Cover Letters

Davis High School Financial Literacy Course

Let’s Get That Interview!

What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a 3 to 4 paragraph business communication that usually accompanies a job applicant's resume.

The purpose of the cover letter is to interest the employer enough to want to get to know the applicant better through an interview.

Showings of a Cover Letter

A well-written letter shows:Written Communication SkillsOrganizationProfessionalism

Reasons for a Cover Letter

Job applicant has the opportunity to:Persuade an employer they are the most qualified for the

jobDemonstrate any research that has been done about the

companyCreate a personal touch to the resume

Things to know about Cover Letters

Introduce you to employers

Arouse their interest

Persuade the potential employer that you are the person to interview. Always ask yourself the question: “Why am I the most qualified for this job?”

Parts of a Cover Letter

AddressesIntroduction ParagraphBody ParagraphClosing Paragraph

Hey Read About Me!Developing Your Resume

Davis High School Financial Literacy Course

A person may have spent thousands of dollars on

education and training and all he/she now has is 20

seconds to sell themselves to a

prospective employer.

Resume

A Resume is a personal summary of one’s background, experience, and accomplishments

Goal – To interest employer enough to want to learn more

Categories for a resume:

HeadingAn ObjectiveEducational

BackgroundSpecial SkillsWork Experience

HonorsAwardsActivitiesVolunteer WorkReferences

Heading

A Heading includes the name, address, phone number, and an email address

Required

List current and permanent address if applicable.

Phone number should have voice mail with a professional message.

Objective

An objective clearly describes the position one would like to attain.

Should contain 3 characteristics:The job typeThe industryThe geographical area

Educational Background

Educational background is the history of a person’s education, with the most recent educational experience listed first.

Required

Educational Background

IncludeDegree (received or sought)Institution attended, date of graduation or an expected

date (month and year only)ConcentrationsSpecial workshops or coursework related to job

applying forGrade point average – if above a 3.0

Special Skills

Special Skills are skills related specifically to the desired job.

Skills include:Knowledge of software, programsForeign LanguageLeadershipTeamworkETC…

Work Experience

Work Experience should describe work responsibilities at each job.

Most applicable – Fully describe

List jobs with most recent firstPosition heldName and location of organizationDates of employment (month and year)

Work Experience

Experience comes in many different forms:Part-timeSeasonal jobsInternships

Honors, Awards, Activities, and Volunteer Work

Honors, Awards, Activities, and Volunteer Work may also be mentioned particularly if the activities relate to the position sought.

Leadership roles should be listed

References

References should be available as an attachment, but not listed on the actual resume.

3 – 5 referencesNameJob TitleAddressPhone NumberEmail

GET PERMISSION FIRST!!!

Most important, all items listed on a resume should be

factual. Be HONEST, do not stretch the

truth!

Action Words

Action words are used to emphasize responsibilities related to work experiences. Action words bring life to tasks performed and communicate those skills to a potential employerParticipatedGeneratedImplementedOrganizedUtilized

Action Statements

Action Statements are short statements that get to the point and describe a task or work experience.

Action statements should include numbers or quantities of the item described.

DON’T DO IT!!!

Things NOT To Put In A Resume

Do NOT Include

WeightHeightSocial Security

NumberBirth DateMarital Status

PhotographsSalary HistoriesReasons for Leaving

Past Job

Avoid using “I” statements

Never list the date it was created