Title: creating a powerful resume
1creating a powerful resume Cover LetterMGT
3213 org. communication
- Mississippi State University
- College of Business
2- Your resume is the most financially important
document you will ever own.
3How much time does an employer spend looking at
your resume?
- Fifteen minutes
- Five minutes
- One minute
- Thirty seconds
4Do you have a shot?
- As a rule of thumb, you need to have at least 70
of the jobs listed requirements to even be
seriously considered for the job. - Dont have 70?
- How big is the company? Who is doing the hiring?
- The bigger the company, the more formal the
hiring process, the more rigid they will be
regarding listed requirements. - Hiring processes run by HR departments or
staffing agencies may be more picky.
5Standard Résumé Parts
6The customer is always right
- Who is the customer for your resume?
- A list of achievements and accomplishments what
you think is important. - How do you ensure your resume delivers what the
customer wants? - The job posting/job description.
- Tailored resumes always win over generic resumes.
7So should I have more than one resume?
- Do you need more than one resume?
- Probably.
- What job titles/positions are you applying for?
- Applying for only one position you only really
need one resume. - BUT you still need to TAILOR it to the companys
job posting. - More than one job/position? Youll need separate
resumes that better highlight the different skill
sets required for each.
8Choosing a Format
- Chronological
- Functional
- Chrono-functional
9Use Chronological Format
- You have a strong, stable work history
- Your job titles match the skills required for the
desired job
10Use Functional Format
- You have held many jobs
- You have minor gaps in employment
- Re-entering the job market after a prolonged
absence - Past work history and job titles arent related
to desired job - Weak job titles
- Too little job experience
11Creating a Functional Resume
- Step 1
- List all skills for each position youve held
- Step 2
- Re-label skills with skill headings
12Step 1 List all Skills Step 2 Re-label With Skill Headings
Kids R Us, Head Cashier
Manage workstations and balancing tills Retail Sales Management
Train and oversee retail sales cashiers Staff supervision/training
Operate register, greet and assist customers Customer Service
Stocking/inventory Inventory Control/ Tracking
Increase revenues with add-on sales History of Increased Sales
Supervise opening closing Opening Closing Operations
Problem-solving/dealing with irate customers Customer Service/Problem Solving
13Creating a Functional Resume
- Step 3
- Analyze a job posting for the required skills
- Step 4
- Select skill headings that match the job
description - Step 5
- Describe each skill heading
14Analyzing a Job Posting
- Barnes Noble needs outgoing, customer-oriented
sales staff for management positions. Must have
professional appearance with at least 12 months
retail supervisory experience. Qualified
applicants will have experience managing all
areas of customer service, overseeing multiple
cashiering/workstations, opening and closing
procedures, possess knowledge of retail
accounting/inventory tracking systems. - Please send resume to
15- Retail Sales Management
- Staff Supervision/Training
- Supervised and trained over 40 managers and
customer service staff in sales, cashiering, and
inventory control as head cashier. - Oversaw operations for new facility, audit, and
daily cash reports. - Coordinated performance evaluations with
regional managers.
16Detailing Your Experience
- Job duties tell the employer what you did
- Accomplishments show how well you did them
- Think time, money, results
17Which description is more impressive?
- Assisted with all accounting duties from general
ledger to financial statements. - Maintained over 2,000 A/R and A/P accounts
including preparation of financial statements for
firm with annual revenues in excess of 140
million.
18Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 1 Whom did you work for or with? Will
mentioning them strengthen your image?
19- BEFORERetail Sales Clerk
- Traveled throughout 12 stores, cashiering,
dealing with customers, and solving problems. - AFTER
- Customer Service/Regional Support
- Worked directly with Regional Manager, traveling
to up to 12 stores to audit store procedures. - Dealt with up to 200 customers, accounting for
up to 20,000 daily.
20Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 2 Will describing the size of the
department strengthen your image?
21- BEFORE
- Accounting Assistant
- Assisted with all accounting duties from general
ledger to financial statements. - AFTER
- A/R and A/P Management
- Maintained over 2,000 A/R and A/P accounts
including preparation of financial statements for
firm with annual revenues in excess of 140
million.
22Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 3 Will using numbers to describe your
responsibilities strengthen your image?
23- BEFORE
- Outside Sales Representative
- Market to established accounts and cold call
prospective accounts to sell exterior building
products. - AFTER
- Territory/Key Account Management
- Manage a five-state territory composed of 125 key
accounts generating revenues of 2.5 million
annually.
24Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 4 Did you create, reorganize,
conceive, or establish any procedures or systems?
25- BEFORE
- Floor Supervisor
- Oversaw retailing space, displays, and use of
schematics. Supervised, scheduled and trained
staff. - AFTER
- Operations Design/
- Departmental Management
- Managed operations for 100,000-square-foot
facility with sales of 24 million annually. - Increased annual sales by 15 by designing
schematic systems that were implemented in 15
departments.
26Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 5 Have you increased productivity,
saved money, or reduced labor?
27- BEFORE
- Developed new bulk-mail processing forms that
reduced number of forms to be completed by
public. - AFTER
- Developed new bulk-mail permit forms that reduced
number of required forms from 3 to 1. - System was implemented in 1,500 offices with
estimated paper and labor savings of 250,000
annually.
28Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 6 Did you have responsibility for
special projects? If so, how large were they? - Purchased and managed implementation of a
200,000 computer system installed in 10
divisions.
29Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 7 Have you been complimented for
special talents? - Recognized by management for increasing
profitability by 9 within a one-year period of
being hired.
30Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 8 Do you have technical or special
skills relevant to the desired job?
31- Human Resources Assistant
- March 2003 August 2003
- People For People Yakima, Washington
- Acted as the sole human resource representative
while HR manager was out on FMLA leave, providing
benefits administration for 200 employees.
Coordinated a random drug- and alcohol-testing
program in compliance with FTA DOT mandates. - Developed policies and programs in compliance
with federal and state laws. - Maintained personnel files in an HRIS
(Microsofts Solomon).
32Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 9 Do you have experience training or
supervising staff? If so, how many? - Trained and supervised over 200 sales and
customer service staff working three shifts in
two locations.
33Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 10 Have you received promotions that
demonstrate achievement? - Within six months of hire was given full
responsibility for customer and vendor account
processing.
34Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 11 Have you received any awards or
certificates that relate to your desired job? - Completed ATTs Management Program selected as
1 of 3 candidates from three divisions of 400
staff.
35Twelve Questions to Ask Next
- Question 12 Have you identified the top five
skill requirements for the position you want? - MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF!!
- Make sure your resume reflects evidence of these
skills!
36Use Action Verbs
- Managing Editor, The Reflector
- Supervised a staff of 35 people, maintaining the
lowest turnover rate in five years. - Coordinated editorial and art production
schedules, oversee budget, recommend cost-
cutting procedures to campus advisor. - Developed a training program for new employees
resulting in increased productivity. - Wrote an orientation handbook.
- Initiated an on-campus recruitment program which
generated 40 more applicants.
37Top Twenty Non-Technical Competencies Employers Look for in Job Candidates Top Twenty Non-Technical Competencies Employers Look for in Job Candidates
1) Communication Skills (verbal and written) 11) Leadership Skills
2) Honesty/Integrity 12) Organizational Skills
3) Interpersonal Skills (relates well to others) 13) Self-Confidence
4) Motivation/Initiative 14) Friendly/Outgoing Personality
5) Strong Work Ethic 15) Tactfulness
6) Teamwork Skills (works well with others) 16) Well Mannered/Polite
7) Analytical Skills 17) Creativity
8) Flexibility/Adaptability 18) GPA (3.0 or better)
9) Computer Skills 19) Entrepreneurial Skills
10) Detail Oriented 20) Sense of Humor
38Writing a Powerful Objective
- Remember your audience!
- Biggest turnoff? A selfish objective.
- Dont describe what you wantdescribe what you
can offer the company - Avoid general statements
- Avoid
- To gain experience in accounts payable.
- A position in marketing with promotion
opportunities.
39- Seek a challenging position with opportunity for
advancement. (selfish!) - Seek a position using my people skills. (better)
- Seek a position utilizing over five years of
customer service experience managing 300 customer
accounts with proven ability to interface with a
diverse customer base and resolve problems.
(best!)
40How long should your resume be?
- No longer than one page
- Up to two pages
- As long as you need to cover your work history
41How much work history should you list?
- All the jobs Ive ever worked
- Only the jobs that are in the same field as the
job Im applying for
42Other Considerations
- Listing colleges attended
- GPAif 3.0 or higher
- Dates
- Is your e-mail address professional?
- References
43Other Considerations
- What about keywords?
- Do not include in a big list or keywords
section - Include them in the descriptions of your
accomplishments in your work experience section - Where do you find them? How do you know which key
words to use? - The job posting!
44Other Considerations
- Layout and design
- Ensure that section headings clearly stand out
(use bold, larger font size, underline) - Ensure that font size isnt too small to read
easily - There should be plenty of white space
- You should evenly fill the page (dont leave a
large gap at the bottom of the page) - Pick a layout that is easily scanned (no
paragraphs)
45Things to Leave off Your Resume
- Your picture (unless they request one)
- Interests and hobbies
- Personal attributes (height, weight, race,
religion) - Negativity
- Flair
- A selfish objective
- Spelling mistakes and grammar errors
- http//blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/07/i_wont_hire_people
_who_use_poo.html
46Lying on a Resume
- ResumeDoctor.com fact-checked 1,000 resumes
- 42 contained significant errors
- Common lies?
- Reporting staying at jobs longer than they really
did. - Inflating job titles
- Saying they earned degrees when they were a
couple of semesters short.
47Can You Get Away With It?
- http//abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id4817202
48Famous Examples
- RadioShack CEO David Edmondson resigned
- Star-Telegram of Fort Worth, Texas, reported he
had lied on his resume - Marilee Jones, dean of admissions at MIT
- Hired in 1979
- When she was promoted to the deanship in 1997,
she "did not have the courage to correct my
résumé," she wrote.
49Famous Examples
- George OLeary, resigned five days after being
hired as Notre Dame football coach (2001) - http//sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/
news/2001/12/14/oleary_notredame/null
50Cover Letter Techniques
- Opening Paragraph Why you are writing.
- State why you are writing. Name the position or
type of position for which you are applying. - Mention how you learned of the position.
- Mention the name of any referring person.
- Briefly describe why you are interested in this
particular position.
51Cover Letter Techniques
- Be straightforward, dont use flashy gimmicks
- If youre looking for a top salesman who can
double your sales, Im the one to call. - People often tell me that Im the best manager
theyve ever hired. - Need a secretary who can handle pressure, solve
problems, and manage details? If so, put my 10
years experience to work in your office.
52Cover Letter Techniques
- Body of the Letter Sell yourself.
- Briefly describe the skills and/or experiences
you possess that fit the requirements of the
position. - If you have related experiences, mention your
qualifications and achievements. - Provide more detail than your resume will allow.
- Mention personal qualities or special experiences
and motivators.
53Transitional Phrases
- As a ________, I have established a proven
history of . - My background demonstrates an ability to .
- As a _________, I was responsible for .
- During my employment with _______, I ..
54Cover Letter Techniques
- Closing Paragraph Request an interview.
- Confidently, but politely, indicate your desire
to further discuss your qualifications in an
interview. - Make it easy for the reader to contact you by
providing your phone number(s), email, and the
best time to reach you. - Thank the contact person for his or her time and
consideration.
55Example
- I am very interested in this position and look
forward to scheduling an interview. If you have
any questions, please contact me at (555)
555-5555. Thank you for your time and
consideration.
56Cover Letter Techniques
- Use the job description as a CHEAT sheet!
- Provide specific evidence of your skills
- Always address the letter to a person
- AVOID to whom it may concern
- Make sure the cover letter expresses your
enthusiasm for the position and employer!
57What Not to Write in Your Cover Letter
- I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive
experience. - Its best for employers that I not work with
people. - Lets meet, so you can ooh and aah over my
experience. - I procrastinate, especially when the task is
unpleasant. - Reason for leaving last job They insisted all
employees get to work by 845 a.m. every morning.
I couldnt work under those conditions. - The company made me a scapegoat, just like my
three previous employers.
58Example
- Dear Ms. RobertsYour advertisement for
software engineers in the January issue of the
IEEE Spectrum caught my attention. I was drawn to
the ad by my strong interest in both software
design and Database.I have worked with a CALMA
system in developing VLSI circuits, and I also
have substantial experience in the design of
interactive CAD software. Because of this
experience, I can make a direct and immediate
contribution to your department. - I would like very much to meet with you to
discuss your open positions for software
engineers. If you wish to arrange an interview,
please contact me at the above address or by
telephone at (518) 271-9999. - Thank you for your time and consideration.
59Supplementing a Résumé
A professional portfolio . . .
- Illustrates past activities, projects, and
accomplishments - Can be easier to organize and transport if
presented digitally - Must show clear understanding of audiences needs
and your qualifications
60Examples
- http//douggarciadesign.com/
- http//jaciemoriyama.com/index.html
- http//www.brsarchitects.com/portfolio.php
- http//myweb.wit.edu/petrovicd/networking.htm
61Your Online Image
- What results come up when you Google your name?
- Would you want an employer to see your Facebook
page? - 45 of employers reported using social networking
sites for screening job candidates (June 2009) - Up from only 22 in 2008
62Reasons for RejectingPotential Candidates
- Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate
photos or info (53) - Candidate posted content about drinking or using
drugs (44) - Candidate bad-mouthed previous employer,
co-workers, or clients (35) - Candidate showed poor communication skills (29)
- Candidate made discriminatory comments (26)
- Candidate lied about qualifications (24)
- Candidate shared confidential information from
previous employer (20)
63Reasons for HiringPotential Candidates
- Profile confirmed that candidates personality a
good fit with org. (39) - Profile confirmed candidates professional
qualifications (39) - Candidate was creative (38)
- Candidate showed solid communication skills (35)
- Candidate was well-rounded (33)
- Other people posted good references about the
candidate (19)
64Some Tips
- Clean up your digital dirt before you begin your
job search. - Keep gripes offline.
- Be selective about who you accept as friends.
- If youre still employed, dont mention your job
search online.
65What not to do
- Connor Riley, 22 yr old Masters student tweeted
- "Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh
the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily
commute to San Jose and hating my work." - But someone from Cisco was paying attention and
wrote back, "who is the hiring manager. I'm sure
they would love to know that you will hate the
work. We here at Cisco are well versed in the
Web."