Resume, Cover Letter and Interviewing Tips

• Application Tutorial
• Cover Letter Tips
• Resume Tips
• Interview Tips

For additional information, sample letters, sample resumes and interview questions visit http://www.jobweb.com/Resumes_Interviews/default.htm

Cover Letters

The cover letter is a chance for you to tell the unit what makes you uniquely qualified to be the best candidate. The cover letter should be brief and to the point and include the following:

• State the job you are applying for and how you learned about it.
• Specifically and concisely, state your qualifications for the job by:
  • Expanding the most relevant qualifications in your resume, and
  • Emphasizing the most important point of your resume.
• Request an interview.
• Thank your reader and express your willingness to supply further information.

Resume Tips

Your resume communicates your job experience, skills, abilities and accomplishments. Your resume should include the following information in a format that best fits your experience for the position you are applying:

Name, address, telephone, e-mail address, web site address

All your contact information should go at the top of your resume.

• Avoid nicknames.
• Use a permanent address. Use your parents' address, a friend's address, or the address you plan to use after graduation.
• Use a permanent telephone number and include the area code. If you have an answering machine, record a neutral greeting.
• Add your e-mail address. Many employers will find it useful. (Note: Choose an e-mail address that sounds professional.)
• Include your web site address only if the web page reflects your professional ambitions.

Objective or Summary

An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you're hoping to do.

• Be specific about the job you want. For example: To obtain an entry-level position within a financial unit requiring strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Tailor your objective to each position you seek.

Education

New graduates without a lot of work experience should list their educational information first. Alumni can list it after the work experience section.

• List your most recent educational information first.
• Include your degree (A.S., B.S., B.A., etc.), major, institution attended, minor/concentration. Include expected graduation date if currently enrolled.
• Add your grade point average (GPA).
• Mention academic honors.

Work Experience

Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills. Use action words to describe your job duties. Include your work experience in reverse chronological order-that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first, relevant job. Include:

• Title of position.
• Name of organization.
• Location of work (town, state, country).
• Dates of employment.
• Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills, transferable skills and achievements.
• List accomplishments for each position or as a separate section.

Other Information

You may also wish to include additional information in your resume such as:

• Key or special competencies such as computer skills, time management, problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Committee and special project involvements.
• Leadership experience in volunteer organizations.
• Extracurricular activities.

References

Do not include your reference information on your resume. Note at the bottom of your resume: "References furnished upon request."

Confirm with people to serve as references prior to giving their names to a potential employer.

Proof Reading your Resume Content and Design

You've written your resume. Now its time to make sure your resume is error free, clear and easy to read:

• Run a spell check on your computer before anyone sees your resume.
• Get a friend (an English major would do nicely) to do a grammar review.
• Ask another friend to proofread. The more people who see your resume, the more likely that misspelled words and awkward phrases will be seen and corrected.
• Use a font size of 10 to 14 points.
• Use easy to read typefaces.
• Choose one typeface and stick to it.
• Confine your information to one or two pages.
• Tailor your information to the job you're seeking

Interviewing Tips

Steps to Prepare for a Successful Interview

• Anticipate questions that may be asked and practice giving answers which are brief but thorough.
• Know your skills, abilities, and education as they relate to the type of job you are seeking.
• Make sure your appearance is neat and generally well groomed.
• Know as much as you can about the job you are applying for before the interview.

Steps for the day of the interview:

• Arrive on time.
• Introduce yourself in a courteous manner.
• Read company materials while you wait.
• Have a firm handshake.
• Listen.
• Use body language to show interest.
• Smile, nod, and give nonverbal feedback to the interviewer.
• Ask about the next step in the process.
• Thank the interviewer.
• Write a thank-you letter to anyone you have spoken to.

Interview dos and don'ts

DO:

• Be sincere and direct
• Be attentive and polite
• Ask relevant questions
• Answer questions concisely
• Use specific examples to illustrate points

DON'T:

• Try to control the entire interview
• Bring up salary, benefits or working hours
• Be too serious
• Let your depression or discouragement show
• Look at your watch
• Take extensive notes