Resume
&
Cover Letter
Writing
Why do I need a resume?
• To apply for a job,
scholarship, special program,
graduate school or an other
professional development
opportunity
• To make a good first
impression
• Remember that the ultimate
purpose of a resume is to get
you an interview!
Before you begin, ask yourself:
• What do you want to achieve with your
resume?
• Who is your audience?
– Do your research!
• What are your most relevant experiences and
skills for the job?
– The job description is the key
FACTS
• How much time do employers spend on the
initial screening of a resume?
...7 to 50 seconds!!!
• How is your resume reviewed?
– Employer: Top to Bottom…. Left to Right
– Electronic Scanning:
• Keywords = points
• No italics or underlining
• Scans like a fax copy
Employers STOP Reading Resumes
• If there is no relevance
for the position
• If they are bored
• If resume is hard to read
• After recognition of
specific skills and
accomplishments
Common Pitfalls
Many resumes are tossed due to many avoidable
mistakes:
• Errors – spelling, grammar, etc.
– Responsible for ruining a team of eight part-time
employees
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of or an unclear objective
Unprofessional looking
Missing or unclear dates
More than one page in length
Lack of or unrelated experience
•
Microscopic Font Size
Elements of an Effective Resume
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Contact information
Objective
Skills/Qualifications Summary
Education
Experience (paid and unpaid)
Honors/Awards
Accomplishments
Activities and Interests
Review
description
Contact Information
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Name
Local Address
Permanent/Local Address
Phone Number
ePortfolio (optional)
LinkedIn Profile (optional)
Email Address
•
•
•
•
potatochipbag@yahoo.com
loser2@gmail.com
drakelover@gmail.com
sexychica@hotmail.com
DO NOT USE
THESE!!!
Amanda Hernandez
ahernandez@mail.fresnostate.edu
Local Address
201 E. Skyline Drive
Fresno, CA 93722
(559) 555-1234
(good through May 15, 20xx)
Permanent Address
657 Voyager Blvd. #D
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(559) 555-1234
(good beginning May 16, 20xx)
Amanda Hernandez
201 E. Skyline Drive
Fresno, CA 93722
ahernandez@mail.fresnostate.edu ▪ (559) 555-1234
Amanda Hernandez
(559) 555-1234 ▪ ahernandez@mail.fresnostate.edu
www.linkedin.com/ahernandez ▪ pathbrite.com/ahernandez
Objective
• Formula 1: Focus on the kind of position you want
– Example: To obtain a Merchandising Internship for Summer 20xx
– Entry level, part-time, full-time, internship, professional, or a
specific title
• Formula 2: Focus on the field or industry in which you are
interested in working
– Example: Seeking a full-time career position in family life
education
– Accounting, administrative, customer service, educational,
engineering, food service, financial, healthcare, human resources,
manufacturing, marketing, etc.
Objective (cont.)
• To obtain a Merchandising Internship for Summer 20xx.
• Seeking a full-time career position in family life education.
• An internship to apply knowledge and background in the field
of family law and public policy.
• To apply leadership and communication skills as a fashion
consultant.
• To obtain an entry level career position as a Buyer – Children’s
Line with About North.
• To work at Crystal Stairs as a CDE Case Management – Family
Services Specialist.
Summary of Skills/Qualifications
• These are your most outstanding strengths
and abilities
• Use the job description to help you summarize
your most relevant experience and
qualifications/skills for each position
• Quantify whenever possible
Summary of Skills/Qualifications
Example
If you were applying for a merchandising position at a
department store where the position involved collaboration,
presenting ideas in meetings, and building relationships with
suppliers and customers.
Qualifications Summary:
– Over four years of retail sales associate experience
– Trained 12 sales associates and cashiers
– Client development ability by increasing client base 25% each year
– Top sales associate in 20xx with total sales of $350,000
– Coordinated five events including fashion shows, fundraisers, lectures,
and seminars
– Excellent presentational speaker with two years experience as
President of Fashion Inc. (Fashion Club at Fresno State)
Education
• Only those educational institutions where you received or will
receive a diploma/degree
• Type of degree
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
B.A. in ___________
Bachelor of Science, ___________
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Minor in ___________
A.A., ___________
A.S. - __________
Diploma (High School) ??
• Grade Point Average if 3.0+
• Study abroad, if applicable
• Educational honors, if applicable
Education
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State)
Bachelor of Arts
Family & Consumer Sciences - Family Sciences
May 20xx, GPA 3.22
Roosevelt High School
Diploma
June 20xx, GPA: 3.45
California State University, Fresno
B.A., Liberal Studies
Certificate in Special Event Planning
expected 05/20xx
GPA: 3.32
Fresno City College
A.A., Social Science
05/20xx
GPA: 3.27
California State University, Fresno
Bachelor of Science, Child Development
Minor in Spanish
December 20xx
El Colegio de Postgraduados en Ciencias Agrarias, Texcoco, MX
Spanish Study Abroad Program
June - August 20xx
Relevant Coursework
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State)
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, May 20xx
GPA 3.53
Relevant Coursework:
•
Digital Logic Design
•
Advanced Circuit Analysis
•
Digital Switching Processing
•
Electrical Circuits
•
Microprocessor Architecture and Programming
•
Analog and Digital Communication
•
Microwave Amplifier and Oscillator Design
•
Robotics Fundamentals
Experience:
Work, Volunteer, Leadership, etc.
• Remember that experience is not always paid work
experience!
• Think of the skills you have developed, then find a
way to put it on your resume
• Titles you can use for this area:
Related Experience
Other Experience
Work Experience
Professional Experience
Leadership Experience
Volunteer Experience
Major Experience
Formatting the Experience Section
• Reverse chronological order
• Be consistent with formatting
• Use action verbs
– Present job = present tense
– Past job = past tense
• Bullets….. Not paragraphs
• Quantify whenever possible
• Value the work you have done!
Career Services, California State University, Fresno
Student Assistant, September 20xx – June 20xx
Student Assistant, Fresno High Attendance Office
September 20xx – June 20xx
KMPG LLP
Audit Intern
PR/Recruiting Co-chair
M.E.C.H.A.
Fresno, CA
September 20xx to present
September 20xx – May 20xx
Composing Your Experiences
• “What duties did I perform?”
Write a paragraph answer
• Edit bullet statements and use
action verbs specific to skills
• Action Verbs: designed,
created, initiated, edited,
modified, resolved, etc.
Before:
My duties included being responsible for the weekly and
monthly reports that I gave to my boss that tracked our
account activity. I worked with databases and spreadsheets
to keep track of the vendor accounts. I answered the phones
and made sure the vendors knew what was happening with
their account.
After:
• Prepared weekly and monthly reports tracking account
activity and submitted the reports to the Vice-president
• Maintained 300+ vendor accounts using Excel
• Kept 4,500 customer accounts updated and accurate
• Communicated with vendors and customers to solve
problems quickly and efficiently
Other Categories for Your Resume
• Honors and Awards
• Accomplishments
• Activities and Interests (interesting
hobbies?)
Chronological Resume
Combination Resume
How should I list my references?
• Separate page
• Titled and formatted as
your resume
• Put your name on top
• List references by name,
title, address, phone
number, email
• Only send when
requested
• Have them ready for
your interviews
• Have them available to
list on any applications
• Get permission from
people to use them as
references
• Use 3 or 4 names but
have up to 6 in reserve
Cover Letters
Why do I need a Cover Letter?
• The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce
yourself and show how your education and
experience match the job for which you are
applying
• Always send a cover letter when submitting an
application or resume to an employer
• Letters demonstrate your writing ability, so
communicate effectively
• Make reference to your enclosed resume
• Prepare an original cover letter for each position!
Opening Paragraph
• State the reason for applying
• List the actual job and organization you are
applying to
• Indicate the source of your information
– If someone referred you to the position, list the
name and job title of that individual
• Why are you interested in the organization
Middle Paragraph
• Indicate 1 or 2 qualifications which you possess
to make you a valuable employee
• Include a brief statement regarding your
educational background and employment
background
• Connect the dots . . . . . .
• Needs to be something the employer will find
interesting
Closing Paragraph
• Introduce your enclosed resume with an
affirmative statement about your
qualifications.
• Close by requesting an interview and schedule
a time to contact to discuss your resume
• Thank the employer
Final Tips
• Always be professional in all correspondence
• Send resume, cover letter, references in an
Adobe .pdf format
• If at all in doubt, email it to yourself first using
another account (gmail to yahoo)
• Print out your resume and look at it
– Don’t just view as a digital copy
OptimalResume™
• Go online to:
https://csufresno.optimalresume.com
• Create or upload your resume and select
Resume Center for a quick, virtual critique
Questions?
Contact Us!
Regular Office Hours
8:00 am – 5:00 pm, M - F
Summer Office Hours
7:00 am – 3:30 pm, M - F
Walk In Hours
Mon. & Tues: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wed. & Thurs: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Located
Thomas 103
278-2381
www.fresnostate.edu/careers
careerservices@csufresno.edu