Resumes and Cover Letters Presented by Career Services University Inn, Rm (435)

Cover Letters 91 percent of executives polled indicated cover letters are valuable when evaluating job candidates. Source: OfficeTeam Survey,

Tips for Writing Cover Letters Address the cover letter to a specific person, if possible Keep your letter brief—one page Match yourself to the opportunity Show you’ve done some research If requested, discuss salary here—your career coach can help you identify average salaries in your field No grammar, spelling, or typographical errors 3

Elements of a Successful Cover Letter Paragraph 1 Identify the position you are applying for and why you are interested in working for the organization If possible, name any referral/contact Create interest or solve a problem/need Link your education and work experience to the position The web developer position posted on Career AGGIE at Utah State University matches my ability to create and implement dynamic web content using a variety of software and design tools. In December 20xx I will complete my BS degree in management information systems with a minor in computer science. 4

Elements of a Successful Cover Letter Paragraph 2 Identify your strongest qualifications as they relate to the position Elaborate on applicable work, education, or service accomplishments Include results-oriented success statements—use data or numbers Can be paragraph or bullet point format My course work and related experience has refined my skills in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, ezPlug, and HTML. My experience as a departmental computer consultant gave me exposure to both PC and Macintosh OSX platforms, while troubleshooting repairs on over 40 work stations. Additionally, my summer internship in computing operations for a major city newspaper enhanced my knowledge of enterprise systems, content management, and e-commerce operations. 5

Elements of a Successful Cover Letter Paragraph 3 Thank the employer Request an interview Discuss how and when you will follow-up I will contact you next week to schedule an interview to discuss my qualifications as they relate to this position. Should you need to reach me before then, please feel free to contact me at the phone number or listed above. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to talking with you. 6

The Resume Your resume, including a targeted cover letter, is designed to: get you an interview remind the interviewer of your skills justify the hiring decision to others 7

Hiring managers identified the following as reasons they would automatically dismiss a candidate from consideration: Resumes with typos—61% Resumes that copied large amounts of wording from the job posting—41% Resumes with an inappropriate address— 35% Resumes that don’t include a list of skills—30% 2012 CareerBuilder Survey 8 Unbreakable Rules

Remember… Resumes get less than a one-minute scan Review/research job descriptions on the company’s website; focus on key words and skills Be clear, concise, and targeted One page (consider two pages only if you are a returning or graduate student) Check for typos, spelling errors, and grammar Include a well-written, targeted cover letter Write it yourself 9

Skills/Qualities Employers Seek Based on a 5-point scale; 5 = extremely important Verbally communicate with persons inside/outside the organization4.63 Work in a team situation4.60 Make decisions and solve problems4.51 Plan, organize, and prioritize work4.46 Obtain and process information4.43 Analyze quantitative data4.30 Technical knowledge related to the job3.99 Proficiency with computer programs3.95 Create and/or edit written reports3.56 Sell or influence others3.55 Source: Job Outlook 2013, National Association of Colleges & Employers 10

Header Samples BRADY SMITH ____________________________________________________________ Lokesh Babu 455 North 1100 East Logan, UT

Objective and Headline Samples Apply sales experience and marketing degree as a sales representative with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Contract Specialist II with the BLM in the Colorado Region 12 Human Resource Specialist Training Performance Evaluations Job Analysis Teamwork ________________________________ JOHN STAFFORD Seeking Operations Management Position

Education Sample 13 Education Master of Business Administration June 20XX Jon M. Huntsman School of Business GPA 3.8 Utah State University, Logan, UT Research: “Does Everyday Low Price Mean the Lowest? A Comparison of Pricing Strategies,” Dave Hart and Dr. Sue Stevens, May 20XX Education B.S. Marketing, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business May 20XX Utah State University Logan, UT Maintained a 3.2 GPA while working part-time and holding campus leadership positions

Before You Start, Ask Yourself If yes, consider using a traditional resume (chronological) If no, consider using a skills resume (functional) “Is my work experience related to the job I'm trying to get?” 14

Success Statements 15 A good success statement used in effective cover letters, resumes, and online applications should: Start with an action VERB and briefly describe a skill, responsibility, or task Identify any tools or processes (computer programs, team efforts, equipment) used to accomplish the above Use numbers to show results and scope/scale of your success Be represented as a bullet point (not written as a complete sentence—no personal pronouns or periods)

Projects Sample 16 MARKETING PROJECTS Performed a marketing audit of Cardinal Health and made recommendations to the VP of marketing Worked with team of 30 students to organize and deliver a public relations campaign throughout the county Trained 529 voters in two months for fall 20XX election

Work Experience Sample 17

Professional/Relevant Skills Sample 18 PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Management and Training Structured a micro-finance program that trains and finances Peruvian entrepreneurs; oversaw the disbursement of over $21,000 in loans Trained employees on successful prospecting strategies Undertook cycling team training and management responsibilities Volunteered two years of full-time service teaching, participating in humanitarian projects, and delivering language training in Spain Operational Excellence Received course instruction in implementing Lean principles in all business areas, including management, operations, and accounting Created marketing campaign for The Shingo Prize, which carries out Lean operations education initiatives and recognizes organizations for operational excellence Learned Lean practices in the Lean Leaders Club through convocations, site visits, and simulations

Work History with Skills 19 Work / Service History Technical Intern, Intermountain Healthcare, Murray, UT Summer 20xx IT Desk, Convergys, Logan, UT Jan – May 20xx President, Society for Advancement of Ethical Leadership, Aug 20xx – Logan, UT May 20xx Service Volunteer, Bucharest, Romania Dec 20xx – Dec 20xx Member, Association of Information Systems Aug 20xx - Present

Computer/Technical Samples Computer Skills C++ Solid EdgeSolidWorks Fortran MATLAB MS Excel Technical Skills Languages: C, C#, ASP.NET 4.0, Visual Basic, Html, MATLAB, LABVIEW Technologies: SAP BASIS and SAP SECURITY SALESFORCE.COM CRM, ezPlug Operating Systems: LINUX, UNIX, Windows 98- Vista/7, Macintosh OS X Databases/Tools: Oracle 10g/9i, OLAP, MS SQL Server 2008/BIDS, SSAS, 20

Activities/Leadership/ Service Samples Service Coordinator, AIAA Student Chapter, 20XX to Present Volunteer Math Tutor, STICKS Program, Fall Semester 20XX Spanish-Speaking Volunteer, Baja, Mexico, 20XX-20XX Vice President, Finance Club, USU, 20XX-20XX Tutored 12 elementary-age students in reading for 9 months Helped chapter receive “Superior” national ranking 21 LEADERSHIP & SERVICE

References Sample BRADY SMITH __________________________________ 1098 North 200 West, Logan, UT (435) REFERENCES Mr. George HildallDr. Amy Strong Manager of ProductionProfessor ACME CompanyNatural Resources 1234 Address AvenueUtah State University Los Angeles, CA 93099Logan UT Previous SupervisorProfessor 22

Your Online Presence 23 92% of employers plan to use social recruiting in their hiring practices and 43% say they hired better quality candidates as a result. Source: Jobvite 2012 Social Recruiting Survey of 1000 Leading Employers

Drop-In Resume Edits 24 Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm and Thursdays, Fridays 9:30 am to 11:30 am No appointment necessary Other times available by appointment

Visit Your Career Coach For 25 Career Planning/Exploration Internships Researching Employers Networking Managing Your Social Media Presence Cover Letters Resumes The Curriculum Vitae Interviewing Managing Your Social Media Presence Evaluating Job Offers Testing Graduate School Applications Federal Employment Launching a Successful Career Career Search Technologies