Writing Assignment #1: Employment Documents
For this assignment you will learn to tailor a print version of your résumé to a specific
job advertisement. You will also draft an accompanying cover letter for the print-version
of your résumé. In addition, you will write a thank-you letter for the interview we will
assume that your résumé and cover letter landed! Both your résumé and your application
letter will be critiqued in a 30-minute individual conference with your instructor. (I will
give you the opportunity to sign up for this conference ahead of time so that you can
meet with me at a time convenient to you.) You will draft the thank-you letter on your
own.
Notes about this assignment:
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Résumés and cover letters are fluid documents – they change constantly over time
because you are always changing. This assignment will help you create a
document that you can use as a basis for résumés and cover letters that you will
tailor to a specific job advertisement in the future.
Format – Using good document design, create your own format. DO NOT use a
template for this assignment!!! Keep you print résumé and cover letter to one
page each (unless you have years of experience that is relative to the job in
question).
First:
 Find an employment advertisement for which you are qualified or are almost
qualified. Preferably, it will be for an entry-level position in your major area. It
must list several specific job requirements. You might find this ad in the
newspaper or online. Alternatively, you might find an advertisement for an
internship.
 If found online, copy and paste the ad into Word and save it (save the link, too).
Bring a printed version to your individual conference with me. If found in the
newspaper, cut it out or make a photocopy of it.
Résumé:
 Your résumé is a printed version (see the PowerPoint Presentation “Applying for
a Job: Resumes and Cover Letters” for examples; you will also find examples in
our textbook and in the folder “Applying for a Job” in “Course Documents” on
Blackboard). It will be written in reverse chronological order.
 You will utilize action verbs to help describe your past duties and jobs.
 Your résumé should be carefully tailored so that your qualifications align with
those listed in the advertisement.
 Include either a “Summary,” “Summary of Skills,” or an “Objective” statement at
the top, below your heading.
Cover Letter:
 Written to accompany your print-version résumé, this is your sales pitch. The
introductory paragraph should orient the reader, and the middle paragraph(s)
make overt connections between what the employer is seeking and how you fit
that description. In the closing paragraph, express optimism and include any
necessary contact information.
 Always make a reference to your enclosed résumé somewhere in the body of the
letter.
 Be comfortable with your closing paragraph. Some of the samples are very
forward – almost presumptuous – or extremely formal. If you don’t feel entirely
comfortable with that, change it so that it remains strong, but more in line with
your personality.
Thank-you Letter:
 Thank-you letters are vital to the interview process. Taking the time to compose
and send a thank-you message will leave a positive impression with your
interviewer. The thank-you note reinforces the fact that you want the job. Use
your letter to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview.
 You can also view the thank-you note as a follow-up "sales" letter. In other
words, restate why you want the job, what your qualifications are, how you might
make significant contributions, and so on. This letter is also the perfect
opportunity to discuss anything of importance that your interviewer neglected to
ask or that you neglected to answer as thoroughly, or as well, as you would have
liked.
Due Date information
For your individual conference, please bring:
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Résumé – 1 print version tailored to an ad
Cover Letter – drafted to accompany the print version of your résumé
Photocopy / print-out of job advertisement (I will not critique your résumé or
cover letter without this!)
Please see the syllabus for the due date. The documents need to be ready as you walk in
the door. DO NOT wait until class time to print your documents. For a student in the
W. P. Carey School, excuses like “my printer ran out of ink,” “my mom would not let me
borrow her printer,” “I had no more money on my Sun Card” are not valid.
Use a paperclip to keep your documents securely together.