RESUMES
COVER LETTERS
& THANK YOU NOTES
OH MY!!!
For High
School
Students
WHAT IS A RESUME?
A resume is a personal summary of your professional history
and qualifications.
It includes information about:
 Your career goals
 Education
 Work experience
 Activities
 Honors
 Any special skills you might have.
KEY COMPONENTS
 Heading
 Objective *
 Education
 Experience
 Skills
 References- in resume or as an addendum
ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS
 Personal Skills and Assets
 Honors, awards and activities
 Community service
 Foreign language proficiency
 Computer skills & applications
 Volunteer experiences
FORMATTING & APPEARANCE
 Make your name stand out with a bold, larger font size
 Use standard fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, or
Courier
 Type Size: 10 - 12 Point
 1 inch margins all around
 White, beige, or light gray quality bond paper
 Use a laser printer for best finish
 Limit entry level resume to one typed page!
 Conform to a standard resume format !
HEADING
Includes contact information:
 Top of the page
 Name: large and bold- so it stands out!
 Address: street, town, state & zip code
 Telephone number(s): with professional message
 Email address: professional looking (sexygurl4ever@hotmail.com
is not appropriate) check e-mail on a daily basis
SAMPLE HEADINGS
Mike Jones
1 Meadow Way
Altamonte Springs, FL 32116
(407) 555-1234
MikeJones@aol.com
Susan Williams
SusanWilliams@yahoo.com
Current Address
325 Maple St
Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-3357
Permanent Address
55 Sycamore Drive
Miami, FL 36829
(305) 555-4429
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837  (407) 555-8975  CSmith@msn.com
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-8975  ChrisSmith@msn.com
OBJECTIVE
 What is an objective?
 A one sentence summary of position desired.
 Short
 Specific
 Tailored to the position
 What does an objective do?
 Clarifies the purpose of your resume
 Presents a clear statement of your goals
9
SAMPLE OBJECTIVES
(Descriptive words) Seeking a….
Part-time position at spa or salon
Receptionist at a veterinarian’s office
Customer service representative at a call center
Hostess at a upscale restaurant
A part-time job or summer internship at a
communications firm
Part-time retail sales position in a clothing store
PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
A couple of sentences or bullets that
describe what you are like as a person and
how you do things, including personality
traits, attitudes, work habits, etc.
• This is a useful section, especially if you do not have much
work experience.
• Think of the skills you use in school that employers want!!!
▫ Punctuality, Time Management, Teamwork
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-8975  ChrisSmith@msn.com
_____________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE
Dedicated, trustworthy individual seeking a part time position
as a clerk in a dental office
SAMPLE PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
Hard Working
Reliable
Outgoing
Responsible
Team Player
Articulate
Dependable
Works well with
people
Effective at time
management
Enthusiastic
Able to multitask
Punctual
Confident
Friendly
Honest
Goal Oriented
Self-Starter
Motivated
Willing to Learn
Quick Learner
Flexible
Try it now! List three to five of your personal qualities.
SAMPLE PERSONAL SKILLS
AND ASSETS SECTION
PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn
more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual.
I am friendly person who enjoys helping others.
SKILLS SUMMARY
• Detail oriented and well organized
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Strong customer service focus
• Outgoing with a positive attitude
• Professional demeanor
EDUCATION
 Name and location of the school
 Major, minor and area of concentration
(“SHOP”)
 Graduation or anticipated graduation date
 GPA – if 3.0 or higher
 Relevant Coursework- See next slide for
more information
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-8975  ChrisSmith@msn.com
_____________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE
Part time position as a clerk in a dental office
PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn
more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and
punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping
others.
EDUCATION- RELEVANT COURSES
List relevant courses
that:
 Help you stand out
from the crowd
Spanish (4 semesters)
Computer Science
Marketing
Economics
 Have provided you with  Do not include courses that
are part of a required
specific skills or
curriculum- Ex. English
knowledge
 Include courses that are at
an advanced level if they
are relevant to the
position- eg. Biology,
Calculus
SAMPLES OF EDUCATION SECTION
EDUCATION
Winter Park High School
Winter Park, FL
Aug 2005–present
•Graduating May 2009
•GPA 3.0
•Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology; Marketing
•Received an award for being a best student
EDUCATION
Colonial High School
High school student
Orlando, FL
•Graduate 2009
•Composite Act score of 15
•GPA of 3.1
•Relevant Courses: Biology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Calculus
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-8975  ChrisSmith@msn.com
___________________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE
Part time position as a clerk in a dental office
PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible,
motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others.
EDUCATION
Winter Park High School
•
•
•
•
Winter Park, FL
Aug 2005–present
Graduating May 2009
GPA 3.0
Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology,
Marketing, Biology
Received an award for being a best student
EXPERIENCE
 Remember – Experience can be:
 Paid part-time/full-time positions
 Internships
 Volunteer work/ Community Service *
 Club/campus group involvement
 Summer Jobs
20
EXPERIENCE
 Guidelines for duties, responsibilities & accomplishments
 Include most relevant skills & qualities
 Most relevant information comes first
 Use strong action verbs- see handout
 Provide evidence of skills & qualities by
 Quantifying information
 Acknowledging accomplishments & evaluations
21
SAMPLE EXPERIENCE SECTION
WORK EXPERIENCE
2005-present
Pizza Paradiso
Orlando, FL
Waitress
• Provided excellent guest service
• Dealt with complaints
• Took orders and served guests in timely manner
• Handled cash
WORK EXPERIENCE
VALLEY STATE BANK, Huntington, IN
Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006
• Provided friendly, professional customer service
• Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and
deposits/withdrawals
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-8975  ChrisSmith@msn.com
___________________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE
Part time position as a clerk in a dental office
PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated
and punctual. I am friendly person who enjoys helping others.
EDUCATION
Winter Park High School
•
•
•
•
Winter Park, FL
Aug 2005–present
Graduating May 2009
GPA 3.0
Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology,
Marketing, Biology
Received an award for being a best student
WORK EXPERIENCE
Valley State Bank, Huntington, IN
Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006
•
Provided friendly, professional customer service
• Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and deposits/withdrawals
SPECIALIZED SKILLS
• Include skills that make
you unique, such as
computer skills, foreign
language skills, or
military service.
• Be specific in describing
your special skills; name
computer programs you
know, how long you
studied a foreign
language, or your dates of
military service.
SAMPLE SKILLS SECTION
COMPUTER SKILLS
Experienced with Macintosh, IBM PC, Windows XP,
Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and
Microsoft Publisher
LANGUAGES
Bilingual Spanish and English
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-8975  ChrisSmith@msn.com
___________________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE
Seeking a part time position as a clerk in a dental office
PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am
friendly person who enjoys helping others.
EDUCATION
Winter Park High School
•
•
•
•
Winter Park, FL
Aug 2005–present
Graduating May 2009
GPA 3.0
Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology,
Marketing, Biology
Received an award for being a best student
WORK EXPERIENCE
Valley State Bank, Huntington, IN
Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006
•
Provided friendly, professional customer service
• Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and deposits/withdrawals
COMPUTER SKILLS
Experienced with Macintosh, IBM PC, Windows XP, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft
Publisher
LANGUAGES
Bilingual Spanish and English
REFERENCES
 If your resume is strong, it is enough to state that
references are available upon request or to include as an
addendum
 Choose references that are knowledgeable about your
skills, abilities, and work ethics. Former employers,
teachers, and counselors would be good references, your
friends and relatives would not.
 Always obtain permission from references in
advance and provide them with current resume
SAMPLE REFERENCES
REFERENCES
Kristin Wilkin, English Teacher, Winter Park High School, 407-623-2476
Bob Jones, Supervisor, Valley State Bank, 407-889-2345
REFERENCES
Kristin Wilkin
English Teacher
Winter Park High School
407-623-1476
Bob Jones
Supervisor
Valley State Bank
407-889-2345
CHRIS SMITH
83 Prospect Road  Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 555-8975  ChrisSmith@msn.com
___________________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE
Part time position as a clerk in a dental office
PERSONAL SKILLS AND ASSETS
I am a hard working young lady who is willing to learn more. I am responsible, motivated, educated and punctual. I am friendly person
who enjoys helping others.
EDUCATION
Winter Park High School
•
Graduating May 2009
•
GPA 3.0
•
Relevant Courses: Business Systems Technology,
•
Received an award for being a best student
Winter Park, FL
Aug 2005–present
Marketing, Biology
WORK EXPERIENCE
Valley State Bank, Huntington, IN
Bank Teller, Summers 2005 & 2006
•
Provided friendly, professional customer service
• Issued money orders, travelers checks, loan payments and deposits/withdrawals
COMPUTER SKILLS
Experienced with Macintosh, IBM PC, Windows XP, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Publisher
LANGUAGES
Bilingual Spanish and English
REFERENCES
Kristin Wilkin, English Teacher, Winter Park High School, 407-623-2476
Bob Jones, Supervisor, Valley State Bank, 407-889-2345
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Your resume is your first impression to your prospective
employer. It gets you the interview (or not)!
Can your resume pass The 20-Second Test? Resumes are usually
scanned, not read in depth, so the reader should be able to pick
out the most relevant details in 20 seconds or less.
Swap resumes (& cover letters) with a buddy and evaluate your
partner’s work. If you were a hiring manager, what advice would
you give?
Use the checklists on back of sample pages to help you.
REMEMBER
Always submit a cover letter with your resume
A resume does not get you a job…
A resume does get you an interview.
And, putting time and consideration
into your resume is one of the
best ways to prepare for your interviews!
Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!
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COVER LETTER
The cover letter will:
Introduce you as a candidate.
Clarify the position for which you are applying
for.
Enable you to highlight your strengths.
Ask an employer to take action.
COVER LETTER WRITING TIPS
Your cover letter should be job -centered not self-centered.
The cover letter should be 1 page maximum.
Use regular business letter format.
Always address the letter to a specific person, not “To Whom
It May Concern.”
 Research the name of the contact person or hiring manager.
 You may use, “To the Hiring Manager” or “To the Selection
Committee Chairperson” if needed.
 Proofread and check your letter for proper grammar.




BREAKING IT DOWN
Yo u r C o n t a ct I n fo rma t io n
Name
Address
C i t y, S t a te , Z i p C o d e
Phone Number
Email Address
D a te
E m ployer C o n t ac t
I n fo rmat io n
( I f yo u h av e i t )
Name
Title
C o m p a ny
Address
C i t y, S t a te , Z i p C o d e
S a lut a t io n
D e a r M r. / M s . L a s t N a m e :
Anita Job
1 234 Street Avenue
Wilmington, CA 90744
jobanita@gmail.com
March 13, 201 2
Sally Boss, Hiring Manager
Kaiser Permanente
25825 Vermont
Harbor City, CA 90710
Dear Ms. Boss:
FIRST PARAGRAPH
 The first paragraph should include information
on why you are writing. Mention the position
you are applying for and how you will follow -up.
 I would like to express my interest in a Medical
Secretary position with Kaiser Permanente. I am
confident that Kaiser’s values and objectives
would highly complement my own strengths and
enthusiasm. I would like to be considered for
your Medical Secretary position.
MIDDLE PARAGRAPH
 The next section of your cover should describe
what you have to offer the employer. Mention
specifically how your qualifications match the job
you are applying for. Remember, you are
interpreting your resume, not repeating it.
 Evidence of my skills and qualifications can be
seen in my responsibilities as a Program
Assistant at Los Angeles Harbor College where I
provided customer service and scheduled
counseling appointments. My educational
background in Computer Applications & Of fice
Technology -Medical Of fice Assistant has been
excellent preparation for a career with Kaiser
Permanente.
FINAL PARAGRAPH
 Conclude your cover letter by thanking the
employer for considering you for the
position. Include information on how you
will follow -up.
 Please review the enclosed resume and
consider my application for your Medical
Secretary position. I would appreciate the
opportunity to meet with you and discuss the
positive contributions I would of fer as a
member of your organization. To reach me
for an interview, please contact me at (555)
555-5555 or jobanita@gmail.com. Thank
you for your consideratation.
COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE & SIGNATURE
Complimentary Close
Respectfully yours,
Respectfully yours,
Signature
Handwritten Signature
(for a mailed letter)
Anita Job
Anita Job
Type Signature
1111 Figueroa Place
Wilmington, CA 90744
June 20, 20XX
Ms. Karen Fields
Human Resources Director
Kaiser Permanente
2075 Palos Verdes Drive North
Lomita, CA 90717
Dear Ms. Fields:
I am applying for the medical secretary position that you advertised through the Job Placement Center
at Los Angeles Harbor College. My resume is enclosed.
Your position requires skill in various accounting and medical software programs. My Associate in
Science Degree, Option in Medical Office Assistant emphasized the understanding and use of Billing
software and Intuit QuickBooks software. I have one year of experience working in an office setting with
an increasing level of responsibility. My experience as a Program Assistant gave me the ability to work
well in a busy office setting and the interpersonal skills to assist the public.
My background and career goals match your job requirements well. Your company has an excellent
reputation not only for its services but as an employer. I am confident I would make a lasting
contribution to your organization.
Thank you for your consideration. To reach me for an interview, please contact me at (555) 555 -5555 or
smithm@google.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Anita Job
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
 Susan Ireland’s Resume Site
www.susanireland.com/resume
 Resume Resource
www.resume-resource.com
 Sample Resumes
www.sampleresumes.com
 CalWORKs/Job Placement website
www.lahc.edu/studentservices/calworks/jobshome.html
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
 Always send a handwritten note thanking the hiring
manager/interviewer for his/her time, and reiterate the
following:
 The position for which you have applied.
 That you will be in contact for an update.
 Your name (sign it / write it!)