Workforce

Contact Information

• First put your address and contact information; under that put the name to whom you are writing and his/her title, company name, and address.

Address

• If possible, address to a specific person – “Dear ______ :”

First Paragraph

• Introduce yourself and include your academic credentials.

• If you had met with the person you are writing to in person (i.e. job fair), refer to that meeting .

• Specify why you are sending your resume – what position you are applying for/interested in and the time period for which you want to work.

• Indicate how you heard about the job opening – if someone referred you, include their name.

Second Paragraph

• State that you have included your resume.

• Highlight your specific qualifications, experiences, and skills to convince the reader to look for more information on your resume.

• Describe why you are interested in the position, work, company, etc. – be enthusiastic and express your personality, motivation, passion.

• Base your interest in the position on research you have done on the company (i.e. state your interest in a particular project you read about on the company website).

Third Paragraph

• Indicate your desire for an interview or more information.

• State a SPECIFIC time (within 1-2 weeks after the company should receive your letter and resume) in which you will call or email to check on the status of your application.

• FOLLOW THROUGH.

Closing

• Type your name but allow space for your signature, which you sign yourself.

Basics

• Limit your resume to one page and use a font type and size that is clear and easy to read.

• Use bold, italics, underline, bullets, and spacing to keep your resume organized.

• No typos or misspellings EVER – proofread!

Sections of the Resume

• Contact Information

  • Make sure it is recent and correct.

  • Use a slightly larger font for your name.

• Objective

  • Adjust your objective to each and every opportunity – be clear, brief, and specific.

  • For college/letters of recommendation: “To attend a four-year college or university to study…” For employment: “To gain part-time employment with…”

• Education

  • Indicate when you intend to graduate and what kind of diploma you will receive.

  • Include your GPA only if it’s a 3.0 or above.

  • List special programs (i.e. Academy of Finance) and relevant courses (or honors/AP classes), especially if they correspond with your objective.

• Extracurricular Activities

  • Don’t forget to include leadership positions and significant contributions.

  • If it is unclear what the organization is, write a brief explanation.

  • ALWAYS write in concise statements, never use paragraphs (same with work/volunteer experience).

• Work and Volunteer Experience

  • Most recent or current FIRST, always include dates.

  • Describe your responsibilities, contributions, accomplishments, skills.

  • Indicate hours per week or total hours.

• Skills

  • Basic computer skills, fluency in another language, certifications, etc.

  • Skills you acquired through work or volunteering.

  • “Soft Skills”.

• Awards and Recognition

  • Definitely include academic recognition such as Honor Roll.

  • Awards from extracurricular activities.

  • Not all awards have to be related to school (i.e. Employee of the Month).

• References

  • MUST ask your references if you can include them in your resume.

  • Never use a relative as a reference.

• • Practice makes perfect. Ask a friend or family member to hold a mock interview.

  • Look your best. It is ALWAYS better to be overdressed than underdressed.

  • NEVER be late. One minute late and you might blow your chances completely.

  • Prepare a mental “agenda” of points you want to make during the interview.

    1. Always have a reserve of things to talk about, but don’t memorize speeches.

  • Anticipate questions that you may be asked and prepare answers – this will help you feel less stressed and more confident!

    1. ALWAYS prepare questions to ask the interviewer.

    2. It’s OK to not know the answer – it’s better to say “I don’t know, I would have to think about it and gain more information” than to pretend you are an expert.

  • Do your research.

    1. Look up information about the company and the position .

    2. If you do have questions, an interview is the chance to ask and discuss them.

  • Be yourself and answer honesty, take your time to formulate an answer before speaking. If you get jumbled up, ask to begin your answer again.

  • Ask for a business card or contact information if you don’t have it already.

    1. Use that contact information to send a thank you note right after the interview.