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Participant Handout
Name:________________________________
Effective marketing tools are needed to be noticed in a pool of
applicants. This workshop helps all job seekers put together their
tools of a targeted résumé and cover letter to meet the objective
eye of computer scanning software as well as the subjective eye of
the hiring manager.
Choosing the appropriate résumé format and filling it with relevant accomplishments and achievements in response to the job posting is explained as the technique of targeting the résumé. What to potentially include, exclude and special considerations are presented. Pointers on writing a tailored cover letter as a personal introduction to an organization are also explained.
Please think of questions you have and write them below before the workshop begins and throughout the duration of the
presentation. We encourage you to participate and ask questions to ensure your best training experience:
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My Questions:
Simplifies job search strategy
Centers attention on
accomplishments, achievements
Results in targeted résumé
Focuses networking strategies
In the current job market, knowing your occupational goal is the first
step in beginning the job search process. All of your job search
communications, such as your professional core message, résumés,
cover letters, thank you notes and networking strategies will be
easier to develop once you know the specific job(s) you are seeking.
Many job seekers have a pretty good idea of what they want to do.
However, some job seekers, such as those who are entering the
workforce for the first time or those who are transitioning into a new
field, may not be aware of the specific job to look for. That’s ok! There
are many tools that can assist with job exploration that will be
presented later in this handout.
Write down below the job(s) you are pursuing at this time:
Desired job(s): ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Knowing Your Occupational Goal
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What Have You Done?The following considerations will assist you in determining if you
have the foundation skills and experience for the job you desire:
Previous related work, volunteer, life experiences
Skills, education, knowledge developed
and used
Past projects, tasks worked on, managed
Past job descriptions, performance reviews
Client/customer feedback, comments
Job-related research
What experience, skills, education do you have in relationship to
the job you are seeking? Why would an employer hire you?
Experience:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Skills:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Education:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Accomplishments
• Milestones achieved in a job• Awards and commendations• Public recognition• Trainings mastered• Any performance above and beyond
the job description
Using the above criteria, list some accomplishments or achievements you have obtained related to the job you
are seeking:
For your résumé to be strong, it must reflect accomplishments and
achievements related to the position for which you are applying.
Accomplishments can be any of the following:
Accomplishments
1. __________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________
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For the Candidate:
A sales marketing brochure targeted to the desired position Overview of experience and education history Highlights accomplishments and achievements related to the
position Designed with relevance in mind – everything on résumé is
there for a reason
For the Employer:
A screening tool Looking for key words, industry terminology, experience Outcomes are paramount
REMEMBER: Your resume is a sales marketing brochure and should
be developed with the format that best represents your skills,
accomplishments and achievements specific to the job you are
seeking.
What is a Résumé?
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All resumes begin with a Professional Summary A chronological resume is organized, with most recent
position listed first Recruiters prefer this format: it’s easy to read and follow
A chronological résumé is most common. It presents your employment in historical order, with the most recent job listed first. It highlights each job in terms of the title/position you held and what you accomplished.
It’s ideal for individuals who have had steady employment. The recruiter or hiring manager can quickly identify how the candidate has advanced through their career.
The recruiter or hiring manager can also quickly identify if there have been large lapses in employment. It is the format that they are used to seeing and, accordingly, easier for them to read and follow.
Remember, when speaking to a position in the present, keep your verbs in present tense. When it’s a past position you’re writing about, verbs should also be in the past tense.
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Danni R. Jobseeker 123 Any Street, Anytown, Ohio, 12345
www.linkedin.com/in/dannirjobseeker
Build, maintain, and promote exceptional customer service in business through dynamic results in customer retention and conflict resolution skills, adding respect, loyalty and trust to any team
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS• 8+ years of experience as a Customer Service Representative in multiple industries• Works with vast variety of people in different situations; effective in resolving customer issues in a
timely fashion• Demonstrates integrity and respectfully interacts with vendors, customers, management staff and
peers; received Employee of the Month designation for 3 consecutive months• Current and past perfect driving record; able to drive both car and van delivery vehicles
SKILLS• Utilize active listening and other communication skills to resolve concerns and retain customers• Order verification maintenance in spreadsheets (Excel 2010); working knowledge of electronic devices
such as computers, tablets and smartphones • Carefully load and unload products to maximize space and minimize breakage in products
WORK EXPERIENCEOak Park Arms, Oak Park, Illinois 5/2010 – 8/2014Security Clerk
• Provided exceptional service to all visitors, consistently creating friendly, helpful environment • Maintained company database records of all visitors and vendors upon entry and exit • Served as liaison between residents, employees and the Oak Park Police/Fire Department in emergency
situations; provided calm demeanor and can-do resolutions
Jiffy Lube, Chicago, Illinois 7/2007 – 2/2010Automotive Tech
• Performed routine vehicle inspections, accurately repairing all unsafe and defective equipment• Ensured accurate record maintenance and delivery of paperwork for all customers • Safely test-drove hundreds of vehicles before and after maintenance service completed
Wendy’s, Chicago, Illinois 1/2000 – 3/2007Janitor
• Loaded and unloaded products delivered to store as needed; lifting up to 75 lbs. frequently• Trained 5 new janitorial staff in proper cleaning, hazardous waste handling, maintenance and safety
procedures to ensure store standards were met and maintained
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONSHarold Washington College, Chicago, Illinois 6/2006Associate in Applied Science (AAS), Management/Marketing
Oak Park River Forest High School, Oak Park, IllinoisHigh School Diploma
Employers are using Applicant Tracking System
(ATS) software to monitor high volumes of
online job applications, résumés
“Human” and social media referrals are also
processed by ATSes to address discrimination,
unfair hiring practices
ATSes rank résumés based on job posting key
words
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Résumé Content Considerations
Basic Résumé Content
Higher ranking, greater the likelihood of your résumé being
passed on to Human Resources and/or the hiring manager
Look for job posting nouns, verbs and other words which reflect
industry terminology and experience
Professional Summary
Your Professional Summary, otherwise known as a Summary of Qualifications, is your introduction to the reader. It states your desired position in the first “bullet point.” Serves as an overview of your skills that qualify you for the position, experience, and unique attributes that you will bring to the employer.
Example:
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS• 8+ years experience as a Customer Service Representative in
multiple industries• Works with vast variety of people in different situations;
effective in resolving customer issues in a timely fashion• Demonstrates integrity and respectfully interacts with
vendors, customers, management staff and peers; received Employee of the Month designation for 3 consecutive months
• Current and perfect driving record; able to drive both car and van delivery vehicles
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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Use the space below to draft your Professional Summary
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Sample Action Verbs
A strong résumé utilizes clear and persuasive verbs to convey confidence, involvement, ownership and assertiveness. Strong action verbs illustrate the ability to meet goals and obtain results which causes employers to take notice.
Use strong action verbs when describing your achievements and accomplishments. Start every résumé “bullet point” with an action verb. Refrain from using “assisted in,” “duties were,” “responsible for,” “responsibilities included” – these are considered passive phrases and minimize what you can bring to an employer.
Action Verbs: You in Action
• “Supervised” becomes MANAGED or LED• “Worked on” becomes DEVELOPED, FIXED or CREATED• “Completed” becomes FINALIZED or ACHIEVED• “Participated in” becomes DESIGNED or IMPLEMENTED
Given how competitive it is for job seekers in the current job market, your résumé can no longer be just a list of job tasks and responsibilities. Your résumé needs to reflect specific outcomes and quantifiable results which illustrate what you are able to achieve.
The S.A.R. Method
Specifics set you apart from the competition!
S.A.R.: Situation, Action, Results
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The S.A.R. Method
S.A.R. Prompts
Situation Describe a time when you noticed something that required action
Action Detail the specific action that YOU took
Results Describe the results of your action and quantify when possible
Think of a situation from your work history. Starting with a strong action verb, detail the action that you took and describe the results of your actions using the S.A.R. method above. Whenever possible, quantify the results with a number, percentage or other tangible outcome. Practice with other bullet points from your résumé.
Situation
Action
Results
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Résumé Configurations
Use ½ inch to 1 inch
margins
Use Word’s résumé templates
with caution
Use light (white, ivory)
8 ½ x 11 paper
Choose easy-to-read fonts;
font size 11-12
Use bold, italics and underlining
consistently, sparingly
Make sure bullets, tabs line up
Electronic Copy
UPLOAD: Use a Word document to best satisfy Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
software To have the best opportunity with ATSes:
Avoid colors, bold, underlined, italics and all graphics (no pictures on your resume)
Do not use headers and footers Consider parsing issues
COPY/PASTE:
Do only if directed
Requires changing bold, italic, underlining and other résumé
features before sending
Résumé may be altered during sending
Consider converting to plain text
Frances T. Applicant567 Any St.
Anytown, OH 12345555-1212 (home), 555-4567 (cell)
Frances T. Applicant567 Any Street
Anytown, Ohio 12345(937) 555-4567
[email protected] Entry | Customer Service
POOR GREAT
Objective Statement:To find a rewarding position that utilizes my strengths and abilities and contributes to the company’s success
Summary of Qualifications:• 5+ years of experience as an Operations
Manager in the Human Resources industry• Effective in restructuring processes and
procedures; reduced operation costs by 33% in first year
• Proficient in setting and administering budgets to meet short/long term goals
Skills:• Project Restructuring• Program Development• Labor Analysis• OSHA Regulations• Industrial Engineering Practices• Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Access
Skills:• Hard worker• Team player• Dedicated• Efficient• Works well independently
Employment History:Costco 1999 – 2005Operations Manager• Supervised staff• Completed new hire paperwork• Distributed team assignments• Completed department paperwork
Employment History:Costco, Chicago, Illinois 5/1999 – 10/2005Operations Manager• Directly trained and managed 5
supervisors, consistently ensured department goals were met
• Increased production by 22% at a cost savings of 50K within first year
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RESOURCES
www.onetonline.org/
www.google.com/
www.greatsampleresume.com/
www.cvwordchecker.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiCSwFE4MlY
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Your introduction to the
organization
Showcases why you are the
right candidate
Personalizes résumé
Allows provision of additional details
regarding job posting specifics
Speaks to other skills that
complement the position
Increases job application
“points”
Benefits of Cover Letters
Introduction
Statement of Qualifications
Request for an Interview
Parts of a Cover Letter
Dear Ms. Styles,
Your posting on CareerBuilder for a Customer Service Representative indicated requirements that closely match my background and expertise. I have attached my résumé which provides a summary of my qualifications for your review.
Throughout my career, I have maintained the highest performance standards within a diverse range of customer service functions which is clearly illustrated by my past successes. As Assistant Manager of Bath and Body Works, I managed the daily operation and payroll for 15+ associates. Some of my other achievements are as follows:
• Provided customers engaging visual presentations and brand presentations which promoted return business;
• Implemented a successful associate monitoring system that tracked and documented associate sales revenue; and
• Performed and monitored administrative and clerical tasks to ensure operational reports were completed as scheduled.
Sincerely,
Danni R. Jobseeker
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Throughout my career, I have maintained the highest performance standards within a diverse range of customer service functions which is clearly illustrated by my past successes. As Assistant Manager of Bath and Body Works, I managed the daily operation and payroll for 15+ associates. Some of my other achievements are as follows:
• Provided customers engaging visual presentations and brand presentations which promoted return business;
• Implemented a successful associate monitoring system that tracked and documented associate sales revenue; and
• Performed and monitored administrative and clerical tasks to ensure operational reports were completed as scheduled.
With excellent organizational and communication skills, outstanding work ethic and the ability to work well in both team-oriented and self-directed environments, I am positioned to exceed your expectations. I will call you next Tuesday to follow up on my application and arrange for an interview. Thank you for your time and consideration.
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Notes
