Topic #5- Resumes & Cover Letters

Hello Mentees,
This week we will be discussing covers letters and resumes. What is a resume? A resume is a brief document that summarizes your education, employment history, and experiences that are relevant to your qualifications for a particular job for which you are applying. The purpose of a resume (along with your cover letter) is to get an interview. Research has shown that it takes an average of ten (10) interviews to receive one (1) job offer, so your resume needs to be persuasive and perfect. Now let’s put our heads together and exchange some ideas so we can come up with that perfect resume. First, explain ways your resume can highlight your interdisciplinarity. Second, ask any questions about cover letters or resumes that you might have. Third, share any advice you may have or feel free to share your best cover letter. Here is a link I found to be helpful and interesting.

http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/index.php

Looking forward to hearing from all of you!
Pam



Hello Mentees!
I do believe that resumes are a very important part of this class. It is wonderful that professors have resumes be submitted for reprise. As they say....you only get one chance for a first impression. I believe this is true of resumes. You want to leave them with enough information and knowledge about you but at the same time you do not want to kill them will pages to read. My dad revises written work for a living and is kept up to date on the proper etiquette of resumes. I am constantly sending him mine. He recently emailed me a couple of little tips on resumes. Here they are below. I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any questions! =) Id also love to hear tips on anything that you have gotten complimented on as far as your resumes are concerned =) Hope you have a wonderful Spring Break =)

~Rebe



Here are some fun and interesting little tidbits about resumes:

It's becoming harder than ever to get your resume read by a real person. "HR people are drowning in resumes, and despite their best intentions, many can't keep up," says executive recruiter Mike Travis.Help your resume win the attention it deserves by following these up-to-date tips from industry insiders.* "Keep it shorter, tighter, and more laser-focused," advises resume expert Louise Kursmark. "Resumes are by necessity becoming crisper and more to the point." With Twitter, texting, and a barrage of quick-hit multimedia messages, we're getting accustomed to the succinct. "Readers quickly lose interest in wordy resumes that don't get right to the point," she says. This goes for cover letters, too.* "Show some humor or personality," says Jennifer Turner, of Talagy recruiting and staffing company. "I recently called a candidate, even though he didn't match any current positions, because his online resume title was, 'Smart and Funny Sales Guy.'"* "Make your resume read like a news story, not an encyclopedia entry," suggests Sam Levine, of The Buttonwood Group. Pop an eye-catching headline and lead on the top and be sure to include a summary of qualifications.* "Be results-oriented," advises Erin Riley, assistant director of career services at the Chapman University School of Law. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments. Example: Instead of simply writing "Drafted OSHA appeal," she says, include results: "Drafted OSHA appeal resulting in 90% reduction of employer fine for employee's serious on-the-job injury." * "Show what sets you apart," says Nancy Keene, a director of Stanton Chase global executive search firm. "I like to see some indication of personal interests. It's a good conversation trigger and provides some additional insight into who the person is." Riley agrees. "It's an opportunity to make yourself memorable as an applicant," she says. While an actual Personal Interest section is not usually advised, you can find ways to integrate your interests into your resume. For example, you could list your volunteer activities to give hiring managers some sense of your passions. * "Use appropriate keywords," suggests Kursmark. Since machines are increasingly reading your resume before people are, give the tracking systems what they're looking for: the most significant keywords from the job description that fit your qualifications -- anything from degrees to programming languages and other specialized job-related skills.* "Let others sing your praises," says Richard Deems, co-author of "Make Job Loss Work for You." "We add a section at the end we title, 'What Others Say.' Then we list five short statements, usually without attribution, that others have said about the person." Examples: "Sticks with it until the job gets done," or "The most creative, prolific employee I've ever had."* "If your name is difficult to pronounce, include your nickname," says Heather R. Huhman, president of Come Recommended. Like it or not, "Companies are more likely to call you for an interview if you provide a name they can easily pronounce," she says.