C AREER W RITING Gust 1270 Houston Community College Southeast Instructor: Erica Hubbard

T YPES OF DOCUMENTS Personal Statement Resume Cover letter Thank you letter Other types of career documents: Scholarship application essays, Informational Interview requests, Employment decline letters, Resignation letters

P ERSONAL S TATEMENT A strong personal statement is reflective ; that is, it demonstrates that you have thought about and gained a clear perspective on your experiences and what you want in your future. Strive for quality, not quantity A good essay uses appropriate grammar and syntax, uses precise language and does not contain any spelling errors.

P ERSONAL S TATEMENT CONT. Transforms blemishes into positives Demonstrates your knowledge of the major/college Exudes confidence--you will be successful no matter what Usually takes about three drafts before final draft **CHECK WITH THE ADMISSION OFFICE AT THE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY YOU INTEND TO APPLY TO FOR SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS** Sample personal statement:

W RITING TIPS Outline your essay Rough draft should be written quickly Stick with one voice (active or passive, not both) No abbreviations Spell check, spell check, spell check Revise, revise, revise Have someone else look over it Utilize the Writing Center at HCC

RESUME BASICS - PART I Subheadings: Education Honors/Awards Skills Relevant Coursework Work Experience Extracurricular Activities Volunteer/Community Service Sample Freshman Resume: Tips: An effective resume incorporates action words, action phrases and action statements which communicate "accomplishment-oriented" information. A good resume conveys a sense of participation and involvement. A resume should be lively and secure the attention of the reader. Use short phrases, be direct and not too technical. Check through job announcements and use some of the same words and terms in your resume that are used in the field of employment you hope to enter. There is no single prescribed resume format. For those of you with little to no work experience, the subheadings listed above are recommended. For those with relevant work experience but little to no educational experience, see the subheadings below. Subheadings: Skills Work Experience Education Honors/Awards Relevant Coursework Volunteer/Community Service Remember people usually don't read resumes, they skim them. Think of your resume as a piece of advertising rather than a comprehensive data sheet.

R ESUME BASICS – PART II Keep sentences and paragraphs short (no paragraphs with more than four lines). Use indented and "bulleted" statements rather than complete sentences where appropriate. Use simple words rather than complex terms that say the same thing. Use quantities, amounts, dollar values where they enhance the description of what you did. Put the strongest statements or qualifications at the top. Have someone with good English skills check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. Avoid the use of "I." Do not include hobbies or social interests unless they are clearly related to your qualifications. Avoid personal evaluations.

ADDITIONAL LINKS FOR CAREER WRITING SAMPLES: Sample letter of employment inquiry: General information on conducting informational interviews and sample letters Sample cover letter: er%20Letter%20-%20A%20Guide.pdf Sample interview follow-up & thank-you letters: Sample employment acceptance letter: Sample employment decline letter: ts/career_resources/samples/Sample%20Letter%20of%20Decline.pdf Sample resignation letter:

J UST A NOTE REGARDING S TO COLLEGE PERSONNEL OR TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS Use informative subject lines “Applying for Customer Analyst position [resume attached]” “Degree Plan follow-up for Jan Jackson” Keep it short Use ‘all caps’ cautiously Refrain from text message lingo Review your message to make sure it is grammatically correct Spell check before you hit ‘send’ Respond promptly