Skip to main content

How to Build a Professional Resume and Cover Letter

By
 
What you need to make a well-organized resume are:

  •  Heading
  •  Education
  •  Experience
  •  Skills (Computer, Languages, etc.)

 Heading

  • Name
  • Street address
  • City, State, ZIP Code
  •  Area code home and home phone number
  • Area code and business or cell phone
  • Professional E-mail address

  Education

  • Name of College (bold)
  • City and State without zip code
  • Type of degree
  • Program of study/major
  • Graduation date (month and year)
  •  Achievements
  • Relevant courses (Specific Names)
  • GPA if 3.0 or above

Experience

  • Name of company
  • City and state without zip code
  • Position title
  • From month/year to month/year
  • Action verb with bullets (description of responsibility)
  • Achievement

Skills

  • Computer Skill - List the programs you are familiar with (i.e Microsoft Word, Execel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Adobe Photoshop, Accounting Software. Etc.)
  • Language Skills - If you speak more than one language, you should consider including language skills. Be certain to accurately represent your skill level (i.e., Fluent in Spanish, Basic Knowledge of French, Bilingual in Cantonese and English)
Your Resume Should:

  •  Be Typed Have no errors of facts, spelling, or grammar
  •  Have a layout that is consistent
  •  Have skills and interest related to position
  • Be proofread by professionals
  • Give you a sense of pride
Cover Letter Format

  • Heading and Greeting
  • Introduction 
  • Position for which you are applying 
  • How you heard about the position
  • Two or Three previous work or education experiences as support for why they should hire you 
  • Thank employer for their time, availability for follow up

 Ten Tips for Writing a Great Cover Letter

  • Make it personal
  • Make opening sentence catchy
  • Write each letter for a specific job
  • Describe skills as related to job
  •  Be specific and concrete when describing your experiences
  • Type and proof-read your cover letter
  • Be brief, use descriptive words
  • Be confident, creative, and upbeat
  • Avoid negativity
  • Don’t forget to follow-up

Job Fair Tips

  • Dress Appropriately - The first impression is one of the most important things you should pay attention to when attending a job fair. Make sure you dress professional interview attire and carry a portfolio as well.
  • Arrive early - We would suggest that you arrive 10-15 minutes before the fair opens in order to avoid the long lines. 
  • Research the companies in advance - It is recommended that you find out information about the companies that interest you prior to the job fair. This would avoid spending time in companies that do not offer a job that would interest you.
  • Take notes - Considering the crowded environment that job fairs usually take place at, it would be more convenient for you to take notes on different companies so that you do not forget information that may be crucial.
  • Take initiative and ask questions - It is very important that you are very clear about everything regarding the job position you are interested in. Therefore, feel free to ask as many questions as you have to the company representative in order to clarify every doubt you might have. In addition, taking initiative and showing enthusiasm as well as positive can be a quite decisive component at a job fair.

You should be polite and professional in every way. Talk slowly and quietly. Make sure to shake hands before and after the conversation.

 William Cayambe & Ueda Elbasani

Comments

Post a Comment

Leave us a comment! We love hearing from our readers.

Popular posts from this blog

To Wear or Not To Wear?: Tips on dressing for success

By
So, the first step is over. You finished filling out the application for the job; listing all of your work experience, answering numerous questions about your work ethic on an online questionnaire, and you even polished up your hand dandy resume! After restless nights of worrying, you finally get a call saying they would love to have you come in for an interview: now what? First, don't panic ! Finding an appropriate outfit can be intimidating, but with the help of Google it is possible. Second, the outfit you should wear is based on what type of position you are going for or what your potential company is. If it's a store like Macy's, for example, it would make sense for you to wear all black since that's the kind of uniform the employees wear.  If you're working in an office setting, then you should go either business casual or professional. When in doubt of what to wear, go with business casual! Here are a few images of what business casual and professional ou...
3 comments
Read more

The Elements of a Resume

By
There are  many formats and designs for a resume, but there are essential components that EVERY resume MUST have, no matter what the layout is. HEADER Should contain  your name, full address, phone numbers where you can be reached and a PROFESSIONAL email address. EDUCATION Include the name of your college ( in bold ), location (city and state without zip code), major, and expected graduation date.  If you have any major achievements, such as being on the Dean's List, you can include it here. **Your GPA should be included ONLY if it is a 3.0 or above. EXPERIENCE Include the name of company ( in bold ), location (city and state without zip code), position title, dates of employment (month & year) and, starting with action verbs, list your responsibilities using bullets. Be sure to list your experiences is chronological order starting with the most recent position. SKILLS List computer programs you are familiar with and your skill level ...
Post a Comment
Read more

DEI & The Workplace

By
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), is a broad term that covers the issues of equality in the United States. It existed throughout the years, trying to advocate for equality amongst individuals regardless of their race, sex, or religion. Thi helps foster respect and equality in every sector of the society, ensuring that as long as a person is a citizen of the United States, they are allowed to receive the same benefits as others. In the workplace, DEI is very essential as it ensures that people are hired based on the fact that they meet the qualifications of the position they applied for, and not discriminated against by not qualifying them for unknown reasons even if they reach all other qualifications. Below are a few important reasons for DEI in the workplace:  1. The Workplace Should Reflect Today’s Emerging Workforce: Social change has historically often led to backlash, but that isn’t necessarily a good reason to retreat or pivot away from one’s DEI mandate. Today’s emerg...
Post a Comment
Read more