Resume & Cover Letter Writing

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Sep 6, 2010 ... •Functional - A functional resume highlights the job seeker's skills ... Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite 2010 –Word, Excel, Access.
Resume & Cover Letter Writing By Rick Smith, CWDP, GCDF Director, Career Development Jones College September 6, 2010

What is a resume? •A

self-promotional document that presents you in the best possible light for the purpose of getting invited to a Job Interview. This tool outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the employer’s workplace.

Types of Resumes •Functional •Chronological •Combination •Federal •Curriculum Vitae

Types of Resumes •Functional

- A functional resume highlights the job seeker's skills and abilities and puts less emphasis on actual work experience. • If you are new to the working world this type of resume could help you get a foot in the door.

•Focuses on skills and experience •Helps with gaps in employment •Highlights specialty area of your accomplishments and strengths

Kristen Taylor Allen 123 Paradise Way Smooth Sailing, Florida 32289 [email protected] Home: (904) 555-0221 Work: (904) 555-9083 OBJECTIVE Administrative support position in a major marketing division; to use and develop my clerical, organizational, and planning experience to better serve our customers. EXPERIENCE • Kept extensive, detailed records on several market-research projects at one time. • Edited, composed, and word-processed all documents for these and for several others in development. • Used responses to generate a $1.5 million ad campaign which resulted in $5.5 million in new business. ORGANIZATIONAL • During extensive cutbacks and start of closure of bank's marketing department, reconfigured department for optimal operations. • Helped create market research projects, restructured duties in department to accommodate each project. PLANNING • Suggested and implemented hire of research associates, data analysts, and other specialists. • Developed flex-time schedule for work to maximize use of office space during research projects. EMPLOYMENT • 2005-Present - Bilksteal Bankshares, Administrative Aide

SKILLS • • • • • • • • • •

Proficient on Hewlett-Packard D2-4000 Data Processor. Use various Windows Personal Computers Advanced proficiency in Macintosh, and Lotus Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite 2010 – Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. Advanced proficiency in Internet Explorer – Research and Data Collection Other specialized programs: Intermediate proficiency Microsoft Outlook. Typing: 67wpm Data Entry: 1086ksph Learn quickly. Solve problems efficiently.

EDUCATION South Virginia Community College, Associate in Secretarial Science, 2008, Cum Laude. American Banking Institute Coursework, 2008-2009. Southside University, courses in computer graphics and organizational behavior, 2009-2010.

Types of Resumes 

Chronological - The chronological resume, which is designed to highlight the job seeker's work experience, continuity, and career growth. This resume format has traditionally been the most common. ◦ Applicants Information according to time and dates ◦ Logical Order o Easy to Read o Stresses work history

Kyle A. Ruter 1013 Orion Avenue New York, NY 10000 (212) 555.0264 [email protected] INTEREST Financial Operations Solid technical understanding of financial instruments, trading, and operations. Excellent memory for policies, procedures, and details. Excellent training and supervisory skills. Efficient and accurate. EXPERIENCE Smith Exchange, New York, New York Floor Broker, NYSE June 1995-Present • Hand-picked for this position by Chief Executive Officer. Execute orders on the floor of the NYSE. • Relay information on market conditions to clients, solve problems as they arise. • Supervise Floor Manager, Wire Operators, and runners. Stock Associates, Syracuse, NY Order Desk Clerk, Cincinnati OH January 1991-May 995  Coordinated between floor brokers and international clients on options transactions.  Also cross-trained as an Assistant on the Currency Desk, interacting with Canadian and US-based currency traders.  Worked full time while completing a degree in night school.

Stock Options Clerk (Intern)June 1990-December 1990  Coordinated between brokers and traders to ensure accurate trading on accounts.  Verified margin accounts stayed within credit limits. Communicated directly with clients as necessary.  Balanced and posted trades to accounts daily. Michael Skinner & Company Sales Assistant (Intern) March 1990-May 1990  Sales assistant to a major equities broker.  Handled customer inquiries and requests for quote, prioritized and qualified incoming calls, gained knowledge of investment instruments.  Also did some cold-calling on behalf of the broker. EDUCATION Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY Bachelor of Science Degree, Finance, 1995

Types of Resumes 

Combination Resume • Focuses on a specific job target • Clear, concise objective about what you are looking for • Lists skills, academic achievements, student honors • List significant assets first

SHIRLEY ADAMS 1234 56th Avenue Apartment #203 Jacksonville, Florida 32208 (904) 555-1212 SUMMARY 

Dependable General Office Worker with more than 10 years of transferable experience. Proven clerical, customer service, and communication skills in a variety of settings. Upbeat, positive attitude with a history of producing quality results and satisfied customers. Computer literate.

SELECTED SKILLS General Office 

Organized and implemented group activities in an efficient manner



Scheduled appointments and assured timely arrival



Maintained accurate financial records, and paid all invoices on time



Answered phones and took accurate messages



Prepared reports and created documents using MS Word and WordPerfect



Located desired information using the Internet Customer Service



Welcomed customers and visitors in a friendly and courteous manner



Provided customers/clients with desired information in a timely manner



Listened, calmed, and assisted customers with concerns



Established friendly and lasting relationships

Communication Utilized Internet email as an effective communication tool  Answered phones in a courteous and professional manner  Established rapport with diverse individuals and groups  Demonstrated ability to express ideas in a team environment and influence action 

RELATED VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE General Office Volunteer Salvation Army – Tucson, AZ 5 Years • Elected Secretary Parent Teachers Association (ISD 01) – Tucson, AZ 5 Years  Event Coordinator - Neighborhood Involvement Program – Phoenix, AZ 3 Years  Group/Activities Leader - Girl Scouts of America – Phoenix, AZ 4 Years  Family Manager - Self-employed – Tucson, AZ 7 Years •

EDUCATION  Bachelor of Science Degree Business Administration, Jones College, Jacksonville, Florida 2009

Types of Resumes What is a Federal Resume?  The Federal Resume is one of three documents accepted as an official application for position vacancies within the Federal government.The other two are the OF-612 and the traditional SF-171.The SF–171 is considered “obsolete”, no longer available and some agencies prefer it not be used; however, some agencies prefer it. It is not always easy knowing which one to use. We recommend going with the “latest and greatest” Federal resume, as this tends to be the most widely accepted and it can help your image to go with what is current.  Read the job vacancy announcement VERY carefully. Some agencies have their own requirements for presenting your experience. If a Federal resume is permitted, please read the format for constructing it as explained in this document. Federal resumes should be developed in the “Chronological” resume format.The Federal staffing specialist who reviews the resume for initial qualifications must know where, when and how long you were at the position mentioned, along with a lot of other information. The Functional resume format will not work for a Federal resume.

As you may have noticed if you have begun your Federal job search, agencies have varying and unique application procedures to meet their hiring needs. One application format may be acceptable for one agency and not another. In the past, this proved to be frustrating for job seekers applying to multiple positions. Building Your Resume On USAJOBS  In an effort to drive the Federal hiring process toward a universal application format, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) gathered together several agencies from around the government to create one resume format that would include all of the crucial data required for Federal application into one uniform resume format.  The product that resulted was the USAJOBS Resume Builder. The USAJOBS Resume Builder allows you to create one uniform resume that provides all of the information required by government agencies. Instead of creating multiple resumes in different formats, you can build your resume once and be ready for all job opportunities.  USAJOBS Resume Builder http://www.usajobs.gov/EI/resumeandapplicationtips.asp 

Types of Resumes When to Use a Curriculum Vitae When should job seekers use a curriculum vitae, commonly referred to as CV, rather than a resume? In the United States, a curriculum vitae is used primarily when applying for academic, education, scientific or research positions. It is also applicable when applying for fellowships or grants.  When asking for a job in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, expect to submit a CV rather than a resume. Keep in mind that overseas employers often expect to read the type of personal information on a curriculum vitae that would never be included on an American resume, such as date of birth, nationality and place of birth. United States law on what information job applicants can be asked to provide does not apply outside the country. 

Types of Resumes The Differences between a Resume and a CV 



There are several differences between a curriculum vitae and a resume. A curriculum vitae is a longer (up to two or more pages), more detailed synopsis of your background and skills. A CV includes a summary of your educational and academic backgrounds as well as teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other details. As with a resume, you may need different versions of a CV for different types of positions. Like a resume, a curriculum vitae should include your name, contact information, education, skills and experience. In addition to the basics, a CV includes research and teaching experience, publications, grants and fellowships, professional associations and licenses, awards and other information relevant to the position you are applying for. Start by making a list of all your background information, then organize it into categories. Make sure you include dates on all the publications you include

Curriculum Vitae Format Name Address Telephone Cell Phone Email Personal Information Date of Birth Place of Birth Citizenship Visa Status Gender Optional Personal Information Marital Status Spouse's Name Children Employment History List in chronological order, include position details and dates Work History Academic Positions Research and Training Education Include dates, majors, and details of degrees, training and certification High School University Graduate School Post-Doctoral Training Professional Qualifications Certifications and Accreditations Computer Skills Awards Publications Books Professional Memberships Interests

Creating a Resume Personal Information  Professional Objective  Employment Experience  Educational Background  Awards and Honors  Campus and Community Activity  Professional Memberships and Activities  Summary of Skills 

Personal Information Name  Address  Email address  Telephone Number 

◦ Home ◦ Cell

Following are the few professional and technical free resume writing tips   

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Use Titles or Headings That Match The Jobs You Want. Use resume designs that grabs attention. Analyze advertisement for job description and identify the key words. Use these keywords in your resume. Identify the employer's hidden needs. Solve these hidden needs in your resume. Create an image of yourself that matches with the salary you are expecting. For example, language used in a resume for an $9 an hour position is much different than the language used for a $16 an hour position.

Following are the few professional and technical free resume writing tips  

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Resume and KSA (knowledge, skills & abilities) tips: Pay Attention to Keywords Whether you're writing your first resume, updating an existing one, or answering a position's Knowledge's, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's), stop and think about which keywords you need to add.You could be the most qualified person for the position, but you could be lost in a sea of applicants without the right keywords. A Single Keyword Communicates Multiple Skills and Qualifications When a recruiter reads the keyword "analyst," he or she might assume you have experience in collecting data, evaluating effectiveness, and researching and developing new processes. Just one keyword can have tremendous power and deliver a huge message. Study Job Announcements This is the best way to determine important keywords. Review several job announcements and their questions for your ideal position. The jobs don't have to be in your geographic target area. The idea is to find skills, experience, education and other credentials important in your field.You will probably find keywords frequently mentioned by different agencies. Focus on the "requirements," "skills" or "qualifications" sections of job ads, and look for “buzzwords” and desirable credentials for your ideal job.

Following are the few professional and technical free resume writing tips 

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Be Concise Don't confuse telling your story with creating your autobiography. Recruiters are inundated with applications and are faced with weeding out the good from the bad. The first step involves quickly skimming through submissions and eliminating candidates who clearly are not qualified. Therefore, your application needs to pass the skim test. Look at your resume and/or KSA's and ask yourself: Can a hiring manager see my main credentials within 10 to 15 seconds? Does critical information jump off the page? Do I effectively sell myself on the top quarter of the first page? The Sales Pitch Because applications are quickly skimmed during the first pass, it is crucial your resume and KSA's get right to work selling your credentials.Your key selling points need to be prominently displayed at the top of the first page of the resume and directly address each question asked in the KSA section. For example, if an advanced degree is an important qualification, it shouldn't be buried at the end of a four-page resume. If a KSA question asks about your writing ability, immediately detail your experience instead of enjoyment of it. Use an Editor's Eye Many workers are proud of their careers and feel the information on a resume should reflect everything they've accomplished. However, a resume shouldn't contain every detail and KSA's should only address the question at hand. So be judicious. If your college days are far behind you, does it really matter that you pledged a fraternity or delivered pizza? The editing step will be difficult if you are holding on to your past for emotional reasons.

Following are the few professional and technical free resume writing tips    

Use Numbers to Highlight Your Accomplishments If you were a recruiter looking at a resume or an answer to a KSA, which of the following entries would impress you more: Wrote news releases. Wrote 25 news releases in a three-week period under daily deadlines. Clearly the second statement carries more weight. Why? Because it uses numbers to quantify the writer's accomplishment, giving it a context that helps the interviewer understand the degree of difficulty involved in the task. Numbers are powerful resume tools that will help your accomplishments draw the attention they deserve from prospective employers. With just a little thought, you can find effective ways to quantify your successes on your resume.

Following are the few professional and technical free resume writing tips 

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Think Money For-profit, nonprofit, and government organizations alike are and always will be concerned about money. So as you contemplate your accomplishments and prepare to present them on your resume or in your KSA's, think about ways you've saved money, earned money, or managed money in your internships, part-time jobs and extracurricular activities so far. A few possibilities that might appear on a typical college student's resume: Identified, researched and recommended a new Internet Service Provider, cutting the company's online costs by 15 percent. Wrote prospect letter that has brought in more than $25,000 in donations to date. Managed a student organization budget of more than $7,000. Think Time You've heard the old saying, "Time is money," and it's true. Companies and organizations are constantly looking for ways to save time and do things more efficiently. They're also necessarily concerned about meeting deadlines, both internal and external. So whatever you can do on your resume or in your KSA's to show that you can save time, make time or manage time will grab your reader's immediate attention. Here are some time-oriented entries that might appear on a typical college student's resume: Assisted with twice-monthly payroll activities, ensuring employees were paid as expected and on time. Attended high school basketball games, interviewed players and coaches afterward, and composed 750-word articles by an 11 p.m. deadline. Suggested procedures that decreased average order-processing time from 10 minutes to five minutes.

Objective Statement Career experience  Emphasize and streamline experience for the reader  Establish professional Identity 

Employment Experience List job titles  Start from most recent to last job  Include dates you were employed  Description of duties  Identify jobs beneficial to working career 

Using Action Words Power verbs that enhance your resume  Positive Achievement Statements  List  Don’t use the action word over and over again  Look to job description to determine what words to use 

Action Words Accomplished

Conducted

Enforced

Installed

Originated Resolved

Achieved

Constructed

Enhanced

Instructed Oversaw

Adapted

Consulted

Enlarged

Integrated Performed Revised

Administered

Contributed

Equipped

Invented

Alleviated

Controlled

Established

Investigated Planned

Sold

Analyzed

Coordinated

Estimated

Launched Presented

Solved

Appraised

Corrected

Evaluated

Led

Strengthened

Arranged

Created

Facilitated

Marketed Projected

Audited

Demonstrated

Forecasted

Maximized Promoted Tested

Authored

Designed

Formulated

Modeled

Published

Trained

Balanced

Developed

Guided

Modified

Qualified

Translated

Built

Diagnosed

Handled

Monitored Rated

Chaired

Directed

Identified

Motivated

Reviewed

Persuaded Selected

Produced

Supervised

Recommended Wrote

Communicated Documented

Implemented Negotiated Reconciled

Completed

Edited

Improved

Offered

Repaired

Computed

Employed

Increased

Operated

Reported

Initiated

Organized

Researched

Conceptualized Enabled

Updated

POWERHOUSE BUZZWORDS Certain words evoke confidence and authority. When you explain your duties and accomplishments, be sure to start each sentence with an action word, like: Achieved

Adapted

Advised

Assembled

Assisted

Built

Cleaned

Completed

Convinced

Coordinated

Created

Decided

Delivered

Designed

Developed

Directed

Equipped

Established

Experience

Generated

Guided

Handled

Improved

Initiated

Learned

Led

Maintained

Managed

Operated

Organized

Performed

Persuaded

Planned

Processed

Produced

Programmed

Reduced

Repaired

Served

Set up

Sold

Supervised

Taught

Trained

Treated

Wrote

Keep your resume simple! •Proofread •Keep

for spelling and factual errors

bullets brief, under 12 words – start the bullet with #’s, $’s, %’s

•Bold

or CAPITALIZE important headlines so they stand out (Not applicable to an HTML resume) •Single •Pour

space with Sections – Double space between sections

on the SIZZLE! – give important details

•DON’T

interview

exaggerate – you’ll have to back up every claim during your job

•Include “KEYWORDS”

– the names of important tools, duties, skills, abilities, and systems for your job •Use

standard size 8.5” by 11” white or off-white resume paper

•Keep

at least a one inch margin on all four sides of the page

•AVOID •Try

fancy type such as outline, script, or other difficult to read styles

to limit your resume to no more than 3 pages

15 Tips to help you write a winning resume 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Determine your job search Objective prior to writing the resume. Once you have determined your objective, you can structure the content of your resume around that objective. Think of your objective as the Bull’s-eye to focus your resume on hitting. If you write your resume without having a clear objective in mind, it will likely come across as unfocused to those that read it. Take the time before you start your resume to form a clear objective. Note: If you have more than 10 years of experience – A Career Summary replaces the Objective. Think of your resume as a Marketing Tool. Think of yourself as a produce, potential employers as your customers, and your resume as a brochure about you. Market yourself through your resume. What are your features and benefits? What makes you unique? Make sure to convey this information in your resume. Use your resume to obtain an Interview, not a job. You don’t need to go into detail about every accomplishment. Strive to be clear and concise. The purpose of your resume is to generate enough interest in you to have an employer contact you for an interview. Use the interview to provide a more detailed explanation of your accomplishments and to land a job offer. Use bulleted sentences. In the body of your resume, use bullets with short sentences rather than lengthy paragraphs. Resumes are read quickly. This bulleted sentence format makes it easier for someone to quickly scan your resume and still absorb it. Use Action Words. Action words cause your resume to pop. To add life to your resume, use bulleted sentences that begin with action words like prepared, developed, monitored, and presented.

15 Tips to help you write a winning resume 6.

Use #’s, $’s, and %’s. Numbers, dollars, and percentages stand out in the body of a resume. Use them. Here are two examples: Managed a department of 10 with an annual budget of $1,000.00. Increased sales by 25% in a 15-state territory.

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Lead with your strengths. Since resumes are typically reviewed in 30 seconds, take the time to determine which bullets most strongly support your job search objective. Put those strong points first where they are more apt to be read.

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Play the Match game. Review want ads for positions that interest you. Use the key works listed in these ads to match them to bullets in your resume. If you have missed any key words, add them to your resume. Use Buzzwords. If there are terms that show your competence in a particular field, use them in your resume. For marketing people, use “competitive analysis.” For accounting types, use “reconciled accounts.” Accent the positive. Leave off negatives and irrelevant points. If you feel your date of graduation will subject you to age discrimination, leave the date off your resume. If you do some duties in your current job that don’t support your job search objective, leave them off your resume. Focus on the duties that do support your objective. Leave off irrelevant personal information like your height and weight, marital status, sex, hobbies, and the phrase “references available upon request”, this is assumed by the employer and you will provide this information on the application for employment.

9. 10.

15 Tips to help you write a winning resume 11. 12. 13.

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Show what you know. Rather than going into depth in one area, use your resume to highlight your breadth of knowledge. Use an interview to provide more detail. Show who you know. If you have reported to someone important such as a Vice President or Department Manager, say so in your resume. Have reported to someone important causes the read to infer that you are important. Construct your resume to read easily. Leave White Space. Use a font size no small than 10 point. The recommended type face is Times New Roman with 12 point font. Limit the resume to no more than 3 pages. Remember, resumes are reviewed quickly. Help the reader to scan your resume efficiently and effectively. Have someone else review your resume. Since you are so close to your situation, it can be difficult for you to hit all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments. Have someone review your job search objective, your, resume, and listings of positions that interest you. Encourage them to ask questions. Their questions can help you to discover items you inadvertently left off your resume. Revise your resume to include these items. Their questions can also point to items on your resume that are confusing to the reader. Clarify your resume based on this input. Do not get angry or frustrated with your reader – they are providing input to make your resume read better and clearer to the employer. Submit your resume to potential employers. Have the courage to submit your resume. Think of it as a game where your odds of winning increase with every resume you submit. You really do increase your odds with every resume you submit. Use a Three-Tiered approach:

15 Tips to help you write a winning resume





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Apply for some jobs that appear to be Beneath You. Perhaps they will turn out to be more than they appeared to be once you interview for them. Or perhaps once you have your foot in the door you can learn of other opportunities. Apply for jobs that seem to be just at your level. You will get interviews for some of those jobs. See how each job stacks up. Try for some jobs that seem like a stretch. That’s how you grow – by taking Risks. Don’t rule yourself out. Trust the process. Good Luck in your search. Beneficial Resources to develop an effective RESUME: ◦ Bureau of Labor Statistics – Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov ◦ ONET Online http://online.onetcenter.org/

Awards and Honors Awards and Honors related to career  Examples of Awards and Honors: 

◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

Trainer of the Year Deans List Perfect Attendance Student / Employee of the Month

Campus and Community Activities Leadership abilities and willingness to contribute  Volunteer Experience 

Professional Memberships and Activities

Professional Memberships relevant to your career  Activities relevant to your career  Examples: 

◦ National Center for Competency Testing – NCCT ◦ American Association of Medical Assistants – AAMA

◦ American Medical Technologists – AMT ◦ Northeast Florida Paralegal Association, Inc. ◦ National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)

Summary of Skills Skills acquired in school and your externship or other place of employment  Administrative or Clinical Skills  Typing speed – 80wpm  Data Entry – 1160ksph  Microsoft Software – Suite 2010 Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook  Practical Management Software 

Designing your Resume  

Content Formatting ◦ Use the Whole Page

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Type of Paper Organizing the Headers ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

Clean Professional Appearance Neat Margins Adequate White Space Indenting

Resume – One Page or Two? Rule of Thumb  One page resume for 5-10 years of experience ◦ Concise and to the point ◦ Volume of responses 

Two page resumes are generally for 10 or more years of experience ◦ Compelling…tells the story ◦ Overkill….fluff

Overview 

Resumes are reviewed by recruiters 1030 seconds ◦ First Impressions are lasting impressions

Check for Misspellings and Grammar  Verify dates of employment and Education  Make sure your Employment History correlates with the position advertised  Draft / Review / Draft Again! 

Questions

Cover Letters Rick Smith, CWDP, GCDF Director, Career Development

What is a Cover Letter? 

A letter of Introduction that allows you to elaborate on specific duties in your cover letter that will accompany your resume.

Purpose of a Cover Letter To introduce you to the employer  To explain why you are qualified for the position 

Types of Cover Letters Newspaper advertisement  Cold Call  Inquiry (informational) Cover Letter  Referral Cover Letter  Job Specific Cover Letter 

Organization of a Cover Letter Introduction  Body  Conclusion 

Introduction of a Cover Letter Capture the employer’s interest  Identify the position for which you are applying or your career objective  Mention your source of information  Describe your interest in that particular opening 

Body of the Cover Letter 

1-3 paragraphs ◦ Explaining your qualification for the position ◦ Discuss the relationship between the position and your qualifications ◦ Elaborate on how you are a strong candidate for the position



Do NOT repeat your resume!

Closing of the Cover Letter Suggest what you would like the reader to do or how you re going to maintain contact.  Request an Interview and/or a statement of your Intent to follow up in the near future with a phone call.  Provide a closing – i.e. “sincerely or respectfully”  Sign the Cover Letter 

Overall Goal – Cover Letter Interest in working for the company. Be sure to mention the company by name.  Explain what you want to do for the company.  Elaborate on how your skills will benefit the company.  Conclude by requesting an interview and thanking the reader for his or her consideration of the position. 

Common Cover Letter Mistakes No enclosure of resume  Typographic errors  Tone  Unrelated career goals  Grammar issues  Lack of knowledge about the organization  Wrong pronouns  Inappropriate Paper  No Signature 

Sample Cover Letter for a New College Grad 7 Apple Court Eugene, OR 97401 503-555-0303

Mr. Archie Weatherby California Investments, Inc. 25 Sacramento Street San Francisco, CA 94102 Dear Mr. Weatherby, My outgoing personality, my sales experience, and my recently completed education make me a strong candidate for a position as an insurance broker for California Investments, Inc. I recently graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in marketing, where I was president of both the Future Business Leaders of America and the American Marketing Association. Although a recent graduate, I am not a typical new graduate. I attended school in Michigan, Arizona, and Oregon. And I've put myself through these schools by working such jobs as radio advertising sales, newspaper subscription sales, and bartending, all of which enhanced my formal education. I have the maturity, skills, and abilities to embark on a career in insurance brokering, and I'd like to do this in California, my home state. I will be in California at the end of this month, and I'd like very much to talk with you concerning a position at California Investments. I will follow up this letter with a phone call to see if I can arrange a time to meet with you. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, John Oakley

Letter Requesting an Informational Interview August 15, 2010 Mark Steppe, Esq. VAVILOV,WEBB, WALSH & RIVER 1313 Avenue of the Harbors Suite 4444 Jacksonville, Florida 32202 Dear Mr. Steppe: I am student at Jones College, Jacksonville, Florida, beginning my third trimester towards my Bachelor of Science Degree in Paralegal Studies. Labor law has been of interest to me since I took a class in that subject as an undergraduate.Your firm has an outstanding reputation in that field of practice. My area of interest in school will be labor law. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you or one of your designed representative to briefly discuss the practice of your specialty. I am especially interested in your views regarding public vs. private employment experience. Any further insights you have would be greatly appreciated. I will contact your office the week of October 2 to set up a mutually convenient time for this informational meeting. Sincerely, Jeremy D. Muller

Sample Thank You Notes and Etiquette Etiquette is defined as "the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life". In other words, it's something you do if you were raised right or if you want to be part of society.  Alas, just writing a thank you note isn't guaranteed to demonstrate your good breeding or make you part of society. There are rules of etiquette you must follow or run the risk of being seen as even ruder than the person who writes no note at all.  Congratulations on doing the right thing by even preparing to write this note in the first place. Now don't blow it. Remember a few simple rules of etiquette, and check the sample thank you notes for additional guidance: 

Sample Thank You Notes and Etiquette ·Multiple gifts If Aunt Tina gives you a gift at your wedding shower and then also gives you one on your wedding day, send her an individual thank you note for each gift. It doesn't matter how close together you received the gifts-- write two notes.  Thank you note appearance They should always be handwritten. There are some cases where email is acceptable, but never type an email on your computer, print, and send via mail. If it is going in the real mail, it should have your handwriting. And use dark blue or black ink over colored ink. It is more easily readable and you are probably not a 10-year-old girl.  How long do you have? It's a good habit to send your thank you notes as soon as you get your gift. It's easier to think of things to say when the gift is fresh in your mind and it's nice for the giver to hear it arrived safely as soon as possible. But officially: 

Sample Thank You Notes and Etiquette   

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What occasions require a thank you note? Wedding gifts. See wedding sample thank you notes. Sympathy letters, flowers, or mass cards. See sympathy sample thank you notes. To the hostess after a party that was hosted in your honor. (You may thank them for their gift and the party in the same note.) Check party sample thank you notes. Bridal or baby shower gifts. See baby sample thank you notes. Gifts that were received by mail. After being entertained by your boss. Check business sample thank you notes. Gifts received during a hospital stay, as soon as you are well enough to do so. See illness sample thank you notes. After being hosted as a houseguest for one or more nights (unless it's a close relative or friend who is doing the hosting, in which case it still doesn't hurt). Check hospitality sample thank you notes. After a dinner party for which you received a hand-written invitation.You're off the hook for an Evite or verbal "come over tomorrow night"-- but a thank you phone call or email the next day is a good idea. Gifts of congratulations.

Sample Thank You Notes and Etiquette 











Notes from children not old enough to write Parents should write on their children's behalf but encourage their participation.You can ask your 3-year-old why he likes his new truck and he might say, "I like the fire stickers", which gives you something original and personal to add to the note.You can also let children add stickers or draw a picture on the other half of the card. More on that here. Gifts of money Treat the same as a gift, but standard etiquette dictates you do not mention the exact amount. More on this here.Also, if you have a particular item you intend to buy with the money, you can include that, such as "I have been craving a massage but would never treat myself to such an extravagance. But thanks to your gift, I have an appointment for next week!" However, make sure the item you say you'll purchase is a gift for the true recipient. For example, the previous example with the massage would not have been appropriate if the money had been meant for you and your spouse. How to start Personalize it. Starting your note with generic statements like "Thank you for the gift" are too impersonal. Even a brief description warms it up like, "Thank you for the fuzzy blue sweater." Terrible gifts What if you don't like the gift? Well it really is the thought that counts. Remind yourself that the giver spent time and money selecting the gift, and that is why they deserve thanks. Addressing them Thank you notes should be addressed to whomever signed your gift card. If your card was signed by Mrs. Crumb, write to her but mention the rest of the family if you know them, such as "Please send my best to Todd and the kids." ·Mass production Apparently at some weddings, the bride and groom have "thank you for coming" printed on many pieces of paper, and guests are to pick one up on their way out, and that is supposed to serve as their thank you note. I do not recommend this. Yes it's a ton of work to handwrite personal notes to each guest, but consider how much work it was for your guests to pick out and pay for your gift and travel to your wedding.

Questions

Assignment Assignment – Complete your resume and provide a copy to Career Development  Assignment – Draft a cover letter for a position advertised in the Sunday newspaper and submit to Career Development  Assignment – Draft an Information Interview Cover Letter using the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce 