Résumé, Cover Letter, and
Thank You Letter
Career Center
Résumé
RÉ-SU-MÉ rez-ə-mā n [F. resume fr. Pp. of
resumer to resume, summarize] SUMMARY
specif: a short account of one’s career and
qualifications prepared typically by an
applicant for a position.
-Webster’s
Résumé- General
 There is no one right way.
 A résumé is a persuasion paper not a
laundry list.
 An Effective Résumé:
- Shows a pattern of interest and experience
- Makes a clear connection between
qualifications and opportunity
- Is readable and professional in presentation
Functions of a Résumé
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Self-Inventory
Extended Calling Card
Agenda for an Interview
Memory Jogger for the Employer After the
Interview
Résumé Writing Process
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Gather Information
Write
Rewrite
Layout
Revise
Have it reviewed
Edit again
Résumé Outline
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Contact Information
Objective
Education
Experience
Activities/Honor/Service/Awards
Kicker
Heading
 The heading should include:
-contact information, name, address, telephone
number, and email address.
*List both your campus and home addresses if it
makes sense to do so (include validity dates).
Heading Examples
Objective
 The objective sets the course for the résumé.
 Everything listed on the résumé should support your
objective.
 Career objective statements should avoid terms such as:
Opportunity for advancement; a challenging position;
position deal with people; a progressive company;
position which requires creativity; a company that
recognizes…; a chance to …
 While these terms may sound nice to the job applicant,
they have little meaning to the person who will make a
decision for an interview invitation, and in fact may indicate
that the candidate has no idea about objectives. The
candidate who applies vagueness will get a vague
response in return.
Objective Examples
(job title) where there are opportunities to use
(skills/knowledge) to (benefit to employer).
Education
 The education section of your résumé typically follows the
objective.
 The education section should include:
-the name of the college or university, the level of degree you are
working toward and an expected date of graduation, your major, and
your minor, if you have one.
 In addition, you should include any projects relevant to the
position.
 Include Study Abroad including in high school.
Education Examples
Completed Courses
 Include any completed courses if they are relevant
to the position.
 This demonstrates the development of the
appropriate skills.
 If you have limited work experience in the field,
you can sell your education by writing a relevant
course list including a section on academic
projects you completed that are pertinent to the
position for which you’re applying.
Computer Skills
 Make sure to list computer skills listed in the job
description if one is available.
 You don’t have to be an expert in using the
software and hardware to list them on the resume.
 Pay particular attention to industry or job specific
software.
e.g. Adobe, SAS, etc.
Honors
 Be selective about Honors and Activities.
 List those that may have importance to the hiring
organization.
 You can include honors from other schools
including high school.
Experience
 Experience
comes in many
forms:
-class projects
-volunteer work
-campus organizations
-internships
-part-time/full-time
summer employment
Action Words Describing Skills
Accommodate
Accomplish
Achieve
Act
Adapt
Administer
Advertise
Advise
Advocate
Affect
Analyze
Anticipate
Apply
Appraise
Approach
Arrange
Assemble
Assess
Assign
Assist
Assume
Attain
Author
Budget
Build
Calculate
Catalogue
Chair
Clarify
Collaborate
Communicate
Compare
Conceive
Conceptualize
Conciliate
Conduct
Consult
Control
Cooperate
Coordinate
Counsel
Create
Decide
Define
Delegate
Demonstrate
Design
Designate
Detail
Determine
Develop
Devise
Direct
Distribute
Draft
Edit
Educate
Encourage
Enlarge
Enlist
Establish
Estimate
Evaluate
Examine
Exchange
Execute
Expand
Expedite
Facilitate
Familiarize
Forecast
Formulate
Fund-Raise
Generate
Govern
Guide
Handle
Hire
Identify
Illustrate
Implement
Improve
Index
Influence
Inform
Initiate
Innovate
Inspect
Install
Institute
Instruct
Integrate
Interpret
Interview
Investigate
Invent
Lead
Listen
Maintain
Manage
Manipulate
Market
Mediate
Merchandise
Moderate
Modify
Monitor
Motivate
Negotiate
Obtain
Operate
Opportunity –
Seeker
Order
Organize
Originate
Participate
Perceive
Perform
Persuade
Plan
Present
Preside
ProblemSolve
Process
Produce
Promote
Propose
Provide
Publicize
Publish
React
Recommend
Reconcile
Record
Recruit
Rectify
Re-Design
Relate
More Action Words
Renew
Report
Represent
Research
Resolve
Review
Revise
Scan
Schedule
Screen
Select
Serve
Solve
Speak
Staff
Standardize
Stimulate
Summarize
Supervise
Survey
Synthesize
Teach
Team-Build
Train
Transform
Transmit
Unify
Update
Utilize
Write
Marketing
*creative
*analytical
*deal with
ambiguity
*conceptualize
*coordinator/c
ooperator
Program
oriented
Advertiser
Researcher
Planner
Promoter
Leadership
MIS
*Systematic
*Detail-oriented
*Team leader
*Futureoriented
Technical
Organized
Analytical
Conceptualize
Problem-solver
Integrate
Implementer
Patient
R&D
*creative
*persistent
*analytical
*tolerance for
Technical
ambiguity
Patient
Focused
Contemplative
Scientific
Tolerant
Flexible
Planning
*long-term
*visionary
*detached
*synthesizer
Strategist
Thinker
Conceptualize
Intangible
GloballyOriented
Creative
Finance
*analytical
*conceptual
*deal-maker
*quantitative
*decisive
Project-oriented
OpportunitySeeker
Systematic
ResourceAllocator
Risk-Adjuster
Administration/
General
Management
*implement
*diplomatic
*delegate
*coordinator
*political
*talent scout
Organized
Motivator
Detailed
PowerOriented
Behind-theScenes
Manipulator
Activities
 Be selective in order to keep your resume to
one page.
 Include activities from both college and high
school.
 List leadership activities.
 You can include travel.
 Activities can be listed in paragraph form
with commas or in column form with or
without bullets.
Activities Examples
References
 Note references are “Available upon request.”
 Be sure to print a copy of your resume for each of
your references to ensure that they have complete
information on your education and experience –
which makes it easier for them to point out your
strengths.
TIPS
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PROOFREAD YOUR RESUME!
Keep your resume to one page.
It can be printed on 8½ x 11 copy paper.
You can use color paper if desired, choose an offwhite or ivory color.
 If sending a paper copy, the resume can be folded.
 Be prepared to copy/paste into electronic
templates on the organization’s website, include in
the body of an email, or send as an attachment via
email.
Application Letter
 The purposes of this letter are to get your
attached resume read and to generate
interviews.
 Your strategy is to demonstrate that your
qualifications fit the requirements of the
position.
 Decide on one or more themes that show
persuasively how well you fit the position:
education, experience, interests, responsibility, etc.
 Link major job dimensions with your related
past performance and experience.
Sections of the Application Letter
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Addressing the Letter
Opening Paragraph
Education Paragraph
Experience Paragraph
Conclusion
Addressing the Letter
 Address your letters to
a specific individual
with his or her correct
title and business
address.
Opening Paragraph
 Come to the point.
 Reveal your purpose and interest.
 Identify the position and your source of
information.
 Introduce your themes.
Education Paragraph
 Refer reader to your resume.
 Outline your strongest qualifications that match the
position requirements based on the themes you
selected.
Experience Paragraph
 Provide evidence of your related
experiences and accomplishments. Make
reference to your enclosed resume.
Concluding Paragraph
 Suggest an action plan.
 Request an interview, and indicate that you will call
during a specific time period to discuss interview
possibilities.
 Express appreciation to the reader for his or her
time and consideration.
Thank You Letter
 This is one of the most important yet least
used tools in a job search.
 It is used to establish goodwill, express
appreciation, and/or strengthen your
candidacy.
 Make your thank-you letters warm and
personal.
 Thank You Letter should be sent within 72
hours of your contact.
Thank You Letter Format
 Opening Paragraph: Express your sincere
appreciation.
 Body Paragraph: Reemphasize your strongest
qualifications. Draw attention to the good match
between your qualifications and job requirements.
 Concluding Paragraph: Reiterate your interest in
the position. Use the opportunity to provide or offer
supplemental information not previously given.
Restate your appreciation.
Thank You Letter Example
Thank You for Participating!
Career Center
201 Behmler Hall
589-6065
http://www.morris.umn.edu/services/career/