Section 4 Resumes and Cover Letters

WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 Section 4: Resumes and Cover Letters Prospective employers, recruiters and others involved in the hiring process form a first impression about job seekers based on resumes and cover letters. The purpose of a resume is to summarize your work history, accomplishments and skills. It is critical that your resume reveal your unique talents, demonstrate your achievements, set yourself apart from the rest, and show future employers how valuable you are and how your abilities will benefit a company's bottom line. The following sections provide more information on creating your own resume. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. Resumes and Cover Letters General Online Resources for Resumes Posting Your Resume Job Search Letters Books on Resumes and Cover Letters Public Sector/Federal Job Resources Executive Level Job Seeker Guidance I. Resumes and Cover Letters Your resume and cover letters are important components of your self-marketing package. Many resources are available to job seekers for guidance and assistance in creating and posting resumes and cover letters. Some general thoughts to consider as you develop your resume and cover letters:       Represent yourself as well as your job objectives Highlight the skills and experience that will get you the job you want Create a flexible resume format that can easily be modified to fit various opportunities Customize your resume for various sectors, industries, and specific jobs Highlight your most relevant experience for a particular job Be aware that many companies utilize database keyword searches for specific talents and skills (for posted resumes). Be sure to include key words in your resume. It is particularly important that you know the keywords that are relevant to the industry or type of company you want to work for. For example, in some companies there’s a Corporate Development function, in others, the same function may be called Business Development. Some companies call Business Development (a completely different function) Sales. If you fail to use the appropriate keywords, not only might your resume not be picked up as a fit, but even if it does, it puts you at a disadvantage as an ―outsider‖. Check the legibility of your resume when sent electronically or embedded in email. It is generally good practice to send a text version embedded in the email and as an attachment so that the company has a choice.  -1- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4    Know that recruiters and placement firms have their own preferred formats, so don’t be defensive when they want to have you rewrite your resume in their format. Consider privacy concerns for your personal information when posting resumes online. Do you really want everyone in the world to have access to your email, phone number, and home address? If not, consider alternatives such as a P.O. Box in place of an address or a separate email account that you can shut down when your search is over. Consider special handling for executive-level resumes and letters For web searches on specific resume and cover letter topics, try a web directory search for categories like Business>Employment>Resumes on one of the popular search engines, like Google.com. II. General Online Resources for Resumes Many of the general online job search resources also include resume articles, advice, and resume development resources. A few of those resources are . . .       Monster.com Resume Center Resume Advice and Resources from careerbuilder.com Articles on Resumes and Resume Writing Resources from hotjobs.com Resume Samples and Services on e-resume.net Resume Writing Services from flipdog.com America’s Career Info Net. . . Searchable Nonprofit Career Bank Resume Tools and Guidance In addition to the generally available online information, many of the above resources will provide resume writing services and advice for a fee. To find additional resources to assist you with professional resume writing: Search for Member Organizations of the Professional Resume Writing and Research Association III. Posting Your Resume There are hundreds of sites where resumes may be posted online. Some sites, like MonsterTrak, let you upload an existing resume with the click of a button. On other sites you can cut and paste or use a resume-building wizard. The most popular job sites include Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, Job.com and FlipDog; some of these sites also offer services for mass resume distribution. Always know where your resume is posted so you can make updates. -2- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 There are also services available to post your resume for you, like ResumeRabbit, a site that instantly posts your resume to many of the top career sites. Be sure to receive information on where your resume has been automatically posted, so you can you can update your resume as needed, and remove it when you are no longer searching. Be aware of privacy concerns for personal information when posting resumes online. Some posting sites will allow the job seeker to post anonymously to address this concern. For some specifics on potential privacy issues to be aware of, check out privacy organization websites, like Privacy Foundation. IV Job Search Letters Cover letters are a key tool to get your foot in the door of a prospective employer. In addition to cover letters, there are several letter formats job seekers should have at their disposal during the job search process. The crucial issue to know about a cover letter is that it should focus on specifically what a company is looking for from an applicant. ―Dear Jane, enclosed is my resume‖ letters are a waste of time and energy and will not help you get a job. There are online and published resources as well as service firms available to job seekers for creating the various letter styles and formats that go along with the resume as part of the self-marketing campaign, and the entire job search effort. Therefore, many of the resources addressing resumes also focus on cover letters. If you are looking for an online resource to provide services and assistance with cover letters, try Amazing Cover Letters. In addition, there are many books published with numerous examples of situation-specific letters and formats. Note that books listed below may be further researched via online bookstores like Amazon.com  Dynamite Cover Letters: And Other Great Job Search Letters by Ronald L. Krannich, et al The fourth edition of this best-selling guide shows how to produce powerful letters that lead to job interviews and offers. Focusing on the key principles of communication, the authors examine the six most important letters every job seeker needs to write.  Cover Letters That Knock 'Em Dead by Martin John Yate "Provides every letter you’ll need, plus a battle plan that shows how to use them for maximum effect," according to Diane Callas, National Association of Personnel Consultants Gallery of Best Cover Letters: A Collection of Quality Cover Letters by Professional Resume Writers by David F. Noble Written communications expert Noble provides hundreds of sample letters covering nearly every occupation; tells how to avoid the most common cover letter mistakes; offers practical tips on style, publishing, and design; and more. 200 Letters for Job Hunters by William S. Frank   -3- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 A comprehensive reference of all types of letters for the job search includes upto-date, effective correspondence that ranges from initial contact, through the job-hunting campaign, to various follow-up letters.  The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Cover Letter by Susan Ireland In today's competitive job market, readers must make themselves stand out from the crowd. This step-by-step guide shows job seekers how to create a winning cover letter that demands attention. Readers learn how to handle sticky issues such as salary history, career changing, and gaps in employment. A special section on broadcast letters and thank-you letters is included. 201 Killer Cover Letters by Sandra Podesta, Andrea Paxton 201 Killer Cover Letters provides job seekers with an unbeatable competitive edge by arming them with surefire sample letters for every job-hunting situation. This edition of the bestselling guide includes the latest job-search techniques, tips for transferring job skills across industries, and ways to use the cover letter to anticipate and overcome "objectionable items or gaps in employment." Building on the success of the computer disk edition, the CD-ROM edition contains readyto-download templates of all 201 letters, for CD-ROM-compatible computers, making it easier than ever for readers to tailor cover letters to specific situations. Cover Letter Magic by Wendy S. Enelow, Louise Kursmark   V Books on Resumes and Cover Letters There are many published resources and books on resumes and cover letters. Some of these books will provide the most in-depth self-help tools to guide you through the resume and cover letter. Look up more information on any of these publications in your library or via the web using an online bookstore like Amazon.com. Many online bookstores will also provide search capabilities by subject, so you can search for relevant resource books using subjects like ―resumes‖, ―resume writing‖, ―letter writing‖, or more generally under ―employment‖ or ―careers‖. Following are just a few of the books available on this popular topic.  The Resume Handbook: How to Write Outstanding Resumes and Cover Letters for Every Situation (Resume Handbook, 3rd Ed) by Arthur D. Rosenberg, David V. Hizer A direct, no-nonsense approach for office workers, students, managers, executives, and other busy job-seekers on writing resumes. This book provides sample resumes and letters that reflect important changes in today's job market. Proven Resumes and Confidence Builders: A Motivating Job Search Program by Regina Pontow  A comprehensive resume writing and job search book. 12 chapters include: before and after resume examples, 12 Questions to help you write strong resume content, skill lists and sample sentences for over 20 industries, worksheets to select the best resume format, create a powerful objective statement, and select skill headings for your resume, before and after cover letters and thank you letter examples. There is an extensive -4- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 chapter on conducting an effective job search. And, one of the most popular chapters on building your self-confidence. This book is used by over 90 colleges and by employment security offices, major corporations and municipalities for employee outplacement.  Resumes! Resumes! Resumes!: Top Career Experts Show You the Job-Landing Resumes That Sold Them by The Editors of Career Press Inc. (Editor), Lisa Mohler This third edition of Resumes! Resumes! Resumes! covers all the basics of resume writing and provides dozens of samples from the country's top job pros. Heads of the biggest personnel agencies, recruiting firms and outplacement centers, human resources managers at Fortune 500 companies, and career authors and columnists share their favorite resumes - ones that will land the job that user's want and explain why they work. Through these top career professionals, learn the answers to the most important resume writing questions such as: do hot pink resumes and other "creative" efforts ever work?, what are the most common resume mistakes?, how can you write an effective resume if you have little or no job experience? And many more. Compiled by the editors of Career Press, this book guides the user in creating a door-opening resume. Best Keywords for Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews: Powerful Communications Tools for Success by Wendy S. Enelow Here's the first book to identify hundreds of keywords job seekers should incorporate at critical stages in their job search.   The Resume Makeover: 50 Common Problems With Resumes and Cover Letters - and How to Fix Them by John, J. Marcus In this solution-oriented guide, bestselling careers author John J. Marcus zeros in on the 50 most common resume writing problems and offers easy-to-perform fixes for each. Among other crucial lessons, readers learn how to identify and deal effectively with job history problems, skill-set deficiencies, poor visual presentation, and formatting problems. A compelling feature that distinguishes The Resume Makeover from all the competition is its unique quick-reference, "Before & After" format. Each chapter focuses on one common problem and offers a proven solution, along with beforeand-after documents illustrating how a few simple changes can significantly improve a resume. In addition, readers learn: How to write a resume in half the usual time Strategies for changing careers or reentering the workforce Key words and phrases to include How to write high-impact cover letters The five areas in which all recruiters and employers grade resumes, and how to ace each one The Overnight Resume by Donald Asher o o o o o  -5- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 Asher, president of Resume Righters in San Francisco, assumes his readers are intelligent, sufficiently motivated, can write reasonable sentences, and know what they want to do. He stresses that "you must know what you want to do next to succeed. You will not succeed if you do not." To career-oriented readers armed with definite goals, Asher offers brevity, clear thinking, and good sense; job hunters unsure of the next step are directed to an annotated bibliography of career materials. Asher's methods encourage clear and concise writing quickly, if not overnight, and his good humor and the 15 delightful cartoons that punctuate the book make resume writing a less agonizing experience. As a case in point, his resume for Ernie the alley cat is proof positive that a resume can be created for virtually any background. Highly recommended for all resume collections.  Resumes Made Easy by Patty Marler, Jan Bailey Mattia, Patti Marler Usually, before an employer sees you, they see your resume. Luckily, writing a resume that makes a great impression is easy if you follow these simple strategies. From assessing your skills to writing winning job descriptions, this book takes you through every step of the resume and provides proven techniques for getting your best self down on paper. Resumes in Cyberspace: Your Complete Guide to a Computerized Job Search by Pat Criscito  Resumes in Cyberspace is a very reassuring book that doesn't take for granted that you know your way around cyberspace or a job search, yet it doesn't condescend. Pat Criscito has written a resource that is packed with helpful ideas and information that is usually gained the hard way--by not doing things right in the first place, and losing an opportunity to someone who does. The author covers topics such as designing a scan able and fax-favorable resume, which companies accept resumes online and how to approach them, and how to use online job banks and resume repositories. An extremely valuable ally for your next job search.  High Impact Resumes and Letters: How to Communicate Your Qualifications to Employers by Ronald L. Krannich, William J. Banis This unique book provides step-by-step guidance on how to develop a personal profile that clearly communicates patterns of performance and accomplishments to employers. Power Resumes by Ron Tepper Your resume is good. It may even be great. But is it a power resume? In today's competitive job market, you need to have an edge—and Power Resumes, Third Edition gives it to you. Find out what employers look for in the hiring process, what elements set your resume apart from the rest, and how to tailor your qualifications to the requirements of the position you seek. This updated new edition features comprehensive coverage of what you need to know now to make that dream job yours. Here's where you'll find . . . o Today's hottest job markets—both domestic and abroad—and why they might be right for you  -6- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4  Newly updated resume formats The latest technologies—discover what the Internet can do for your job search o Current terminology—the words and phrases that will get your resume noticed o The explosion of the growing temp market o Proven tips and techniques for immediate results o The key role a resume plays in a full-employment economy. The Resume Doctor : How to Transform a Troublesome Work History into a Winning Resume by John J. Marcus Focusing on the problems inherent in writing a great work history despite a notso-great background, including unrelated positions and periods of unemployment, a handbook provides fifty before-and-after sample resumes. How to Write Better Resumes (5th Edition) by Gary Joseph Grappo, Adele Beatrice Lewis o o  In addition to presenting 148 effective sample resumes that readers can adapt and use for their own purposes, this longtime bestseller and standard how-to manual provides comprehensive guidance in the art of job hunting. Tips are offered in making the most of word processing software to produce an attractive resume. Also included is advice on cover letters with sample letters.  The Quick Resume and Cover Letter Book: Write and Use an Effective Resume in Only One Day (Jist's Quick Guides) by J. Michael Farr The Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book shows you how to quickly create an effective resume that can be used immediately in the job search. In these pages you'll find expert advice from the author on creating and using a resume, developing a "skills language," establishing a job objective, writing job search correspondence, uncovering the hidden job market, and getting a better job in less time. No matter what your employment history, read this book to discover how your resume can emphasize your strengths and diminish your weaknesses. Features More Than an Ordinary Resume Book: A "same day resume" work sheet helps readers design instant and effective resumes. o More than 60 examples of resumes written by professional resume writers and organized by occupational categories. o Tips for handling special employment situations, such as job gaps, lack of experience, career changing, or having been fired. o Techniques for using computers for layout and design. o Advice on writing the often-overlooked cover letter, thank-you note, and other job search correspondence. o Special section devoted to job search: uncovering the hidden market, handling tough interview questions, following up, and getting a better job quicker. Section-by-section formatting makes it easier to find the information you need most if you don't have the time to read the entire book. Resume Writer's Workbook eChapter by Stanley Krantman o  -7- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 This comprehensive book is an all-inclusive job search handbook addressing all areas of the job search in an easy-to-read style. This resource is designed to lead users step-by-step through the job search maze. It includes exercises to help users assess their skills and focus on career objectives to land the right job for them. It also includes writing an effective cover letter, networking and interviewing skills, producing an electronic resume, and using the Internet in the job search. This unique handbook provides all the information users need to find a job.  Heart & Soul Resumes: 7 Never-Before-Published Secrets to Capturing Heart & Soul in Your Resume by Chuck Cochran, Donna Peerce Cochran and Peerce present a totally new approach to resume writing. Heart & Soul Resumes is enhanced with an appendix with 20 real-life resume makeovers which show the astonishing difference these concepts can make in positively communicating the "real you." The "after" versions of these resume examples are impressive and appealing, demonstrating that it is well-chosen content, not one specific style, that tips the scales on a job application.  Resumes That Will Get You the Job You Want by Andrea G. Kay Job hunters will learn to craft a resume that will make them stand out in the crowd with his informative guide that includes sample resumes for all types of professions and tips on when and how often to update resumes. Job Search Tools: Resumes, Applications, and Cover Letters by Ronald C. Mendlin, et al Ace the IT Resume! by Paula Moreira, Robyn Thorpe Want to land your dream IT job? Learn how to get noticed as an IT applicant with this practical guide. You'll find the best practices for submitting resumes in the eworld--and a full chapter devoted to writing an effective cover letter. Also included are more than 50 job profiles, 50 annotated resumes illustrating important dos and don'ts, and interviews with real IT hiring managers explaining what they are looking for. Winning Resumes for Computer Personnel by Anne Hart Updated to reflect the computer industry's constantly changing job market, this guidebook presents 53 model resumes for computer personnel. All can be easily adapted to the individual job hunter's needs. They apply to specialties within the industry such as programmers, CAD specialists, software designers, and many others. The book also includes updated information on job-hunting via the Internet.    VI. Public Sector/Federal Job Resources There are many specialized resources for those job seekers who are interested in the public sector and jobs with federal agencies. These resources include the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), nonprofit organizations, and other fee-based service providers. Some of these resources include: -8- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 View a Sample Federal Government Resume from fedjobs.org Create and Post Your Federal Resume via OPM’s USAJOBS Site OPM’s Federal Job Electronic Application Forms Guide to Qualifications for Senior Executive Service (SES) Jobs Federal Resume Writing Services from resume-place.com In addition to online guidance and samples of Federal resumes, there are many books and publications focused on this group of job seekers. , Including:  Resumes and Job Search Letters for Transitional Military Personnel by Carl S. Savino, Ronald L. Krannich (Contributor) Includes numerous examples and tips for resumes and letters relevant to various rank and experience levels in all areas of the military. Shows how to write, print, and distribute effective conventional and electronic resumes, with many examples of resumes and letters related to various rank and experience levels in the Army, Air Force, Navy, and other branches of the armed forces.  Federal Resume Guidebook by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman Leads you through the complexities of finding and analyzing job announcements; writing federal resumes for both human and scanner eyes and packaging your resume to meet both federal and vacancy announcement criteria.  Ten Steps To a Federal Job: Navigating the Federal Job System, Writing Federal Resumes, Ksas and Cover Letters with a Mission by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman et al Government Job Applications and Federal Resumes: Federal Resumes, KSAs, Forms 171 and 612, and Postal Applications by Anne McKinney (Editor)  VII. Executive Level Job Seeker Guidance Specialized resources focused on the executive-level job seeker are also available online, via publications, and specialized service firms. The following additional resources may be helpful to these candidates. Note that books listed may be further researched through online bookstores like Amazon.com. 6FigureJobs.com Executive Resume Writing -9- WIT Resource Manual – Section 4 Association of Executive Search Consultants Guide to Qualifications for Federal Senior Executive Service (SES) Jobs Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 Million+: Your Insider's Lifetime Guide to Executive Job-Changing and Faster Career Progress in the 21st Century by John Lucht John Lucht, an executive recruiter during the past three decades for some of America's top corporations, knows what it takes to snag a new six-figure job. Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 Million+ is his newly revised guide to the ins and outs of a search for a job that ends in success. It promises a "comprehensive cram course in accelerating your career"--a contemporary corporate equivalent of the traditional initiation into adulthood from which it takes its title--updated for the cyber-age. And it delivers, with Lucht offering inside tips on the basic routes to a new executive-level position: personal contacts (i.e., "ask for a reference instead of a job"); networking ("never fail to get into the office of anyone whose name is mentioned to you, never depart with less than three new names"); executive recruiters ("understand their hidden financial arrangements"); direct mail ("write to the CEO or a person two levels above your target job"); and the Internet ("insert plenty of the right 'keywords' so that the computer will find your resume"). Extensive online references are also included throughout, and the material is presented in a way that's easy to understand and implement. --Howard Rothman, Amazon.com Best Resumes for $75,000 + Executive Jobs, 2nd Edition by William E. MontagWritten by a veteran career advisor, this one-of-a-kind resource is packed with essential tips, tools, and advice for executives beginning a job search. This totally revised and expanded edition of the original bestseller is a complete job search guide that will help you launch a search with the same competitive edge held by clients of Montag Associates—who enjoy a placement success rate that far surpasses the outplacement industry norm. As shown through real-life case histories, clients and readers who combined the power resumes developed in Part I with the market-tested search theories in Part II have repeatedly out marketed, outsmarted, and outdistanced the competition. Featuring over 60 real-life skills and achievement-oriented resumes—all with accompanying cover letters—this Second Edition contains invaluable pointers on defining and packaging marketable skills and achievements, a question-and-answer section, and new chapters and appendices covering such vital topics as launching the job search, the executive interview, the top ten rules of the job market, and an executive guide to the Internet. There's a provocative new chapter documenting the impact of predatory greed on a stressed-out workforce—who can wrest control of their careers by executing a multistep, high-volume job search process that distinguishes the Expansionist Theory. While the competition dawdles, clients and readers get results. So will you. Thorough and accessible, Best Resumes for $75,000+ Executive Jobs, Second Edition is a must-have for any executive looking for a competitive edge in the twenty-first century job market. - 10 -