Resume and
Cover Letter Writing
Career Center
Chestnut Hall, Suite 103
(940)565-2105, careercenter@unt.edu http://careercenter.unt.edu/
Resume
Remember:
• Be specific and clarify- do not use long sentences and be sure you get your message across
• Check for accuracy- punctuation, spelling, and grammar • Do not use “I” or “my” anywhere in your resume
The Look:
• Black ink, 8 ½ x 11 inch, white or ivory resume paper • Usually 1 page, no more than 2
• Header/Footer if more than one page
• Print only on one side and do not staple documents
• Be consistent with Bold, CAPS, underline, and italics, as well as margins, font, punctuation, and word endings (-ing and -ed)
What do Employers Want?
• “Sample the field”
• Most common skills,
experiences,
credentials, and
characteristics
• Track the frequency of
each item
• “Buzz words”
• Categories/Sections
priority will change based
on employers needs
Key Words & Phrases
Frequency
Verbal & Written Communication Skills
√√√√√√√√√√ Bachelor degree in… √√√√√√√ 3-5 related experience
in…
√√√√√√ Ability to work as part of
a team √√√√ Willingness to travel √√ Customer service experience √√√√√√√ Strong organizational, analytical, and presentation skills √√√√√√
Division of Student Affairs
Resume Format Page 12 & 13
*Several Styles: Select what “fits” best*
Chronological
• Shows employment history in dated order
• Highlights your responsibilities and job duties
Functional
• Highlights abilities/skills
• Skill based
• Student organizations, employment, community involvement,
volunteerism, class projects, internship(s)
• Good to use if not a lot of work experience
Resume Content Areas
• Contact information
• Objective
• Summary of Qualifications
• Education
• Work experience
• Skills/accomplishments (Functional Resume)
• Additional information
• Student/Professional Organizations
• Conferences/Presentations
Contact Information
• Area codes
• Include apartment/building number if applicable
• Most current address
• Professional email address
• Professional voicemail message
Objective
• Statement used on a resume to relate to target career,
target employer, and to express interest in a position
• Short and specific
• Example: To obtain an internship at J.P. Morgan Chase
in the Finance Summer Analyst Program
Summary of Qualifications
• 4-6 bullets of information including job-specific and soft
skills
– Number of years experience in a field or line of work – Accomplishments that directly relate to the position – Language skills
– Other qualities, skills, or experience that make you a good match for the position
– Technical/computer skills – Leaderships
– Certifications/Licensures
Education
• Start with most recent degree
– Major
– Minor/concentration
– Institution and location (City, ST) – (Expected) graduation date
• Undergraduate degree
• Community college
• Scholarship/Thesis
• GPA
• Certificate
Work Experience
• Jobs/Experience
– Start with most recent position – Internship(s)- Paid or Unpaid – Graduate Assistantship(s) – TA
– Include: Job title/position, name of organization, location (City, ST), and dates (month/year) employed
• Job descriptions
– Bullet Format, Accomplishment and Result Statements – SOAR Method
Work Experience
• SOAR Method
– Statement of Action – What did you do?
– Occurrence of Action – Daily, weekly, monthly – Amount of Action – 19, 50, over 100
– Result(s) – Increased, decreased, saved, taught
Example:
Statement – Trained new wait staff
Occurrence – Trained new wait staff on monthly basis
Amount – Trained over 15 new wait staff on a monthly basis Result(s) – Trained over 15 new wait staff on a monthly basis
which increased customer satisfaction and sales of new menu items 3 quarters in a row.
Work Experience
• Exclude phrases like: “Participated in” or “Involved in”
• Explain your specific contribution to the team
– How many team members, role in the group
• Emphasize achievements using action words to
communicate your skills (page 11)
Skills/Accomplishments
(Functional Resume Page 11 & 12)
• At least 3 skills headings
• At least 2 bullets per heading
• Include information and/or experience from your
education (class work), work experience (jobs,
internships), and other activities (volunteer, student
organizations, professional organizations)
*Functional resume does not focus solely on work experience
Additional Information
• Other possible headings/information
– Student/Professional Organizations (include title, org name, and dates involved)
– Community Involvement/ Volunteer Experience (include org name and dates)
– Study Abroad (International Experience) – Awards or Honors
– Leadership
– Attended/Presented Conferences
• Professional References
– 3 professional, not personal
– Do not list on your resume- separate page – Do not send with resume, unless requested – Bring a copy to the interview
Sample
Chronological
Resume
Nita Job
222 Denton Drive, Denton, TX 76203 • (940) 555-5555 • nitajob@unt.edu
Summary of Qualifications
• Over 3 years management and 7 years training experience • Impeccable written and verbal communication skills • Over 4 years sales and 10 years customer service experience • Fluent in Spanish and English
• Proficient in all Microsoft applications and computer programming XTML and HTML
Education
Master of Science August 2009 Logistics & Supply Chain Management; Minor: Finance GPA: 4.0/4.0 University of North Texas Denton, TX
Bachelor of Arts December 2002 Political Science; Minor: Business Administration GPA: 3.5/4.0 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
• Dean’s List Fall 2002
Experience
Senior Production Analyst July 2006 – Present Infiniti Motor Acceptance Corporation Irving, TX
• Hired as Senior Supervisor for Customer Service to maintain efficiency while overseeing an average of 15,000 calls per day
• Earned accommodation for Top Ranked Team after 3rd Quarter
• Promoted to Production Analyst for Consumer Communications overseeing Customer Service, Lease Customer Network, Inbound Marketing, and Administration Operations Group
• Supervised analysis and implementation of new training procedures to Customer Service Portfolio • Project manager for implementation and construction of new system (Siebel)
Supervisor Level 2 Collections October 2004 – July 2006 Nissan Financial Roanoke, TX
• Assisted in cure rate of accounts by 7% as a level one collections
• Top ranked collector after first month receiving the Gold Collectors Cup award and leading to a promotion to Level Two Collections
• Promoted to Supervisor for Orlando Zone Portfolio
• Directed a team of 11 agents to maintain customer relationships and accounts while meeting month end goals • Developed training manual for Orlando Zone Portfolio that is still a live document
Teaching / Touring Professional 2000-2003
Links at Water Chase/Gateway Tour Fort Worth, Texas
• Earned Gateway Tour Card in 2001 and began touring as a professional golfer
• Provided private instruction and professional coaching in off season for up to 4 club and tour members per week on average
• Oversaw internet marketing, corporate sale, and inventory control in Pro Shop, consisting of ordering, shipping, inventory accuracy, maintaining inventory worth over $100,000
• Assisted with guest relations and membership issues
Sample
Functional
Resume
Nita Job
222 Denton Drive • Denton, TX 76203 (123)456-7890 • nitajob@unt.edu
Objective To obtain an Events Manager position
Summary of Qualifications
• Over 3 years event management, marketing, training and coaching experience • Strong communication, presentation and time management skills
• Seasoned professional in the hospitality and club industry • Fluent in Spanish, French and English
Education
Master of Science May 2010
Hospitality Management GPA: 4.0 University of North Texas Denton, TX
Bachelor of Science May 2006
Hospitality Management GPA: 3.5 University of North Texas Denton, TX
Professional Skills Management
• Experienced in all aspects of event management and tournament directing, including logistics, transportation, security, safety, coordination of activities, recruitment of volunteers, publicity, and scheduling of celebrity appearances
• Assisted with the selection of staff, raised funds, planned trips, scheduled activities and publicized events
Marketing/Promotion
• Coordinated media appearances and press conferences for celebrities, including transportation and security
• Experienced in marketing, advertising and promoting special events
Administration
• Developed budgets and office policies and procedures to ensure efficiency of operations • Revitalized underperforming club programs and achieved 90% increased profitability
Professional and Student Organizations
Member, Phi Chi Theta September 2003 – May 2006 Treasurer, National Society of Minorities in Hospitality January 2008 – May 2010
Employment History
Events Manager Assistant August 2003 – Present Très Baton Country Club Anywhere, TX
Government/Federal Resume: KSA’s
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities Statements
• Statement used to apply for Federal jobs and describes your unique qualities needed for a specific position.
• Federal employers use them to determine a job applicant’s eligibility for a position.
• Candidates may be requested to submit a KSA in addition to providing a copy of their resume.
Government/Federal Resume: KSA’s
• 4 steps to writing KSA statements: – Study the job description
– Take credit for ALL of your experiences – Use the CCAR Method
• Context • Challenges • Action
• Result – Other tips:
• Pay attention to key words
• Connect your experiences with 2-3 CCAR paragraphs for each KSA • Write in the first person (I)
• Be concise- Each KSA should be a half page to a page in length. • Check that you have addressed the KSA (Did you follow CCAR?) • Proofread and have someone else proofread
Government/Federal Resume
1. Use words wisely
– Use minimum words to provide maximum information.
2. Keep sentences short and clear
– Break up long phrases or take out duplicate information.
3. Make your message stand out
– Short paragraphs – Sub headers
• Example:
While an associate editor for Agricultural Magazine, I was responsible for:
Critical content decisions. I selected each month’s special feature on the relationship between
scientific findings and agricultural economics, among other articles.
Quality of articles. I reviewed all copy to ensure the style was accessible to readers ranging
from rural farmers to university researchers.
4. Focus on outcome
Government/Federal Resume
5. Showcase your role
– Did you work on your own? As part of a team? In what capacity? Were you promoted?
6. Remember – timeframes count 7. Value your experience
– Think about ALL of your experience, including leadership positions, extracurricular activities, and internships.
8. Show and tell
– Use examples to explain your experience.
9. Resist additions
– Do not send additional packages/awards/information with your resume.
10.Illuminate your resume – don’t repeat it
Summary of Resume Writing
1. Target the employer’s perspective
– Ask not what the employer can do for you, but what you can do for the employer
2. Electronic file
– Microsoft Word v. Portable Document File (.pdf)
3. Spelling/Punctuation Errors
– SPELL CHECK is not enough! Read through for
accuracy
4. Lack of specifics
– Employers need to know what you’ve done and
accomplished
Cover Letter
Formal letter used as an introduction to a resume
• First impression for potential employers
• Address cover letter to specific person
• Use a friendly, but professional tone
• Address how you can meet the employer’s needs
• Do not duplicate resume; instead, expand the areas of
interest to target employer
• Acceptable to utilize “I” and “my”, but do not begin most
sentences with “I” or “my”
Cover Letter: Suggested Format
Introductory paragraph
– Tells the employer: What I want, why I want it with you!
– Mention which position you are applying for and how you
heard about it/found it
– Introduce yourself- what degree you are
seeking/attained, major, graduation date
– Specify whether you are seeking pt/ft/internship/summer employment
Cover Letter: Suggested Format
Selling Paragraph
– Tells the employer: What I can do for you today, what makes me different!
– Mention one or two qualifications you think would be of greatest interest to the employer, slanting your remarks to their point of view
– Point out related experience
– Briefly, demonstrate your knowledge of the company
– Tell why you are particularly interested in the company or position
Cover Letter: Suggested Format
Closing Paragraph
– Tells the employer: What I want: An interview! What I’m willing to do to get it: Persistence!
– Close by stating your desire for an interview
– You may state that you will follow up (call) in a week or so to make sure they’ve received your resume and cover
letter
– Be sure that your closing is not vague, but states a specific action and do what you’ve stated
Sample
Cover
Letter
Division of Student Affairs
Nita Job 178 Green Street Denton, TX 76203 (940)555-5555 nitajob@unt.edu December 14, 1996 Pat Cummings Director of Marketing Any Corporation 1140 Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90089 Dear Mr. Cummings:
I am currently seeking a Consumer and Market knowledge Associate Manager position within your successful marketing department, and have learned about Any Corporation through the L.A. Top Sellers
Guide. Congratulations on such an outstanding year!
As you can see from the enclosed resume, since completion of my Masters in Business Administration, I have developed a strong understanding that the "Consumer is Boss". In my prior positions, I had the responsibility to champion the voice of the consumer and be on the forefront of market trends. I understand that strong management skills are critical for leaders on multi-functional business teams. My belief is the integration of consumer, shopper, and market understanding is critical to catalyze business growth at the corporate, business unit, category, brand and initiative levels. From global strategy to local market execution, as a CMK Mangers I shaped the direction of our businesses by 1) driving robust strategy and portfolio choices 2) growing leadership brands 3) driving successful initiatives 4) maximizing ROI.
Last month I took an intensive seminar entitled “Marketing for Success!” This investment conclusively confirmed my desire to pursue marketing as a career. I know that, given the chance, I could quickly prove my worth as a member of your team.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my application and I look forward to your response. Sincerely,
