HOW TO WRITE A TARGETED
RÉSUMÉ & COVER LETTER
Bethany Kilgore
Professional Development Coordinator
Why Have a Targeted Résumé &
Cover Letter?
I don’t want you to end up like this:
A Cavalcade of Crappy Video résumés
Résumés - Myth or Fact?
The more designs/colors/fonts, the better!
MYTH
Employers only pay attention to paid experiences.
MYTH
Employers love résumés templates.
MYTH
Bad Résumé Example
BILL BUSINESS
1515 Victory Dr.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-555-5555
Billy_BudLite@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE
To get an internship in business to showcase my exceptional skills.
EDUCATION
Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
GPA: 3.8
WORK EXPERIENCE
Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, Ithaca Country Club
Responsible for staff and special events; was server
Report writing and web
Student Assistant 2008 – present
Admissions Office, Ithaca, NY
Tours, events, data entry
Help with special events
Lifeguard 2006 – 2008
Two Ville YMCA
Gard pool patrols
COMPUTER SKILLS
Microsoft Office
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Age: 21 Height: 6’ 2” Weight: 200 lbs.
REFERENCES: Available upon request
Résumé Don’ts
No résumé wizards
Absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors
No abbreviations (state abbreviations OK)
Omit “References Available Upon Request”
Good Résumé Example
William Business
1515 Victory Dr. • Ithaca, NY 14850
607-555-5555 • Bill.Business@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE
Summer management internship with Waldorf Astoria Hotel
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Concentration: Management
Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
• Dean’s List - 2009
• GPA: 3.3
EXPERIENCE
Assistant Food and Beverage Manager
Ithaca Country Club, Ithaca, NY
• Promoted from server to current position after only 6 months of employment
• Supervise, schedule and train 15 part-time banquet staff
• Coordinate menus and beverage service for special events
• Prepare profit reports for private parties and club functions
• Maintain department’s website and customer database
May 2013
May 2009 – Present
Student Assistant
August 2008 – Present
Ithaca College Admissions Office, Ithaca, NY
• Assisted with coordination and marketing of large recruiting events upwards of 300 prospective students
• Provided campus tours to groups of high school students and parents
• Entered confidential student and applicant records into ARGUS reporting system
Lifeguard
Ithaca YMCA, Ithaca, NY
• Monitored pool area for safety; CPR and first-aid certified
• Administered youth and aquatic instruction to children and adults
COMPUTER SKILLS
• Adobe PageMaker
• Dreamweaver
Summers 2006 – 2008
Résumé Guidelines
Honest and accurate
Industry-specific language
Left format vs. center
Consistent formatting (structure and language)
Preferred format: reverse chronological
Guidelines – Continued
Easy to scan but with good content
Bulleted statements rather than paragraphs
Start each bullet with a verb
Descriptive yet to the point
Accomplishment focused
Important to set yourself apart from other candidates
Accomplishments
Leadership
Unique Experiences
One sizes does NOT fit all
Look at the Position Description
Break it down into three parts:
Look at employment requirements; make sure you are
eligible to apply
Underline job requirements of the position that relate to
you
Circle the skills and/or job duties they’re seeking that
most related to you
Example of a Position Posting
Job Duties
Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they provide
services to clients.
Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements.
Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and
individual initiative.
Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a
team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a
positive working environment by building solid relationships with team
members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback.
Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating
potential conflicts to a supervisor.
Job Requirements
A desire to pursue a career in Tax.
Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management
through both written and verbal communications.
Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for
personal growth and career development.
Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of Accountancy
or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required minimum number
of hours for CPA licensure per respective state regulations.
To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and
paste this link into your browser:
https://sjobs.brassring.com/en/asp/tg/cim_jobdetail.asp?partnerid=2
5163&siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes=
NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply
via this link
Opportunity Type: Internship
Contact: Laura Sobocienski
Status: Full-time
Job Locations: New York, New York
Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax
Period of Employment: Winter
Compensation Type: Paid
Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set
for this job.
Cover Letter Required: No
Writing Sample(s) Required: No
Other Document(s) Required: No
Application Method: Online - email applications at end of application
period
Employer will make application decisions: Offline
Email to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com
Step 1: Look at employment requirements
Job Duties
Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they provide
services to clients.
Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements.
Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and
individual initiative.
Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a
team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a
positive working environment by building solid relationships with team
members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback.
Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating
potential conflicts to a supervisor.
Job Requirements
A desire to pursue a career in Tax.
Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management
through both written and verbal communications.
Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for
personal growth and career development.
Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of
Accountancy or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required
minimum number of hours for CPA licensure per respective state
regulations.
To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and
paste this link into your browser:
https://sjobs.brassring.com/en/asp/tg/cim_jobdetail.asp?partnerid=2
5163&siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes=
NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply
via this link
Opportunity Type: Internship
Contact: Laura Sobocienski
Status: Full-time
Job Locations: New York, New York
Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax
Period of Employment: Winter
Compensation Type: Paid
Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set
for this job.
Cover Letter Required: No
Writing Sample(s) Required: No
Other Document(s) Required: No
Application Method: Online - email applications at end of application
period
Employer will make application decisions: Offline
Email to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com
Step 2: Underline job requirements
Job Duties
Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they provide
services to clients.
Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements.
Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and
individual initiative.
Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a
team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a
positive working environment by building solid relationships with team
members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback.
Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating
potential conflicts to a supervisor.
Job Requirements
A desire to pursue a career in Tax.
Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management
through both written and verbal communications.
Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for
personal growth and career development.
Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of Accountancy
or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required minimum number
of hours for CPA licensure per respective state regulations.
To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and
paste this link into your browser:
https://sjobs.brassring.com/en/asp/tg/cim_jobdetail.asp?partnerid=2
5163&siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes=
NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply
via this link
Opportunity Type: Internship
Contact: Laura Sobocienski
Status: Full-time
Job Locations: New York, New York
Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax
Period of Employment: Winter
Compensation Type: Paid
Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set
for this job.
Cover Letter Required: No
Writing Sample(s) Required: No
Other Document(s) Required: No
Application Method: Online - email applications at end of application
period
Employer will make application decisions: Offline
Email to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com
Step 3: Circle skills and/or job duties
Job Duties
Play a role as an intern in PwC's core tax practice, as they
provide services to clients.
Participate in select phases of tax compliance engagements.
Participate in select projects; demonstrate creative thinking and
individual initiative.
Contribute to collaborative teamwork, through working effectively as a
team member: understanding personal and team roles; contributing to a
positive working environment by building solid relationships with team
members; proactively seeking guidance, clarification and feedback.
Flexibility in prioritizing and completing tasks; and communicating
potential conflicts to a supervisor.
Job Requirements
A desire to pursue a career in Tax.
Ability to interact with various levels of client and firm management
through both written and verbal communications.
Demonstrated self-motivation and has a desire to take responsibility for
personal growth and career development.
Pursuing a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a Masters of Accountancy
or Taxation with a commitment to satisfy the required minimum number
of hours for CPA licensure per respective state regulations.
To learn more and to formally apply to this position, please copy and
paste this link into your browser:
https://sjobs.brassring.com/en/asp/tg/cim_jobdetail.asp?partnerid=2
5163&siteid=5277&AReq=11052BR&Codes=
NOTE: your application to the position is not complete until you apply
via this link
Opportunity Type: Internship
Contact: Laura Sobocienski
Status: Full-time
Job Locations: New York, New York
Job Function: Accounting/Auditing, Tax
Period of Employment: Winter
Compensation Type: Paid
Application Qualifications: No application qualifications have been set
for this job.
Cover Letter Required: No
Writing Sample(s) Required: No
Other Document(s) Required: No
Application Method: Online - email applications at end of application
period
Employer will make application decisions: Offline
Email to Receive Applications: laura.sobocienski@us.pwc.com
Creating Your Targeted Résumé
Start with your objective statement
Short, to the point
Desired position
What you have to offer employer
Seeking a ______ position utilizing my ____, ____, and
___ skills.
Example: A summer 2010 internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers
utilizing my creative thinking, analytical and communication skills
Résumé Construction - Experience
Full and part-time work
Internships
Class projects
Volunteer work (if related to objective)
Leadership positions
Creating Your Targeted Résumé
EXPERIENCE
Your Title, Month Year – Month Year
Company Name, City, State
Beginning with a verb, create detailed, yet concise statements
sharing not only what you did in this position, but any
experiences you gained that relate to the kind of job for
which you are applying.
Use action words to describe accomplishments, leadership
opportunities, skills developed, unique experiences, and
anything you are especially proud of.
Use industry jargon and key words from internship description
Quantify whenever possible
Rank your bullet points, with your most important/relevant
bullets at the top of the list and the least at the bottom.
Creating Your Targeted Résumé
LEADERSHIP
Vice President of Reporting, August 2009 – Present
Beta Alpha Psi (BAP)- Mu Chapter, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
Creative
Thinking
• Attendee at Atlantic Coast Regional Meeting and Leadership Conference
• Participate on a 10-member board to create and coordinate programs for
the honors society
• Prepare and submit reports through the BAP intranet and comprehensive
annual report for the Ithaca College School of Business
• Lead the Chair of Membership and the membership committee in
developing ideas to promote BAP to potential candidates
Creating Your Targeted Résumé
EXPERIENCE
Service to
clients/ build
relationship
with team
Barista, May 2007 – August 2009
Starbucks Coffee Company, Binghamton, NY
• Displayed leadership on a team of partners providing a high level of
customer service
• Underwent an intensive training program to become a certified Barista
• Assisted in training new employees
• Report concerns to management staff as needed
• Processed sales transactions and balanced cash drawer at the end of each
shift
Communication
skills
Creating Your Targeted Résumé
Optional Sections; MUST relate or do not include!
Related coursework (under Education section)
Honors
Activities
Professional Affiliations
Service/Volunteer Experience
Computer and language skills
Work History
Résumés – A Final Thought
Résumés are a continual working draft:
Edit your résumé each season/semester
Add
organizations joined; leadership positions held
Relevant coursework
Group projects:
developing
a skill
related to overall work experience
Create a “master résumé”
Résumés as a writing process
Creating a Targeted Cover Letter
Hook, Line and Sinker approach
Hook:
First paragraph- “hook” the reader.
How
did you find the opportunity?
Share name of referral, if appropriate
Line:
Second paragraph- explain your interest
Take
1-2 experiences from your resume and elaborate
Be detailed and use the “STAR” approach
DO NOT use same line/verbiage from resume
Sinker:
Share
Closing paragraph – Restate interest
how the mission/vision align with your own
experience/goals
Provide email and phone so recruiter can follow up
The “Hook”
William Business
1515 Victory Dr. • Ithaca, NY 14850
607-555-5555 • Bill.Business@gmail.com
October 6, 2010
State how
you found
Dear Mrs. Sobocienski,
position
It is with great interest that I submit my application for the PricewaterhouseCoopers
summer internship. I was referred to the position by Professor Patricia Libby who
shared this opportunity me during a recent advising meeting. This internship is
highly intriguing to me as I am interested in a career in tax and often utilize the
strong communication, creative thinking, and team-oriented skills you’re seeking.
Be
specific!
From job
requirements
The “Line”
My experience thus far has affords me the opportunity to pursue an internship with
PricewaterhouseCoopers. I’ve had the great fortune of utilizing effective
communication skills through my leadership as the Vice President (VP) of Reporting for
Beta Alpha Psi and current work experience as a Barista at Starbucks Coffee
Company. Serving as the VP allows me to hone my communication skills with my peers
and learn how to lead effectively. Working as a Barista, I have interacted with a
variety of people from customers, team members, and managerial staff.
Additionally, I have proven my motivation and creative thinking skills through my
leadership role with Beta Alpha Psi. I created a two-year plan of enrollment for our
honors society to bolster membership and led an initiative to induct honorary members,
often alumni, to our group. Doing so created many opportunities for our members to
connect with alumni but also raised our membership 25% in one semester.
Taken from
job
description
The “Sinker”
I hope to bring my skills and experience to your team. Like PricewaterhouseCoopers,
I measure personal success by those that I serve. I would sincerely enjoy an opportunity
to further discuss my credentials for the summer internship experience. Please feel free
to contact me at (607) 555-5555 or Bill.Business@gmail.com. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Bill Business
Link to
company’s
mission
Questions?
Career Services
101 Muller
(607) 274-3365
www.ithaca.edu/career
Walk-Ins
Monday – Friday
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Bethany Kilgore
Professional Development
Coordinator –
School of Business
121 Park Center
(607) 274-3680
bkilgore@ithaca.edu
Walk-Ins
Tuesday & Thursday:
3:00 - 5:00 PM
Wednesday:
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM