WRITING RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

Career Development and Student Employment Services www.ccbcmd.edu/employment/online

Why do I need a resume? • Represents you…. Before, during and after an interview • Introduces you…. This provides a 1st impression to an employer • Gives an employer a snapshot of….. How you rate yourself Your motivation, ambition, goals, skills How you could contribute to the organization • Marketing tool…. Provides an opportunity to sell yourself Helps you focus on positive information and qualifications and helps you to organize your thoughts

How do I start? RESEARCH…. Self Awareness: Google yourself! Inventory your education, work experience, accomplishments, skills and abilities. Complete a Career Assessment in the Career Center

Employer Awareness: Research the industry, organization, products, services, mission statement, relevant terminology, position

Social Media

DO…. Explore and use professional sites such as Linkedin, Branchout, Twitter and others. Build a professional profile on each site and keep it up to date. The use of keywords on these sites is critical. DO NOT…. Post anything on Facebook or any other social media site that you might later regret. Avoid posting pictures of yourself involved in activities that may make a negative impression. Privacy settings are important and, not always full-proof.

What Should it Look Like? John Doe 123 Main St.

Baltimore, MD 21228 410-222-1234

jdoe3@yahoo.com

Career Focus/Job Title

• Qualifications/Skills/Profile • Education • Related Coursework • Experience: Include full-time, part-time, internships,

summer employment • Community Service/Volunteer Experience

Career Focus

You do not need to include a formal Objective statement. It is sufficient and important to at least identify the position you are applying for. You can label this Career Focus or, you can put the job title for the type of position you would like, under your heading. The rest of your resume should support your qualifications for this positions

Skills/Qualifications May also be called: -Summary of Qualifications -Profile -Highlights of Qualifications Overall summary includes: Technical, transferable, interpersonal skills, language and computer skills. Provides overview of most relevant skills, experience, especially those related to the position you are applying to.

Education

• List colleges/trade schools, location, dates of attendance. Can leave off high school

• Degree earned or working towards, major, concentration, actual or expected graduation date

• GPA overall and/or in your major (if above a 3.0), honors, awards, Dean’s List, scholarships, related coursework

• % of personal contribution toward college expenses • List in reverse chronological order beginning with the

most recent

Experience

• Work – include full-time, part-time, internships, volunteer, summers, temporary • Job title, Company, location, dates of employment • Description of duties and responsibilities using phrases, starting with an action verb, show accomplishments

• Current job in present tense; former jobs in past tense

• Results oriented and quantifiable, whenever possible • List in reverse chronological order beginning with your most recent job

Other Useful Headings

• Internships • Honors, Awards, Recognitions • Military • Professional Memberships • Portfolio, Writing Samples • Volunteer/Community Service

How should I organize?

Chronological Style: • Organized by date • Easy to write, preferred by most employers • Best when demonstrating progression and growth • List experience and education in reverse chronological order

• Drawback – Must defend gaps

Sample Chronological Resume Jane Doe 123 Main St.

Baltimore, MD 21228 410-555-1234

janedoe2@gmail.com CAREER FOCUS: Project Manager EDUCATION: Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville, MD Associate of Applied Science Degree, Business Management Expected Graduation 5/14 Overall GPA 3.2, Major GPA 3.4 Self-Financing 75% of college expenses Related Coursework: Introduction to Business, Principles of Management, Principles of Accounting, Business Law EXPERIENCE: Old Navy, Baltimore, MD 2/11-Present Sales Associate • Provide quality customer service in a fast paced environment • Coordinate weekly schedules for all employees • Handle cash and credit transactions, purchases, exchanges, returns McDonald’s, Baltimore MD Summers 2009, 2010 Counter Person/Cook • Assisted customers with their orders • Maintained an accurate cash drawer • Assisted with training new employees

Or…..

Functional Style: • Focuses on skills and accomplishments – what you’ve done rather than when

• Useful for people who lack paid work experience, career changers, recent graduates with limited work history

• Skills targeted to employer’s needs

Sample Functional Resume Jane Doe 123 Main St.

Baltimore, MD 21228 410-555-1234

janedoe2@gmail.com CAREER FOCUS: Assistant Manager EDUCATION: Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville, MD Associate of Applied Science Degree, Business Management Expected Graduation 5/14 Related Coursework: Introduction to Business, Business Law, Principles of Marketing, Principles of Management AREAS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT: Customer Service Communicate well with groups/individuals of all ages Ability to interpret customer concerns to assist them in finding what they need Received six Employee of the Month awards Merchandise Display Developed displays during in-house training Received Outstanding Trainee award for Christmas Toy display Dress mannequins, arrange table displays, organize merchandise Stock Control & Marketing Maintained and marked stock during department managers 6 week absence Developed more efficient record keeping procedures Additional Skills Operate computerized cash register Willing to work a flexible schedule Punctual, honest, reliable and hard working EXPERIENCE: Harper’s Department Store Grand Rapids, MI 10/2011 to Present

Combination Chronological/Functional

Jane Doe 123 Main St

Baltimore, MD 21228 410-555-1234

janedoe2@gmail.com CAREER FOCUS: Assistant Manager SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS: • Strong organizational, interpersonal and communications skills • Ability to work individually and as a contributing team member • Self-motivated, enthusiastic and hard working • Knowledge of Microsoft Office: Excel, Access, Power Point, Word, Internet savvy EDUCATION: Community College Of Baltimore County, Catonsville, MD Associate of Applied Science, Business Management Expected Graduation 5/14 Self-Financing 100% of college expenses RELATED COURSEWORK: Principles of Management, Business Law, Business Ethics, Human Resource Management EXPERIENCE: Old Navy, Baltimore, MD 9/11 to Present Sales Associate • Provide quality customer service in a fast paced environment • Coordinate weekly schedules for over 60 employees • Train new employees Starbucks, Baltimore, MD Summers 2009, 2010 Barista • Maintained accurate cash drawer • Assisted customers with their orders and concerns • Opened and closed shop as needed

E-Resume Tips

• Use a size 10 or 12 font and Times New Roman or Arial

• Keep it left justified • Do NOT use bold, italics, underlining, or bullets • Use UPPER CASE LETTERS for your name and headings

• Include as many keywords and buzz words as possible • If sending as an attachment, also copy and paste the document in the body of the email

• Send it to yourself 1st to test it out

General Rules

• Absolutely NO errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation • Consistency in format, font size, style. Use an 11 or 12 size font and

either Times New Roman or Arial font style • Honest and verifiable • When in doubt about length and relevance, consider goals and

reader’s interest. 1 page if possible, no more than 2 pages. • Use good quality white or beige paper • Review your social networking sites such as Facebook. Make sure

there is not information (or pictures) that might be inappropriate for others to see. Despite privacy settings, there are ways for others to access your accounts.

Cover Letters A cover letter should always accompany the resume. The purpose of a cover letter is: • To introduce the writer (you) and the resume • To indicate a desire for the position • To indicate a knowledge of and interest in the employer

• To briefly explain what skills you have that match the job requirements

• To request an interview

Cover Letters

A cover letter introduces you and your resume. It allows you to match your personal skills, knowledge and experience to the position you are interested in. It provides a writing sample to the employer and should be perfect in format and content. • Make it personal • Decide what makes you unique • Include specifics • Flaunt your achievements (related to the job) • Think about layout • Follow up

Cover Letters Basic Guidelines: • Set up the letter using business letter format • Use same typeface and size as your resume and the

same quality paper • Proofread thoroughly for typos and errors • Address the letter to a specific person whenever possible • Include the exact position title you are applying for • The letter should be no more than one page in length

Cover Letter Template Dear Mr./ Ms. / Mrs. Dr., 1st paragraph: Immediately identify who you are and the position you are interested in applying to. You want to quickly attract attention and refer to your attached resume for additional information. 2nd paragraph: Detail what you can offer the company. Be specific in highlighting your skills, strengths and background that match the requirements of the position. Include reference to your knowledge about the company and the industry. Be positive and assertive when promoting yourself. 3rd paragraph: Closing paragraph should let the reader know that you are eager to meet with them for an interview. Include your contact information and hours you are available. You could say you will contact them to arrange a convenient time to meet. Sincerely, Sign your name Type out your full name

Cover Letter Sample Contact Person’s Name Your Name Title Address Company Name City, State, Zip Code Address City, State, Zip Code Date Dear (Person’s name) I am writing in response to your ad on the Career Builder web site. The (position title) requirements match my personal skills and experience perfectly. As you will see on my enclosed resume, I have the educational background, professional experience and proven track record for which your are searching. In addition, I am highly motivated and enthusiastic and would welcome an opportunity to further discuss how my qualifications would fit well in your organization. I am available for a personal interview on Monday, Wednesday or Friday mornings and I look forward to meeting with you. You can reach me any time by email, janedoe2@gmail.com or by phone at 410-555-1234. Thank you in advance for your time and attention. Sincerely, Sign your name Type your name in full Enclosure (remember to attach both the letter and resume if emailing)

Career Development Services

Locations: Catonsville K-209K 443-840-4435 Dundalk A-100 443-840-3131 Essex A-260 443-840-1732 www.ccbcmd.edu/employment/online