The mission of Service Learning and Career Development is to provide access to TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES, EDUCATION and COUNSELING that advance student career development and benefit society.

CAREER GUIDE

Service Learning and Career Development

Service Learning and Career Development

345 Monmouth, Ave. N.Monmouth, OR 97361

Werner University Center, Room 119slcd@wou.edu • 503-838-8432 • wou.edu/slcd

Student Affairs

Together we SUCCEED

SLCD Services 1

WolfLink 2

SLCD Staff 2

Resume Writing Checklist 3

Resume Outline and Example 1 4

Resume Examples 2 and 3 5

Achievement Statement/Profile 6

List of Transferable and Action Verbs 7

Formatting References 8

Why Do I Need A Cover Letter? 9

Cover Letter Outline and Example 10

Thank You Letters and Emails 11

Career Exploration Guide 12, 13

Job and Internship Checklist 14

This career guide is designed to give you tools to create a resume and cover letter that serve you

well, and provide you guidelines and resources for developing your career path and obtaining jobs

and internships. Once you have created your resume and cover letter, follow these next steps to

reach your goals:

Go to SLCD to have my resume and cover letter reviewed.

Drop-in hours Monday- Friday 9:30am-4:30pm.

Go on WolfLink to check out jobs, volunteer, work study, and internship postings, on and off

campus.

Create FREE business cards at the SLCD to have at networking events.

Develop my interviewing skills by practicing my responses to typical questions and schedule a

Mock Interview with an SLCD staff member to get immediate feedback.

SLCD Services Include:

✓ Career Counseling

o Explore & Decide a Major o Explore & Choose Careers o Internships & Job Search o Resume & Cover Letter Reviews o Networking o Mock Interviews o Graduate School Advising

✓ Assessments o Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

(MBTI) o Strong Interest Inventory o Self-Assessments

✓ Drop-In Peer Advising o Resume & Cover Letter Reviews o General Job Search Information

✓ Workshops, Events & Networking (Listed on WolfLink)

o Professional Workshops on Campus o Career Fairs o Etiquette Dinners o Career Mentoring Program

✓ Experiential Learning o Internships o Alternative Break o Volunteer Opportunities

Table of Contents

2

Finding a Job or Internship on WolfLink

1. Log on to your portal.

2. Click the black and white wolf head button at the top of your page.

3. First time users will be prompted to activate your account and complete your profile.

4. Search for jobs and apply to those you are interested in.

To help yourself stand out and get noticed, have SLCD review your resume to make it career ready!

Students, your success using Wolflink is all determined by YOU! Feel free to create your student profile to fit your needs, and update your profile on a regular basis to have this be an evolving site suited to you.

Our Staff Adry Clark, Director, clarka@mail.wou.edu Career counseling, career assessments, mock interviews, grad school advising, presentations.

Matt Friesen, Assistant Director Experiential Education, friesenm@mail.wou.edu Coordinates Alternative break and volunteering, internship advising.

Jennifer Hansen, Career Development Coordinator, hansenj@mail.wou.edu Job search advising, mock interviews, advanced resume review

Andrea Piercy, Program Assistant, piercya@mail.wou.edu Customer service, information and referrals

Peer Career Advisors – Drop-in Advising, resume and cover-letter review, referrals

Experiential Learning Program Assistants – WOU Community Internship Program and Alternative Break

3

SECTION FEATURE

Contact Information Name is bold – font size is between 14-18 points

Address and body text should be 11-12 points – 11 point is the most common

Address is spelled out (no abbreviations)

Profile Can use, but not required. See example on page 6

Education Education is listed above experience

Most recent institution is listed first (If you attended multiple schools, consider only

including your current or degree-granting school.) High school experience is not

listed

Includes institution, city, state, degree, major title and expected graduation date

GPA can be included if above a 3.5

Academic honors, awards, and relevant coursework can be shown here

Experience Most recent experience is listed first - unless a “Relevant Experience” category is

used

Each experience lists name of employer, city, state, dates of employment or

participation, position title and position description

Each bullet/description starts with an active, power verb

Past and present tense is used consistently and accurately

Descriptions focus on accomplishment, knowledge, highlights and responsibilities,

not duties. See page 6 for how to create accomplishment statements

Special Categories

Special categories, such as volunteering, leadership, and coursework are relevant and

highlight professional skills. They demonstrate interest areas and reveal added

personal and professional dimension

Extra Points Vocabulary reflects the industry targeted by the resume

(match your keywords with those from the job description)

Position descriptions reflect transferable skills

Accomplishment statements use quantitative data and information specific to

the position

Resume Writing Checklist

✓

4

Res

ume

Out

line

Your

Nam

e H

ere

Addr

ess,

City

, Sta

te Z

ip C

ode

Phon

e nu

mbe

r | P

rofe

ssio

nal e

mai

l

PRO

FILE

(or s

kills

, sum

mar

y of

qua

lific

atio

ns, o

r acc

ompl

ishm

ents

) Br

iefly

intro

duce

you

rsel

f and

you

r pro

fess

iona

l qua

lific

atio

ns a

nd e

xper

ienc

es in

a li

ne o

r tw

o. F

or

exam

ple,

“Com

mun

ity H

ealth

maj

or, b

ilingu

al in

Spa

nish

and

Eng

lish,

with

2 y

ears

’ exp

erie

nce

in a

cl

inic

al s

ettin

g; s

eeki

ng e

ntry

-leve

l pos

ition

in a

clie

nt-c

ente

red,

team

-driv

en e

nviro

nmen

t”.

EDU

CA

TIO

N (p

lace

d he

re fo

r mos

t stu

dent

s an

d re

cent

gra

ds)

Type

of D

egre

e, M

ajor

, Min

or

Expe

cted

Mon

th Y

ear

Wes

tern

Ore

gon

Uni

vers

ity, M

onm

outh

, Ore

gon

Put y

our m

ost r

ecen

t deg

ree

first

, the

n w

ork

back

war

ds. M

ake

sure

to in

clud

e yo

ur G

PA if

it is

abo

ve

a 3.

5. Y

ou c

an a

lso

put a

ny h

onor

s, s

peci

al a

war

ds re

ceiv

ed, o

r oth

er a

cade

mic

ach

ieve

men

ts. Y

ou

may

als

o lis

t rel

evan

t cou

rse

wor

k an

d ce

rtific

atio

ns if

app

licab

le o

r stu

dy a

broa

d ex

perie

nce.

Prev

ious

Deg

ree

Inst

itutio

n, C

ity, S

tate

M

onth

and

Yea

r of G

radu

atio

n Yo

u do

not

hav

e to

list

an

A.A.

if y

ou h

ave

your

Bac

helo

r’s D

egre

e, u

nles

s yo

u ha

d sp

ecia

lized

co

urse

wor

k re

leva

nt to

the

posi

tion

to w

hich

you

are

app

lyin

g. In

clud

e yo

ur B

ache

lor’s

Deg

ree

if yo

u ha

ve y

our M

aste

r deg

ree.

Do

not l

ist y

our h

igh

scho

ol e

duca

tion.

R

ELEV

AN

T EX

PER

IEN

CE

C

ompa

ny/O

rgan

izat

ion,

City

, Sta

te

Star

t Mon

th Y

ear –

End

Mon

th Y

ear

Posi

tion/

Job

Title

• Ex

ampl

e: “D

esig

ned

com

pany

new

slet

ter w

ith a

circ

ulat

ion

of 1

00 s

uper

viso

rs a

nd m

anag

ers”

•

Rem

embe

r to

form

at p

oint

s in

Acc

ompl

ishm

ent S

tate

men

t sty

le, s

ee p

age

7 fo

r a H

ow-to

-Gui

de

• Tw

o bu

llet p

oint

s at

min

imum

, fiv

e at

mos

t. D

o no

t exc

eed

two

lines

per

bul

let

• Jo

bs g

o in

reve

rse

chro

nolo

gica

l ord

er, m

ost r

ecen

t firs

t

Com

pany

/Org

aniz

atio

n, C

ity, S

tate

St

art M

onth

Yea

r – E

nd M

onth

Yea

r Po

sitio

n/Jo

b Ti

tle

• R

elev

ant v

olun

teer

and

lead

ersh

ip ro

les

can

also

go

unde

r you

r exp

erie

nce

sect

ion

• In

tern

ship

s an

d st

uden

t tea

chin

g ar

e al

so g

ood

sellin

g po

ints

•

List

onl

y re

leva

nt p

ositi

ons

(not

all

jobs

) •

Mos

t peo

ple

have

thre

e to

four

pos

ition

s in

this

sec

tion

WH

AT

ELSE

? If

you

did

not i

nclu

de v

olun

teer

pos

ition

s in

the

abov

e se

ctio

n, y

ou c

an p

ut it

her

e un

der a

diff

eren

t he

adin

g. C

omm

on h

eadi

ngs

are

“Com

mun

ity S

ervi

ce” a

nd “L

eade

rshi

p an

d Ac

tiviti

es”.

You

can

also

pu

t ext

racu

rricu

lar a

ctiv

ities

in th

is s

ectio

n. R

efer

ence

s al

way

s go

on

a se

para

te d

ocum

ent.

Rem

embe

r, ha

ving

mor

e in

form

atio

n on

you

r res

ume

does

not

nec

essa

rily

mea

n yo

u w

ill ge

t the

job!

5

Res

ume

Exam

ple

1, In

volv

ed in

Sch

ool a

nd C

omm

unity

Chr

is N

ovac

k 88

8 N

orth

Cra

ven

Driv

e #2

2 M

onm

outh

, OR

973

61

503-

628-

0000

cn

ovac

k18@

mai

l.wou

.edu

PRO

FILE

Psyc

holo

gy u

nder

grad

uate

exp

erie

nced

in d

ay c

are

and

men

torin

g at

-risk

you

th; s

kille

d in

chi

ld b

ehav

iora

l int

erve

ntio

ns.

Flue

nt in

Spa

nish

and

a d

edic

ated

team

pla

yer w

ho s

trive

s to

reac

h un

ders

erve

d po

pula

tions

; see

king

pos

ition

as

Beha

vior

al In

tern

with

Sal

em M

onte

ssor

i Sch

ool.

EDU

CAT

ION

B.A.

, Psy

chol

ogy

with

Spa

nish

Min

or

Expe

cted

Jun

e 20

19

Wes

tern

Ore

gon

Uni

vers

ity, M

onm

outh

, OR

M

exic

o St

udy

Abro

ad P

rogr

am

• In

tera

cted

with

resi

dent

s us

ing

fluen

t Spa

nish

; stu

died

peo

ple

and

cultu

re w

hile

livi

ng w

ith a

Mex

ican

hos

t fam

ily

• C

ondu

cted

info

rmat

iona

l int

ervi

ew w

ith a

Mar

riage

and

Fam

ily T

hera

pist

to le

arn

abou

t car

eer p

ath

CO

UN

SELI

NG

REL

ATED

EXP

ERIE

NC

E

Coun

selin

g Pr

ogra

m In

tern

Au

gust

201

7 –

Pres

ent

Step

-up

Cou

nsel

ing

Serv

ices

, Dal

las,

OR

•

Prov

ide

assi

stan

ce to

cou

nsel

ors

on p

artic

ipan

ts in

take

and

reco

rd k

eepi

ng

• Ad

min

iste

r, or

gani

ze a

nd ta

bula

te re

sults

of a

sses

smen

t tes

ts

• As

sist

ed w

ith b

ehav

iora

l int

erve

ntio

ns a

nd g

roup

cou

nsel

ing

activ

ities

•

Serv

ed a

s an

info

rmat

ion

reso

urce

to fa

mili

es re

gard

ing

prog

ram

s and

ava

ilabl

e se

rvice

s As

sist

ant

Sept

embe

r 201

6 –

June

201

8 Ps

ycho

logy

Dep

artm

ent,

Wes

tern

Ore

gon

Uni

vers

ity, M

onm

outh

, OR

•

Han

dled

rese

arch

requ

ests

from

facu

lty e

ffici

ently

and

pro

cess

ed c

onfid

entia

l inf

orm

atio

n re

gard

ing

stat

istic

s.

• M

edia

ted

cust

omer

con

flict

thro

ugh

patie

nt li

sten

ing

and

prob

lem

sol

ving

•

Rev

iew

ed re

quire

d fo

rms

to e

nsur

e ac

cura

cy, u

sing

det

ail-o

rient

ed s

kills

ACTI

VITI

ES &

CO

MM

UN

ITY

INVO

LVEM

ENT

Volu

ntee

r Au

gust

201

8

WO

U A

ltern

ativ

e Br

eak,

Cha

ttano

oga,

TN

•

Volu

ntee

red

with

a g

roup

of s

even

stu

dent

s he

lpin

g a

popu

latio

n su

fferin

g fro

m fo

od in

secu

rity

and

or

gani

zed

over

500

food

box

es a

t Cha

ttano

oga

Food

Ban

k •

Prov

ided

sup

port

and

care

for y

oung

chi

ldre

n in

an

afte

r-sch

ool p

rogr

am; p

repa

red

and

pack

ed lu

nche

s fo

r chi

ldre

n Vi

ce P

resi

dent

Se

ptem

ber 2

016

– Pr

esen

t W

OU

Psy

chol

ogy

Stud

ent A

ssoc

iatio

n, M

onm

outh

, OR

•

Coo

rdin

ate,

des

ign

and

impl

emen

t pub

licity

for c

ampu

s-w

ide

even

ts

• O

rgan

ize

wee

kly

mee

tings

for 2

0 +

mem

bers

, res

ultin

g in

bet

ter c

omm

unic

atio

n an

d te

am b

uild

ing

• C

reat

ed a

nd m

anag

ed o

rgan

izat

iona

l bud

get a

nd le

arne

d bo

okke

epin

g po

licie

s

Show

case

stud

y abr

oad

expe

rienc

e an

d ob

ject

ive

of tr

ip

Prof

ile sh

ows a

reas

of

expe

rienc

e, sk

ills,

and

posit

ion

wan

ted

Date

s are

in re

vers

e ch

rono

logi

cal o

rder

(m

ost r

ecen

t to

last

)

Stat

emen

ts q

uant

ify a

nd

show

acc

ompl

ishm

ents

4

6

Res

ume

Exam

ple

2, L

imite

d W

ork

Expe

rienc

e

Leila

ni K

alan

i 45

90 S

outh

Mai

n St

reet

, M

onm

outh

, OR

973

61

503-

628-

4799

lk

alan

i17@

mai

l.wou

.edu

PRO

FILE

Busi

ness

Maj

or w

ith a

con

cent

ratio

n in

Mar

ketin

g; fl

uent

in S

pani

sh a

nd E

nglis

h; A

ble

to q

uick

ly m

aste

r new

so

ftwar

e an

d ap

ply

its fu

ll ra

nge

of c

apab

ilitie

s; S

eeki

ng a

pos

ition

as

Mar

ketin

g As

sist

ant w

ith T

he O

rego

n H

otel

Ass

ocia

tion.

EDU

CAT

ION

Wes

tern

Ore

gon

Uni

vers

ity (W

OU

), M

onm

outh

, OR

Bach

elor

of S

cien

ce in

Bus

ines

s, M

inor

in S

pani

sh

Expe

cted

Jun

e 20

21

Rel

evan

t Cou

rsew

ork:

•

Fina

ncia

l Acc

ount

ing

• M

anag

emen

t of O

rgan

izat

ions

•

Inte

rnat

iona

l Bus

ines

s •

New

Pro

duct

Dev

elop

men

t •

Adve

rtisi

ng a

nd P

rom

otio

n A

cade

mic

Acc

ompl

ishm

ents

•

Exce

llenc

e in

Men

tors

hip

Awar

d (2

017)

•

2nd p

lace

nat

iona

l win

ner-

Busi

ness

Pre

sent

atio

n C

ompe

titio

n R

ELEV

ANT

SKIL

LS

Mar

ketin

g Sk

ills

•

Cre

ated

a s

ocia

l med

ia c

ampa

ign

for t

he W

OU

Bus

ines

s C

lub,

resu

lting

in 1

5% in

crea

se in

m

embe

rshi

p •

Des

igne

d a

post

er u

sing

Ado

be P

hoto

shop

for s

emi-a

nnua

l dan

ce w

hich

resu

lted

in o

ver 3

00 a

ttend

ees

and

prof

it of

$70

0 •

Sche

dule

d ad

verti

sing

targ

etin

g fo

ur u

nive

rsiti

es in

Ore

gon

for M

ake

a W

ish

fund

rais

er

Org

aniz

atio

nal S

kills

•

Spea

rhea

ded

the

plan

ning

of O

ppre

ssio

n Aw

aren

ess

Wee

k ac

tiviti

es fo

r ove

r 500

stu

dent

s •

Cre

ated

and

mai

ntai

ned

a ro

ster

of c

urre

nt a

nd p

ast m

embe

rs o

f WO

U B

usin

ess

Clu

b C

ompu

ter S

kills

•

Mic

roso

ft O

ffice

, Ado

be P

hoto

shop

, Stra

tSim

, and

Alp

ha c

usto

mer

list

sof

twar

e •

Com

pete

nt w

ith A

ccou

ntin

g an

d Fi

nanc

ial M

anag

emen

t H

onor

s an

d As

soci

atio

ns

• Si

lver

Key

Hon

or S

ocie

ty, M

embe

r, 5/

16 to

pre

sent

•

Dea

n’s

List

, 201

6 to

pre

sent

7

Res

ume

Exam

ple

3, V

arie

d W

ork

Expe

rienc

e

So

ph

ia R

. Go

nz

al

es

346

Com

mer

cial

Stre

et, S

alem

, OR

973

01

sgon

zale

s17@

wou

.edu

| (5

03)-5

55-5

555

Educ

atio

n W

este

rn O

rego

n U

nive

rsity

Ex

pect

ed J

une

2021

Bach

elor

of A

rts in

Bus

ines

s, O

vera

ll G

PA: 3

.5

Mon

mou

th, O

R

M

inor

in E

cono

mic

s, G

PA: 3

.8

R

elev

ant C

ours

ewor

k: F

inan

cial

Man

agem

ent,

Org

aniz

atio

nal B

ehav

ior,

Stra

tegi

c M

anag

emen

t

St

udy

Abr

oad

Aug

– Se

p 20

18

Com

plet

ed c

ours

ewor

k in

Inte

rnat

iona

l Bus

ines

s an

d M

anag

emen

t C

hich

este

r, En

glan

d

Expe

rienc

e J

P M

orga

n C

hase

Ju

ne –

Aug

201

9

Fina

nce

Inte

rn

Portl

and,

OR

•

Built

mod

els

base

d on

regr

essi

on a

naly

sis

to d

eter

min

e fa

ctor

s af

fect

ing

treas

ury

curv

e •

Com

mun

icat

ed d

aily

with

cow

orke

rs a

nd s

uper

viso

rs to

pro

duce

wee

kly

char

ts

an

d gr

aphs

for b

usin

ess

mee

tings

•

Cre

ated

dai

ly s

tock

mar

ket r

epor

ts fo

r tra

ders

, sal

es s

taff,

and

clie

nts

O

ld N

avy

N

ov 2

018

– Fe

b 20

19

Tem

pora

ry S

ales

Ass

ocia

te

Keiz

er, O

R

•

Com

mun

icat

ed w

ith c

usto

mer

s re

gard

ing

ques

tions

and

han

dled

com

plai

nts

as n

eces

sary

•

Reo

rgan

ized

clo

thin

g di

spla

ys to

attr

act n

ew c

usto

mer

s •

Han

dled

$5,

000

in tr

ansa

ctio

ns o

n a

wee

kly

basi

s U

nive

rsity

Com

putin

g Se

rvic

es

Sep

2017

– A

pr 2

018

St

uden

t Tec

hnol

ogy

Advi

sor

Mon

mou

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6

Creating a Resume Profile

The profile is a 2-3 sentence introduction that describes your best and most related qualifications specific

to the position for which you are applying. It can include the specific job title and organization if you wish.

To start, analyze the job description of the job for which you are applying, for required and desirable skills

and qualifications. Target your profile (and resume) to those.

Example:

Recent Psychology graduate with experience in day care and mentoring at-risk youth; skilled in customer

service and child care techniques and a dedicated team player who hopes to reach underserved

populations; applying for the Family Advocate position at Mid Valley Mentors.

Create your own profile:

Fill in the blanks below to create your own profile.

Major college student/graduate or job title with X years of experience in the industry or type of job

experience; skilled in 3 skills that relate to the job; seeking job title you’re applying for position with

company name.

The Profile is an alternative to the Objective, which traditionally tells the employer for which position you are

applying. With the advent of online application, the Objective is usually redundant.

Creating an Achievement Statement

Action Verb + Example + Result = Accomplishment Statement

Under each position you have in your resume, list 3 – 5 bulleted accomplishment statements. These

statements should explain what you did in the position, how you did it, and the results of your

actions.

Action Verb: Always begin a bullet point with an action verb. Use a variety of action verbs to show the variety of skills you have (see list on next page).

Example: Giving specifics will make you unique and stand out to employers.

Result: State what you achieved from your example; what was the purpose of you doing what you did?

Average Bullet Point with Action Verb: Tutored an eighth grade student

Better Bullet Point with Action Verb and Example: Tutored an eighth grade student in pre-algebra

Perfect Accomplishment Statement with Action Verb, Example, and Result: Tutored an eighth grade student in pre-algebra, using teacher’s curriculum to raise her grade from a C to a B+ over the course of a year

7

List of Transferable Skills and Action Verbs

Communication/ Reported Balanced Simplified Restored Research Skills Taught People Skills Resolved Budgeted Supplied Reviewed Analyzed Tested

Addressed Responded Calculated Supported Scheduled Clarified Trained Advertised Solicited Computed Volunteered Secured Collected Transmitted Arbitrated Specified Conserved Selected Compared Tutored Arranged Spoke Corrected Management/ Streamlined Conducted

Articulated Suggested Determined Leadership Skills Strengthened Critiqued Technical Skills Authored Summarized Developed Administered Supervised Detected Adapted Clarified Synthesized Estimated Analyzed Terminated Determined Applied

Collaborated Translated Forecasted Appointed Diagnosed Assembled Communicated Wrote Managed Approved Organizational Evaluated Built

Composed Marketed Assigned Skills Examined Calculated Condensed Creative Skills Measured Attained Approved Experimented Computed Conferred Acted Netted Authorized Arranged Explored Conserved Consulted Adapted Planned Chaired Catalogued Extracted Constructed Contacted Began Prepared Considered Categorized Formulated Converted Conveyed Combined Programmed Consolidated Charted Gathered Debugged Convinced Composed Projected Contracted Classified Inspected Designed

Corresponded Conceptualized Qualified Controlled Coded Interviewed Determined Debated Condensed Reconciled Converted Collected Invented Developed Defined Created Reduced Coordinated Compiled Investigated Engineered

Developed Customized Researched Decided Corrected Located Fabricated Directed Designed Retrieved Delegated Corresponded Measured Fortified

Discussed Developed Developed Distributed Organized Installed Drafted Directed Helping Skills Directed Executed Researched Maintained Edited Displayed Adapted Eliminated Filed Reviewed Operated Elicited Drew Advocated Emphasized Generated Searched Overhauled Enlisted Entertained Aided Enforced Incorporated Solved Printed

Explained Established Answered Enhanced Inspected Summarized Programmed Expressed Fashioned Arranged Established Logged Surveyed Rectified

Formulated Formulated Assessed Executed Maintained Systematized Regulated Furnished Founded Assisted Generated Monitored Tested Remodeled

Incorporated Illustrated Clarified Handled Obtained Repaired Influenced Initiated Coached Headed Operated Teaching Skills Replaced Interacted Instituted Collaborated Hired Ordered Adapted Restored

Interpreted Integrated Contributed Hosted Organized Advised Solved Interviewed Introduced Cooperated Improved Prepared Clarified Specialized

Involved Invented Counseled Incorporated Processed Coached Standardized Joined Modeled Demonstrated Increased Provided Communicated Studied Judged Modified Diagnosed Initiated Purchased Conducted Upgraded

Lectured Originated Educated Inspected Recorded Coordinated Utilized Listened Performed Encouraged Instituted Registered Critiqued

Marketed Photographed Ensured Led Reserved Developed Mediated Planned Expedited Managed Responded Enabled

Moderated Revised Facilitated Merged Reviewed Encouraged Negotiated Revitalized Familiarized Motivated Routed Evaluated Observed Shaped Furthered Navigated Scheduled Explained Outlined Solved Guided Organized Screened Facilitated

Participated Helped Originated Submitted Focused Persuaded Data/Financial Insured Overhauled Supplied Guided Presented Skills Intervened Oversaw Standardized Individualized Promoted Administered Motivated Planned Systematized Informed Proposed Adjusted Prevented Presided Updated Instilled Publicized Allocated Provided Prioritized Validated Instructed Reconciled Analyzed Referred Produced Verified Motivated Recruited Appraised

Rehabilitated Recommended Persuaded

8

Formatting References

Purpose The purpose of a reference sheet is to have a list of people who can verify and elaborate on your professional experience for a potential employer. Past employers, professors, and advisors are the best professional references to have listed. ALWAYS contact your references before including them on a reference sheet. It is also a good idea to give them a copy of your resume and talk to them about the job you are seeking so they will know how to best represent you. Do not include a “References available upon request” on your resume, as that is assumed.

What to Include:

• Only submit your references if the application requires or if requested by the employer!

• Your name and contact information (at top of page, same as your resume header)

• Your references' contact information and how they know you professionally, as listed below:

Example:

Sophia R. Gonzales

346 Commercial Street, Salem, OR 97301

sgonzales17@wou.edu | (503)-555-5555

REFERENCES

Mr. Robert Kalowitz

Executive Manager

Maple Tree Productions

333 NW Birch Street

Sisters, Oregon 9777

(541)-325-0098

rkalowitz@maplet.com

Current supervisor

Mrs. Courtney Hageman

Header matches with

resume for uniformity

and professionalism

Name -----Address-----

---Phone #--- ---Email---

REFERENCES

Prefix, First name, Last name

Job Title

Place of employment

Address

City, State, Zip

Phone Number

E-mail Address

Context in which you know them

Next Reference Name

Job Title…

Address

may not

be

needed

9

Why Do I Need A Cover Letter?

The reasons for a cover letter are many, including:

• To inform the employer what type of position you are seeking, and why you’re interested in the position and the organization

• To impress the employer by showing you are an ideal candidate for the position by demonstrating your match with their requirements

• To showcase your knowledge about the company and why you would be an excellent addition to their team

• To show the employer how well you can communicate in writing

• To compel the employer to learn more about you by reading your resume

Helpful Tips:

• Address the letter to a specific individual, if for some reason you can’t get this information by searching online or calling the company and requesting the name and title of the person responsible for hiring, you have a few options to choose from: “Hiring Manager”, “Selection Committee”, or the title of the decision maker, e.g. “Director of Marketing”

• Write an attention getting introduction – remember you are trying to convince the reader to want to get to know you better, and ultimately hire you.

• State the position you are applying for, as well as relevant qualifications. Select specific experiences that are relevant to the job and discuss them. Make sure to expand on areas that your resume leaves open, and highlight why you are qualified.

• Tailor your letter to the needs of the company and the requirements of the position. How will the company benefit by hiring you? Avoid stating how the position will benefit you.

• Restate your contact information or your intention to contact them within a specified time period in your closing paragraph. If you say you are going to contact someone in a week, make sure to do so.

• Use the same stationary and header as your resume for your cover letter.

Do Not:

• Exceed more than one page

• Address your letter with “To whom it may concern”

• State “As you can see from my resume”

• Narrate all of your life-long dreams and ambitions

• Restate what is in your resume – this is your chance to expand on skills you can bring to the company

• Talk about what you will gain from the position

10

12

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13

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mpl

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Chu

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555

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ene,

OR

973

33

achu

ng17

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du (

503)

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Nov

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R 9

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orke

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gon

Uni

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Wol

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my

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shad

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inte

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pas

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and

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pas

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) 838

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Ch

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Ava

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Don

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11

Thank You Letters and E-Mails

A thank you letter or e-mail should always be sent after any type of interview. This letter should thank

the interviewer(s) for their time and information and remind the interviewer of your interest in the

position and the skills you have to offer. Thank you letters/e-mails should be sent promptly after the

interview, and if possible within 24 hours, so the interviewer has the best chance of remembering you.

Sample Thank You Letter:

Jacob Chapman

1738 Main Street

Monmouth, OR 97361

August 19, 2018

Lauren Diaz, Head Recruiter

Dell Inc.

1350 North East Wicker Avenue

Roseburg, OR 97470

Dear Ms. Diaz,

Thank you for the opportunity to interview yesterday for the Sales Trainee Position. I

enjoyed meeting you and learning more about Dell Inc. It was a pleasure learning about

the innovative approach Dell has to sales and marketing.

The interview with you has confirmed my initial positive impression of Dell, and I want to

reiterate my strong interest in working with you. My prior experience in tech industry sales,

plus my training in communications would enable me to progress steadily through your

training program and become a productive member of the sales team.

Again, thank you for your consideration. If you need any additional information, please feel

free to contact me at (541) 705-6777.

Sincerely,

Jacob Chapman Remember to include a signature if in letter format

Addresses are not needed for e-mails

12

Career Exploration Guide

Career exploration is a multi-faceted, active and dynamic process. You learn best by doing and talking with

people, but there are also assessments and online resources that can be very helpful.

1. Identify your aspirations, interests, skills, personality and work values

There are many ways to identify these factors – you can start by reflecting on these types of questions to see if they

point to interests and strengths:

What is my career fantasy? What is an example of a time I was in the zone – what was I doing? What are my

hobbies? What are my favorite classes?

Consider taking a career assessment with a career counselor to learn more about your strengths, interests, values, and

personality. The SLCD offers two formal assessments, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Strong Interest

Inventory. Make an appointment with a career counselor on WolfLink to see if these or other informal assessments

would be helpful. There are also several free self-assessments that can help you in this process:

http://www.wou.edu/slcd/students/exploring-your-possibilities/assessments/

My Strong Interest Inventory Results: _____ _____ _____

My MBTI Results: _____ _____ _____ _____

2. Explore what you can do with different majors • Learn more about WOU majors: http://www.wou.edu/resources/student-resources/academics/

• Visit “What Can I Do With A Major In . . . https://uncw.edu/career/WhatCanIDoWithaMajorIn.html

My top major choices: 1.) ___________________________ Why? _________________________________

2.) ______________________________________________ Why? _________________________________

3. Research Occupations

Research job duties, tasks, education requirements, salary, and job outlook on O*NET https://www.onetonline.org/ and

Occupational Outlook Handbook https://www.bls.gov/ooh/

Occupations that interest me:

Job Title 1: __________________________________ Education required: _____________________________

Job outlook/growth ___________________________ Average salary: _________________________________

I like this occupation because: _________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Job Title 2: __________________________________ Education required: _____________________________

Job outlook/growth ___________________________ Average salary: _________________________________

I like this occupation because: _________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

SLCD is dedicated to helping you Explore Careers. Visit our website at www.wou.edu/slcd or make an

appointment with a career counselor at 503-838-8432. Stop by our office at 119 WUC.

13

4. Explore through Experience

Nothing beats experience when exploring careers – first you do, then you know! These are ways you can gain experience

while at WOU:

• Volunteer http://www.wou.edu/slcd/volunteer/ or participate in WOU Alternative Break team

http://www.wou.edu/slcd/ab/

• Participate in an Internship http://www.wou.edu/slcd/internships/

• Work at a part-time job while at WOU – visit WolfLink on your Portal to find listed opportunities

• Get involved with a student organization on campus http://86465.orgsync.com/org/aswou/clubsandorgs

• Job shadow - contact a WOU Alum Mentor on WolfLink

• Participate in an Undergraduate Research experience http://www.wou.edu/pure/students/

5. Find sample job postings

Job listings show you what a job entails and what employers require of qualified applicants. Use WolfLink, or search sites

such as indeed.com, LinkedIn, Mac’s List, Oregon Employment Department https://www.qualityinfo.org/ , etc.

Job Title 1. ______________________________________ Employer: __________________________________

Requirements I meet: ___________________________________ don’t meet ____________________________

I like this job because: _________________________________________________________________________

Job Title 2. ______________________________________ Employer: ___________________________________

Requirements I meet: ___________________________________ don’t meet _____________________________

I like this job because: __________________________________________________________________________

6. Ask the Experts

• Get advice from faculty and current students in your academic department of interest

• Arrange Informational Interviews with professionals in occupations of interest (Link)

• Connect with a WOU Alumni Mentor on WolfLink http://www.wou.edu/wolflink/

• Attend SLCD networking events, career fairs, employer and grad school information sessions – look for

upcoming events on WolfLink http://www.wou.edu/wolflink/

• Use LinkedIn to find and connect with professionals in your fields of interest

• 3 people I would like to ask for information: __________________, ________________, ______________

• 3 events I could attend at WOU or in the community _____________________, ____________________,

___________________________

Career management requires: • Awareness of who you are, where you came from and what you can and like to do

• Confidence in pursuing your goals

• Adaptability in the face of change

• A network of people for support

You gain these through experiences and engagement

with people and the community.

14

Job and Internship Search Checklist

The job and internship search can feel overwhelming, so it’s helpful to break it into manageable steps. The good news is

you don’t have to do every step in order. For example, you can start working on your resume before you identify what you

want to do. Speak to an SLCD Career Counselor (CC) if you would like assistance with any of the steps. Use this

checklist as a guide as you go through the various stages of career development and as you begin your internship or job

search.

Step 1: Know yourself

____ I have identified my personal strengths, skills, interests, and values (CC, assessments)

____ I have made a list of possible job titles/fields of interest (CC, web resources)

____ I can name two or three careers/jobs I plan to pursue

Step 2: Know where you want to work

____ I have researched organizations or companies that might hire someone with my skills, interests, and background (web resources, informational interviewing, CC, volunteering, interning)

____ I have analyzed desired qualifications in my field and know what employers are looking for (job listings, informational interviews)

____ I have researched potential career fields: typical entry-level jobs, typical salaries, best geographic location for jobs, etc (CC labor market information websites, books, newspapers, info. Interviews)

____ I have identified the top three geographic areas where I’d like to live and work

____ I have identified 10 potential employers for the type of work I’m seeking

Step 3: Get ready for the search

____ I have had my resume and cover letter(s) reviewed by a professional in the field or a staff member in SLCD (make an appointment or drop in for 15 min. appointments from 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday)

____ I have prepared a portfolio or work samples to highlight my experience, skills, and talent

____ I have developed my “30-second speech” for short encounters with employers (CC)

____ I have identified three individuals who will serve as references

____ I have developed my interview skills (CC, books, web resources)

____ I have prepared for interviews by practicing my responses to typical questions and/or doing a mock interview (CC)

____ I have an interview suit that is appropriate for the field in which I plan to work

____ I have a professional-sounding answering machine/voice mail message in case an employer calls

____ I have a neutral/professional e-mail address to give to employers

Step 4: Start searching

____ I have updated my profile and uploaded my resume on WolfLink (on WOU Portal)

____ I regularly check WolfLink for career opportunities and I read links sent to me by my department. I read the appropriate job-search resources for my field(s) of interest

____ I have a system for keeping track of my contacts, interviews, and other job-search activities (CC)

____ I follow up on every interesting job lead immediately

____ I have developed a list of potential networking contacts and keep in touch with them (CC and everyone you know)

____ I keep a copy of my resume next to my phone in case I receive a call from an employer

____ I follow-up each cover letter with a phone call or e-mail to the employer requesting a job interview

___ I send thank you letters or e-mails to every person who interviews me

Western Oregon UniversityWerner University Center 119Monmouth OR 97361503-838-8432 | slcd@wou.edu | wou.edu/slcd

Service Learning and Career Development

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Finding a Job or Internship on WolfLink

1) Log in to your portal.

2) Click the black and white wolf head button at the top of your page.

3) First time users will be prompted to activate your account and complete your profile.

4) Search for jobs and apply to those you are interested in.

To help yourself stand out and get noticed, have SLCD review your resume to make it career ready!

Students, your success using Wolflink is all determined by YOU! Feel free to create your student profile to fit your needs, and update your profile on a regular basis to have this be an evolving site suited to you.

Find a Job or Internship on WolfLinkLog in to your portal. Click the wolf head button at the top of your page. First-time users will need to activate an account and complete a profile. Search for jobs and apply for those that interest you. To help yourself stand out and get noticed, have SLCD review your résumé to make it career ready! Students, your success using Wolflink is determined by you! Create a profile to fit your needs, and up-date your profile on a regular basis to make the site evolve to suit you.