Resumes and Cover Letters A UW SSW Writing Center Workshop

Workshop Agenda Why write these? Resumes What are they? What info to include? Tips? Cover Letters What are they? How to structure? Tips? It’s not just about the “hiring manager”

Why Write These? Yes, a frustrating, capitalistic, racist system, and also... It is a medium for advertising yourself and how you’re the right match for the opportunity (work, but also scholarships, volunteer position, etc.). The purpose of your resume and cover letter are to land an interview Through your resume, you can showcase assets like: Dangerous - can be subject to interpretation Qualifications Experience Achievements Capabilities Qualities

Resumes

What is a Resume? Persuasive, brief document that demonstrates how you are qualified for a given job opportunity by presenting your relevant experience, summarized At most basic, shows how you meet the minimum requirements of a position Better yet, show why you would be a good fit As you apply to different positions, you may need to tweak your resume and save different versions, so that what you submit is tailored to a given position Usually, 1-2 pages. In social work, the “one page rule” does not always apply Dangerous - can be subject to interpretation

Information to Include in a Resume Contact information Name, email, telephone, address Education Institutions attended and associated dates (month, year), degrees/certificates awarded, concentrations or minors, and GPA (if high) If not graduated, can say “Expected [Month] [Year]” Work experience Title of position and associated employer and dates Highlight duties and accomplishments with relevance to the position you’re applying for in 3-4 bullet points

Optional Information for a Resume Statement of purpose Languages Skills Interests Volunteer experience

Resumes: To Keep In Mind Content: Include your experiences of greatest relevance to the opportunity Highlight the results of your work Language: Be direct--use as few words as possible Quantify your work Ex. Outputs: # of clients served; % increased, etc. Ex. Frequency: Weekly; Monthly; etc. Use exact keywords that employers are using in their job descriptions--computers may filter you!

Resumes: To Keep In Mind Use a variety of action-oriented verbs to describe your work Image Source: http://guides.lib.uw.edu/ld.php?content_id=46196784

Resumes: To Keep In Mind Process: Read the job listing, and consider how what of your experiences match what’s being asked for Proofread several times to catch typos and misspellings Ask a friend, coworker, or superviser to review it Format: Use “professional” looking font Be careful not to crowd the page

Activity Pick one position on your resume, and consider: Does my description highlight relevant skills or activities to my desired position? Did I use language that is consistent with the job posting? Have I quantified my work? Are the results of my work clear? Did I use action-oriented verbs? Try editing based on your answers

Cover Letters

What is a Cover Letter? Persuasive, 1 page letter through which you can express your voice, enthusiasm for the opportunity, and perspective on why you are a great fit for the position Dangerous - can be subject to interpretation

Basic Structure of a Cover Letter List your name and contact information (Tip: use same header as your resume for a professional look) Include the date Address the recipient by name (You may have to do some digging to find this, but a name is far better than generic “Dear hiring manager”) Open with an introduction Include an opening paragraph about your intent to apply Write a second paragraph about your background Conclude with reasons why you are uniquely qualified End with your signature Dangerous - can be subject to interpretation

Cover Letters: To Keep In Mind Should not repeat your resume, but complement it Make them want to meet and hire you Tell meaningful anecdotes that tie your skills to concrete problem-solving activities or tangible results you’ve worked on in your career If you’ve worked several kinds of positions, you can highlight a common “thread” or path if desired

How to Make This for YOU

When Writing a Cover Letter/Resume Consider your motivation, passion, and/or dedication Use it as an exercise to remind yourself of times when YOU were proud of your work Tell a story that makes YOU feel good Not just about selling yourself to a hiring manager A chance to remind yourself about what YOU want and why

Questions?

Resources Odegaard Writing Center http://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=342041&p=6489719 Career and Internship Center at UW https://careers.uw.edu/ Jobs and Careers Webpage in UW Library http://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=341885&p=2299963 Owl Purdue https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/job_search_writing/resumes_and_vitas/index.html