Tips and techniques
RESUME WRITING
What is a Resume?
A resume is an account of your qualities, accomplishments and skills that
suit you for a position or task. Your resume should:
• Focus on the needs of the Employer
(Listing a specific objective)
• Show abilities rather than just job duties
(Transferable Skills)
• Show your personality and character
• Focus on specific skills and abilities
(Related to the specific job)
• Create a favorable impression
(Relating interest in the job)
• Be brief, concise and complete
(Accurate)
RESUME WRITING
Ten Most Common Resume Writing Mistakes
Too long! (Preferred length is 1 or 2 pages maximum)
Disorganized – information scattered and hard to follow
Poorly typed/printed (hard to read, looks unprofessional)
Overwritten – Long paragraphs and sentences (too much detail)
Too sparse! (provides only the bare essentials dates/job titles)
Not results oriented – doesn’t share what you have accomplished
Contains irrelevant information (height, weight, marital status)
Misspellings, typing errors, poor grammar (proofread!)
Too much fluff (fancy typeset, binders, photographs, exotic paper)
Misdirected – no apparent connection to the job applied for
RESUME WRITING
Starting your Resume
Developing Skills Check List
The first step to a successful resume is identifying your skills and matching
them to the needs of the employer as described in the job description. To
develop these check lists use power phrases (see the next page for power words
list) to identify your skills. Here are some examples:
Employer
7-11
Job Title
Cashier
Skills: Prepared daily sales reports; Operated cash register, handled money
and made change: Greeted customers and responded to their questions and
inquiries: Took inventory, maintained stock on hand and ordered new stock:
Marked and priced merchandise, made price changes: Designed and set up
store displays: Unloaded merchandise from trucks: Supervised retail sales staff:
Prepared deli food items for sale: Responsible for opening and closing store:
Provide quality customer service: Cleaned store, performed basic maintenance
and floor care work.
Equipment Used: Cash register, Credit card machine: Check guard machine,
Broaster, Pallet jack, Gas console, Buffer/waxer machines, Industrial chemicals.
Training: Check guard machine training, Identifying counterfeit money,
Handling Cleaning Chemicals, and Hazardous Materials Disposal. 7-11 Daily
Sales Reports
(Note: This shows one of many possible resume formats.)
RESUME WORKSHEET
NAME: (centered)
Address:
City State Zip:
Home/Business Phones:
Email or Cell #:
OBJECTIVE :
QUALIFICATIONS,
SKILLS & ABILITIES:
WORK EXPERIENCE:
(Last 8 to 10 years)
Job title or position you are seeking
List your best attributes or specific skills & qualifications. Use bullets to
highlight the items in this list perhaps use two or three columns.
Your Specific Job Title
Last or Present Employer
Dates: From-to
City, State
Itemize job duties. Show as much responsibility as you can. Use the
Resume packet in the Career Computer Center to make your resume
more effective.
Your Specific Job Title
Next To Last Employer
Dates: From-to
City, State
Itemize job duties.
Continue listing previous employers as above. Use other side if you wish.
EDUCATION:
Name of School
Degree achieved or Course Title
LICENSES:
List any licenses or certifications that my apply
MILITARY
EXPERIENCE:
Branch of Service & Dates; Duties if appropriate
REFERENCES:
City, State
Date of Completion
(If none, leave this category out.)
Available upon Request. (Make page two of this resume your
reference page with the same header as your resume. Copy the
heading of the resume onto page two and list your references.)
CHECKLIST OF TRADITIONAL SKILLS GROUPING
Each grouping includes things you can do, working conditions/roles, and
things you know. Check the skills that apply to you.
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Planning
Organizing
Scheduling
Assigning/Delegation
Directing
Hiring
Measuring production
Setting standards
Work under stress
Work with people
Travel frequently
Work as a team member
Personal practices
Time management
Negotiating strategies
Reasoning
Recognizing problems
Organizing
Interviewing
Defining
Developing questions
Writing
Synthesizing
Listening
Writing
Explaining
Diagnosing
Interpreting ideas
Collecting data
Reading
Extrapolating
Handle precise work
Reviewing
Work with committees
Work without direction
Public speaking
Work very long hours
Correct English usage
Work on long-term projects
Subject knowledge
Statistics
Good sense of timing
Algebra
Operate communication systems
FINANCIAL SKILLS
MANUAL SKILLS
SERVICE SKILLS
Calculating
Projecting
Budgeting
Recognize problems
Solve problems
Finger dexterity
Able to concentrate
Handle detail work
Work under stress
Orderly thinking
Accounting procedures
Data processing
Financial concepts
Investment principles
Operating
Monitoring
Controlling
Setting-up
Driving
Cutting
Do precise machine work
Do heavy work
Work on assembly line
Work independently
Knowledge of tools
Safety rules
Basic plumbing
Electronic principles
Counseling
Guiding
Leading
Listening
Coordinating
Work under stress
Respond to emergencies
Work under hazardous conditions
Work on weekends
Work nightshifts
Knowledge of a subject
Human behavior principles
Community resources
Agencies’ policies
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RESEARCH SKILLS
CLERICAL SKILLS
TECHNICAL SKILLS
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Examining
Evaluating
Filing
Developing methods
Improving
Recording
Recommending
Work as team member
Work in office
Follow directions
Do routine office work
Basic clerical skills
Bookkeeping
Data entry operations
Telephone protocol
Financing
Evaluating data
Calculating
Adjusting controls
Aligning fixture
Following specifications
Observing indicators
Verifying
Drafting
Designing
Work in an office/outdoors
Work in small studios
Odd hours
Economics
Investigation principles
Balancing principles
Planning
Conducting
Maintaining favorable image
Informing the public
Consulting
Researching
Representing
Work with people
Work under stress
Work very long hours
Work off hours
Negotiating principles
Human relations
Writing news releases
Media process
AGRICULTURE SKILLS
SELLING SKILLS
MAINTENANCE SKILLS
Diagnosing malfunctions
Repairing engines
Maintaining machinery
Replacing defective parts
Wood working
Construction buildings
Hitching
Work outdoors
Work in varied climate
Do heavy work
Operating basic machinery
Safety rules
Welding
Horticulture procedures
Manual Work
Contacting
Persuading
Reviewing products
Inspecting products
Determining value
Promoting sales
Work outdoors/indoors
Work with people
Informing buyers
Work under stress
Work long hours
Knowledge of products
Financing
Budgeting
Human Relations
Repairing equipment
Maintaining equipment
Operating tools
Dismantling
Removing parts
Adjusting functional parts
Lubricating/cleaning parts
Purchasing/ordering parts
Climbing
Work indoors/outdoors
Lift heavy equipment
Work as a team member
Electrical principles
Plumbing principles
Basic Mechanics
These are just a few of the skills normally associated with each of these categories. When
you go over your own list of skills group them into these categories as well as you can, but do
not hesitate to put one skill into several categories. The text you should use is whether the
skill you’re grouping is mainly a Financial or Manual or Service or Management or
Communications or Research skill.
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RESUME WRITING
Power Words for Resumes
Accompanied
Accumulated
Achieved
Acquired
Administered
Admitted
Advised
Allowed
Analyzed
Answered
Applied
Appointed
Appraised
Arranged
Assembled
Assessed
Assigned
Assisted
Attached
Attended
Authorized
Balanced
Billed
Bought
Budgeted
Built
Contrasted
Controlled
Converted
Credited
Coordinated
Copied
Corrected
Corresponded
Counseled
Counted
Created
Convinced
Debated
Decided
Delivered
Demonstrated
Deposited
Described
Designed
Detailed
Determined
Developed
Devised
Diagnosed
Discovered
Dismantled
Dispatched
Filed
Filled
Financed
Finished
Fired
Fitted
Fixed
Formulated
Founded
Governed
Graded
Graphed
Greeted
Handled
Helped
Hired
Identified
Implemented
Improved
Improvised
Increased
Indexed
Indicated
Informed
Initiated
Inspected
Managed
Motivated
Marked
Marketed
Measured
Met
Modified
Monitored
Manufactured
Noted
Nominated
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Notified
Numbered
Negotiated
Observed
Obtained
Opened
Operated
Ordered
Organized
Outlined
Overcame
Packaged
Packed
Paid
Participated
Patrolled
Rearranged
Rebuilt
Recalled
Received
Recommended
Reconciled
Recorded
Reduced
Referred
Registered
Regulated
Related
Relayed
Renewed
Reorganized
Repaired
Replaced
Reported
Requested
Researched
Reserved
Responsible for
Secured
Revised
Routed
Scheduled
Retrieved
Debunking Common Resume Myths
There is no one best way to write a resume; there are no absolutes. Every
career counselor and recruiter has his or her own take on resume writing.
Even the formatting you use and the positions you list depend on the
industry, the specific job, and your experience. But amid all the
potentially conflicting options, there is some agreement on common
resume myths.
1. Your resume must be only one page
False. “Your resume should be as long as needed (in-order) to get your
concise message across with zip and punch,” says Joyce Lain Kennedy,
careers columnist and author of Resumes for Dummies. If your
experience and background justifies two or more pages, so be it.
Recent grads shouldn’t go beyond one page, but senior executives with
decades of experience will probably need at least two pages.
The rules are slightly different for resumes sent via e-mail. Laura
Dominguez Chan, a Stanford University career counselor, says that in
that instance, shorter is better for both cover letters and resumes.
2. Prospective employers don’t read cover letters
Not true. “Remember that anything you send is part of an image
you’re projecting,” says Dominguez Chan. “If (nothing else,) your
cover letter shows your writing skills…and if all the candidates (for the
position) are really top notch, it could be the cover letter that lands
you the job.”
3. Resumes should include and describe your entire work history
Your resume is a sales piece, a personal marketing tool. Take time to
consider what skills the position requires. It’s likely that a part-time
job you took for a few months isn’t going to be relevant or impressive.
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Unless you need to cover a significant time gap, it’s wise to include
only those jobs that will showcase your ability to excel in the position
for which you are applying.
Volunteer and other non-paid positions can be just as valuable
entering the workforce after an absence. Use your resume format to
communicate volunteer work as experience.
4. It’s okay to fib on your resume
If you think “blowing smoke on your resume – inflating grades,
inventing degrees, concocting job titles – is risk free because nobody
checks, you’re wrong,” says Joyce Lain Kennedy. Employers do check,
and those fibs will catch up with you.
“People think they have to puff themselves up,” says Ronnie Gravitz, a
career counselor at UC Berkeley. “You just need to make a good case
for what you have done.”
5. Including “References available upon request” is a standard protocol
“An employer won’t assume (that) you don’t have references,” says
Dominguez Chan. “(Removing the line) gives you more room to
include important information about who you are.” She adds, “The
only reason to include that (information) is if for some reason
references are absolutely needed in the field. Academic positions, for
example, typically ask for several reference names and/or letter.”
6. If your resume is good enough it will produce a job offer
Your resume is only one part of the process. Its job is to land you an
interview. “Once you get the interview, says Joyce Lain Kennedy, “you
are what gets you a job – your skills, your savvy, your personality, your
attitude.”
SOURCE:
Allyson Quibell, senior editor
WetFeet.com
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THE CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME
¾ This style clearly identifies your past work experience starting
with your most recent job.
¾ It is an excellent style for persons who have shown
advancement within a career area.
¾ Employers are most familiar with the chronological resume. In
fact, in large personnel departments, the chronological format
tends to receive more attention that other styles.
However, this may not be the best style for persons who are
changing careers or returning to the work force after a long absence
because it tends to expose gaps in your work history, and may call
attention to a job or jobs that you prefer not to emphasize.
¾ See an example of the chronological resume on the following page.
“Success is not so much what we have as it is what we are.”
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STEWART FROST
22628 East 49th Street
Spokane, WA 99602
(509) 226-8700
OBJECTIVE:
A position as beginning Draftsman with a diversified architectural
firm.
EXPERIENCE:
Grounds Supervisor
Heritage Library
Welda, OK
6/97 to 03/98
Directed a crew of four ground personnel in maintenance operations.
Participated in design, planning and building of demonstration farm
facilities. Assisted carpenters in building of health complex and
various mechanical equipment buildings. Helped in design and
construction of a large sprinkler system and landscaping of library
property.
Carpenter’s Assistant Mountain Greenhouses
Sedro Wooley, WA
6/96 to 6/97
Assisted carpenter in construction of a 60’ x 100’ hydrophonic
greenhouse. Surveyed sight and set forms for the foundation. Poured
and finished concrete. Framed, welded and installed glass panels.
Established initial plantings in the greenhouse and did all the
ventilation, transplants and disease control.
Draftsman
Falls Church CC
Falls Church, WA
9/94 to 5/96
Drafted floor plans of existing school buildings, sprinkler systems and
various underground utility line systems. Measured current buildings
to update plans, including any new additions to the campuses.
Summer Work
Carpenters Assistant between school years. Participated in building of
family home during high school.
EDUCATION:
Falls Church Community College
Associate Degree
INTERESTS:
Design furniture, woodworking, auto repair
Falls Church, WA
Architecture 1991
REFERENCES: Available upon request
EXAMPLE: CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME
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THE FUNCTIONAL RESUME
¾ This style plays down dates, places of employment and job
functions.
¾ It is useful if you are entering or re-entering the work force,
changing careers, or seeking a job change after a long and
varied work history.
¾ Writing a functional resume enables you to headline those
specific skills and accomplishments that relate to your job
objective.
¾ This format requires a careful analysis of skills and may be
more difficult to organize and edit than the chronological
style.
¾ Employers are less familiar with this format and sometimes
feel more comfortable if you document your education, past
work experience and dates of employment at the end of the
resume.
¾ See example of the functional resume on the following page.
“An age is called Dark, not because the light fails to shine, but
because people refuse to see it.”
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Robert J. Smith
8218 65th Avenue
Sedro Wooley, WA 92760
(208) 638-2710
OBJECTIVE
To secure a position in Mortgage Banking
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE
Real Estate
Home Improvement
Assumptions
Second Mortgage Lending
Management Training Program
Installment & Commercial
Lending
Escrow Background
Bank Security
Staff Production Management
Operations & Customer Services
EMPLOYER
Sedro Wooley, WA
First Interstate Trust
Interviewed prospective loan customers utilizing FNME loan application. Took loan
applications and financial statements for real estate, home improvement, assumptions,
and second mortgage loans. Calculated and compared debt ratios with lending
guidelines; determined if loan requests met prescribed lending criteria. Prepared all
documentation related to loans which include:
Verified financial statement and income tax return information
Ordered credit reports, property appraisals, title policies, and homeowners’ insurance
documents.
Prepared Notification, Right of Rescission, Non-Rescission letters, Flood Control
statements, Purchaser’s Assignment of Real Estate Contract notices, and Deed of
Trust documents
Calculated total costs and fees of loans
Completed Note and Disclosure statements, Assumption Agreements and transfer of
Equity documents
Explained total annual Percentage Rate to customers
Disbursed funds to customers
Maintained real estate and escrow areas according to audit requirements
Organized daily work flow to meet priority deadlines
Controlled insurance and tax reserves accounts of real estate contracts; paid
homeowners’ taxes and insurance premiums when done
Entered new real estate and escrow contracts into control records
Released deeds and documents to customers when contracts were satisfied
Washington State University`
EDUCATION
BA in Business Administration
Numerous In-Service Classes and Seminars which included:
Analyzing Financial Statements
Economics
Installment Credit
Basis Statistics
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1970-1973
THE COMBINATION RESUME
¾ You may wish to combine a chronological format with a
functional resume.
¾ Do not rely on a “resume recipe” to sell yourself on paper.
¾ Adapt the examples and use the ideas that best fit you and
your special situation. Your goal is to convince an employer to
give you an interview.
Your resume is usually the first impression on a prospective
employer will have of you and your skills. Take some time to do a
“first class” job and you may wind up with the job you’ve always
wanted.
¾ See an example of the combination resumes on the following pages.
“If you can’t have the best of everything, make the best of
everything you have.”
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HOOVER MACINTASH
PO Box 11720
OBJECTIVE:
Newberg Lake, WA 99010
(509) 762-9026
To secure a position in purchasing and/or warehousing where my
computer/electronic background can be fully utilized.
SKILLS:
Detail Oriented
Calculations
Read Blueprints
Budgeting
Operate Business Machines
Clothing
Electronic Equipment
MATERIALS Light & Heavy Equipment
PURCHASED: Motors/Generators
HIGHLIGHTS:
EMPLOYERS:
Vendor Relations
Problem Solving
Purchasing Systems & Procedures
Teaching
Computer Programming
Kept records pertaining to items purchased, costs, delivery,
production performance and invoices.
Authorized payment of invoices.
Designed and implemented plat book procedures that saved the
company over 50% on production and labor costs.
Developed and executed an inventory control system.
Studied shipping notices, bills of lading, invoices, orders, and
other records to determine shipping priorities, work assignments
and shipping methods required to meet shipping and receiving
schedules, utilizing knowledge of shipping procedures, routes,
and rates.
Supervised and coordinated contacts with vendors and shipping
to ensure that merchandise, supplies and equipment were
forwarded on specified shipping dates.
Purchased material and supplies for 50 four-person crews during
construction of Alyeska pipe line.
Newman Lake, WA
Catweel Enterprises
Drafter
Newman Lake, WA
Self-Employed
Maintenance Mechanic
Loones and Associates
Anchorage, AK
Purchasing Coordinator/Expediter
4/92 to 11/92
11/89 to 4/92
4/79 to 10/89
EDUCATION: Newberg Lake Junior College Newberg Lake, WA
1972
Completed computer programming, business management courses.
Kant State College
Kant, NB
1974
General education classes, various in-service training classes.
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LARRY KLOOPER
10001 Star Street
Six Mile Dam, WA 86240
(509) 452-8603
OCCUPATION:
Certified Welder
Journeyman Carpenter and Ironworker (union withdrawal)
SKILLED AT:

Welding
Rough Carpentry
Hydraulics
Iron Work

Read and Draw Blueprints
Electrical Repairs
General Building Maintenance
Light Mechanic-General Equipment

Backhoe
Grader
Forklift

D-6 to D-9 Cats
Farm Equipment
Half-ton to ton Diesel Trucks
EQUIPMENT:
EMPLOYER:
Well Drillers
Welder-Mechanic
Six Mile Dam, WA
May 91 to Oct 92
Six Mile Dam, WA
Self-Employed
General Maintenance-Carpenter
Jan 81 to Oct 89
Excellent Builder
Welder-Carpenter
Six Mile Dam, WA
Mar 80 to Oct 80
Six Mile Dam, WA
Weeder Feeders
Welder—Mechanic—Carpenter
Mar 77 to Nov 79
EDUCATION:
Six Mile Dam Community College
Carpenter Apprentice and Welding Classes
1980
LICENSES:
Washington Driver’s License (Excellent Record)
Explosive Device Operator’s License
FCC/Government Vehicle Radio Operator’s License
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REFERENCES

Choose people who will give you the best references:
o Former employers
o Former co-workers

o Associates in Civic or Social Organizations
o Well-regarded people in your community
Choose people who will be enthusiastic about you and your career, who will:
o Show genuine interest in his/her told of voice
o Give specific examples rather than general comments

Choose people who will give straight direct answers, who will:
o Respond quickly
o Respond positively in a business manner

Help your references by:
Asking their permission and giving them advance notice.
Briefing them on your background and bringing them up to date
Giving them a copy of your resume if you think it will help them
Keeping in touch with them—check back from time to time and you may get
some valuable pointers for job interviews
o Thanking them—let them know when you’re hired and express your
appreciation for their help
o
o
o
o

Questions people you list as references could be asked:
1. How long did he/she work for you (or with you)?
2. What was the quality of his/her work?
3. How much responsibility did he/she have?
4. How well did he/she get along with people?
5. Did he/she require close supervision?
6. Was he/she prompt in getting to work and completing tasks on time?
7. Why did he/she leave?
8. Is there anything about the applicant that would disqualify him/her for the
job we are offering?
9. Do you know anyone else I could speak to about him/her?
10. Is there anything I should know about him/her that I have not asked?
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Deliver a perfect e-Resume
How do you create an e-mail resume that will win interviews and influence
others? To get started, follow these rules:
Use ASCII Format
ASCII is the lowest common denominator for electronic text; every Web browser
or e-mail program can read it. To create an ASCII resume, save it as a text file in
a word-processing program. Copy it into the body of an e-mail when you apply
for a job. Otherwise, you risk having your resume come out jumbled and
unreadable.
Generally speaking, do not submit a resume as an attachment
Although it’s easy to attach your resume, many experts recommend including the
text of the resume in the body of your e-mail instead.
Recruiters often don’t open attachments because they can be infected with a
nasty virus. It’s a risk they don’t want to take – so attaching a resume instead of
including it in the body of the e-mail is a risk you don’t want to take.
One exception – if you are applying for a job online and the company offers the
functionality to upload a hard copy of your resume to your application, and then
go for it.
Limit each line in your resume to 72 characters
Most e-mail programs wrap text around at 72 characters. That means any line
longer than 72 characters is going to be cut off and dropped down to the next
line, making your resume look like it was hit by a chainsaw. Avoiding that 73rd
character will help format the document so it stays organized and easy to read.
Showcase your strong points first
Newspaper articles include the most important information at the front of the
article; the best parts of your resume should be up front, too. Don’t make the
recruiter scroll down through loads of information before getting to the good
stuff.
Run the spell check
Errors in any type of written correspondence can get you dinged. Don’t let the
seeming informality of the electronic resume allow you to omit this key step.
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But don’t let your faith in technology make you complacent, either; spell
checkers give all sorts of mistakes the green light. After you do the spell check,
proofread it the old-fashioned way several times. Then get a friend or two to do
it again.
Take your e-resume out for a test drive
E-mail your resume to yourself, because you’d much rather it be you who catches
technical problems and errors and not the recruiter. Make sure the text looks
right on the screen and prints out correctly.
You might also try e-mailing yourself at different accounts. E-mail accounts have
different ways of reading things, and you don’t want to take any chances that
when it reaches the recruiter’s account it will look messy.
Include a cover letter
It sounds like a no-brainer, but many applicants don’t include letters with their
resumes. Cover letters that accompany e-resumes should be brief and concise.
Keep in mind that recruiters want you to introduce yourself, they want to see
how you write, and they want to see you make a case for why the position they
need to fill is the one you’re right for. Be sure to indicate which position you’re
applying for, what your qualifications are, and what you can contribute to the
company.
Make a backup
Save a copy of your resume on a disk and on your hard drive so you don’t lose it.
Also make hard copies on good paper stock. You want to make sure that if your
resume gets lost, you can reproduce it quickly. You also want to be sure that
when you’re called in to interview, you’ve got a paper copy that looks good to
bring with you. Recruiters love to misplace paper once they’ve called candidates
in to interview, and if you show up prepared with some back-ups, that’s a detail
that will count in your favor when it comes to decision-making time.
SOURCE:
Jake Jamieson
WetFeet.com
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Ten Tips for Submitting Electronic Resumes
1. Don’t include your resume as an attachment unless you include
it in the e-mail’s body, too
While many recruiters like to see the hard copy—after all, it’s prettier—they
won’t look unless they like what they see in the e-mail version. Reading an
attachment is an extra click, and many folks don’t have time for it.
2. Do include your resume as part of e-mail
Most recruiters spend their days working from their computers. Resumes
reside somewhat on a network folder; that’s where yours should be. If you
send it in as a hard copy, you may get a call back—but it may get lost.
3. Don’t write a one-line cover letter
What’s the point? One line that says something like “I have most of the skills
for the job” doesn’t say anything about who you are, why you’re applying, or
what prompted you to apply at that particular business. Recruiters want some
context for your resume. Provide it.
4. Do include a cover letter
Anybody who sends a resume without a cover letter gets an automatic ding in
my book. That doesn’t go for all hiring managers, but it goes for many. Why?
Because no matter how great a resume is, if you’re not saying why you applied
and why you might like the job, you’re not providing the proper context for
understanding your resume. A hiring manager wants to know that you know
what his or her company does and why you’d like to work there. Give that
basic information in your letter.
5. Don’t write a cover letter that’s too long
People are busy. They don’t have time to read about everything you’ve done.
And if you go on and on, you increase your chances of showing exactly why
you’re not right for the job. One paragraph is fine. Two will suffice. Tell why
you’re applying at that particular company, what job you’re applying for, and
what you’ve done that shows you can do the job. That’s all.
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6. Do write well
Hiring mangers want a letter that’s well written, to the point, doesn’t waste
their time, and shows that the candidate can communicate effectively. Good,
clear writing shows that you’re attentive to detail and can communicate, and
those are critical skills in most open positions out there.
7. Don’t forget to check out the website
If you don’t know what the company does, then there’s a red flag about why
you want it. Hiring mangers think “If you don’t know what we do, then why
should I bother with you?” Remember point number five, though: Show you
know what the company does, but don’t belabor the point. Recruiters don’t
have time for it.
8. Do read the job posting
If you know what the job is, you can explain why you can do it and why you
want it. Hiring managers want people who can do the job. If you’re unclear on
the job, but it sounds interesting, say you’d like to learn more, but from what
you do know, you think it’s the one you’d like to do.
9. Don’t forget to make your e-mail address and phone number
visible
If you’re going to get called back, hiring managers need a number. Make it
easy on them.
10. Do format your resume for the Web
Most resumes to be submitted on the internet must be in ASCII text format.
This means that the files do not contain special characters and formatting.
This makes them much easier to handle online and collect databases. One way
to produce an ASCII text file from your word processor is to SAVE AS to a
different format such as TXT or RTF (Rich Text Format).
SOURCE:
Frank Marquardt
WetFeet.com
21
TIPS FROM EMPLOYERS ABOUT
COVER
LETTERS
A cover letter is an introduction to you and your resume. A well-written cover
letter can make all the difference between you and another candidate who has
approximately equal qualifications.
This letter is the place for showing your specific intentions and some of your
individuality. If the hiring professional is not impressed by this first
communication, there may not be another!

Always send a cover letter with your resume.

Address your letter to a specific person if possible. Use the employer or
business directories to get this information. In some large organizations it
may be inappropriate to use a specific person’s name, so address your
letter to “Hiring Professional”.

The first twenty words are important, and should focus the reader’s
attention.

Make your letter relevant to the position that you are applying for.

Show that you are knowledgeable about the organization and its products
or services.

Describe yourself in terms of the contribution you can make to the
employer.

Indicate why you are the best choice for this position (even though your
qualifications are similar to or the same as others’!

Use simple direct language in your own (not borrowed) words, and be brief.

Eliminate all spelling and grammatical errors.

Individualize each cover letter (unless you are “shot-gunning” your resume
to many employers!)

Use good white/cream bond paper, and a good quality matching business
envelope.

Use business format. Find examples if you do not know what it looks like.

Sign your letter! (Many people forget.)
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COVER LETTER INFORMATION
Despite the perfection, clarity, and strong self-presentation of your resume, it is in fact
a printed form—a fairly high level one, but a printed form none the less. It remains for
the reader to interpret and project from the resume the things that he or she feels to
be of value to that person’s organization.
Sometimes this is done successfully, sometimes not; employment managers are just as
fallible as anyone else. Obviously, with the well-thought-out resume just created, you
have greatly improved your chances of getting the interview you want. But now we
want to remove as much of the remaining doubt as we possible can from the
employment equation.
The individual cover letters that accompany your resume when you mail them to
employers can be as helpful to your job campaign as a personal introduction to your
potential employer would be.
The purpose of the cover letter is to communicate to the employer a specific
personalized message about your potential value to that organization. It generates
interest in you from the person who counts. It is not difficult to write, and it adds a
powerful element to your resume. Here are five important points to keep in mind.
ADDRESS YOUR COVER LETTER TO A PARTICULAR PERSON BY NAME.
Send your letter to the person who can make the hiring decision. – by name. Personal
letters get read far ahead of form letters. Think of your own experience when you open
the mail: The letters addressed to you personally get read first. The form letters to
“sir” or “madam” or “occupant” may not be read at all.
Call the firm with which you wish to interview and find out the name (correct spelling,
please) and title of the individual in charge of the department you would like to work
in (possibly the Human Resource Manager or Personnel Manager). Don’t worry if it
takes three or four calls. Do not say you are looking for a job. Say that you have some
information to send and want to make sure it gets in the hands of the right person.
With a little practice, you will find there is not much problem in retrieving the names
and titles you want. After all, organizations need to maintain contact with their public.
Do not make the mistake of aiming too high. Corporate presidents and board chairmen
get lots of resumes because their names are so visible. Even with a good cover letter
these are usually intercepted. Find a person at the department or division level--ideally,
the person you would work for if you got the job.
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COMMUNICATE SOMETHING PERSONAL
People who get a lot of mail are wary of form letters and have developed personal
techniques to skim quickly before reading to see if, in fact, the letter has a message for
them.
In your opening line, write something that is uniquely associated with the person,
division, or organization and that will signal to the reader that you invested the time to
communicate personally.
The likelihood of a personal response to your letter is directly related to the degree of
personal attention you put into it in the first place. You get what you give.
Some typical “personal” opening lines are:
“I see that you have opened a new shopping mall on the west side of town.”
“Dr. Foster in the economics department said that she had talked with you about
your expansion plans.”
“I understand that you have just received a new study grant from ACS.”
Some basic research is called for in preparing this opening line. Do not overlook the
internet as a means of gathering information.
ANSWER THE QUESTION “WHY SHOULD I SEE YOU?”
The work-world operates on value, not need. You are of interest to a potential
employer to the degree that they experience you as being valuable to them, not for
what you are looking for from them.
In the body of your cover letter, communicate some special way that your skills can be
valuable to the potential employer. Create interest in yourself. This will require some
basic understanding or research in your target field, not a major research project, but
mostly an expanded familiarity with the interests of the potential employer, and a
willingness to show how you can make a contribution. Common sense helps as the
following examples indicate:
“I feel that my organizational skills could help you in setting up your new customer
service department. As you can see from my resume I have experience in handling
service calls in a related field, and could help you train your people.”
“My several years of work in the Old Salem restoration project could be valuable in
your community. My work in this area at school, plus my knowledge of the
community will assist you to get the exposure you want.”
“I know that you are aware of the need for publicity and communication with your
local community. My previous work in this area and my knowledge of the local
community will help you get the exposure you want.”
(continued on next page)
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COVER LETTER INFORMATION (continued)
Do not be afraid to take a few risks in describing what you feel you could do for
the employer. If you are not directly on target, even the fact that you are talking in
terms of value to the company will create interest.
Be careful not to set the letter in a negative tone and criticize or put down what the
company has done. Communicate your ability to assist and support.
USE THEIR LANGUAGE
Every field has its own jargon and technology. Use the right terms to indicate your
ability and expertise. An excellent way to improve your knowledge of the
nomenclature of the field is to read back issues of trade journals and articles by
professionals in that particular field—see your librarian or get on the internet.
Watch out for overkill.
ASK FOR THE INTERVIEW
Salespeople call this the “close”—the time when you ask for the business. In this
case the “business” is a personal meeting (a more subtle word than interview). Ask
for it. You can even suggest a date and time. Here are some examples of closing
statements:
“I am planning to take interviews at the end of school next month, and if
possible, would like to meet with you during the first week of May. I will call
you to set up a possible date.”
“I will be in your area on other business on the 13th of this month and would
like to see you then if it is convenient.”
“Could we get together next week sometime to see if there is a mutual interest?
I’ll call your secretary to find out.”
Notice that closing your cover letter this way makes it easy and natural for you to
follow up with a phone call.
25
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Your Name
Mailing address
City, State, Zip Code
Area Code & Telephone Number
DATE
John Smith
Office manager
XYZ Entertainment Company
1234 ABC Street
Anytown, WA Zip
Dear Mr. Smith:
1st paragraph: Tell why you are writing. List the position or title, or a
description of the job you are applying for. Tell how you heard of the
opening and/or the organization. Mention who referred you, if
applicable.
2nd paragraph: Mention one or two of your best and most appropriate
qualifications for this particular position. Tell what you know about
the company based on research you have done. Let the employer know
if you have read about future expansion or a particular place in
his/her company that you feel would be a perfect fit for you. Describe
any information that is directly related to the position you want.
3rd paragraph: Refer to the enclosed application or resume. Let the
employer know that you are available for an interview and that you
appreciate his/her time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Telephone Number
26
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
Your Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip Code
Area Code & Telephone Number
DATE
Personnel Officer
U.S. Bank
325 Any Street
Anytown, WA Zip
Dear Sir/Madam:
I am enclosing my resume for your consideration for an entry level banking
position. Although my prior experience has been in the pharmaceutical field,
many of my skills such as customer service, cashiering, and attention to detail,
would be very valuable in the banking industry.
Customer satisfaction is important to me, and my computer data entry
experience would be helpful as well. I am eager to learn banking, and an
opportunity to work for U.S. Bank would provide an exciting challenge.
If you have an opening in any department in the near future, I would be glad to
meet with you for an interview at your convenience. Your consideration of my
resume is appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Area Code & Telephone Number
27