The York Road Literacy and
Employment Initiative
Workshop 2: Writing Effective Résumés and
Cover Letters
Allen Brizee, PhD
Assistant Professor of Writing
Loyola University Maryland
Giuliana Caranante
Psychology-Writing Major
Loyola University Maryland
Goals and Outcomes
This workshop will help you write effective
résumés and cover letters that are tailored for
specific organizations and jobs.
After the workshop, you should be able to:


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Write an effective résumé
Write an effective cover letter
Overview
Overview
Résumés

Practice

Cover
Letters
Practice




Conclusion
3

Name Tags
Folder Contents
What is a Résumé?
How Do I Write an Effective Résumé?
What is a Cover Letter?
How Do I Write an Effective Cover Letter?
Conclusion
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 What
Practice

Cover
Letters

Practice

A document that represents you and lists your
experience, education, and skills
The purpose of a résumé is to get a job interview
Secondary purposes include:

Conclusion


4
is a Résumé?
Make a professional impression, along with your cover
letter and references
Keep a record of your experiences
Eventually, get a job!
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 What
Practice

Cover
Letters

Practice
Conclusion
Show how you are a good match for the
organization and the position
Explain how you will help the organization
achieve its mission
 This
strategy is known as the readercentered approach – RCA


5
are My Goals as a Writer?
Hard to write about yourself and not sound selfish
The RCA will help
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 The
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion


Good match
Help them
Objective: To obtain the Receptionist position (#3456) and
help the Department of Public Works maintain its high
standard of service


6
Reader-Centered Approach
What is effective about this objective statement?
Be careful not to write an objective that is longer
than two lines on your résumé
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 The
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice



Writer-Centered Approach
Is a less effective approach
Tries to show how applicants are the “best”
candidate for the job, an unsupportable position
Tries to show how the organization can help the
applicant, instead of the other way around
Conclusion
Objective: To obtain a high paying job in a
professional setting


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What do you notice about this objective statement?
Templates?
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 How
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Do I Use the Reader-Centered
Approach for My Résumé?


If you include an objective, tailor it to position and
organization
Tailor your résumé design and information to match
position’s requirements and organization’s mission
Conclusion
Qualified | Possibly Qualified | Not Qualified
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Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 Tailored
Objective
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
9
Objective: To obtain the Receptionist position (#3456)
and help the Department of Public Works maintain its
high standard of service
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice

Practice
Conclusion
10
Use clear document design:

Cover
Letters


Design and Information
Space
Clear sections
Present information in a reader-centered way:

If position is store manager, focus on the skills you
have that are related to that job
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Space
Conclusion
Clear
sections
(fonts)
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Design
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion

Chronological résumé
Indented
bullet list
Verb
choice and
tense
Information
tailored to
desired job
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Information
Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion

Information
Skills-based résumé
Skills at the
top
More skills,
experience
Education,
experience
(https://owl.english.purdue.edu)
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Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 What
Practice

I have a gap in my work experience?
 Be
prepared to explain the gaps in a positive way
 Consider composing a skills-based résumé
 Volunteer or enroll in a class
Cover
Letters
Practice
do I do if…

I don’t have experience related to the position?
 Show
how your skills will transfer to new position
 Explain how your experience will help prospective
organization in your cover letter
Conclusion

I am a veteran?
 Work
on “translating” military terms to civilian terms
 Participate in government/military sponsored transition
programs and veteran-related job fairs
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Overview
Résumés
Résumés
 What
Practice

I have a disability?
 You
are protected under Federal Law (ADA and the
Rehabilitation Act) from disability-related discrimination
 By law, you must disclose to be provided with workrelated reasonable accommodations
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
do I do if…

I have children?
 You

are not required to disclose your family situation
I have been in a correctional program?
 Be
honest with your employer
 Discuss what you did to contribute positively to your
future (GED, vocational training, etc.)
 Consider composing a skills-based résumé
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Overview
Practice
Résumés
 Find
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
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an ad online (or use the one you found
last week) and write a reader-centered
objective for it:


Tailored
How you will help them
Objective: To obtain the Receptionist position (#3456)
and help the Department of Public Works maintain its
high standard of service
Overview
Lunch Break!
Résumés
 We
Lunch
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
17
have meat and veggie subs, water, and
chips
Overview
Cover Letters
Résumés
 What
Practice

Cover
Letters

Practice
Conclusion


A document that explains how the information you
provide in your résumé makes you a good match
for the position and organization
It also explains how you will help the organization
The purpose of the letter is to get the interview
Secondary purposes include:



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is a cover letter?
Make a professional impression, along with your
résumé and references
Keep a record of your experiences
Eventually, get a job!
Overview
Cover Letters
Résumés
 Apply
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion


Good match
Help them
These are your main
arguments, your thesis
Based on the requirements outlined in the job ad, I believe
that I am a good fit for the position because I have worked
as a warehouse employee before. I can help Capital City
Distribution maintain precise inventory lists and stellar
customer service.

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the reader-centered approach
What is effective about these sentences from the
introductory paragraph of a cover letter?
Overview
Cover Letters
Résumés
 The
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice



Writer-Centered Approach
Is a less effective approach
Tries to show how applicants are the “best”
candidate for the job, an unsupportable position
Tries to show how the organization can help the
applicant, instead of the other way around
Conclusion
I am interested in the legal assistant position because I
would eventually like to become a lawyer.



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What do you notice about this statement?
Use of “I”?
Templates?
Overview
Cover Letters
Résumés
 How
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
21
Do I Use the Reader-Centered
Approach for My Cover Letter?


Tailor it to position and organization
Tailor your letter design and information to match
position’s requirements and organization’s mission
Overview
Cover Letter
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
22

Design and Information
Use clear document design:


Space
Clear sections: block style is most conservative
Overview
Cover Letter
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
Left margin
POC
Same font
as résumé
Space
between
paragraphs
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Design
Overview
Cover Letter
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice
Cover
Letters
One space
Practice
Four
spaces
Conclusion
Mailing
address
Enclosure
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Design
Overview
Cover Letter
Résumés
 Tailored
Practice

Introduction that includes:

Cover
Letters


Practice
Conclusion


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When and where you found ad
Specific job title (number) and organization’s name
How you are a good match for job and organization
How you can help them
Body paragraph(s) that support your thesis – good
match and will help them


Information
Include specific examples from résumé
Closing paragraph that references résumé, includes
contact information, and thanks POC for taking time
to read material
Overview
Cover Letter
Résumés
Introduction
Practice
When searching the job site, workinretail.com, I came across
your advertisement for Store Manager in west Baltimore. Sally
Beauty is a great asset to the city and provides the local
community with convenient access to all the top beauty
brands. Based on my previous experience as a licensed
cosmetologist and retail employee, I believe that I fit the
requirements of the Store Manager position and will help Sally
Beauty maintain its excellent customer service, as well as
increase its revenue.
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
26
Overview
Cover Letter
Résumés
Body Paragraph
Practice
My experience at Cutz Beauty Salon has taught me so much
about today’s emerging beauty products. I am passionate
about using the latest products to enhance a daily beauty
routine. For example, I have focused on finding affordable hair
products that allow customers to shorten their style time. My
clients love learning about new products, and I have
increased product revenue at my store by 5%. This
knowledge is valuable to every customer that enters Sally
Beauty and would help me support your excellent customer
service. Similarly, working for so many years at Giant Food
Stores taught me valuable interpersonal communication skills.
I completed numerous inventory workshops and learned how
to create a truly successful sales team. These skills will help
me assist the customers of Sally Beauty and support your
mission of excellent customer service.
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
27
Overview
Cover Letter
Résumés
Closing Paragraph
Practice
Sally Beauty is the largest distributor of top professional and
hair care brands in the world. This is due to the effective
customer service and high quality of inventory at each local
store. I would like to speak to you further about how my
interpersonal skills and strong knowledge of emerging beauty
products can assist you in continuing to develop your vision
by assisting customers in a Sally Beauty store. Thank you for
taking the time to read my letter and enclosed résumé. If you
have any questions, please email me at
Davis22@hotmail.com or call me at 222-222-2222.
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
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Overview
Practice
Résumés
 Use
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
the ad you found earlier to draft your
cover letter introduction paragraph




Conclusion
29
When and where you found ad
Specific job title (number) and organization’s name
How you are a good match for job and organization
How you can help them
 Save
work to your flash drive
Overview
Conclusion
Résumés
 Today
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
30



we worked on
Analyzing a job ad
Writing an effective résumé
Writing an effective cover letter
Overview
Conclusion
Résumés
 Remove
Practice
Cover
Letters
Practice
Conclusion
flash drive by double-clicking on
icon at bottom right of desktop
 If you are signed up for next week’s
workshop, try to finish and bring your
résumé, letter drafts
 Please fill out the feedback form
 Thanks for your time
Allen Brizee: habrizee@loyola.edu
Giuliana Caranante: gmcaranante@loyola.edu
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