Read a Job Description to Write Effective Resumes and Cover Letters

This could be YOUR resume!

Resume/Cover Letter Writing & Reading Job Descriptions

Murray State Career Services100 Oakley Applied Science Bldg270.809.3735 | murraystate.edu/career

What is a Resume?

▪ A summary/highlight of your qualifications

▪ Marketing tool

▪ A way to get an interview!

Types of Resumes

▪ Chronological▪ Emphasizes experience by dates▪ Use when experience and education are relevant to

objective

▪ Functional or Skills-based▪ Highlights skills without boundaries of dates▪ Use when transferable skills are stronger than job titles

▪ Combination▪ Equally illustrates experience and applicable skills

▪ Curriculum Vita (CV)▪ More comprehensive document▪ Use in education, graduate school applications or jobs

abroad

Are there any rules?

▪ Don’t use a template

▪ Don’t include discriminatory information

▪ Do include relevant information

▪ One page is almost always preferred

▪ Margins should range from ½” to 1”

▪ Font(s) should be common

▪ Print (if applicable) on quality paper

The Trifecta Review

▪ The following people should review your resume▪ Career services professional▪ Someone in the field (e.g. professor,

supervisor)▪ Someone who loves/supports you (e.g. parent)

Resume Review Survey

▪ 1000 resumes reviewed resulted in…▪ Targeted Focus: 29% lacked clear objective▪ Value Proposition: 97% offered no value/sales pitch▪ Relevancy: 82% included info not related to position▪ Measurable: 76% lacked quantifiable proof▪ Spelling / Grammar: 29% had errors▪ Design / Format: 96% nearly identical to common

templates (internet, books, and word processors)

Resource: Graham Management Group Survey from Education Career Services presentation (SoACE, Dec 2011) edu-cs.com.

Resume Facts

▪ 427k are posted on Monster every week

▪ An average of 250 are received for each job position

▪ 88% job rejection if there’s a photo of yourself

▪ Recruiters spend 5 – 7 seconds looking at a resume

▪ 1 spelling or grammar mistake and it lands in the trash

▪ 76% are ignored if email address is unprofessional

5 to 7 seconds looks like…

▪ Note how the recruiters’ eyes scanned these resumes

▪ Where did they look?

▪ Where didn’t they?

▪ Design matters

▪ Brevity matters

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Resume Header

• Name: 18 – 22 point font and bold

• Content: 11 – 12 point font

• Mailing address (add permanent if transitioning)

• Professional email address (remove hyperlink)

• Phone number (voice mail must be professional)

• Career-related website, LinkedIn, etc link

Resume Header Samples

Objective or Summary

▪ Objective▪ More traditional option▪ State position you seek and skills/personal traits

you offer

▪ Summary of Qualifications▪ List in 3 to 5 bullets the skills and personal traits

that make you the best fit for the position you are seeking

▪ Will change for each position to align with job description

▪ Don’t use both

Objective or Summary Samples

Education

▪ Include school name with city and state of location

▪ List degree and month/year of expected graduation

▪ List any minors or concentrations

▪ List GPA (cumulative and major) if 3.0 and above

▪ Only list applicable coursework as an additional section if relevant to job search and unique to major

▪ College graduates will not include high school

Education Samples

Experience

▪ List job title and dates of employment (present to past)

▪ List employer and city and state where located

▪ Use bulleted list to highlight skills and past successes

▪ Be concise and don’t list every task ever completed

▪ Start each bullet with an action verb/skill

▪ Use numbers and dollar amounts when possible

▪ Be consistent with punctuation

▪ Stay positive

Experience Sample

Key Skills

▪ Computer▪ List applicable programs and applications, etc.

▪ Personal▪ Summarize personal traits and skills▪ May not be needed if using Summary of

Qualifications

▪ Foreign Language▪ List proficiency, not years studied

▪ Training/Certifications▪ List applicable trainings and certifications you have

completed

Key Skills Sample

Activities & Honors

▪ Activities▪ Include leadership roles and dates▪ Demonstrates well-roundedness and time

management▪ List those most related to potential job

▪ Honors ▪ Include those related to career field▪ Include those in which you were actively

involved

▪ Cautions▪ Does it communicate a fit to job you seek?▪ Is it understood by audience? ▪ Could you be discriminated against by

including

Activities & Honors Samples

References

▪ If must, state “Available upon request”▪ However, section is not required on resume

▪ Set-up as a separate page

References Samples

What is a Cover Letter?

▪ Provides an additional page

▪ Expands on experience and skills

▪ Answers why you are qualified for the job

▪ Answers why you are interested in this job

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Types of Cover Letters

Traditional Executive Summary

Saving & Sending Documents

▪ DOC/DOCX▪ Scannable▪ May not hold formatting

▪ Rich Text Format (RTF)▪ If format is removed, received format will be

similar

▪ PDF▪ Format will stay the same▪ Sometimes not scannable

▪ JPG▪ Format will stay the same▪ Not scannable

Why, “Read the job description”?

▪ Allows you to…▪ Speak the right language▪ Prove your value▪ Stand out

Resources to Help

▪ Job Description

▪ What can I do with a major in…? (link)

▪ O*Net (onetonline.org)

▪ Word Cloud Generators ▪ Tagcrowd.org▪ Wordle.net

PR Specialist Job Description

public relationsstrategic planningclient relationsproduct planningcustomer servicequick thinkerscommunicationengaging personalitymulti-task (twice)create and maintain relationshipsanalyze and planpursue, manage and complete projectsbachelor’s degree in public relationsstrong orientation to detailMicrosoft Word, Excel & Outlookself-motivatedadapt to new situationscustomer service skills

Worried about…. master UDA products/servicesdata management

PR Specialist “Clouds”O

*Net

Job

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Resources

▪ Career Handbook, Tip Sheets & Samples▪ murraystate.edu/career/resume

▪ eResume Feedback▪ msu.eresume@murraystate.edu▪ Feedback within 48 business hours

▪ Schedule an appointment▪ M – F, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM▪ Call x3735 to schedule

Questions?Murray State Career Services100 Oakley Applied Science Bldg270.809.3735 | murraystate.edu/career

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