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Rsum and Cover Letter Writing Workshop for Teachers

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Title: Rsum and Cover Letter Writing Workshop for Teachers


1
Résumé and Cover Letter Writing Workshop for
Teachers
  • Exploratory, Transition, and Career Services (ETC
    Services)
  • College of Education Human Development
  • Jeannie Stumne, Career Counselor
  • stumn001_at_umn.edu
  • 612-625-3339

2
Marketing you!
  • You are writing marketing literature designed to
    sell a new product you into a teaching
    position.
  • The résumé briefly, yet powerfully, communicates
    your skills, qualifications, experience, and the
    value you bring to a employer.
  • The purpose of the résumé is to get an interview!

3
The Strategies
  • Who are you and how do you want to be perceived?
  • Consider type of résumé.
  • Language is important!
  • Sell itdont tell it.
  • Consider categories carefully!
  • Remember visual appeal matters.
  • Be confident.

4
Résumé Strategy 1
  • Who are you and how do you want to be perceived?
  • Self-Assess Identify your career interests,
    goals, and objectives.
  • Type of school, students, mission,
    extracurricular activities, professional
    development
  • These are the foundation for what you will
    include in your résumé, how you will include it,
    and where you will include it.
  • Consider who you are and how you want to be
    perceived.
  • Highlight and emphasize relevant strengths,
    skills, and experiences.
  • Not everything is of equal importance or value.

5
Résumé Strategy 2
  • Consider type of résumé.
  • Chronological
  • Functional
  • Combination
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • See handout for more details

6
Résumé Strategy 3
  • Language is important!
  • Short phrases easy reading
  • Sentence fragments are ok!
  • Writing should flow easily quickly
  • Keep it brief and to the point
  • Dont use responsible for or duties include
  • Write in the first person drop the word I
  • Steer clear of jargon define acronyms

7
Résumé Strategy 4
  • Sell itdont tell it.
  • Tell It simply stating facts
  • Sell It promoting and advertising
  • Tell it Strategy Participated in the
    development of a new curriculum for the English
    department.
  • Sell it Strategy Appointed to a 3-person team
    charged with developing a new English curriculum
    for 2,000 students, and for designing and
    producing all supporting materials.
  • Focus on results accomplishments
  • Quantify and use numbers
  • What was unique about your student teaching
    experience
  • Problem Action Result

8
Action verbs dynamic phrases
  • Use strong action verbs and dynamic phrases
  • See handout
  • Avoid repetition (dont overuse taught)
  • One example
  • I have had the responsibility in April of each
    year for putting together the Washington School
    talent show which earned money for the general
    fund.
  • Instead
  • Created and organized profitable annual school
    talent show

9
Language Samples
  • Student Teacher
  • Highland Park High School, Eagan, MN, March-June
    2005
  • Developed lesson plans taught calculus to 11th
    grade students.
  • Tutored home-bound students, tailoring curriculum
    to meet individual goals.
  • Conducted 35 parent-teacher conferences per
    semester.
  • Integrated technology into routine classroom
    presentation, improving 10th grade British
    Literature test scores and course reviews.
  • Volunteered to advise struggling Highland park
    Math Team, finishing 2nd place at state finals.

10
Résumé Strategy 5
  • Consider categories carefully!
  • Choose flattering categories
  • related vs. relevant experience
  • professional vs. work experience
  • Clump related qualifications
  • Dont have too many categories
  • Honors/awards
  • Use category headings that communicate your
    qualifications be creative! Your experiences
    are unique.

11
Categories cont.
  • Must have categories
  • Personal logo (name, address(es), phone numbers,
    e-mail, Web site)
  • Education and certifications/licensure
  • Teaching experience (work volunteer)
  • Other possible résumé categories
  • objective (optional) skills summary/profile/caree
    r summary
  • special skills (computer/technical) honors
    achievements
  • scholarships awards leadership
  • volunteer professional memberships
  • publications international experience
  • professional development professional interests
  • extracurricular skills/interests professional
    activities
  • coaching experience

12
Objective vs. skill summary
  • Objective Write from the employers perspective
    (this is not what they can do for you). Be
    concise. Specific to field industry, but not to
    job.
  • Desire middle school science teaching position
    with opportunities to enhance learning,
    emotional, and physical health.
  • Skills or Career Summary, profile, professional
    highlights Good alternative to objective. Must
    be specific, weighty, descriptive. NOT as list
    of vague skills.
  • Highly skilled multimedia presenter.
  • Fluent in Italian German.
  • Adept at using Pagemaker, Quark, Flash, and
    Dreamweaver.

13
Résumé Strategy 6
  • Visual appeal matters.
  • White space is critical
  • Be consistent
  • Make information easy to find by defining
    sections and using clear and visible headings
  • Paragraph vs. bulleted format
  • Carefully consider type font, size, and
    enhancements
  • Experiment, try different formats, individualize
  • See résumé design handout

14
Résumé Strategy 7
  • Be Confident
  • Dont overlook any unusual educational
    experiences.
  • You are unique.
  • You are the expert your opinion matters!

15
Résumés in Education
  • Include relevant licensure/certificate
    information.
  • Know your professional culture.
  • Use your resources.
  • More than one page is ok, if needed.
  • Think of WHO is going to be reading your résumé
    and what THEY are most interested in knowing
    about you.
  • Research employer/school district!
  • Student teaching experiences are important.

16
The Fatal Fourteen
  • Avoid the following at all costs
  • Typographical errors
  • Misspellings
  • Poor grammar
  • Lack of focus and direction
  • Wordy blocks of text
  • Reused appearance
  • Handwritten corrections/additions
  • Poor print quality
  • Long, rambling sentences
  • Wrinkles, smudges, and stains
  • Inconsistent format
  • Careless or unusual folding
  • Cramped or crowded appearance

17
Questions on résumés?
18
Get started
  • What are you trying to communicate?
  • Three guiding questions
  • What is the particular employer looking for in
    the dream candidate?
  • What are the 3 to 5 most important aspects of
    your experience that you need to describe based
    on what the employer is looking for?
  • What is your competitive advantage relative to
    other candidates?

19
Your Cover Letter
  • A handshake in the mail.
  • Targets a specific position.
  • Represents you to people youve never met before.
  • Gives a glimpse of your personality.
  • The best cover letters show how your
    qualifications match the needs of the school.

20
Types of Cover Letters
  • Letter of Inquiry
  • Keep it general Dont exclude yourself from an
    opportunity by being too specific
  • Letter of Application
  • Tailor letter to match needs of the organization
  • Thank You
  • Essential after an interview
  • Follow-up
  • Acceptance

21
How to create a cover letter
  • Use customary letter format
  • Your address, date, company address
  • Salutation
  • Intro
  • Body
  • Close
  • Enclosures

22
The Salutation
  • Do your best to address the letter to a SPECIFIC
    person
  • Be polite (spell the name correctly) Dear Ms.
    Tillmon, Dr. Smith, Mr. Ruiz
  • If you absolutely cannot track down the persons
    name use hiring manager or recruiter
  • NOT sir or madam
  • NOT To Whom it may concern

23
The Introduction
  • What are you applying for?
  • How did you learn about the position?
  • Mention any personal contacts with hiring manager
    or organization
  • Indicate your general qualifications for the job

24
Introduction Samples
  • Letter of application
  • The position of , outlined in your
    advertisement on January 15, 2007, matches my
    career interests and is strongly compatible with
    my skills and experience.
  • I recently learned from Principal Mills of
    Central High School that you have a vacancy for
    high school science teacher with a strong
    background in the physical sciences. This is
    precisely the kind of assignment for which my
    education and experience have prepared me. I
    would like to be considered a candidate for this
    position.
  • I noted, with great interest, your posting on
    the information board at _____. My talents
    match well with this position and I am confident
    I would be a good fit for your organization.

25
The Body
  • State your strengths accomplishments as they
    relate to the needs of the school and position.
  • How are you a good fit for the organization?
  • Why this organization?
  • Show your knowledge of the employer.
  • How do you qualify for the position?
  • Be SURE to address specific qualifications
    mentioned in the ad (if no ad, investigate)
  • Highlight and expand on most relevant and
    important points of résumé
  • How can YOU help THEM!
  • Be specific and use examples.
  • Third paragraph is where you can highlight
    outstanding skills or knowledge that sets you
    apart.

26
For Example
  • Throughout my student teaching and field
    experience, I have worked
  • with students from various k-12 levels.
    Specifically, I have provided
  • individual, small-group, and whole class
    instruction to students with
  • learning and physical disabilities. I value
    individuality, and strive to
  • meet the needs of each student by using a variety
    of hands-on
  • activities and teaching strategies. I recognize
    the importance of trust,
  • and have successfully established relationships
    with students resulting
  • in a safe, yet challenging, learning environment.

27
The Closing
  • Request specific follow-up, generally an
    interview.
  • Include contact information
  • Point the reader to your résumé
  • Request information about additional application
    procedures
  • Thank the reader for his/her time and
    consideration

28
Closing Samples
  • I look forward to meeting with you to discuss
    opportunities within your district. I will call
    during the early part of next week to arrange an
    interview and discuss my possible involvement
    with the St. Paul Schools. I appreciate your
    consideration.
  • You may learn more about my qualifications
    immediately on my enclosed résumé. Please
    contact me with any additional questions or to
    schedule an interview. You may reach me at
    612.555.1234 or dankelley_at_umn.edu. Thank you for
    your time and consideration.

29
Enclosures
  • ALWAYS enclose a résumé
  • In general, it is best to include a writing
    sample only if requested
  • Be sure to include all information requested by
    the hiring manager
  • Inform the reader of the enclosures by
  • Enclosures résumé, references (5)

30
Helpful Tips
  • Look at samples!
  • Proofread, proofread, proofread
  • Use 10-14 pt font
  • 1 page limit
  • Match résumé styles personal logo, paper, and
    font
  • Never send a résumé without a cover letter
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