Resume and Cover Letters

Transcription

1 Resume and Cover Letters Leslie Coward Program Manager Engineering Career Center

2 What is a Resume? Marketing tool second presentation of your experience and knowledge Reflection of the individual Laundry list of past jobs Summary of education Error-free, scannable

3 Purpose Who you are What you have learned What you have accomplished Promote salability Obtain an interview You want to get past the first line of defense, the recruiter

4 What Markets You? Job Experience Education GPA Computer Skills Leadership Skills Teamwork Industry related projects/research

5 What do I need to get hired? Technical Skills Education Work Experience Technical skills

6 How can I stand out? Non-Technical Skills Communication skills Leadership skills Teamwork abilities Flexibility

7 Types of Resumes 1. Chronological List everything by date Most recent experience first 2. Functional Categorize skills No dates 3. Combination A mixture of the first two

8 One page Less is more No errors Resume Rules Mistake free, clean, and crisp Organize in order of relevance Consistency Same formatting Bold, underline, capitals Action verbs and bullets

9 Resume Sections Contact Information Objective/Highlight of Qualifications Education and certifications Experience Projects Computer/Technical skills and training Honors/Awards Organization/Activities

10 Name Address Contact Information Local permanent Telephone number Appropriate Valid

11 Objective Provides focus for resume Employer based Specific or general Several objectives

12 Sample Objective To obtain a position in chemical engineering in which my educational knowledge and sales experience would greatly contribute to the company. To obtain a summer internship position in Mechanical Engineering. Seeking internship in research, utilizing chemical engineering skills developed in an instructional environment.

13 Highlight of Qualifications Provides focus on key areas of experience Skill based Emphasizes specific job duties Stresses soft skills

14 Sample Qualifications Extremely self-motivated and able to learn quickly. Very dependable and goal-oriented. oriented. Working knowledge of C++, CAD, Windows, MS Word, and MS Excel.

15 Education Most recent degree first Major, minor or concentration GPA (cumulative and major) Classification Expected date of graduation Relevant course work

16 Professional Experience Current/past employment Internships Co-ops ops Volunteer work Projects Presentations

17 Professional Descriptions Reverse chronological order Employer name Position/title Location Dates Use action verbs to describe duties Use buzz words, industry specific terms Quantify duties

18 Examples of Professional Experience Descriptions Attended Total Quality Management meetings. Developed teamwork skills through participation in discussions of quality attitudes: with both line and staff personnel. Selected to research, design and present a multimedia report on An Intern s s View of TQM to company s s CEO and other key employees.

19 Action Verbs Organized Developed Analyzed Identified Counseled, advised Communicated Conveyed Prepared Promote Assign Compute Built Recommend Determine Support Edit

20 Industry Terms Systems engineering Structural design Logistics and distribution Polymer Biomedical Construction Reservoir Manufacturing Production Design Computer engineering Software engineering C++ CAD Power systems Mechanical systems Trade management Product estimates

21 Additional Sections Military experience Professional affiliations Activities or interests Community service and involvement Foreign Language(s)

22 Resume Appearance Bond paper White or off-white Font: Times New Roman Point size: 10 or 12 points White space or blank lines Emphasis: Bold or bullets Be consistent Errors are INEXCUSABLE

23 Other Types of Resumes Scannable Electronic Curriculum Vitae

24 Scannable and Electronic Resumes Companies utilize databases to store and search resumes Resumes are designed to be scanned and read by computers Resume targets the computer as the reader

25 Scannable and Electronic Design Make good use of white space Use standard font styles Use 10 to 14 font size Avoid fancy extras Use bold face for section headings Use common names for section headings Name and address on separate lines Avoid abbreviations Be concise and concrete in job descriptions Use common language Use industry keywords

26 Ask people References Use a separate sheet with the same header as your resume Attach to applications when requested and bring to interview

27 Cover Letter Must be personalized Short and to the point Mistake free Same header Does not repeat resume Allows your personality show Respond to employer needs and not yours

28 Parts of a Cover Letter Your address, telephone number, and Current date Recipient s s name and address Salutation Body 3-5 paragraphs Closing Your signature Your printed name Enclosure resume Transcript Writing sample

29 Cover Letter Checklist Give the letter eye appeal Use block style with one inch side margins Use same font and type size, as resume Match resume stationery File a copy of your letter PROOFREAD

30 Resume reminders Don t t mistake your resume for a job application Don t t rely on your degree alone Tell them what you have learned, not what you have done Write your objective to match your purpose Make sure your resume conveys what you have to offer, not what you want

31 College of Engineering Career Center