PVCC: Career Services

Cover Letter

Always include a cover letter! A cover letter is used to introduce yourself and your résumé. It is an opportunity to explain your interests and abilities and how they relate to the desired job. Focus on highlighting your best selling point, not repeating your whole résumé. Search the internet for sample cover letters for various positions/situations.

Your Name
Your Street Address
City, State Zip
Phone

Date

Name of Person
Company Name
Street Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. / Ms. <Name>:

The first paragraph should discuss what position you are applying for, how you heard about it, and why you are interested in it. (State personal connections if any; know manager, current employee, etc.)
I learned of your posting for an administrative assistant with your <firm> in the Career Services Center at Paradise Valley Community College. My research shows that <firm> is a growing company and needs dynamic employees who also want to learn and contribute to the business. If you are looking for a quick learner who thrives on a team-oriented, fast-paced environment, please consider me for the administrative assistant position

The second paragraph explains how your experience and skills fit the position. (Be careful not to recite your entire resume)
During the last five years, I worked as an office manager for XYZ Company. In this position, I improved office efficiency by investigating and selecting word processing equipment. I understand that your opening includes responsibilities for supervising and coordinating work processing procedures with your home office. I was able to reduce my company’s operating costs over 30 percent by selecting the best equipment for our purposes.

The third paragraph wrap it up by stating, “résumé enclosed” and thank them for their time and consideration.
I would appreciate the opportunity to apply my skills on behalf of your company. For your examination, I have enclosed a résumé for your review. I will call your office early next week to determine a convenient time for an appointment to discuss possible employment opportunities. Thank you for your time and consideration. (Calling for a follow-up is not appropriate in all organizations)

Sincerely,

Your first and last name

Address should be in header, right justified, or centered.

Verify your phone number is correct / current, your bill is current, and your voice mailbox is not full, etc.

Make sure to always use size 12 Arial or Times New Roman font!

Entire document should be centered on page.

A Resume is...

A marketing brochure to sell yourself to an employer
A brief summary of your past and future
A tool to get an interview not a job
Often used to screen you out not in
A way to leave an impression
A structure to your interview

What are Employers looking for?

Overall appearance and writing quality.
Job-related phrases.
Measured accomplishments that show what you can do for their business.

Resume Tips

Keep it Short and Simple (KISS)
Easy to read & scan
Top half most important
Don’t use “I” or “me”
1-2 pages in length
Use “action” or skill words
Be careful not to use jargon
Plain, professional paper
Rule of thumb is to use your last 10 years of experience
Careful with spell check!
Have someone review it!
Ask yourself, “If I were the employer, would I interview this person?”
Expect to revise, revise, revise
Personalize your resume for each job you apply for

The Steps to Writing a Resume

Chronological if you are staying in the same field and you have unbroken employment history.

Functional if you are making a career change OR you do not have a continuous record of paid employment.

Which format is best for you?

Chronological

I've held the same job for more than five years.
My employment history is one of stability.
I rarely hop from job to job.
My past employer is a prestigious company well known in my field.
My job titles are impressive.
I plan to continue in the same field as my past job.
I have considerable experience but in one area only.
I have a limited repertoire of skills.

Functional

I am changing careers.
I have never held one job for a long period of time.
I recently finished school and do not have any professional experience.
I am re-entering the job force after a considerable absence.
I am proficient in many areas and have many skills.
I have held many jobs in a variety of unrelated work areas.
Most of my work experience has been freelance or temporary.
My skills fit better with my present career objective than prior job titles.

Resume Headings

Personal Information
- Your first and last name should go at the top so your name stands out
- List your address: street, city, state, zip
- Include phone number with area code – limit to two phone numbers
- List your personal e-mail address if you have one (should be professional)
- Never put your picture on a resume or include any personal information such as marital status, age, etc that an employer can use to discriminate
Objectives
- Used to state what kind of job you are looking for
- Focuses your resume
- Keep it simple and specific
- Use a general objective if you can’t change your resume for every job you apply for
- It is optional – if not included employers will assume you are looking for a job similar to your last position
- HINT: Think like you are in HR…”What pile do I put this resume in?” Example: “Sales representative in the pharmaceutical industry.”
Skills or Accomplishments
- Use to emphasize your skills instead of your work experience
- Use if you have a short work history and need to add to your resume
- Use if you’re changing careers and need to highlight your transferable skills
- Highlight the accomplishments that benefited your previous employers. Example:
  - Ten years of customer service experience
  - Imaginative problem solver with exceptional organizational skills
  - Ability to plan, initiate, and carry out ideas and programs
  - Bilingual in English and German
Education
- List your most recent education first
- State the name of school attended, degree, major (if applicable), city, state, and years attended or graduated
- Put your education towards the top if it will help you get the job, otherwise put it on the bottom of your resume
Work Experience
- Summary of your job descriptions and duties
- Try to include statements of achievements and contributions. The top thing that employers are looking for: What did you accomplish at your job?
- List your most recent job first
- Emphasize duties that will be transferable to the job you are applying for
- State your Job Title, Company Name, Dates Employed (preferably just years), City, State, and Job Description
- Use action/skills words to start your sentences
- Keep your sentences short
- Use present tense to describe your current job and past tense for previous jobs
- If you have had a series of job titles with one employer, list the job title, dates you held the job, and a job description separately
Other Optional Resume Sections
- Certifications
- Associations
- Military Service
- Achievements
- Training
- Relevant courses
- Activities
- Honors
- Volunteer Work

Creative	inspected	Management & Leadership	Technical	Communication
authored	interpreted	Management & Leadership	assembled	addressed
conceived	interviewed	administered	built	arbitrated
created	investigated	analyzed	calculated	arranged
designed	monitored	assigned	computed	authored
developed	operated	attained	designed	convinced
devised	organized	authorized	engineered	corresponded
directed	prepared	chaired	operated	developed
enhanced	processed	consolidated	overhauled	directed
formulated	purchased	contracted	programmed	drafted
illustrated	recorded	controlled	remodeled	edited
improved	retrieved	coordinated	repaired	enlisted
initiated	reviewed	delegated	solved	formulated
introduced	screened	developed	upgraded	influenced
invented	summarized	directed	financial	interpreted
launched	surveyed	evaluated	allocated	interviewed
marketed	systematized	enacted	analyzed	lectured
originated	tabulated	established	appraised	moderated
planned	validated	exceeded	audited	negotiated
prepared	verified	expanded	balanced	participated
proposed	Human Resources	headed	budgeted	persuaded
set up	Human Resources	improved	calculated	presented
structured	advised	incorporated	computed	presided
wrote	assessed	increased	forecasted	promoted
Clerical and Research	assisted	initiated	managed	publicized
Clerical and Research	clarified	instituted	marketed	recruited
arranged	coached	investigated	planned	represented
automated	collaborated	launched	projected	sold
budgeted	consulted	led	tabulated	spoke
catalogued	counseled	maintained	Teaching	translated
classified	diagnosed	managed	advised	Success Words
collected	educated	negotiated	clarified	accomplished
compared	employed	organized	coached	awarded
compiled	grouped	oversaw	communicated	corrected
completed	guided	performed	encouraged	diverted
critiqued	handled	prioritized	evaluated	eliminated
decreased	hired	produced	explained	generated
diagnosed	integrated	proposed	guided	masterminded
dispatched	mediated	recommended	influenced	pioneered
distributed	monitored	reduced	informed	rectified
evaluated	motivated	repositioned	instructed	single-handedly
examined	negotiated	retained	interpreted	strengthened
executed	recruited	reviewed	lectured	surpassed
generated	represented	scheduled	persuaded	turned around
identified	sponsored	sorted	stimulated	was promoted to
implemented	strengthened	supervised	trained	was responsible for

Jane Doe

1234 W. Main Street
Chandler, Arizona 85224
Home: (480) 988-1111 Message: (602) 988-1212
Email: xyz@juno.com

Objective
Help Desk Specialist (Posting #45678)

Certifications
Microsoft Certified Professional
A+ Certified

Highlights of Qualifications

Able to work as a member of the team to satisfy customers under tight time constraints.
Successful sales experience. Regularly met or exceeded sales quota.
Strong Customer Service background includes the ability to build and maintain positive customer relations.
Experienced in a call center environment.
Bilingual in English and Spanish: reading, writing, and speaking

Related Work History

1996 – Present

Network Technician

ABC Contractor

Mesa, Arizona

Conducted network installations, resolved troubleshooting issues and provided related support. Trained end-users in the use of NT Workstation and Windows 95.

1991 – 1996

Customer Service

XYZ Company

Boulder, Colorado

Worked with customers in a call station environment to solve basic problems over the phone. Able to describe technical information to non-technical end-users. Provided team leadership for conversion project.

1989 – 1991

Sales Associate

Bob’s Books

Boulder, Colorado

Sold books and accessories for small, privately owned bookstore. Set up in-house displays that quickly boosted sales by 15%. Demonstrated strong phone skills and customer service by expediting customer concerns in a professional manner.

Education
AAS, Microsoft Networking Technology Program
Mesa Community College

Related Accomplishments
Dean’s Honor Roll

Functional Resume Example

Michael Wong
1914 Twelfth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 688 0900

Objective: Position as Community or Government Relations Representative

Summary of Qualifications

Over 8 years experience in community relations work.
Graduate degree with emphasis in public administration.
Effective & persuasive with all segments of the community.
Skilled and thorough in analyzing problem situations and finding creative solutions.

Professional Experience Management & Administration

Evaluated overall program effectiveness and employee performance; established policy for Humboldt Housing Action Project and University Activities Center.
Trained and supervised volunteers and paid employees in counseling & fund-raising.
Developed and implemented a successful marketing campaign (where others had repeatedly failed), introducing new students to local business services.

Community Relations

Advised and offered technical assistance to United Way agencies on fund-raising, budgeting, and program planning.
Served, by appointment, on Housing Committee charged with analyzing local housing crisis and providing follow-up recommendations.
Coordinated successful special event and direct mail fund-raising for local city council members.

Communications

Wrote general press releases and PSA’s for voter registration drive.
Chaired meetings of up to 100 people.
Acted as liaison between student government and campus community, coordinating meeting times, places, and agendas.

Employment History


Fund-raiser	Rogers-Williamson Parent Council, Sierra, CA	1983-Present
Planning Intern	Arcata Planning Department, Arcata, CA	1982-1983
Sales Manager	Associated Students, Humboldt State Univ., Arcata, CA	1982-1983
Retail Sales	Redwoods United, Eureka, CA	1982
Researcher	National Institutes of Health, Eureka, CA	1979-1980

Education

M.A. Social Science, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA Emphasis on Public Administration (thesis in progress)
B.A Social Science, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA

Community & Volunteer Experience

United Way, Bay Area and Humboldt County – Allocations Team Member.
Board of Directors: Humboldt Housing Action Project ; University Activities Center
Chairperson: Student Legislative Council, Humboldt State University.
Coordinator, voter registration drives.

The Functional Resume

Your Name Here: _________________________

Street Address: _________________________

City, State, Zip: _______________________

Phone: _______________

E-mail: __________________

Objective: ______________________________________________________________

Highlights of Qualifications

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Professional Experience

____________________ (sub-heading 1)

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

____________________ (sub-heading 2)

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

____________________ (sub-heading 3)

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Employment History

Title_____________ Company_____________________  Date______________

Title_____________ Company_____________________  Date______________

Title_____________ Company_____________________  Date______________

Education and Training

(May move before highlights if new grad)

Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix, Arizona _________-_________(dates attending)

(________ credits toward ______________ degree in ____________)

Community Service and Volunteer Work

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Resumes / Cover Letters

Cover Letter

Jane Doe

Functional Resume Example

The Functional Resume