Hello everybody!
The topic of this week will be focusing on creating
your own cover letter and resume for the professional world. The purpose of a
cover letter is to target your correspondence to the employer while following a
business letter format while your resume will be a formatted summary of your
relevant job experiences, skills, and education. Both the cover letter and
resume should be giving the potential employer a background of who you are,
what you have to offer, and discretely showing why you are fit for the job in
the most precise professional way possible!
We would like for you all to visit the Career
Services Handouts Website at:
After investigating this site, draft a resume and
cover letter while including action verbs related to management and leadership,
research, technical, teaching and training, finance and data, helping,
organization and detail, and/or accomplishments, in order to make them both
professional and have a strong sounding foundation. Then, answer all of the
following questions:
1. Which
handouts were most helpful? Least? Why?
2. Do
you have any handouts or tips for writing an effective resume to share?
3. What
makes a resume stand our (in either a good or a bad way?)
4. What
do you want your resume to say about YOU?
Work efficiently on this assignment as you will be
using resumes and cover letters not only in your capstone class as well but
most importantly in the real world when applying to jobs! This assignment is
due Sunday April 1st.
NOTE: Please reply as three separate comments not as
new posts but as replies UNDER 3 separate posts to receive credit for
Cornerstone class requirement.
Have a great week!
Rachael, Nikki, Edison, Heather, Kristin, Rikesh, Susanne and Victoria
My resume can highlight my interdisciplinarity by displaying my academic achievement with focus on the sciences, as well as my professional achievement as I have worked at the same place all throughout my college career and have received promotions. I have excelled in both arenas which makes me a great candidate to future success. Also, the fact that I have majored in the Interdisciplinary Studies program shows how well-rounded I am. Along with my admissions test scores, I hope a resume will beneficial for admission into a graduate program.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Bethany Moore
I think it is so great that you have been working at the same place throughout college. I would ask your managers for letters of recommendation. Also, if their is another employee that values you I would ask them to write a letter as well. Letters of recommendation from employers, co-workers and professors can really help when you are looking for a career. Good Luck :-)
DeleteVictoria Kania
Thanks Victoria, I plan on asking my employer for a letter of recommendation. He loves me, so I know it will be a great letter. Also, he knows me better than any of my professors, and spends a lot more time with me so he will have a better perspective to reflect on me, my personality, and my strengths.
Delete-Bethany Moore
In cover letter I have used in the past, I have addressed my current employment and academic status, and my future goals in relation to the job I am applying. I summarize my experience, and why I am sending a resume and cover letter to this particular company. I always make sure to stress the strengths, and maintain a level of politeness throughout the letter. I am wondering though, is it better to be more professional and bit detached in a cover letter? Or is better to bring more personality, and character into the letter while remaining polite? Which do employers prefer? And does it depend on the company?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Bethany Moore
In the past when I have worked with a company that helped me to write a letter and they recommended writing a cover letter for each job. This is very time consuming and difficult at times; however it does work. They recommended that I write a cover letter that summarizes the resume and my life in a way that applies to the job I am applying for. It grabs the employers attention and usually gets you an interview. Good Luck.
DeleteVictoria Kania
Thanks Victoria, that seems like a great resource. This is probably a skill that gets better with practice, and experience.
DeleteThanks,
Bethany Moore
The best resource I have found is looking at several different books in the library when I comes to writing a resume or cover letter. Each publication has it’s own focus and style, and strengths and weaknesses. Between several different authors you can generally find an answer to anything you are wondering. Although, when it comes to resumes, there are so many different styles, and techniques. Some can be extremely long and detailed, while others are brief and expansion upon them is necessary, but most books separate resume types by what kind of job or company you are looking to apply for. For a recent college graduate, most resumes are probably going to shorter and more sparse than those with years of experience in the industry, but that may not be such a bad thing. I guess it just depends on where the resume is going.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bethany Moore
Although your resume might be shorter don't be affraid to highlight your success in college. Boast about your dedication to your job while earning your degree. There are many people out there without a degree and you are getting one. It shows that you are a hard worker and intelligent. Good Luck.
DeleteVictoria Kania
THanks Victoria. I plan on highlighting my scholarships, and volunteering activities as well, which will, hopefully, emphasize my dedication.
Delete-Bethany Moore
I feel what makes a resume stand out is when an applicant has the whole package. When putting together a resume it is important to make your top qualities standout, but it is also important to show that you are versatile. The best resume is one that shows good academics and lots of experience. It is also important to have a wide range of experience and not just focus on a narrow area. For instance for vet school, it is advantageous to demonstrate animal experience, veterinary experience (in many different fields), research experience, and even experiences not relating to animals at all are important. One of my friends was denied admissions to a few vet schools the first time around and when she asked where she needed to improve, she was told that she needed to be involved in something that was not animal related.
ReplyDelete-Randi Owen
That is interesting that your friend was turned down. In my personal experience with jobs many employers are looking for someone that is capable of handling a job; but they are also looking for someone that can work well with customers or vendors. I believe that you are correct that they want a well rounded person. Good luck.
DeleteVictoria Kania
Randi and Victoria,
DeleteThank you for your advice. I as well have never heard of the disadvantages of having a narrow area of experiences on a resume. I know I would want to show an employer that I was experienced in their area and probably only list those that applied to that job. But I would agree with Victoria that employers want a well-rounded person, plus it is more realistic for a person to have experiences outside of their job field. I feel an employer can connect more with a potential employee if they can get a feel for the person.
- Ashley Vanzant
What makes a resume standout in a bad way is when it is not visually appealing or there are errors. Misspellings and other grammatically errors are an immediate standout point for a bad resume. It is also bad if the resume looks like it was just thrown together at the last minute and it appears that the applicant could have added more details. The resume may need to be modified slightly for each job or graduate school. It is important to know about the company you are applying for because they might find one area more important than another or value something you might have not thought to include.
ReplyDelete-Randi Owen
I agree that a bad resume will stand out. If someone is not good at putting documents together they should consider a resume service. I am a person that can look at a paper and instantly notice errors. Many people are like this and can pinpoint a terrible resume. It takes time and energy to put together a good resume but it is worth it.
DeleteVictoria Kania
Victoria,
DeleteI can back you statement that many people will pinpoint errors on a resume. I have worked for several bosses that were Stigler’s about errors. I know they would take into consideration if someone had an error on their resume when hiring. When someone sees an error they begin to guess the persons skills. I struggle with making grammatical errors so I always have people review important documents.
- Ashley Vanzant
I want my resume to show that I am an excellent applicant to vet schools. I want my resume to highlight my GPA and course load along with my experience. I also want my resume to show that I am a versatile applicant with many important skills to bring to the table. As an interdisciplinarian, I have skills in the sciences, communications, and business. Even though I will be applying to vet schools, I feel what I have learned in communications and business is very important and applicable to my future. My resume needs to highlight how being an interdisciplinarian has set me apart.
ReplyDelete-Randi Owen
All of your areas should be important to Vet school. I believe you can write your resume to demonstrate how these areas apply to vet school. Also, your cover letter can explain how this makes you a strong candidate.
DeleteGood luck,
Victoria Kania
Which handouts were most helpful? Least? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe action verb handout was most helpful for me in many ways than one. First, this list is quite handy to have at a click of the mouse when working on my resume. Second, I can use this of action verbs when working on my cover letter. Third, I can use this list as a reference page when writing reflection and research papers, discussion post, and other writing word. I don’t believe this list is exclusive to resume or cover paper writing, this is a higher level list of common action verbs students should find quite helpful. It is my belief that every student having access to this list should save it to their computer or make a print out, and may want to share it with other students.
Kerline Leonard
Kerline,
DeleteWay to think out of the box on using resources. I would agree that the action verb handout is helpful for more than just a cover letter and resume. It is a good reference to use on other assignments.
-Ashley Vanzant
I am glad that you found this list helpful. It is great to have a list that can change the wording in your resume. Many resumes tend to use the same wording and it will make you stand out to use this list.
DeleteGood Luck,
Victoria Kania
Which handouts were most helpful? Least? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe least helpful was the enhancing your skills on a functional resume handout. This handout could have been suggested at the bottom of the skills sections used in a functional resume. The combination of those two handouts would allow the reader to look at the commonly used skill areas above and write down the selected skills at the bottom. Another idea would be to suggest to the reader to highlight the skills employers are seeking or highlight the skills possess. Finally, for a skill enhancing handout produced by a professional spelling check should have been performed or simply put proofread. Under the enhancing your skills handout “possess” is spelled “posses,” unless I’m too tired to see clearly the word should be “possess.”
Kerline Leonard
Good catch on the misspelled word. You must have an eye for correct grammar. I agree that the form might look not as useful however I can see it being helpful for the interview. The person asking the questions in the interview probably wrote the ad. It would be good to rehearse your answers.
DeleteVictoria Kania
Do you have any handouts or tips for writing an effective resume to share?
ReplyDeleteYes, UCF has a great step- by-step power point on how to build your resume. This power-point was presented, I believe, during the fifth week of class. The power-point is easy to follow step-by-step instruction and example of the finish work per section. The author also provides great ideas on enhancing and improving the resume. For example, the student may want to add his/her G.P.A, according to the power-point instructional tutorial this should be done only if the study has a 3.5 or higher G.P.A. Being consistent when using bullets is another suggestion in the tutorial. At the end of the presentation the student can see the finish resume a single page with all sections included.
Kerline Leonard
I agree that this is a helpful tool in creating your resume. I had the same resume for years and I re-wrote it during this section. It looks much better and refreshed.
DeleteGood luck,
Victoria Kania
Which handouts were most helpful? Least? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe handouts I found most useful were the Cover Letter Writing 101, Cover Letter Sample and the Resume Writing 101. They gave a lot of great tips that I used when editing my resume, and I specifically liked the sample because I am a very visual person. This allowed me to see a skeleton of what would be expected in a cover letter. The least helpful was probably, for me, the action words. It still provided some benefit, but I feel that at this stage in my education I already know how I want myself to sound when people read my resume. There is also the fear of using too many or too much of the "big" worded items when you pick from a list like that, and then it just sounds like you went through a thesaurus in word and clicked insert 100 times.
Travis Burnett
Travis,
DeleteThe sample resume was a resume lifesaver. I was super thankful to have that to refer to. Even though we don't need to follow it exactly, it gives us that generic format that is essential when creating a new document.
-Natalie
This is a great tool to use when writing your cover letter. The cover letter should be an attention grabber and summarize who you are. Many times the cover letter is a way to share information that you cannot put into the resume.
DeleteGood Luck.
Victoria Kania
Resume Tips to Share
ReplyDeleteI actually do not have any other tips other than what has been provided by the handouts. I think that they sufficiently address any concerns that someone would have when preparing a resume. This is just another sight that I found about resume writing, and it also has some additional tips about finding jobs.
http://www.how-to-write-a-resume.org/
Travis Burnett
What makes a resume stand out? (Good or bad)
ReplyDeleteWell a good way to make your resume stand out is to, obviously, have some outstanding things to put on it. Making sure that you get involved with a lot of clubs to show that you are well rounded, or volunteering at places that are relevant to the job you want (i.e. volunteering at hospitals if you want to go to medical school) show that you are driven and interested in the field.
Some bad ways to make your resume stand out would be spelling things incorrectly, or having a very unorganized resume. If the resume does not look organized and neat, then the potential employer could make the inference that neither are you.
Travis Burnett
What do I want my resume to say?
ReplyDeleteI want my resume to reflect that I am a hardworking person who is very interested in the medical field. I want the people reviewing my resume to say, "Wow, he has put in a lot of work and done a lot of research to impress us". Everything that I do currently in school I do to boost my resume so that hopefully an admission board at some medical school will see it and want to have me be a part of their team. My goal is to make my resume shout at them, so that they cannot help but notice me.
Travis Burnett
Travis,
DeleteIt sounds like you are dedicated and hardworking. I think it is beneficial for all students to participate in activities: clubs, community service, workshops, books, etc… that will boost their resume. It shows an employer that you care about your professional development. It also gives you a chance to network and meet people. Another benefit is that you can stay educated in your field. Easy steps can be made to boost your resume and make an employee more desirable to potential employers.
- Ashley Vanzant
When employers are looking to fill a position, they deal with multiple applications, applicants and after while, resumes start to look the same. To stand out, I like to make sure my cover letter has a hook, not just "Hi, I'm Natalie and I'd like to apply...blah". Grammar is key when writing and submitting a resume. The first time an employer comes across a resume with a mistype that tells them that the applicant isn't even able to proof read ONE document thoroughly, a document that determines whether they are hired or not. Doesn't look good!
ReplyDelete-Natalie
That's a good little tip. It is crucial to hook the reader from the get go. You should keep them wanting to read more and more about you. Perfect grammar is a must too. No employer wants someone who can't spell or type a correct sentence. I think it is also useful to change sentence structure throughout your cover letter so it doesn't become boring to the reader.
DeleteI want my resume to portray my characteristics to the fullest. This girl has got it together, she's had it together for a while and she seems like she'd keep having it together for many years to come. Committed, hard working, and team player are three adjectives I hope to push into the minds of expectant employers. I want to make sure that the first time my name is read off the header of my resume, that it sticks. I may not be the most experienced, but I am trying consistently to join the ranks of the experienced, and hiring me would only be beneficial to the company for which I am applying.
ReplyDelete-Natalie
What makes a resume stand our (in either a good or a bad way?)
ReplyDeleteI think to make a resume stand out from the others is to be unique that you have done in your life that also relates to what job field you are interested in. Most resumes have your education and job experience, but to put a skill or talent that is different may draw the audience. I also think that having a degree in a well known and good university will stand out as well. What may turn away the audience from your resume is if you don’t have it well formatted and by having too much information in it.
-Erica Vazquez
What do you want your resume to say about YOU?
ReplyDeleteI want my resume to highlight my knowledge and academic achievements as well as my skills and talents. I want to show that I am well rounded by studying in the areas of health and commerce and a minor in fitness training. Not only will it highlight my achievements and skills but also my characteristics. And I would like to get experience in fitness and wellness so that they it can enhance my skills to put on my resume. It will also show that I have done great throughout my academic career and I am a great employee and I would be a great asset to their company and team.
-Erica Vazquez
Which handouts were most helpful? Least? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe handouts that were the most helpful were the cover letter sample and resume 101. With the cover letter sample you get to see how an actual cover letter should look like and the format. I had made a cover letter before but now I know exactly how to make the over letter perfect. And I liked the resume 101 because it showed what we needed to include in a resume and what we should and should not put in the resume. I think the action verb handouts were the least helpful, I mean it can be helpful but I just found the other handouts more helpful.
-Erica Vazquez
Hi Erica,
DeleteI agree. The resume 101 was very helpful. It would be perfect for someone who has never written a resume before. The handout pretty much holds your hand through the whole set up. I'm sure that any individual learning how to write a resume would appreciate this handout.
-Shatori Brockington
After visiting the career services handout website I felt like the cover letter writing 101 and resume writing 101 were the most helpful. They took you step by step on the whole set up of an resume and cover letter. Those two handouts would be excellent to share with someone eho has never done a cover letter or resume before. I'm pretty sure that if an individual followed the set up for these two handouts that their cover leteer, and resume would be almost close to perfect. they shouls receive phone calls for job interviews and offers about seventy percent of the time.
ReplyDelete-Shatori Brockinton
What makes a resume stand out?
ReplyDeletean effective resume will always stand out if you include a career summary at the top of your resumw. This will give the managers an immediate snapshot of your skills and accomplishments. It is also important to keep it up to date, no matter the status of the economy. It is also impressive to list your experience by skill category rather than chronological order. implementing a few of these things will make your resume stand out.
-Shatori Brockington
What do you want your resume to say about you?
ReplyDeleteI want my resume to "wow" the readers. making a good first impression is important. I want to be taken seriously when applying for jobs, and a good looking resume is the first step. I want my resume to show and say that I'm professioonal from the objective to my skills. My resume will contain specifics, nothing vague. and most imprtantly, it will also clearly position me as the person who can meet the needs and requirements for the job.
-Shatori Brockington
I found the "Cover Letter 101" handout really helpful. My freshmen year I had to take SLS and we spent a very long time on resumes and cover letters. We were actually given that exact handout to help us construct our own cover letters. I find it so helpful because it tells you the exact location that everything needs to be. In addition, in the handout tells you what information needs to be provided in each paragraph. To be honest there is not one handout I didn't find useful to writing a cover letter and resume. They all provide different information to make for a well rounded cover letter and resume.
ReplyDeleteIn order for a resume to stand out in a good way, is not being a typical writer. Everyone can write a simple sentence, changing the order of your sentences could really help with future employers reading it. I believe you have to find a certain balance in advertising yourself. You don't want to just talk about yourself and all of what you're good at. Of course, you have to include these things in your cover letter, but to a certain extent. Finding that balance between illustrating yourself nicely and being self-centered definitely one of the keys to a good cover letter.
ReplyDelete