Resumes and Cover Letters
Resumes and cover letters serve a social purpose and have both implicit and explicit social and cultural expectations.
The communicative purpose of a resume and cover letter
You will:
· Provide information: your skills and experience
· Express desire for an opportunity
· Signal the reader about what is important and what you will bring
· Use language specific to the form with prescribed (and constrained) style and content
o Use language that is field specific – part of the “in crowd”
o Use words and phrases that represent larger cultural debates and issues – the intersection of your values and the values of the employer
RESEARCH
RESPECT
CONTRIBUTION
Resumes and Cover Letters: overview
· Resume provides information: skills and experience
o Summary of relevant qualifications
o Descriptions: location, time, duration, responsibilities, skills acquired, significance of experience
· Cover letter expresses desire for social good: apply for opportunity
o State goal and purpose
o Descriptions: desired clinical externship setting, rationale/justification for request
o Tell your story and put resume into a narrative
· Your shifting identity: show own role in relationship to roles of others
o Consider your own evolution as graduate student to graduate clinician, to practicum student, to professional colleague
o Recognize where you are in your journey and then write to the level of where you are intending to go
Expectations on form, style, and content
· One or two pages
o Look at many different resume templates and find a layout that speaks to you – we represent ourselves through layout
§ Expectation in our field – nothing too racy
· Organization: order of key elements
o Elements: objective, education, coursework, clinical experiences, research/lab experiences, job and professional experiences, volunteer experiences, professional development/trainings, presentations, honors and awards, affiliations and memberships
o Expected organization is reverse chronological order of experiences for each element (section)
o List life experiences that provide insight into your values and factors that shaped you
§ Examples: cultural and linguistic diversity, international study or work, experiences with disability
o Experiences outside of field show work history and work ethic
§ Connect strengths of outside experiences to speech language pathology
§ Examples:
· “I excel in designing organization systems from my work as an office manager.”
· “Volunteering with Sunnyvale Family Shelter taught me the importance interprofessional teamwork in supporting families experiencing hardships.”
· “My undergraduate degree in political science provided me with an appreciation of different cultural approaches and policies regarding healthcare and education.”
o Use clear headings and bullet points to guide reader
o Short sentences that show responsibilities and achievements
o Actions words
§ Examples: coordinated, planned, created, designed, developed, administered, provided, directed, mentored, facilitated, trained, advocated, educated, coached, consulted, examined, explored, identified, interpreted, completed, attained, etc.
o Key words customized to the area of the field that you would like pursue
§ Examples: skilled nursing, rehabilitation, acute care, early childhood, etc.
o Avoid acronyms: spell out entire words, e.g., Portland State University, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, Childhood Apraxia of Speech
· Font for main content
o Easy to read and professional: Times New Roman, Ariel, Calibri, Cambria
o 12 point font
· Professional email: use university email account
· Error-free: no typos, mistakes, irregular formatting
o Have resume and cover letter reviewed by multiple readers, including university writing center
o Double-check spelling of names and locations
o Errors represent lack of respect and readers may dismiss requests that contain errors
· Submit electronically as PDF to preserve formatting
Cultural expectations
Recognize role, authority, and status of reader
o Honorifics and full names
§ Examples: Dr. Sam Smith, Professor Jan Jones, Mr. Tom Thompson, Ms. Brenda Baker, etc.
o Presupposition: assume high level of content knowledge of reader
Recipient and Position
· Recipient: know reader (audience) and culturally specific expectations
o Social distance: status and deference
§ Social significance: titles and labels
§ Values of desired clinical setting
§ Main roles and responsibilities of desired clinical setting
§ Inter-professional and inter-disciplinary aspects: understand teams and team members within setting
§ Professional and formal language use
o Cultural expectations
§ Self-promotion
§ Direct language: specific request
§ Demonstration of passion for field: emotional verbs and adjectives
§ Clear description of career goals
§ Expression of gratitude for opportunity to apply
o Cultural considerations for self-promotion
§ Consider expressing gratitude and acknowledging others, e.g., “I am skilled with providing bilingual assessments” versus “I am grateful for the extensive clinical training in administering dynamic assessment measures for bilingual clients that I have received”
§ Acknowledge the hierarchical relationship – you are requesting access to an opportunity from another person who has a higher level of status and the ability to grant access to opportunities
· Expectations around how we use language – the words you use send a message
o Sometimes we adopt words and phrases that we’ve heard elsewhere. Think about phrasing that may be reflect what you have heard from professors and what you’ve read in textbooks.
o Recognize when you choose to allude to ideas from a specific contextual setting (academic, clinical, policy, procedure)
§ Example: “culturally responsive practices to meet the needs of diverse learners”, “evidence-based practices to improve functional outcomes”
o Larger conversations: words and phrases that represent larger cultural debates and issues
o Understand when you are using words and phrases that show your place within a larger societal debate
§ Examples: neurodiversity, autism community/autistic adults, senior/geriatric, deaf/Deaf, sustained/suffered, etc.
o Understand words that represent specific professional settings and the preferred terms for these settings
§ Examples: nursing home/skilled nursing facility, daycare/childcare facility, etc.
Guiding questions to examine a resume/cover letter:
· How does this resume/cover letter show what is important?
o Consider layout, organization, word choice
· How are identities (social relationships) highlighted in this resume/cover letter?
o What words show the identities of the writer and the reader?
· What political perspective of social commodities is visible in this resume cover letter?
o How is the writer recognizing the status of the reader and requesting access to social goods?
· How does this resume/cover letter connect themes and ideas to each other?
o What values are visible and how do they connect to the request?
· How does this resume/cover letter show claims to academic and clinical knowledge?
o How does the writer demonstrate sufficient expertise for the request?
Letter of Interest
A letter of interest may be the only opportunity that you have to introduce yourself to an employer (or supervisor). It serves as a first impression. If your letter of interest is not acceptable, or is off-putting in any way, the reader may not continue to review your application. In other words, no matter how strong your resume may be, an employer may never see it if your letter of interest is below expectations. Even if you excel at interviewing, you may never have an interview if your letter is not strong.
Style
Business Letter
Use a business letter format – see an example of a business letter at the end of this document.
Recipient
You need to know the correct recipient of the letter. Find out the name of the person who is reviewing the letters and applications. Make sure that your letter is addressed to a specific person.
Font and Margins
Your letter should only be one page. Your letter should not be two-pages. Use 1” margins and 12-point font. In rare cases, you may use 0.8” or 0.75” margins. Avoid 10-point font, as many (possibly older) readers may have difficulty reading the small print.
Spelling
Remember to double-check that spell correction hasn’t changed any of your words into a correctly spelled, but inappropriate word, e.g., “persevere” and “perseverate” appear similar, but have different meanings, especially clinically.
Proof-read
Have multiple people review your letter to ensure accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Any error could cause a reader to question your ability to represent yourself in writing. This is crucial as written materials, e.g., report writing, medical documentation, and compliance forms, require accurate and precise writing skills. In some settings, your report serves as your calling card, i.e., other professionals may judge your clinical skills based on your reports.
Terms and Acronyms
The terms “i.e.” and “e.g.” do not mean the same thing and are often used incorrectly by many writers. Remember, “i.e.” approximates “in other words”, and “e.g.” approximates “for example”. If you have any doubt at all about how to use either “i.e.” or “e.g.” don’t use them. You could write, “in other words”, or “for example” and that would be fine.
Make sure that you explain any terms or acronyms that you use – this means that there is not one single abbreviated term that has not been previously explained. Make sure that you verify the accuracy of the acronyms that you use. Do not use any terms that you do not fully understand. Once you have explained the term, you are welcome to use the acronym. You could explain acronyms in the following ways:
· “Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) became a strong area of clinical interest after I had the opportunity to work with adolescents who had sustained Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) in sports-related activities. We used the Cognitive Planning Intervention (CPI) model to focus on functional life goals, such as obtaining an after-school job, and navigating the public transit system. This experience showed me how many individuals with TBI benefit from procedural supports. “
· “A meaningful clinical practicum placement for me was at the Riverwood Music and Therapy Center, where we worked with children who used Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). I was able to incorporate client interests, such as popular music artists and movie stars, by programming these contemporary conversational topics on the client’s Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA) to increase successful initiations with typically developing peers. I learned that peers often serve as strong motivators for a client’s use of AAC.”
Tone
Positive Language
It is extremely important to use positive language. Do not write (or say in an interview) anything negative about any supervisor, professor, colleague, peer, etc. If you share negative comments, then a potential employer (or supervisor) may not trust you. The presence of negativity is concerning, as the listener might say to him/herself, “this person says bad things about other people. This person might say something bad about me someday, too.” No one wants to feel that there is not professional trust in a working relationship.
Challenges
If you have experienced challenges, focus on how you addressed these challenges and the unique advantages that you gained from the experiences.
· “Initially, I was unsure about programming the client’s Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA), however, after completing an on-line training with DynaVox Communication Devices and programming novel messages on the Maestro Device, I become confident and proficient.”
· “I was able to treat up to ten patients per day at Twilight Hills Nursing Facility. Although these were busy days, I gained valuable skills in methodical data collection to facilitate planning for therapy.
Confidence
Appear confident in your writing and avoid language, which could make you appear needy or desperate for a job. Here is an example of a confident expression of interest: “I am intrigued by the family-centered approach and caregiving training model used at City Park Speech Clinic.” Here is an example of a needy expression of interest, which you should not use: “I really love working with families and I’ve been applying for jobs like yours for the past three months.” It is important that a potential employer views you as a desirable candidate and not someone who is unsuccessful when searching for jobs.
Cultural Sensitivity
Appear culturally sensitive, as a heightened level of cultural sensitivity may be required for some (though not all) positions. Use of the term “family”, and the combined terms “parent/caregiver” and “spouse/partner” show inclusion and honor a diverse view of household constellations. Terms such as “parent”, “wife”, or “husband” may appear limiting to some readers when they are applied to a larger community and not one specific example. Remember an “Interpreter” interprets spoken language and a “Translator” translates written texts. Here are examples of culturally sensitive statements:
· “My practicum in a middle school setting in an ethnically diverse community, where adolescents and families experienced significant challenges, helped me to appreciate the role of language and literacy intervention in academic success.”
· “When I worked with multi-lingual and multi-cultural senior residents of West End Assisted Living Center, I strived to honor family and client views of food and mealtimes across cultures, as well as work with the interpreter to ensure that all parties were able to understand the safe feeding protocol.”
Here is an example of non-sensitive language, which you should not use: “I learned a lot about all kinds of diversity and how to use a translator, during my practicum placement because I was at a school in a really poor area of town with lots of illegal immigrants, and many of the children didn’t understand any English at all.”
Content
Customized
Each letter should be customized to the specific site to which you are applying. Your clinical interests should also reflect the focus of the place to which you are applying.
Sincere
Share sincere and respectful desire for the position.
· “I am excited to apply for “
· “It is an honor to have the opportunity to apply for”
Current Level and Training
State your current academic/professional experience, and provide information about where you are in your professional career. Share any special training, projects, or coursework.
· “I am currently a second year graduate student in the Communication and Sciences Disorders Program at Portland State University.”
· “This past summer I completed a special topics seminar course in Craniofacial/Cleft Palate.”
· “Over the past year, I have been assisting Dr. _______ participating in research in ___________.”
· “I currently serve as our University’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Volunteer Coordinator.”
Future
State your vision of where you see yourself professionally in the future.
· “After graduation, I hope to provide clinical intervention in a medical setting focusing on dysphagia and caregiver training.“
· “I am looking forward to collaborating with general education teachers to provide therapy which enables children to excel in the areas of language and literacy.”
Career Goals
State how this placement aligns with your career goals.
· “Happy Apple Pediatric Clinic provides a range of assessment and intervention services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). It is my goal to specialize in serving children with ASD.”
· “Foggy Mountain Community Hospital offers a comprehensive adult speech and language department. My professional goal is to provide services in a medical setting, with an emphasis on progressive disorders. “
Specific Interest
Explain why you want this position. Think abut what it is about this placement that interests you.
· “Ocean Center Clinic uses a multidisciplinary team model for assessment. I am excited about the opportunities to collaborate with other professionals.”
· “Autumn Leaves Neurodevelopmental Center provides comprehensive pediatric feeding services. I am excited about the opportunity to provide feeding intervention for children with craniofacial disorders.”
Past
Describe how you became interested in this specific area of Speech Language Pathology. Provide a short (two to three sentences maximum) and interesting clinical example or personal information to show what has motivated you.
Clinical experiences: Describe something that a client did or a clinical event that you observed.
· “During my practicum placement at XYZ Clinic, I was inspired by”
· “This summer my placement at ABC day camp, working with children with (insert area) needs, reinforced my desire to”
Life experiences: Describe something in your personal life that affected your career path.
· “My early experiences volunteering in the Special Needs classroom when I was in high school solidified my commitment to”
· “When my (list family member) sustained (list medical event), I attended therapy sessions with the Speech Language Pathologist. Watching my (list family member) make progress with his/her skill development in the area of (list functional communication domain) through the use of (list therapy technique) was inspiring to me.
Unique Traits
Describe what is unique about you. State what characteristics and qualities that you bring to your work that distinguish you from other people – these should not be generic traits. Here are examples of unique traits:
· “My specialized training in social-cognitive intervention and my commitment to incorporating current research make me an excellent candidate for the position at The Autism Advancement Center.”
· “My commitment and compassion are exemplified through my use of individualized treatment and an appreciation of the strengths that each client brings to the therapeutic process, as this approach helps clients increase their participation in daily living tasks. “
Here are examples of generic traits, which you should not use: “I am dedicated, responsible, and I love working with children.” “I am a hard-worker and I always give 100% to every task and each client that I serve.”
Restate and Praise
Restate your interest and consider praising or complimenting the professionals or the program.
· “Shady Grove Hospital is renown for exceptional care for individuals with Acquired Brain Injury. I am excited about the possibility of learning from the professionals in your program.”
· “Happy Apple Cooperative Speech Clinic is a leader in combining language and literacy intervention to support children with special needs. I would greatly value the opportunity to learn from the professionals at your clinic.”
Thanks and Future Contact
Thank the reader and imply continued communication.
· “Thank you for your time and attention.”
· “I look forward to hearing from you.”
· “Please let me know if you have any questions.”
· “I would be happy to meet with you and your staff to answer any questions.”
Example Externship Cover Letter
Example Externship Cover Letter
Resources for Writing Resumes and Cover Letters for externships and jobs: