1. careers
2. resume writing and advice

WRITING
SUCCESSFUL
RESUMES AND
COVER LETTERS
Career Development Center
York College of Pennsylvania
Campbell Hall Room 200
717-815-1452
[email protected]
www.ycp.edu/careerdevelopment
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Getting Started
2
Organizing Your Resume: Format and Content
3
Resume Tips to “Wow” an Employer
4
Resume Supplements
8
Online Applications
9
Effective Writing to Get Your Resume Noticed
11
Making Impactful Statements
13
Sample Action Words
14
Sample Action Statements
15
Resume Checklist
16
Sample Resumes
17
Cover Letters and Other Correspondence
25
Sample Cover Letters
27
Sample Thank You Letter
30
The Career Development Center realizes that
each resume is unique, making it difficult to
create one master checklist that applies to all
individuals and situations. We offer one-on-one,
in-person resume reviews that may be scheduled
through Spartan Career Path.
GETTING STARTED
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE RESUME?
Think of your resume as a marketing tool for demonstrating
that your product (you) meets the needs of your potential
customer (the employer).
Your resume summarizes your qualifications, lets the reader
know what type of position you are seeking, and highlights your
education, experience, skills, and other relevant information.
Keep in mind:
 Employers spend less than a minute scanning a
resume to determine whether a candidate’s
background matches their requirements.
 Match your skills with the employer’s needs by using
key words/jargon found in the job description and in
the industry.
 When your resume is done well, it will often lead to an
interview.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
1. Self-Analysis
If you are just beginning your resume, start with brainstorming to identify some of the skills and abilities you
have to offer an employer.
 Think about and draft an outline of experiences from the past three to five years, including:
Education and coursework
College and community activities
Foreign language skills
Internships or co-ops
Honors and awards
Study abroad
Jobs
Publications and presentations
Military experience
2. Research
Learn more about your field using the resources on the Career Development website.
 Visit www.onetonline.org to review tasks that are associated with job descriptions in your field.
 Develop a list of skills and abilities that employers are seeking in potential candidates.
 Visit www.indeed.com and other job boards to review several job descriptions and identify employer
needs and “buzz” words.
 Compare your skills and qualifications to employer requirements and prioritize what to highlight in your
resume.
3. Write a Draft
Follow the guidelines and examples in this packet to create your resume.
 Be concise and use as few words as possible while providing relevant details.
 Do not use first-person pronouns (I, me, my) or articles (a, an, the).
 Do not include your age, gender, religion, political affiliation, ethnicity, marital status, social security
number, references, or salary expectations/history.
4. Proofread and Obtain a Critique
Don’t let your resume be eliminated from consideration due to careless errors.
 Read each section carefully and ensure that you have effectively addressed the skills and
accomplishments the employer is seeking.
 Don’t rely on Spell Check. Carefully proofread for spelling, capitalization, and/or punctuation errors.
 Obtain a resume critique from Career Development: You may drop off or email
([email protected]) your resume to receive written feedback within 48 business hours, or
you may make an appointment with a career counselor through Spartan Career Path
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ORGANIZING YOUR RESUME: FORMAT AND CONTENT
FORMAT
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Resumes should be 1-2 pages long and printed on resume paper by a quality printer.
o One-page resumes are for entry level positions and corporate employment.
o Two-page resumes are appropriate for those who have extensive experience, who are seeking
a nonprofit position, or who are applying for research positions or graduate school.
Font style is generally Arial (size 10) or Times New Roman (size 11) for easy reading.
Margins should be no larger than 1” and no less than 0.7” left/right and 0.5” top/bottom.
Consider having your section titles in all capital letters
or in bold font the same size as the other text.
Use indents to make your headers and text stand out.
Order the most important/relevant information top to
Resumes get noticed when they:
bottom and left to right (i.e., place related experiences
 Are concise, organized, and
toward the top and dates toward the right margin).
easy to read
Do not split information between lines or page sections.
 Emphasize relevant
Avoid resume templates: Create your own unique
accomplishments and potential
document that is professional and easy to edit.
contributions
Save and submit your documents as PDFs to preserve
 Focus on the skills for a specific
formatting.
position and industry
Have a separate resume that does not use hollow
bullets, italics, or lines for online applications because
these do not translate well when electronically scanned.
CONTENT
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Do not develop a generic resume! Target your resume to each specific job for which you apply.
Be sure to use key words from your field and the job description you are seeking! Embed these “buzz”
words/key words throughout your resume, cover letter, and online applications.
Sell yourself with section titles and statements that reflect what you want the employer to know about
you. For example, use a header entitled “Leadership” instead of “College Activities.” Insert words and
phrases such as “takes initiative” or “demonstrates effective goal setting.”
Do not include personal information or license and certificate numbers. Exclude hobbies, interests and
religion/ethnic background unless they would be relevant to an employer.
Do not rely solely on Spell Check. It is sometimes inaccurate, and it will not work on words in all caps.
WHAT RESUME FORMAT SHOULD I USE?
Combination Resume
 Most appropriate for the majority of traditional college students.
 Combines work history with sections for skills and accomplishments.
 Highlights relevant or useful experiences such as leadership activities, volunteer work, honors or
awards, and educational experiences such as internships, study abroad, etc.
Chronological Resume
 Good for the person with a long and consistent work history who is staying in same career.
 Highlights the most recent work experience first, followed by all previous jobs (in reverse order).
 Not especially good for career changers or those with little work experience.
Functional or Skills
 Useful for career changers and individuals with limited work experience to highlight transferable skills.
 Highlights skills and accomplishments—whether or not they were gained through jobs.
 De-emphasizes dates, which helps hide gaps in employment or schooling. However, employers have
more difficulty piecing together chronological information.
 Useful for those with significant work experiences in the same field to avoid repetition of information.
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RESUME TIPS TO “WOW” AN EMPLOYER
Follow these general guidelines to develop the content in each section of your resume.
1. HEADING
The heading should include your name and contact information (address, phone, and email). It is the first thing
employers see so be sure to make a good first impression.
Tips for your header:
 Provide only one phone number and one email address. (Make sure your email address and voicemail
message are professional and appropriate. Avoid addresses like [email protected].)
 Your name should be bold with a font size a few points larger than the rest of the text.
 Avoid the use of a middle initial unless you have a common name.
 Consolidate your information to avoid too much wasted white space.
2. OBJECTIVE VS. PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Objectives: For entry level candidates, an objective should be used to tell the prospective employer (1) what
type of internship or job you are seeking and (2) the skills, traits, or expertise you have to offer. A well-written,
concise, focused job objective conveys a sense of direction and professionalism.
Sample inappropriate objective: “Seeking a challenging position where I may use my skills and abilities”
Sample well-written objectives: Depending on your job target and objectives, there are many ways to format
your objective as shown below:
 “To perform planning, marketing and programming in the administration of a large recreational area”
 “To assist in the development and provision of educational programs within a human services agency”
 “To conduct cancer research at a medical research facility”
 “To utilize skills in communication and web design to create and
implement effective marketing strategies”
 “To produce commercials for advertising products and services
Objectives and
utilizing artistic and graphic design skills”
professional summaries
should NOT be generic, as
Professional Summaries: Experienced job seekers with considerable
employers are not
experience or expertise in a given field (usually 5-10 years) or a
attracted to candidates
nontraditional student with varied experience and skills may wish to use
who want to land “any
a professional summary at the top of the resume instead of an objective.
job” in “any industry” to
This can include 4-6 bullets or phrases highlighting the skills and traits
use “any skills.”
that would be of interest to the specific employer. An example of a
professional summary with bulleted highlights of qualifications might look
like this:
“Self-starter with over twelve years of experience in human resources seeking a management position within a
manufacturing environment:
 Special expertise in technical staff selection, training, and succession planning
 Skilled in the development and facilitation of management training programs
 Solid background in employment law, OSHA, and requirements within an industrial setting
 Talent for balancing long-range vision with short-term goals and objectives”
3. EDUCATION
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List colleges and universities attended as well as degrees, majors, minors, and concentrations.
Include special educational experiences like study abroad or certifications that are relevant to the field.
Do not include internships and co-ops here, as they should be put in a “Related Experience” section.
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If you personally paid for a significant percentage of your education (utilizing personal loans does not
count), you could include this on your resume or expand upon it in your cover letter.
List your GPA if it is 3.0 or above.
o If the GPA in your major is significantly higher than your cumulative GPA, you may list them
both.
o If you graduated with honors (e.g., cum laude), you do not need to include your GPA.
o Once you are in graduate school or have been out of college for 3+ years, GPAs are not
required.
Sample Education section format:
York College of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice
Minors: Sociology and Spanish
York, PA
May 2011
GPA: 3.24
4. RELATED COURSEWORK
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List any courses that are extremely relevant to success and performance in your future career,
especially if they are in addition to your major.
Identify focus areas if they are not already listed on your resume as a major or minor.
Upper level classes containing hands-on experience, product development/creation, research, or
industry recommendations should be included under a “Related Experience” section and described in
bullet statements rather than included in this general listing of courses.
Once you are seeking full-time employment, a general list of courses can be removed from the resume
because your degree encompasses coursework.
5. SKILLS
The skills section should include “hard skills” such as computer knowledge, foreign languages, or other things
that can be easily tested or proven:
 Computer skills including software applications, programming, and certifications
 Language proficiency including foreign study
 Technical skills or knowledge (e.g., testing, analysis, laboratory, shop, procedures, methodology)
 Specialized training such as CPR
Soft skills (e.g., personal characteristics) are best represented when woven into
bullet statements in the sections describing your actual work and life experiences
(see the next section for details). They may also be discussed in your cover letter.
6. EXPERIENCE
Your experience section can be titled a variety of ways to showcase your experience and can include
paid/unpaid internships or co-ops, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, military experience, volunteer work,
and/or work-study positions. Proper organization of your information is critical to an employer’s understanding of
what you have to offer.
First, take an inventory of all of your experience and consider which ones are related to your career field.
Organize related experiences together in one section called “Career Related Experience,” “Relevant
Experience,” or “Related Experience.” Alternatively, you may use titles that pertain to your career goal such as
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“Research Experience,” “Engineering Experience,” and “Teaching Experience.” Effective titles draw attention to
the fact that you have experience in your field and highlight the progress you are making on your career path.
The remainder of your experience, which is not necessarily career related but equally important in enhancing
soft skills, can be incorporated into sections titled “Employment” or “Additional Experience.” When possible,
create specific/descriptive sections such as “Leadership Activities” and “Military Experience,” but be cautious
about having too many sections containing little information; your resume will become busy and harder to digest.
The key to effectively representing your experience is to:
 use your first bullet statement to provide a general overview of your job role
 properly organize and label your sections to draw an employer’s attention to relevant skills
 begin each bullet statement with an action verb and organize similar ideas together
 provide proof of your experience and transferrable skills through well-written action statements
Writing Effective Bullet Statements
Use the ATR framework to describe your accomplishments in your resume: Action + Task + Result. Think about
a task you completed at a job or internship; begin the statement with an appropriate action verb that describes
what you did to complete the task and the results you achieved. For example:
Action:
Task:
Result:
Developed
a grant proposal for a human services agency
that produced over $15,000 to start community counseling outreach for the homeless
For each of your experiences, think about major responsibilities, projects, and achievements.
Don’t just write about routine duties, and be sure to highlight those soft skills!
Effectively Representing Your Transferrable Skills
"Soft skills" refer to a cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes, and social graces that make someone a
good employee; they are “transferrable skills” that you take with you to any job. Companies value soft skills
because they can be just as important as hard skills in predicting job performance. Listed below are sample
soft/transferrable skills that should be woven into bullet statements within various sections of your resume.
Accepting responsibility
Attention to detail
Communication
Conflict management
Critical thinking
Customer service
Decision-making
Delegating
Ethics
Flexibility
Goal-setting
Initiative
Leadership
Listening skills
Management skills
Marketing
Motivating others
Multi-tasking
Negotiation/compromise
Networking
Organizational skills
Presentation skills
Problem-solving
Public relations
Public speaking
Reporting
Research
Resourcefulness
Risk-taking
Self-motivation
Selling
Social Skills
Teamwork
Technical writing
Time management
Troubleshooting
Willingness to learn
Writing
Here are some sample bullet statements representing oral and written communication:
 “Organized and presented marketing ideas during team meetings, which contributed to the annual
marketing plan”
 “Prepared concise and logically written technical manuals to help reduce machine assembly time”
 “Utilized campus resources and collaborated with faculty on the development of a PR campaign”
Additional Tips for Bullet Statements
 Use action verbs—not statements that begin with “I” or “Responsibilities included”
 List experiences within each section in reverse chronological order (start with the most recent
experience and work backwards in time)
 Use proper verb tenses (present tense for current positions and past tense for previous roles)
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Change your resume each time you apply for a different type of position and reorganize your bullets in
priority order according to the needs identified in the job description
Do not list every part-time position you’ve ever held or go into great detail
Include the level of responsibility you’ve held in your employment (e.g., Were you responsible for
training all new employees? Did you close out the cash drawers and make the nightly deposits? Were
you “unofficially” in charge when the manager was out?)
Include transferrable skills such as effective time management (e.g., “Managed a full-time class
schedule while working 30+ hours per week and earning a 3.6 GPA”)
Draw connections between skills you acquired during your experience that will transfer into your next
place of employment
Include such things as position title, organization, location, dates employed, and description of duties
7. LEADERSHIP/ACTIVITIES
Do not underestimate the weight that employers place on campus involvement, leadership roles, participation in
athletics and community service, and other co-curricular activities. If this was a strong part of your experience
while in school, emphasize it! When possible, don’t just list involvement; describe, for example, what your role
as Vice President entailed.
Why employers value co-curricular activities:
 Opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them
 Non-threatening way to develop new and transferrable skills
 Great way to develop references from interactions with faculty and staff outside of the classroom
 Opportunity to value diversity by learning from and working with individuals from different backgrounds
and belief systems
 Increase knowledge about complex issues and improve critical thinking skills
 Encourage social responsibility and service to the community
 Develop the ability to work as part of a team as well as to collaborate, cooperate, and compromise
 Opportunity for professional development through membership in organizations
8. OTHER CATEGORIES
Other optional categories, which may fit your background, include “Volunteer Work” or “Community Service
Activities,” “Honors/Awards,” and “Military Experience.” Provide details of your accomplishments and
responsibilities.
Awards and scholarships are listed on resumes for undergraduate and graduate students, usually toward the
bottom of the page. The number of academic accomplishments on your resume should decrease as relevant
work experience increases—unless they are applicable to the position you are seeking.
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RESUME SUPPLEMENTS
REFERENCES
This category is no longer included on a resume but should be included on a separate sheet and provided to an
employer upon request. Copy the header from your resume and use it on your reference sheet and cover letter
as letterhead. List your references in the following manner:
Mr. Bruce Wayne, President, Wayne Enterprises
100 Bat Cave Blvd., Gotham City, CA 12345
(234) 567-8909 / [email protected]
Employer for three summers who supervised me in the
development and implementation of direct marketing programs.
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Three to five references is the norm; however, you may list more.
Include employers, professors who know you and your quality of work well, internship supervisors, etc.;
personal “character” references (such as your neighbor or minister) are not as strong.
Ask people in advance if they will serve as a reference for you, supply them with a copy of your resume,
and familiarize them with the skills you possess for the positions you are seeking.
When you land a job, send your references a thank you letter and update them on your status.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
If you need a letter of recommendation, provide your references with several weeks of advance notice. Talk to
your references about your goals and supply them with your resume and any materials that will assist them in
writing on your behalf (e.g., job description, graduate school essay, etc.).
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ONLINE APPLICATIONS
In your job search, you will often be required to complete online applications that include a version of your
resume. You also may be asked to copy and paste your resume into a field or upload/attach a file.
TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION NOTICED
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Follow directions. Be careful to enter the correct data in the correct field.
Ask for advice on completing the application from a company recruiter or an alumnus at the company.
Tailor your application information to the position. Don’t copy and paste text from your generic resume.
Use key words, buzz words, and industry jargon. Use the verbiage in
the job description as your model.
Create a skills-inventory section even if the application doesn’t require
it. You might put this in a comments section.
Include numbers and statistics if they are available (e.g., Responsible
for more than $10,000).
Complete all fields--even those that are not required.
If the company offers an optional assessment test online, take it.
Use a very simple format; fancy bullets, text, italics, and bold do not
convert well.
Check spelling and grammar before submitting your application, even if
you have to copy and paste the information into Microsoft Word. Your
application must be error free.
Another use for the comment section: use it to demonstrate that you’ve done research on the company
and the industry.
Use quotes from letters of recommendations in your resume or cover letter.
After submitting your application, follow-up with a personal email or LinkedIn message to the recruiter.
EMAILED RESUMES
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Copy and paste your cover letter, resume, and references into one PDF document to save time for the
recruiter and avoid compromising the format.
Ensure that your subject line includes the job title to differentiate it from junk mail.
Do not use texting jargon or emoticons.
In the body of the email, provide a brief introduction containing your contact information so that a
recruiter can call you if your resume does not upload properly. Use proper grammar and professional
formatting. For example:
Dear Mr. Smith:
I am interested in the research associate position available in the marketing department. With my
previous internship in market research and my business degree, I am eager to contribute innovative
marketing ideas to increase sales. Attached are my resume, cover letter, and references for your
consideration. Please confirm receipt by contacting me at 717-222-8888 or [email protected]. Thank
you for your time.
Sincerely,
Your Name
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MULTIMEDIA OR ONLINE PORTFOLIOS
Follow these guidelines for using a website or online portfolio that incorporates samples of your work and/or
graphics and photographs in your job search.
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List the site address in your resume header and refer to it in your cover letter
Great for artists, web designers, journalists, professional writers, and those in technical fields
Record an “elevator speech,” a brief 30 second introduction, describing who you are and what you hope
to achieve
Establish your profile and history on a professional networking site such as LinkedIn or Twitter
Consult our “Job Search Skills” packet for
detailed information about how to use social
media tools effectively in your job search.
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EFFECTIVE WRITING TO GET YOUR RESUME NOTICED
RESEARCHING KEY WORDS
More and more companies are using online applications and scanning technology to assist them with
information management in Human Resources. Instead of reading hundreds of resumes to select qualified
candidates, recruiters can utilize a key word search to identify potential candidates from the pool of resumes.
Consequently, you should ensure that key words from the field and the job description are used in your resume.
Candidates whose resumes contain a best match for key words will be likely to obtain an interview.
Tips for locating key words in your field or industry:
 Use onetonline.org to research job descriptions in your field and look for commonalities in required skills
and tasks.
 Use Indeed.com to search for posted jobs in your field and highlight common threads.
 Copy and paste job descriptions into Tagcrowd.com—a free web application for visualizing word
frequencies in any text by creating a word cloud, text cloud, or tag cloud.
 Embed key words for these positions throughout your resume, cover letter, and online applications.
SOFT SKILLS DEFINITIONS
Employers are interested in the “soft skills” and competencies you have obtained through jobs, volunteer work,
internships, or co-curricular activities. Here are a few examples of these soft/transferrable skills to help you
brainstorm and identify your strengths so that you can adequately discuss them in your resume and cover letter.
Communication
 Use various forms, styles, and media to
present ideas
 Speak effectively to individuals and groups;
listen carefully and respond appropriately
 Describe objects or events with few errors in a
concise and logical manner
Information Management
 Sort data and objects
 Compile and rank information
 Apply information creatively to problems or
tasks
 Synthesize facts, concepts, and principles
Conflict Resolution
 Anticipate problems before they occur
 Develop plans to implement solutions
 Define the problem and identify possible
causes
 Handle several problems at once
Personal and Career Development
 Develop personal growth goals that are
motivating
 Take risks
 Identify one’s own strength and weakness
 Accept and learn from criticism
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
 Define the parameters of a problem
 Apply appropriate criteria to strategies
 Take given premises and reason to their
conclusion
 Create innovative solutions to problems
Professional Management
 Work efficiently under pressure
 Manage time and stress effectively
 Seek opportunities for professional
development
 Arrive at work on time
Decision-Making
 Understand the steps of effective decision
making
 Facilitate groups in decision making
 Implement sound decisions
 Take responsibility for decisions
Project Management
 Follow up with others to evaluate the progress
of tasks
 Conduct meetings
 Give praise and credit to others for work well
done
 Motivate others on group projects
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Design and Planning
 Identify alternative courses of action
 Set realistic goals
 Follow through with a plan or decision
 Manage time effectively
Research and Investigation
 Use a variety of sources of information
 Identify problems and needs
 Apply a variety of methods to test the validity
of data
Ethics and Tolerance
 Define and explain ethical behavior
 Practice ethical behavior in difficult situations
 Accept others’ opinions and actions nonjudgmentally
 Understand equal opportunity and acceptance
Supervision and Leadership
 Analyze tasks
 Delegate responsibility
 Identify people who can contribute to the
solution
 Identify resource materials
Financial Management
 Develop a budget
 Estimate expenses and income accurately
 Justify the organization’s budget to others
 Work within a budget
Teamwork and Teambuilding
 Motivate team members to work toward a goal
 Collaborate on projects
 Understand strengths and weaknesses of
members; use strengths to build the team
Human and Interpersonal Relations
 Keep a group moving toward achievement of a
goal
 Maintain group cooperation and support
 Delegate tasks and responsibilities
 Understand the feelings of others
Valuing
 Assess a course of action in terms of its longrange effects on the general human welfare
 Make decisions that will maximize both
individual and collective good
EXPERIENCE ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
Here is a list of questions to facilitate brainstorming about and analysis of your experiences to help you create
effective bullet statements for your resume:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
What skills have you developed as a result of the experience?
Did your experience involve recruiting, training, or supervising others?
Did you make any decisions or recommendations that were implemented?
What were your job responsibilities? How did they change and/or develop over the course of the
experience?
Did you gather or analyze any information?
Can you quantify the results of your work (e.g., number of customers served, percentage increase in
sales, percentile rank in class, amount of money raised, frequency of writing, etc.)?
Did you utilize and/or develop any technical skills?
How did you utilize and/or develop your personal qualities?
Did you produce any written documents and/or reports?
Did you assume any leadership or planning roles?
Did you volunteer or offer to do something above and beyond normal expectations?
Did you participate in any training?
Can you recall any situations where you successfully solved a problem, handled a crisis, dealt with a
difficult customer or co-worker, or received praise or recognition for performance, etc.?
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MAKING IMPACTFUL STATEMENTS
DULL
WITH IMPACT
1. Raised level of sales above previous year
1. Increased sales by 41% over prior year,
reversing a negative trend
2. Trained new employees
2. Created and implemented an orientation and
training program for all new employees
3. Wrote procedures manual for museum
3. Authored a 53 page procedure manual for
museum artifacts department
4. Called prospective customers
4. Participated in a targeted calling program to
market services and products to prospective
customers
5. Answered phone
5. Provided quality customer service by
answering multi-line phone, providing accurate
information to callers, and relaying messages to
appropriate individuals
6. Data entry
6. Entered and maintained data in Microsoft
Access and generated weekly sales reports
7. Sold clothes
7. Assisted customers using product knowledge,
customer service, and suggestive selling
8. Operated customer service desk
8. Addressed and resolved customer issues and
concerns
9. Supervised day campers
9. Planned, developed, and facilitated daily
educational and social activities for approximately
twenty campers ages 7-9
10. Tutored child
10. Tutored a special needs child in the areas of
reading and writing, resulting in an increased
reading level of two grades
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SAMPLE ACTION WORDS
Accompanied
Accomplished
Accounted for
Achieved
Acquired
Acted
Adapted
Administered
Admitted
Advanced
Advertised
Advised
Advocated
Aided
Allocated
Amended
Analyzed
Answered
Applied
Appointed
Approved
Arranged
Assembled
Assessed
Assisted
Assured
Attained
Audited
Automated
Awarded
Balanced
Budgeted
Built
Calculated
Catalogued
Chaired
Charted
Clarified
Classified
Closed
Coached
Collaborated
Collected
Commissioned
Communicated
Compared
Compiled
Completed
Computed
Conceived
Conducted
Consulted
Contracted
Contributed
Controlled
Coordinated
Corrected
Counseled
Created
Cultivated
Decreased
Delegated
Demonstrated
Designed
Determined
Developed
Devised
Differentiated
Directed
Dispatched
Displayed
Disseminated
Distributed
Diversified
Diverted
Documented
Drafted
Edited
Eliminated
Employed
Enabled
Enacted
Encouraged
Enforced
Engineered
Enhanced
Enlarged
Ensured
Equated
Established
Evaluated
Examined
Exceeded
Executed
Expanded
Expedited
Experimented
Extrapolated
Facilitated
Forecasted
Formulated
Founded
Gained
Generated
Grouped
Guided
Handled
Headed
Hired
Identified
Indexed
Influenced
Initiated
Innovated
Inspected
Installed
Instituted
Instructed
Integrated
Interpreted
Interviewed
Invented
Investigated
Launched
Leveraged
Lobbied
Maintained
Managed
Marketed
Masterminded
Maximized
Mediated
Merged
Moderated
Modified
Monitored
Motivated
Negotiated
Observed
Obtained
Operated
Organized
Originated
Oversaw
Packaged
Participated
Perfected
Performed
Persuaded
Pioneered
Prepared
Presented
Preserved
Presided
Prioritized
Processed
Produced
Programmed
Promoted
Proposed
Provided
Publicized
Published
Received
Recommended
14
Reduced
Referred
Refined
Regulated
Rehabilitated
Related
Renegotiated
Reorganized
Repositioned
Represented
Researched
Reshaped
Resolved
Responded
Restructured
Retained
Reviewed
Revised
Scheduled
Screened
Secured
Served as
Sold
Solved
Sorted
Spearheaded
Sponsored
Stabilized
Streamlined
Strengthened
Structured
Supervised
Surpassed
Synthesized
Systematized
Taught
Tested
Testified
Theorized
Trained
Translated
Trimmed
Turned-around
Updated
Upgraded
Utilized
Validated
Verified
SAMPLE ACTION STATEMENTS
Acted as liaison to…
Improved productivity by…
Administered plan created to…
Increased earnings # percent in # months by…
Attained a referral rate of # percent…
Initiated an innovative campaign designed to…
Automated billing requirements for…
Installed a process that…
Chaired a task force to develop…
Interviewed candidates seeking…
Compiled statistics proving…
Managed, organized, staffed, and trained…
Completed projects $ under budget in # months
Managed # engineers on a project that…
Conducted management activities of…
Marketed new concept in…
Conducted studies on…
Negotiated contracts for campus activities
Consolidated regular reports of…
Performed financial analysis designed to
Counseled large groups of…
Planned and directed a team of # staff who…
Created financial model that…
Promoted new technique that…
Created financial plan used to…
Provided services that…
Created new product image with…
Presented research findings at…
Cut production time by # percent…
Rated in top # performers for # years…
Designed project promotional plan that…
Received # promotions in # years
Designed equipment for…
Recruited talent for…
Developed new procedures to...
Redefined a process that…
Developed a unique program that…
Reduced expenditures by…
Directed activities that…
Reorganized the function that…
Directed a consumer research study which…
Reorganized work patterns that…
Directed a department staff of # that…
Served on major committee to…
Discovered problems that…
Serviced a team of physicians who…
Established reporting procedures for…
Sold new concept to top management by…
Facilitated training on…
Sold # units in # months by…
Increased morale of team by…
Strengthened organization by…
Implemented computerized system to…
Supervised a staff of…
Wrote marketing plan designed to…
Taught training programs for…
Wrote proposal that achieved…
Traveled extensively to…
Wrote # publications in the field of…
Voted as “Best Leader” by coworkers
15
RESUME CHECKLIST
Your resume represents you to potential employers, so it must contain pertinent information in a professional
and well-organized document. Utilize the following checklist to ensure your resume achieves its purpose:
CONTENT
Contact information:
 Name, address, one phone number, and one email address are easy to locate
Objective:
 Briefly indicates the sort of position sought and focuses on what you can offer to the employer
Education section:
 Degree(s), college name and location, graduation date, GPA (if over 3.0), major, minor, or areas of
concentration
 Relevant Courses (maximum of 5 and only if applying for internships)
 Does not include high school or institutions where a degree or certification was not earned
Skills section:
 Relevant technical skills and language skills that support the objective—not vague generalities (i.e., not
“strong communication skills” or “leadership”)
Experience section(s):
 Paid, unpaid, volunteer, internship positions, or related projects (for significant course projects that
support your objective) are included in one or multiple sections with each experience including title,
organization name, location, and dates
 Each experience is described with action word phrases that include higher level responsibilities and
projects managed, while demonstrating related and transferrable skills
 Campus or community leadership and involvements are represented either in their own section or within
Related or Additional Experience sections
Additional sections may include Research, Publications, Military Service, and Professional Development—but
only if they are relevant to the objective.
ORGANIZATION & PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE








Layout and order of sections showcase skills and experience based upon needs of the reader
Section headings are clear, specific, and related to the objective
Resume has positive visual impact using bullets, boldface, underlining, and/or italics
Reader is able to quickly (in 30-45 seconds) glean important information
Within each section, entries are placed in reverse chronological order
Absolutely free from grammatical, spelling, punctuation, usage, and typographical errors
Appropriate length: one page for every 6-10 years of full time experience (resumes for Graduate School
and positions in Education may be two pages)
Formatting and construction are consistent: spacing within and between sections, text or bullets align
vertically, font size does not vary, margins are set equally 0.8-1”, state abbreviations and verb tense are
consistent, etc.
RESUMES SHOULD NOT CONTAIN:



Personal information not relevant to the objective (e.g., age, sex, photo, marital status, national origin,
religious or political affiliations)
References (these should be placed on a separate page)
Graphics or color (unless you are pursuing a design/creative position)
16
SAMPLE RESUMES
COMBINATION RESUME (FOR A STUDENT SEEKING AN INTERNSHIP OR ENTRY LEVEL POSITION)
MAX BENSON
[email protected] / (717) 123-4567
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/benson
Permanent Address
Current Address
456 Westover Way
123 W. Jackson St.
Allentown, PA 34567
York, PA 17403
_________________________________________________________________________________
Objective
Seeking an accounting internship with a corporate accounting department
Education
York College of Pennsylvania
York, PA
May 2014
Bachelor of Science, Accounting
 Related Coursework: Accounting I & II, Intermediate Accounting I,
II, & III, Cost Accounting, Taxation, Auditing, and Advanced Accounting I
 Accepted into Dual Degree MBA Program, MBA expected May
2014
Career Related
Experience
Dentsply Corporation
York, PA
Summer 2013
Accounting Internship
 Prepared journal entries in monthly consolidated reports
 Assisted Corporate and Tax Accountants with special projects
 Worked with fixed asset maintenance and ledgers
Work Experience
ABC Insurance Co.
Allentown, PA Summers 2011, 2012
Office Assistant/Accounts Clerk
 Developed spreadsheet applications to track customer accounts
 Accurately posted all journal entries weekly and prepared reports
 Provided excellent customer service to clients and field agents
Sam’s Landscaping
Allentown, PA Summers 2009, 2010
Crew Leader, Landscaper
 Promoted to Crew Leader after one season
 Established daily and weekly priorities for crew of three
 Submitted activity logs and maintained equipment
 Installed and maintained residential landscaping
Leadership
Activities
Tour Guide, York College Admissions Office
2011-Present
Treasurer, Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity
2011-Present
President, Accounting Club
2012-2013
 Recruited new members, coordinated and managed meetings
 Arranged corporate speakers to present at meetings
Computer Skills
Experienced in Peach Tree & QuickBooks; proficient in Microsoft Word,
Excel, & PowerPoint
17
COMBINATION RESUME (FOR A STUDENT SEEKING AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION)
SARAH SMITH
[email protected]
100 Rathton Road • York, PA 17403 • (717) 123-4567
OBJECTIVE
Motivated nursing graduate seeks challenging entry level nursing position
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Nursing
York College of Pennsylvania, York, PA
 Graduated Magna Cum Laude, GPA 3.76
HONORS & AWARDS
Alpha Chi National Honor Society
Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society
May 2014
Inducted 2013
Inducted 2012
CAREER RELATED EXPERIENCE
Nursing Extern, York Hospital
Summer 2013
 Performed all RN functions under mentor/supervisor
 Refined technical and assessment skills
 Administered medications to patients and participated in patient reviews
Nursing Clinical Rotations, York Hospital & Memorial Hospital
 Rotations completed in Med/Surg, Psychiatric, Obstetrics, Pediatrics,
Acute Care, and Community Health
2011-2014
Special Skills
 Proficient in performing EKG’s, venipuncture, IV therapy, telemetry;
hold certification in CPR and First Aid
Professional Development
 National Student Nurses Association Annual Conference
 Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania Conference
Spring 2013
Fall 2012
Evidence Based Practice
Spring 2013
 “What is the Best Nutritional Practice for Obese or Bariatric Adults in the ICU?”
 “What is the Best Sedation Assessment Tool for Patients in the ICU?”
 “Does Screening for Domestic Violence Open Dialogue for Victims?”
YORK COLLEGE ACTIVITIES
Campus Activities Board, Newman Club, Women’s Varsity Field Hockey Team
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania, National Student Nurses Association
18
COMBINATION RESUME (FOR A STUDENT WITH LITTLE CAREER-RELATED EXPERIENCE SEEKING AN INTERNSHIP)
TRAVIS BLACK
(555) 512-215230
Moon Boot Lane, Preston, ID 30189
[email protected]
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a management training position in a corporate environment to gain experience in
various aspects of business operations.
EDUCATION
York College of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Minor: Marketing
York, PA
December 2014
GPA: 3.3
RELATED EXPERIENCE
York College Bookstore
York, PA
Associate
August 2011-Present
 Assist with inventory management and control and produce accurate reports
 Use creative design ideas to set up displays and merchandise store
 Create advertising for newspaper and campus fliers; increased store
traffic 30% in first month of advertising
 Process sales, operate register and committed to provide friendly customer service
Operations Management Class
York, PA
Business Mentor Project
2013
 Worked with Business Mentor and team of four, over twelve week
Period, to gain understanding of operations management practices
 Researched, developed and presented final report to faculty and business
representatives; personally responsible development of formal presentation
 Our team’s recommendations were adopted by company for future implementation
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
YMCA
York, PA
Lifeguard
Summers 2009-2012
 Assisted manager with creating schedule and training new guards
 Received appreciation certificate for perfect attendance and positive attitude
INVOLVEMENTS
Society for Human Resource Management
2011-2013
Secretary
 Kept records of weekly meetings, responsible for correspondence and management of
roster, recruited members on campus
Habitat for Humanity
Volunteer, Building & Construction
2008-Present
19
COMBINATION RESUME (FOR A STUDENT SEEKING AN INTERNSHIP OR AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION)
Linda Anne Landry
[email protected]
301.654.3297
3456 School House Lane
Frostburg, MD 21532
Online portfolio: [email protected] / [email protected]
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Seeking an entry level position in Public Relations for a community nonprofit organization
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts Degree, York College of Pennsylvania, May 2013
Major in English; Minors in Human Resources and Public Relations; GPA 3.5
Alpha Chi Honorary Society, Inducted 2008
Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Inducted 2009
LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES
Editor, The Spartan York College Newspaper, 2009-2010
•
Coordinated and delegated all assignments to newspaper staff of 20
•
Edited all work to be included in weekly publication
•
Authored weekly column on topics of interest to college community
•
Managed annual budget of $50,000
•
Increased outside advertisement revenues by 20%
Student Assistant, York College Department of English and Humanities, 2009-2010
•
Helped direct people to the information they desired
•
Completed supporting work for professors
•
Marketed new classes offered by department through fliers and campus newspaper
•
Coordinated fundraiser to help raise money for Department field trip
Resident Assistant, York College, 2009-2010
•
Responsible for safety and well-being of 40+ freshmen students
•
Developed and implemented programs to promote and enhance quality of life issues
•
Informed and educated residents on services and programs on and off campus
•
Counseled students on personal issues including relationships, academic advising, substance
abuse, career planning, and healthy life choices
•
Maintained discipline and imposed sanctions on students when necessary
WORK HISTORY
Human Resources Assistant, Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff, Inc., York, PA, Summers 2010-2011
•
Assisted staff in developing employee orientation manuals, literature regarding benefits and
compensation choices, and various training materials
•
Generated routine correspondence to job applicants regarding employment status
•
Answered phone calls, routed messages to appropriate staff, filed documents, and provided other
general office assistance
Crew Chief, McDonald’s Restaurant, Frostburg, MD, Summer 2010
•
Assigned staff to daily job responsibilities
•
Scheduled and supervised crew members
•
Trained all new employees in operations and customer service skills
20
COMBINATION RESUME (FOR A STUDENT SEEKING AN INTERNSHIP OR AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION)
ANDREW JOHNSON
320 Square Drive ∙ Red Lion, PA 17303 ∙ (717)555-1212 ∙ [email protected]
OBJECTIVE
Seeking a challenging internship for a process engineer that leverages my strong engineering,
technical, and management backgrounds to improve workflow and efficiency of facility
EDUCATION
YORK COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA
Bachelor of Science, Engineering Management
Dean’s List – Fall 2009
May 2015
GPA – 3.44
Relevant Coursework: Statistical Design and Process Control for Engineers, Operations Management,
Management Information Systems, Engineering Mechanics: Statics, Thermodynamics
CAREER RELATED EXPERIENCE
EPADS I and II York College of Pennsylvania
2012-2013
 Designed and constructed an automated LEGO robot using Solidworks
 Enhanced teamwork skills and increased familiarity with computer programming
 Designed and built an automated machine that moves, fills and caps bottles
 Beneficial experience with leadership, planning and problem solving
 Gained metal shop and woodshop experience including drill press, lathe, welding
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
December 2012 – Present
Entertainment Associate
 Increased sales by 41% over prior year, reversing a negative trend
 Assisted customers using product knowledge, customer service, and suggestive
selling
 Addressed and resolved customer issues and concerns
CIRCUIT CITY STORES, INC
COLLEGIATE CLUBS
COLLEGIATE ENGINEERING SOCIETY
2012-Present
Secretary
2013- Present


Provide detailed notes of the meetings
Assist in organizing events and guest speakers for the society
21
COMBINATION RESUME (FOR A STUDENT SEEKING AN INTERNSHIP OR AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION)
ANGELINA JOLLY
123 Richland Avenue, York, PA
[email protected]
(609) 923-3426
Objective
Seeking a summer internship in the field of human services where I can gain additional
research experience in community studies and contribute to community development and
planning initiatives
Education
York College of Pennsylvania, York, PA
May 2012
Bachelor of Science, Sociology
Deans List, Spring of 2010
GPA: 3.7
Minors: Human Services and Women/Gender Studies
•
Related Coursework: Statistics/Research Methods I & II, Design and Evaluation of
Program Development, and Human Service Techniques
Career Related Experience
Institute of Applied Social Research
York, PA
Intern, Research Assistant, Healthy York County Coalition
Spring 2011
•
Interviewed and collaborated with health professionals in the community to develop
needs assessment questionnaire
•
Administered needs assessment and analyzed data on health concerns using SPSS
•
Developed a proposal for health agencies with professional summary and
recommendations for meeting projected health outcomes
Spring Garden Police Department
York, PA
Volunteer Research Assistant, Citizen’s Satisfaction Survey
Fall 2010
•
Evaluated survey data for citizens’ satisfaction of police and compiled detailed report
•
Developed a new satisfaction survey and distributed to Spring Garden Township
citizens
Work Experience
Friendly’s Restaurant
Moore, NJ
Server
May 2009 - present
•
Recognized by management for friendly and efficient customer service
•
Train new servers and provide mentoring and assistance where needed
•
Earned responsibility of opening and closing shifts including cash deposits
Leadership
York College Women’s Swim Team
Spring 2009 - present
•
Lead practice in the absence of coaches and captains
•
Motivate and encourage players and assist with mediation of conflict
Volunteer with Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
Spring 2008 - present
•
Assisted with Junior League of York Dress Sale and the Cinderella Project of PA
•
Assisted with the organization of the Prom Dress Rugby Tournament which raised
awareness and gathered over $500.00 in donations for the Cinderella Project
22
FUNCTIONAL OR SKILLS RESUME (FOR ALUMNI WITH A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT
AREAS OR SOMEONE WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE SAME FIELD)
JASON KEEFER
8482 Marley Drive ♦ Pittsburgh, PA 15244
(412) 123-4567
[email protected]
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Intelligent, articulate, and conscientious individual with strong desire to pursue a career in finance;
Self-starter with skills in communication, analysis, and organization
RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Organization & Leadership



Organized/maintained a 350 client database for financial consultant in brokerage firm
Coordinated and supervised a successful community service campaign involving 40+ volunteers
over a one year period
Managed and maintained $500,000 of product inventory
Analysis




Initiated analysis and complete reorganization of client files, resulting in easier access to records
and improved service to clients
Developed and implemented marketing strategies, materials, and correspondence resulting in 12%
increase in client base
Conducted research and made recommendations aimed at improving departmental efficiency
Skilled in development of spreadsheet applications through Lotus 1, 2, 3 and Excel
Communication



Demonstrated ability to effectively handle difficult customer service inquiries
Converted customer inquiries into sales on a regular basis
Awarded numerous certificates for excellence in public speaking, debate, and persuasion
WORK HISTORY
Del. Driver/Cust. Service Rep.
Finance Department Intern
Financial Services Intern
Driver
Package Handler
Regents Supply Corp.
Glatfelter Insurance
Smith Barney
Pizza Hut
RPS
Pittsburgh, PA
York, PA
Lancaster, PA
York, PA
Lewisberry, PA
2008-Present
Summer 2008
Fall 2007
2005-2007
2003-2005
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science with Honors, Economics and Finance
York College of Pennsylvania
23
May 2009
GPA: 3.8
CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME (FOR ALUMNI WHO HAVE FULL TIME WORK EXPERIENCE)
JESSICA WHITE 26 Manor Road, State College, PA 09876
(814) 876-5432
[email protected]
OBJECTIVE
To secure a challenging marketing position utilizing skills in product planning buying, and
analysis
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science Degree, May 2004
Major: Marketing; Minor: Management
York College of Pennsylvania, York, PA
EXPERIENCE
Assistant Buyer, The Bon Ton, York, PA, 2008 – Present
 Take initiative to assist buyer with financial plans and forecasting
 Enter data on purchase orders and perform changes and maintenance in
pricing system and check for accuracy
 Effective negotiation of purchase discounts, margin agreements,
cancellations, and returns
 Maintain positive vendor relations through the effective coordination of
purchasing and reliable follow-up
Assistant Product Manager, Eden Toys, Jersey City, NJ, 2006 – 2008
 Reviewed and approved samples for plush toy line
 Determined materials and color selections for toy construction
 Collaborated with engineering and design departments to design,
manufacture, and implement cost effective product lines
 Traveled extensively to Pacific Rim to supervise quality assurance
Product Planner, Market Analyst, Market Research, Inc., Troy, NY, 2004-2006
 Directed development of new giftware concepts into the market
 Interacted directly with Far East representatives to initiate development of
new product items
 Updated and expanded existing toy product lines
 Monitored sales and prepared reports on new and existing items
 Interviewed retail owners and store managers regarding current market
trends in the industry
 Conducted off the counter sales (OTC’s) of toy and gift items
Market Interviewer, Consumer Market Analysts, Detroit, MI, Summer 2004
 Conducted customer interviews in person and via telephone
 Assisted customers with problems related to telecommunication products
and services
EXTRA CURRICULAR
Coach, York Little League, 2008 – 2009
Volunteer, Over 200 hours at Children’s Home of York
Member, Marketing Association of South Central Pennsylvania 2008 - present
24
COVER LETTERS AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE
COVER LETTERS
A well-written, targeted cover letter will enhance your resume and greatly increase your chances of being invited
to interview. Follow the format on the following page to construct your letter.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cover Letters
How long should the cover letter be?
The cover letter should be no more than one page. Three to four paragraphs are sufficient.
To whom should I address the cover letter?
 Whenever possible, try to get the letter and resume on the desk of the hiring manager. Human
Resources staff members screen applicants, so you should try to get your application past them.
 Address your letter to a real person, not just a title. Obtain names through:
o Networking and informational interviewing
o Researching the company website
o Using the free service within jigsaw.com as well as LinkedIn to identify contact people within
organizations
 If you can’t determine a name or even the company, it is acceptable to address the letter “Dear Sir or
Madam” or “Dear Hiring Manager.”
What kind of paper and envelope should I use?
The cover letter paper should match the resume paper. For a professional look, copy the header from your
resume and paste it at the top of your letter so that your documents match.
How should I send my cover letter and resume (mail, fax, or email)?
Follow the directions in the position posting and ask the employer if you are uncertain what method they would
prefer. If you email your resume, make sure the file is in PDF format and included with your resume.
How can I make my cover letter stand out?
Nothing distinguishes a cover letter better than well-written content. Stay conservative and do not use color,
graphics, or color paper unless you are in the art industry. Your writing should be logical and should concisely
express how your talents can be an asset to the employer. Also make sure your grammar is flawless and your
spelling is correct. You may use a paragraph style letter or use bullets to emphasize key points.
Your cover letter should provide proof to convince employers
that you have the skills they are seeking!
25
ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE COVER LETTER
st
1 Paragraph – The Opening
 Identify the job for which you are applying and how you found out about the job (referral, research,
advertisement, etc.)
 State your genuine interest in the company/position/field. Write something that will “hook” the reader to
want to read on; this could be years of experience, type of knowledge the company is seeking, sincere
interest in their products/services, etc.
 Introduce 3 top reasons why you are a good fit for the position (think about the employer’s needs and
how you can meet those needs). These are the themes that you will elaborate upon and provide
examples for in the second paragraph.
nd
2 Paragraph – The Body of the Letter
 Elaborate on the top 3 themes you introduced in the first paragraph.
 Clearly state the employer’s needs and tell how they can fill those needs.
 Give concrete examples, showing when, how much, what kind, etc. Your job is to convince the reader
that you can immediately (or at least very quickly) perform the tasks he or she requires.
 At the end of this paragraph, you may refer to the enclosed resume so the employer can find further
supporting evidence of your candidacy.
rd
3 Paragraph – the “Close” or Call to Action
 Tell the employer what the next step should be (e.g., requesting an interview), what action you plan to
take (follow up), and what action you want the employer to take (actually setting the appointment).
 Include your phone number and times you can be reached to make it easy for the employer.
 Thank the employer for their time and consideration.
OTHER CORRESPONDENCE
Thank You Letters
Thank you letters should always be sent within 24 hours after an interview. They can be handwritten, typed, or
sent electronically. The letter does not have to be lengthy but needs to (1) thank the person for his/her time, (2)
re-emphasize your particular skills, and (3) re-state your interest in the position. Thank you letters make a very
favorable impression upon employers and should not be overlooked!
Letters of Acceptance/Decline/Withdrawal
You may need to respond positively to a job offer in writing. This should be typed and should express your
enthusiasm for starting your new job. You may need to confirm starting dates, salary, benefits, etc., in this letter,
but you should discuss these with your future employer first before you actually sign your name to anything.
You also may find yourself declining an offer for a position. This should be typed and should thank the employer
for the offer. You should give one or two reasons why you are declining the offer, making sure they are
professional. Don’t burn any bridges: This could be a future employer or client of yours. Short and simple is best
in this situation. It is also appropriate to notify a prospective employer of your decision to withdraw from the
selection process.
26
SAMPLE COVER LETTERS
PARAGRAPH STYLE COVER LETTER
SENDER’s ADDRESS HERE
26 Manor Road
State College, PA 09876
July 30, 2013
Ms. Nancy Clark
Regional Vice President, Marketing
Nordstrom’s Department Store
5 Owings Mills Road
Owings Mills, MD 76543
Dear Ms. Clark:
I am applying for the Regional Marketing Manager position which was recently listed with the Career
Development Center at York College. I have over six years of increasingly responsible experience in market
research, marketing, and buying. My most recent position at the Bon Ton has given me an excellent
understanding of department store marketing and management practices and I feel I could use this
understanding well to benefit Nordstrom’s.
My career in marketing began with two positions in market research, which I believe provided me with an
excellent perspective on customer needs and market trends. As a product planner and assistant product
manager, I became very comfortable with the production and manufacturing side of the business, and believe I
can make trend-setting yet cost-effective decisions regarding product lines. Having always been impressed with
Nordstrom’s high degree of customer service and satisfaction, I believe my personal philosophy of working hard
to provide excellence to the customer would be valued by you.
I look forward to having the chance to speak with you regarding the Regional Marketing Manager position. My
salary requirements are negotiable, and I am willing and able to relocate for such an excellent opportunity. I will
plan to follow up within the next week to request an interview. You can reach me before then at (814) 876-5432
or at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jessica White
27
BULLET STYLE COVER LETTER
123 W. Jackson Street
York, PA 17403
September 30, 2013
Mr. Paul Smith
Managing Partner
Watson and Associates, CPAs
123 West Spring Street
Rochester, NY 12345
Dear Mr. Smith:
I am responding to your advertisement in the Philadelphia Inquirer for an entry level Accountant. As a recent
Accounting graduate from York College of Pennsylvania, my internship experience, accounting preparation and
leadership skills will contribute to your firm.
My accounting internship with Dentsply Corporation gave me an excellent overview of corporate accounting
practices and procedures. I also have worked as an Accounts Clerk for an insurance company for four summers
and have proficiency in several areas you mentioned in your advertisement. Specifically I have:




Solid experience in Microsoft Excel and Word, and Lotus 1 2 3
Excellent practical knowledge of both accounts payable and accounts receivable functions
Coursework in Cost Accounting, Taxation, and Auditing
Report writing and analysis capabilities
My communication and leadership skills were enhanced through my involvement as a campus tour guide, and
by holding several officer positions in clubs and activities. My interpersonal skills will be an asset to your
company as I have proven my ability to communicate effectively with a variety of clients.
I am excited to begin my professional career in accounting as soon as possible. My short-term plans include
sitting for the CPA exam in November so that I may be able to progress in the accounting field. I will plan to
contact you during the week of October 15 to make sure you have received my resume. Perhaps at that time we
can arrange an interview. You may also reach me before then at (717) 123-4567 or at [email protected]. I
look forward to speaking with you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Max Benson
28
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
(using resume header to provide consistency)
ANGELINA JOLLY
123 Richland Avenue, York, PA
[email protected]
(609) 923-3426
December 6, 2013
Mr. Steve Sager
Human Resource Manager
XYZ Company
Patterson, NJ 12345
Dear Mr. Sager:
I am very interested in applying for a professional writing internship with XYZ Company for the summer of
2012. I recently became aware of this opportunity through the Career Development Center at York College of
Pennsylvania, where I am currently pursuing a bachelor degree in professional writing. Through my research on
reputable publishing companies, I was impressed by the quality of XYZ’s online and printed publications. I
believe that my sincere interest in your company’s mission in addition to my education and previous internship
experience make me an excellent fit for this position.
As you will see on the enclosed resume, I am a second semester junior and to date have done quite well in my
course work; my cumulative grade point average is 3.6. Last summer, I gained experience in freelance writing
with FlipSide Magazine, the York Sunday News and Wolf Publishing. My previous internship with the ABC
Company, gave me the opportunity to layout and edit a major online journal and blog. With this experience and
my strong academic preparation, I would competently handle the responsibilities that you have outlined in your
job description.
My online portfolio and LinkedIn profile contain many of my published writing samples for your review. I am
interested in speaking with you in more detail about this internship opportunity, and you may contact me at
(717) 815-1430 or [email protected] to schedule an interview. I look forward to speaking with you. Thank you
for your time.
Sincerely,
Angelina Jolly
29
SAMPLE THANK YOU LETTER
Your name and address
3420 Last Tree Lane
York, PA 17403
717-123-4567
DATE
Mr. Gary Barnett (Employer’s name and address)
Verizon Communications, Inc.
3407 W. MLK Jr. Blvd.
York, PA 17403
Dear Mr. Barnett:
Opening – Restate the position you are looking for and where you met with the person
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me to discuss the customer service and marketing trainee
position. I certainly appreciate your time and attention in the midst of so many candidates seeking jobs.
Tailor the following paragraphs based on the organization
You were extremely thorough in explaining Verizon's customer service and marketing trainee
program. I enjoyed meeting the team members and was highly impressed by their collaborative and
positive work environment.
I want to reaffirm my interest in the position and my desire to contribute to your customer service
department. My solid education from York College of Pennsylvania’s Marketing Department, and the
fact that I have worked my way through college, demonstrate a work ethic and determination; two
qualities you said were important to success at Verizon.
Conclusion
Thank you again for your time and consideration of my qualifications for the position. You can reach
me at 717-123-4567 or at my email address: [email protected].
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Leddyfern
10/13
30