications. Include four to six points. Left-hand justify and bold EDUCATION important information such as your degree or position titles. Degree Date of Graduation Name of Institution. Location (city) relevant courses: a list of 4 to six courses that relate to your objective Put your name and page 2 in Your Name the header of the second page. page 2 WORK EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT INTERESTS A list of three to six interests or activities Include start and end months in your dates. Include start and end months in your dates. List your experiences in reverse chronological order. Include accomplishment statements that expand on, but do not repeat, the information in your competencies section. List your volunteer/community experiences in reverse chronological order. This is an optional section. Highlight interests and activities that relate to your objective but also feel free to add other less related interests. Keep this section short one or two lines. RELEVANT COMPETENCIES Competency Type Competency Type Competency Type Put your education near the top of the resume when it is relevant for the work you are seeking. Include descriptive accomplishment statements for each degree or program you list and consider adding a short list of relevant courses. Once you have started your degree, it s common to remove high school. As with a functional resume, this is the heart of a combination resume. Include descriptive accomplishment statements about your education, work and volunteer experiences. Whenever possible, quantify your statements to give the reader a sense of the depth and breadth of your competencies. Instead of listing duties, use action verbs to describe your accomplishments. Group your statements into three or four subsections relevant to you objective. Ensure the reader can easily see how each statement connects to your education, work and volunteer experiences. REFERENCES Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number Name of Reference, Position Organization, Location (city) Phone number You can include your references or have the statement References available on request. If the names of your references will be known to the reader and add to your credibility, you may want to include them. If you do not want to distribute your references contact information too widely, you may want to keep them as on a separate document and provide them when requested. Your references should be three to four people who know you well from work, education or volunteer experiences. Work references are often the best. Make sure to ask permission before you list someone as a reference.

13 Prove you are competent: n computer systems and an information technology n collaborative, flexible and creative n approach problems to adapt to change conditions, n facilitation skills students are empowered, confident and self-directed, n understand diversity n varied presentation n active and patient listening n value community

14 Accomplishment Statements n Describe the competencies (skills, knowledge, attributes) you demonstrated in specific experiences n Are expressed in terms of visible behaviours n Are not vague experienced in sales, responsible for training do not cut it n Follow a consistent format beginning with a descriptive action verb and followed with concrete, contextual information (including numbers when possible) n Describe the outcomes you achieved

15 Accomplishment Statements n Listened effectively to an average of 40 technical support customers a day to better understand their needs and successfully implement solutions

16 Accomplishment Statements n Synthesized findings from 12 research studies on organic blueberry farming to identify best agricultural practices and prepare summary sheet for BC farmers

17 Accomplishment Statements n Used customized project management software to coordinate the recruitment and training of 32 new employees over a six-month period

18 Accomplishment Statements n Built customer relationships and satisfaction through acquiring strong product knowledge, having an interest in the proposed use for the products and providing helpful tips and recommendations

19 Accomplishment Statements n Implemented technology in the classroom by using Smartboards and video-conferencing to teach 4 students remotely in a rural community

20 ! And now to cover letters!

21 Key Principles for Cover Letters n Customized for each position n Creates a clear link between your background and the requirements of the work n Is written in the language of the employer n Demonstrates your ability to write clearly in a formal business style avoid use of contractions and excessive use of sentences beginning with I n Has no grammar or spelling errors

22 Cover Letter Content n Describes your experience, education, competencies and accomplishments in relation to the qualifications n Does not just repeat information from the résumé n Is addressed to a specific person, if possible, otherwise Dear Hiring Manager or Dear Selection Committee n Identifies the position being applied for n Demonstrates your enthusiasm for the position n Shows knowledge of the employer beyond the basics

23 Cover Letter Format n Standard business letter layout, either traditional, bulleted, or T style n Formatting (font choice and size, margins, etc.) matches the résumé n Generally no more than one page n Balanced on the page

24 COVER LETTER TEMPLATE Your name Your address Your contact information Date Recipient s name Department and organization name Organization address RE: Posting reference number/name Dear... : (name of individual or Dear Hiring Manager or Dear Selection Committee ) Introductory paragraph: Identify the position you are applying for and where you saw the posting. Indicate your interest in the position and one or two big reasons you are qualified for the position Body paragraphs: Link your competencies and experience to the stated requirements of the position. This section will generally consist of one to three paragraphs. Closing paragraph: Indicate your interest in hearing from them regarding and interview and offer to provide further information if requested. Sincerely yours, Your name Encl.

25 Online Application Systems n Cut and paste your cover letter and résumé information into the appropriate fields n n You may have limited formatting options but make the most of the options you have to make your information neat and tidy don t assume the system will do this for you Print off a copy of your documents so you can see what the employer will see

26 Services and Support n Navigator Program Spring 2013 n n n On-line Work Search Program for UVic students and grads Résumé Lab: McPherson Library Tuesday noon 2:00 pm and Thursday 10:00 am - noon Appointment with a Career Educator, book it in Learning in Motion: We look forward to working with you!!