HOW TO WRITE A TARGETED RÉSUMÉ & COVER LETTER. Bethany Kilgore Professional Development Coordinator

Transcription

1 HOW TO WRITE A TARGETED RÉSUMÉ & COVER LETTER Bethany Kilgore Professional Development Coordinator

2 Why Have a Targeted Résumé & Cover Letter? I don t want you to end up like this: A Cavalcade of Crappy Video résumés

3 Résumés - Myth or Fact? The more designs/colors/fonts, the better! MYTH Employers only pay attention to paid experiences. MYTH Employers love résumés templates. MYTH

4 Bad Résumé Example BILL BUSINESS 1515 Victory Dr. Ithaca, NY OBJECTIVE To get an internship in business to showcase my exceptional skills. EDUCATION Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY GPA: 3.8 WORK EXPERIENCE Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, Ithaca Country Club Responsible for staff and special events; was server Report writing and web Student Assistant 2008 present Admissions Office, Ithaca, NY Tours, events, data entry Help with special events Lifeguard Two Ville YMCA Gard pool patrols COMPUTER SKILLS Microsoft Office PERSONAL INFORMATION Age: 21 Height: 6 2 Weight: 200 lbs. REFERENCES: Available upon request

5 Résumé Don ts No résumé wizards Absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors No abbreviations (state abbreviations OK) Omit References Available Upon Request

6 Good Résumé Example William Business 1515 Victory Dr. Ithaca, NY OBJECTIVE Summer management internship with Waldorf Astoria Hotel EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Business Administration May 2013 Concentration: Management Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY Dean s List GPA: 3.3 EXPERIENCE Assistant Food and Beverage Manager Ithaca Country Club, Ithaca, NY Promoted from server to current position after only 6 months of employment Supervise, schedule and train 15 part-time banquet staff Coordinate menus and beverage service for special events Prepare profit reports for private parties and club functions Maintain department s website and customer database May 2009 Present Student Assistant August 2008 Present Ithaca College Admissions Office, Ithaca, NY Assisted with coordination and marketing of large recruiting events upwards of 300 prospective students Provided campus tours to groups of high school students and parents Entered confidential student and applicant records into ARGUS reporting system Lifeguard Summers Ithaca YMCA, Ithaca, NY Monitored pool area for safety; CPR and first-aid certified Administered youth and aquatic instruction to children and adults COMPUTER SKILLS Adobe PageMaker Dreamweaver

7 Résumé Guidelines Honest and accurate Industry-specific language Left format vs. center Consistent formatting (structure and language) Preferred format: reverse chronological

8 Guidelines Continued Easy to scan but with good content Bulleted statements rather than paragraphs Start each bullet with a verb Descriptive yet to the point Accomplishment focused Important to set yourself apart from other candidates Accomplishments Leadership Unique Experiences One sizes does NOT fit all

9 Look at the Position Description Break it down into three parts: Look at employment requirements; make sure you are eligible to apply Underline job requirements of the position that relate to you Circle the skills and/or job duties they re seeking that most related to you

10 Example of a Position Posting Job Duties Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they provide services to clients. Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements. Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and individual initiative. Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a positive working environment by building solid relationships with team members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback. Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating potential conflicts to a supervisor. Job Requirements A desire to pursue a career in Tax. Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management through both written and verbal communications. Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for personal growth and career development. Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of Accountancy or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required minimum number of hours for CPA licensure per respective state regulations. To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and paste this link into your browser: &siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes= Opportunity Type: Internship Contact: Laura Sobocienski Status: Full-time Job Locations: New York, New York Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax Period of Employment: Winter Compensation Type: Paid Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set for this job. Cover Letter Required: No Writing Sample(s) Required: No Other Document(s) Required: No Application Method: Online - applications at end of application period Employer will make application decisions: Offline to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply via this link

11 Step 1: Look at employment requirements Job Duties Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they provide services to clients. Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements. Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and individual initiative. Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a positive working environment by building solid relationships with team members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback. Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating potential conflicts to a supervisor. Job Requirements A desire to pursue a career in Tax. Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management through both written and verbal communications. Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for personal growth and career development. Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of Accountancy or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required minimum number of hours for CPA licensure per respective state regulations. To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and paste this link into your browser: &siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes= Opportunity Type: Internship Contact: Laura Sobocienski Status: Full-time Job Locations: New York, New York Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax Period of Employment: Winter Compensation Type: Paid Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set for this job. Cover Letter Required: No Writing Sample(s) Required: No Other Document(s) Required: No Application Method: Online - applications at end of application period Employer will make application decisions: Offline to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply via this link

12 Step 2: Underline job requirements Job Duties Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they provide services to clients. Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements. Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and individual initiative. Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a positive working environment by building solid relationships with team members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback. Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating potential conflicts to a supervisor. Job Requirements A desire to pursue a career in Tax. Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management through both written and verbal communications. Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for personal growth and career development. Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of Accountancy or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required minimum number of hours for CPA licensure per respective state regulations. To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and paste this link into your browser: &siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes= Opportunity Type: Internship Contact: Laura Sobocienski Status: Full-time Job Locations: New York, New York Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax Period of Employment: Winter Compensation Type: Paid Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set for this job. Cover Letter Required: No Writing Sample(s) Required: No Other Document(s) Required: No Application Method: Online - applications at end of application period Employer will make application decisions: Offline to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply via this link

13 Step 3: Circle skills and/or job duties Job Duties Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they provide services to clients. Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements. Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and individual initiative. Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a positive working environment by building solid relationships with team members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback. Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating potential conflicts to a supervisor. Job Requirements A desire to pursue a career in Tax. Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management through both written and verbal communications. Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for personal growth and career development. Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of Accountancy or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required minimum number of hours for CPA licensure per respective state regulations. To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and paste this link into your browser: &siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes= Opportunity Type: Internship Contact: Laura Sobocienski Status: Full-time Job Locations: New York, New York Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax Period of Employment: Winter Compensation Type: Paid Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set for this job. Cover Letter Required: No Writing Sample(s) Required: No Other Document(s) Required: No Application Method: Online - applications at end of application period Employer will make application decisions: Offline to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply via this link

14 Creating Your Targeted Résumé Start with your objective statement Short, to the point Desired position What you have to offer employer Seeking a position utilizing my,, and skills. Example: A summer 2010 internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers utilizing my creative thinking, analytical and communication skills

15 Résumé Construction - Experience Full and part-time work Internships Class projects Volunteer work (if related to objective) Leadership positions

16 Creating Your Targeted Résumé EXPERIENCE Your Title, Month Year Month Year Company Name, City, State Beginning with a verb, create detailed, yet concise statements sharing not only what you did in this position, but any experiences you gained that relate to the kind of job for which you are applying. Use action words to describe accomplishments, leadership opportunities, skills developed, unique experiences, and anything you are especially proud of. Use industry jargon and key words from internship description Quantify whenever possible Rank your bullet points, with your most important/relevant bullets at the top of the list and the least at the bottom.

17 Creating Your Targeted Résumé LEADERSHIP Vice President of Reporting, August 2009 Present Beta Alpha Psi (BAP)- Mu Chapter, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY Creative Thinking Attendee at Atlantic Coast Regional Meeting and Leadership Conference Participate on a 10-member board to create and coordinate programs for the honors society Prepare and submit reports through the BAP intranet and comprehensive annual report for the Ithaca College School of Business Lead the Chair of Membership and the membership committee in developing ideas to promote BAP to potential candidates

18 Creating Your Targeted Résumé EXPERIENCE Service to clients/ build relationship with team Barista, May 2007 August 2009 Starbucks Coffee Company, Binghamton, NY Displayed leadership on a team of partners providing a high level of customer service Underwent an intensive training program to become a certified Barista Assisted in training new employees Report concerns to management staff as needed Processed sales transactions and balanced cash drawer at the end of each shift Communication skills

19 Creating Your Targeted Résumé Optional Sections; MUST relate or do not include! Related coursework (under Education section) Honors Activities Professional Affiliations Service/Volunteer Experience Computer and language skills Work History

20 Résumés A Final Thought Résumés are a continual working draft: Edit your résumé each season/semester Add organizations joined; leadership positions held Relevant coursework Group projects: developing a skill related to overall work experience Create a master résumé Résumés as a writing process

21 Creating a Targeted Cover Letter Hook, Line and Sinker approach Hook: First paragraph- hook the reader. How did you find the opportunity? Share name of referral, if appropriate Line: Second paragraph- explain your interest Take 1-2 experiences from your resume and elaborate Be detailed and use the STAR approach DO NOT use same line/verbiage from resume Sinker: Closing paragraph Restate interest Share how the mission/vision align with your own experience/goals Provide and phone so recruiter can follow up

22 The Hook October 6, 2010 Dear Mrs. Sobocienski, William Business 1515 Victory Dr. Ithaca, NY State how you found position It is with great interest that I submit my application for the PricewaterhouseCoopers summer internship. I was referred to the position by Professor Patricia Libby who shared this opportunity me during a recent advising meeting. This internship is highly intriguing to me as I am interested in a career in tax and often utilize the strong communication, creative thinking, and team-oriented skills you re seeking. Be specific! From job requirements

23 The Line My experience thus far has affords me the opportunity to pursue an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers. I ve had the great fortune of utilizing effective communication skills through my leadership as the Vice President (VP) of Reporting for Beta Alpha Psi and current work experience as a Barista at Starbucks Coffee Company. Serving as the VP allows me to hone my communication skills with my peers and learn how to lead effectively. Working as a Barista, I have interacted with a variety of people from customers, team members, and managerial staff. Additionally, I have proven my motivation and creative thinking skills through my leadership role with Beta Alpha Psi. I created a two-year plan of enrollment for our honors society to bolster membership and led an initiative to induct honorary members, often alumni, to our group. Doing so created many opportunities for our members to connect with alumni but also raised our membership 25% in one semester. Taken from job description

24 The Sinker I hope to bring my skills and experience to your team. Like PricewaterhouseCoopers, I measure personal success by those that I serve. I would sincerely enjoy an opportunity to further discuss my credentials for the summer internship experience. Please feel free to contact me at (607) or Bill.Business@gmail.com. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Bill Business Link to company s mission

25 Questions? Career Services 101 Muller (607) Walk-Ins Monday Friday 10:00 AM 4:00 PM Bethany Kilgore Professional Development Coordinator School of Business 121 Park Center (607) Walk-Ins Tuesday & Thursday: 3:00-5:00 PM Wednesday: 10:00 AM 12:00 PM