Resumés &
Cover Letters
Foundations of Business
Saint Michael’s College
Resumés are . . .
Hermione Watson
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a summary of your
qualifications
a brief history of your
experiences
a tool to alert
prospective employers
to your skills
used to get you an
interview, not to get a
job
Home Address 12 Grimmauld Place ∙ Phoenix, CT 06000 ∙ (203) 555-1212 ∙ hwatson7@smcvt.edu
School Address Saint Michael’s College ∙ One Winooski Park, Box 7000 ∙ Colchester, VT 05439
Objective
Education
Marketing Manager
Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, VT
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature; anticipated May 2010
Minor in Marketing
3.5 cumulative GPA
3.6 GPA in major
Honors
Dean’s List all semesters
Saint Michael’s Scholarship, Academic years 2006 - present
Technical: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Adobe Photoshop CS3
Languages: proficient in French
Strong writing and organizational skills
Skills
Marketing
Experience
Marketing Assistant and Newsletter Editor, Watson Inc., Phoenix, CT
∙ Created the layout and graphic design of the monthly company newsletter.
∙ Interviewed, researched and composed articles for publication
∙ Planned and organized the annual corporate party.
∙ Assisted in the composition of numerous magazine advertisements for print.
∙ Collaborated in the design of marketing products for upcoming 2009 tradeshow.
∙ Designed motivational posters for workplace.
Summer 2008
Other
Employment
Human Resources Office Assistant, Saint Michael's College
∙ Opened and distributed incoming mail.
∙ Filed payroll paperwork.
∙ Entrusted with confidential information.
∙ Answered phones and provided administrative support.
Academic years 2006 – present
Nutritional Lab Assistant, Watson Inc., Phoenix, CT
∙ Assisted in the preparing of lab tests.
∙ Revised and organized lab files electronically.
Summer 2007
Library Page, Albus Library, Gilderoy, CT
∙ Organized bookshelves and materials.
∙ Assisted clients in locating books.
Fall 2004 - Summer 2006
Interests
Hiking, kayaking, skiing, travel, and literature.
References
Available upon request
General Resumé Tips
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Time to prepare vs. “3-10 second rule”
Know your audience
Keep to a reasonable length based on your
experience (1-2 pages)
Consistency throughout the document:
 Capitalization (summer/Summer)
 Abbreviations (VT/Vermont, St./Saint)
 Years (four or two digits: 2009 or ’09) and months
(spelled out, abbreviated or numbers: December,
Dec., 12)
Resumé do’s and don'ts
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Do’s
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proofread thoroughly
highlight experiences,
both employment and
volunteer
use a standard print style
and font size, easy to
read font
consistent format
use action verbs and be
concise
use high quality paper in
real employment
situation
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Don'ts:
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no typographical errors
for U.S.-based resumés,
do not include personal
information (height,
weight, marital status,
health, etc..)
stay away from hard-to
read type
information should not be
difficult to find
don’t exaggerate
experiences
Identifying Data
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Name
Addresses
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current, campus,
temporary
 permanent
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Phone numbers
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voicemail and answering
machines
 Clearly label cell number
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email
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check regularly
 professional address
Career Objective
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Be clear
 provide
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Keep it short
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a definite objective
don’t get too wordy, not more than one line
Don’t be too restrictive
 “To
obtain the Sales Division Trainee position with
XYZ Company in Boston”
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For the “real world”, can put a sentence in your
cover letter instead, but create one for this class
Career Objective Examples
Entry-level accounting staff
 A marketing position with an advertising
or public relations agency
 An internship with a financial services
organization
 A position in human resources working
with benefits administration
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Education
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College Name and
Location
Degree and Major
Date of Graduation
Minor, Concentration
GPA, Awards,
Honors
Scholarships
Relevant Courses
Other Colleges,
Study Abroad
Skills
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Technical/Computer
 Hardware
 Software
 Operating
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Systems
Language
 Proficiency
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Level
Laboratory
Communication
Skills Examples
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Software Applications
 Dreamweaver,
SPSS, Microsoft Office Suite,
FrontPage, Exchange, Internet Research
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Operating Systems
 Macintosh,
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Programming Languages
 HTML,
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DOS, Windows
C++, COBOL
Foreign Languages
 Highly
proficient in German
 Working knowledge of Italian
Experience
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Employment vs.
Experience
Consistent format
Reverse
chronological order in
each section
Bullet points vs.
paragraph format
Job descriptions: use
ACTION VERBS, not
full sentences
Experience Example
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Sales and Public Relations Intern, Vermont
Symphony Orchestra, Burlington, VT
Fall 2008
 Sold
subscriptions and advertising space
 Composed press releases and public service
announcements to publicize events
 Oversaw production of posters, flyers and
programs
 Helped increase event attendance by 10%
Relevant vs. Other Experience
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Relevant
 Experiences related
to the position
 Can be employment
or volunteer
Target your skills and
responsibilities to the
job
Action verbs
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Other
 highlight skills that
may be useful to
any employer
(communication,
integrity, loyalty)
 Shows consistent
employment
Action verbs
Activities & Campus Involvement
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Campus
Organizations
Athletic Involvement
Volunteer
Experiences
Community
Organizations
Artistic Endeavors
Leadership Roles
Interests
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Things you like to
do
Comfortable talking
with others about
them
Only one line
Be politically correct
References
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“Available upon
request”
How many? Who?
Permission to use
Verbal vs. written
List on separate
page from resumé
Cover Letters are . . .
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A letter of introduction
to a prospective
employer
Tailored to the
available position
Well-written, with no
typographical errors
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Written in business
format
Focus attention on
your experiences that
relate directly to the
employer’s needs
Usually one page in
length
Writing a Cover Letter
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Why you are writing
Your qualifications and
examples of
experiences, expanding
on resumé
Refer to enclosed
resumé
Follow-up
Business closing
Remember to sign your
letter