Transcript Building your Resume or Curriculum Vitae

R ESUMES &
C OVER L ETTERS
W HAT
IS A
R ESUME ?

is a document to market your skills, experience,
education and accomplishments to employers

is meant to get you an interview

is NOT your life history

is very concise and easy to scan for information
B ASIC G UIDELINES

use consistency in your presentation

utilize a 10 to 12 point, plain font

organize your information to make it easy to read

use your white space effectively

start all of your descriptive statements with past
tense action verbs

proofread to check for errors
B ASIC G UIDELINES

do not use high school information

place your most relevant information towards
the top

include industry related keywords

target it to the career field you are entering

keep your margins even
C ATEGORIES

Objective

Related Experience

Summary of
Qualifications

Additional Involvement

Volunteer/Community
Service

Education

Honors

Skills

Related Coursework

Employment

Internships

Activities

Research
R ESUME S TATEMENTS

use past tense action verbs to describe what you did
in each position or experience

be descriptive and specific – who, what, where, when,
how, results

action verb + details + results = strong resume
statement

look at job postings to get ideas

practice telling someone else what you did in each
position or how you demonstrated each skill
P ERSONAL I NFORMATION
LEAH M. HELPER
2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55410
612.330.3333, [email protected]
I NTRODUCTION

Objective


states what type of position you are looking for
and what you will bring to the position
Summary of Qualifications

highlights your related qualifications for the
position
E DUCATION
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
May 20XX
Major: Psychology
GPA: 3.7
Minor: Communication Studies
Honors: Dean’s List, Psychology Honor Society, Augsburg Academic Scholarship
Study Abroad: University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
Spring 20XX
I NTERNSHIP ( S )
INTERNSHIPS
Intern, Crisis Nursery, Minneapolis, MN, Spring 20XX
•
Selected to demonstrate therapeutic interventions to volunteers at a newly
developed parent-child educational and therapeutic group
•
Consulted with other therapists regarding client case management
Intern, Washburn Child Guidance Center, Minneapolis, MN, Fall 20XX
•
Taught emotional regulation and social skills to preschoolers in a classroom
setting
•
Provided therapeutic interventions for children, ages 2 to 10, who were at risk
of neglect and abuse
•
Counseled children and parents with many emotional and mental difficulties
to help create a safe home environment
R ELATED E XPERIENCE
RELATED EXPERIENCE
Student Worker, Augsburg Admissions Office, Minneapolis, MN, Sept. 20XX – May 20XX
•
Promoted the college to prospective students by giving campus tours and providing them
with college information
•
Provided administrative tasks including student mailings, filing, and data entry
A CTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
Student Orientation Leader, Augsburg College, Sept. 20XX – May 20XX
•
Served as a mentor for first-year students by introducing them to the college,
showing them resources on campus and helping them meet new students
•
Coordinated large on-campus events for 400 students to participate in
C OMMUNITY
S ERVICE /V OLUNTEER
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Volunteer, Meals on Wheels, Minneapolis, MN, Jan. 20XX – Aug. 20XX
Sunday School Teacher, St. Edwards, Bloomington, MN, Oct. 20XX – April 20XX
O THER E XPERIENCE
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Server, Applebee’s, Minneapolis, MN, June 20XX – May 20XX
•
Trained new employees and evaluated their performance
•
Succeeded in providing excellent customer service to six tables of
people by multitasking and prioritizing orders
F INAL T IPS

have your resume reviewed by a career specialist

print on good quality paper

look at sample resumes and to get help
C OVER L ETTERS
W HAT IS A C OVER L ETTER ?

is a letter that gives you a change to elaborate on
more skills you have that may not be specifically
highlighted on your resume

is meant to get the employer to read your
resume
B ASIC G UIDELINES

should always accompany a resume even when
not requested

needs to be well-written and in a professional
tone

do not start all of your sentences with “I”

customize each letter with a job description of
the organization you are applying for
H EADING

your name and address should come first

then put the date

next the employer’s name, title, and work
address

always address your employer as:

Dear Mr. or Ms. Last Name:
O PENING

indicate the position you are applying for and
how you came to learn about the position

state why you are interested in the position

say something you know or admire about the
organization

shows you have done your research
M IDDLE S ECTION ( S )

highlight your experience as it relates to the
position

provide them with the key skills you have that are
mentioned in the job description

be specific about how your achievements and
education have prepared you for the position

elaborate more in-depth than what is on your
resume
C LOSING

reiterate your interest in the position and thank
them for their consideration

state that you hope to discuss your qualifications
in an interview

say when you plan to follow-up with them
and then do so
F INAL T IPS

sign your letter with sincerely and your signature

do your research on the employer

PROOFREAD!

use the same font and paper as your resume

show enthusiasm for the position
COVER LETTER SAMPLE
1212 University Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55505
March 10, 2010
Ms. Brenda Peterson
Director
New Hope Center
2222 – 11th Street N.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55444
Dear Ms. Peterson:
Please accept the following materials as my application for the Lead Social Worker position advertised on Augsburg College’s job and internship database,
Augpost. I am particularly interested in working for the New Hope Center because it is an organization that strives to bring the best community resources
to all those in need. In addition, my case management experience, leadership abilities, and strong academic record would benefit your organization and
the clients you serve.
My recent work as a Case Manager Intern at Equal Access has provided me with a variety of skills that will make me successful in this position. My
responsibilities there included overseeing a case load of eight families in which I assessed their needs and helped them develop and work to achieve selfsufficiency goals. I also organized and facilitated a family support group which is still in existence.
In addition, because I feel strongly about advocacy issues, I am utilizing my leadership skills and community resource knowledge by serving as a Peer
Counselor Volunteer at Chrysalis. Here I have demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills as I counsel and connect with a diverse population. This
experience, along with my role as Secretary for the Augsburg College Social Work Club, has allowed me to enhance my organizational and problem
solving skills and capacity to work as a team player.
I would like to discuss my qualifications with you further and will call you next week to arrange an interview. Thank you for your consideration for this Lead
Social Worker position.
Sincerely,
Your Signature
(type your name)
Enclosure
http://cswl.pb.works.com
Q UESTIONS ?