ProfessionalBooklet

The

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

RESUMES

Purpose of a Resume 1

How to Get Started 2

Five Proven Resume Rules 2

Contact Information 5

Objectives 5

Profile 5

Education 5

Work Experience 6

Technology Skills 7

Action Verbs 8

Accreditation 9

Sample Resume 10

Resume Worksheet

COVER LETTERS

Writing a Cover Letter 11

Elements of a Cover Letter 12

Sample Cover Letter 13

REFERENCES

Writing a Reference Sheet 14

Sample Reference Sheet 15

THANK YOU LETTERS

Writing a Thank You Letter 16

Sample Thank You Letter 17

Roger Williams Career Center Third Edition October 2011

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INTRODUCTION

Looking for a summer job?

Exploring co-op/internship opportunities?

Searching for your first professional experience?

Applying to graduate school?

Seeking a campus leadership position?

Changing careers? If you answered ―yes‖ to one or more of the preceding questions, congratulations! You need a current resume and other job search documents. This guide will get you started. And if you need assistance, the Roger Williams University Career Center can help you further:

Make an appointment to discuss your resume with a staff member by stopping by the center or calling (401) 254-3224.

Visit the Career Center to check out the resources available to students and alumni. There is lots of information on a large variety of topics.

Go to our Web site at careercenter.rwu.edu to learn about all of the resources the Career Center offers.

Register with HAWK’S HUNT to take advantage of the many workshops and services offered.

Become a Facebook Fan of the Career Center. Purpose of a Resume A resume is your marketing tool that presents and sells your most relevant and positive abilities. While a resume by itself will not earn you a job or acceptance to graduate school, it acts as your personal advertisement and will go a long way in helping you get that all-important interview. Your resume is not just a piece of paper listing jobs and skills that you throw together when looking for a job. On average, an employer spends just 20 to 30 seconds reviewing each resume, and you’re likely competing with other well-qualified candidates. So your content must be clear, concise and targeted to the type of opportunity you are seeking. Is There a “Roger Williams Way” to Write My Resume? There is no single best way to write a resume. Libraries, bookstores and the Internet are filled with resume guides. Check them closely, and you’ll notice that many of these resources provide conflicting advice. The majority of resume experts agree, however, on selected fundamental principles and definite incorrect ways. This handout will describe these dos and don’ts. Take time to review examples of resumes – either from the Career Center’s collection or from other

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resume resources. Make an educated decision on which format or style would work best for you. Once you’ve completed a first draft, ask others to review your resume (e.g., Career Center staff or someone who works in your selected field). But just as the print and Internet resources offer conflicting advice, your reviewers may also provide differing opinions. Be open to feedback, but remember—your resume is your story. Take the advice that you want and leave the rest. You’re the editor, so you make the final decisions on content and format. HOW TO GET STARTED As with any writing assignment, the most challenging part in creating an effective resume is getting started. Consider these tips:

Sit down with a notebook or at your computer and just start writing. Do a brain dump! Write down everything you have ever done. Resist the urge to edit. Use the Resume Worksheet in this booklet.

Form your thoughts into a rough draft. Don’t worry about the length—right now it’s important to get all the information about you on paper.

Start to edit. Include the information most relevant to the internship or job you are hoping to obtain.

Review the resume samples that the Career Center provides to determine which ones could best present your story.

Ensure that you incorporate all of the critical elements of an effective resume. Use the checklist at the end of this booklet. And if you still have questions, come in and see a Career Center staff member.

Edit for content and proofread for errors multiple times.

Seek feedback on your resume draft. Make an appointment at the Career Center or come in during walk-ins. And ask three or four other people (faculty members, colleagues, friends, family members) for feedback.

Continue to edit and proofread after each change.

Print your resume on high-quality paper. FIVE PROVEN RESUME RULES

Most ―hiring‖ experts (including us at the Career Center) agree on the following five rules:

1. Create a Professional Document Your resume is your introduction to the employer and provides an example of the quality of work you will produce. Proofread your resume—not just once or twice, but repeatedly—for typographical, spelling and grammatical errors. (Do not rely solely on spell check.) Then ask three to five others to review your resume for errors and to critique your terminology and tone.

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Choose a high-quality paper (try bond grade) in white, ivory or a very light gray. Your cover letter should be on the same color and quality paper.

Select easy-to-read font styles such as Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana,

Tahoma, Garamond, Century Schoolbook.

Be consistent in selecting your headings, fonts, placement of dates and job titles.

Print your resume with good equipment—poor-quality printing (smudged or faint text) will discourage any reader.

2. Select a Resume Format that Best Fits You and is Easy to Read

As you review resume samples, you will see that there are endless resume formats. So how do you choose one? Start by finalizing your text, and then decide on the appropriate format. And take these don’ts very seriously:

DON’TS WHY

Don’t take an existing format (including the resume templates in various software programs) and push your life into it.

When you finish writing your text, the format that best fits your experiences will become more apparent. Resume templates are overused and will not allow your resume to stand out.

Don’t expect readers to struggle through long paragraphs.

Using two or three shorter paragraphs or inserting bullets showcases your experience more effectively.

Don’t overdo bold and italic type. Excessive use of either enhancement defeats the purpose. If half the page is bold, nothing will stand out!

Don’t use a font type smaller than 10-point.

You do not want the reader to resort to using a magnifying glass.

Don’t clutter your resume. Use white space. Let your document breathe so readers can easily pick out your skills and achievements.

3. Boost Your Abilities but Tell the Truth Do not mislead the reader on your resume. Inflating your GPA, inventing academic degrees, and concocting job titles or accomplishments are not risk-free. Employers do verify these facts. Discrepancies do catch up to candidates and employees; they can jeopardize a possible job offer or can even lead to a termination.

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Be accurate with your degree information. Here’s how:

Cite the correct name of your degree (i.e., Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts) and title of your major as outlined in the Roger Williams University Catalog.

Select the correct degree if you have a double major and each of these majors awards a different baccalaureate degree. According to the University Catalog, your first declared major will determine your degree.

Insert both the month and year your degree was or will be awarded.

4. Document Your Skills and Achievements Your resume is not a summary of everything you have ever done, nor is it a job description. Your resume should:

Highlight your achievements and skills

Be tailored to the specific job posting or graduate school program Customize your resume by using keywords or functions familiar to your prospective profession or industry. Typically, effective keywords are nouns that an employer would use to find a match for a job opening.

5. Showcase Your Strong Points First For recent graduates or students seeking an internship, your strongest selling point right now is your education. Therefore, those details should be placed at the top of the resume. As you proceed in your career, your education will move toward the end of your resume. For work experiences, place them in reverse chronological order (most recent first). If you have work experiences that relate directly to the position you are seeking but these experiences are not your most recent, consider creating two sections with specific headings: Related Work Experiences and then Other Work Experiences. By doing this, the reader will see the relevant experiences and skills first. RESUME SECTIONS/ELEMENTS Use headings to organize your experiences and accomplishments to help employers find information quickly. Possible headings to use:

Possible Headings Other Name Variations of this heading or subheadings within this category

Career Objective Career Target

Profile Summary, Qualifications

Education Leadership Activities, Awards, Certifications, Publications

Work Experience Professional Experience, Related Work Experience

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Technology Skills Other Skills, Language Skills

CONTACT INFORMATION

The information at the top of your resume lets the recruiter, hiring manager or admissions director know who you are and where you can be reached. Your contact information should include your address, phone number and e-mail address. Roughly, this section resembles professional letterhead.

Resumes are formal documents, so don’t use abbreviations, except for state abbreviations. These are always two capital letters with no punctuation. For a complete list, check with the U.S. Postal Services Web site at www.usps.com.

Your e-mail address should be professional. Use a combination of your first name and last name or first initial and last name (e.g., bburns@gmail.com). E-mail addresses like these—toohottohandle@hotmail.com or punk4life@aol.com—may not inspire great confidence in an employer.

JOB OBJECTIVE OR CAREER OBJECTIVE (OPTIONAL) A job objective is a brief statement of the type of position you seek and where you would like to do this work. Including this element in your resume is optional. If you are not sure if you want to include an objective on your resume, talk with a Career Center staff member. If you choose to use a job objective, use a concise statement that describes the position you are seeking. The objective can be the job title. The two most common mistakes people make in their objective statements are excessive length and excessive generalities. PROFILE OR SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS (OPTIONAL) The summary highlights those skills and experiences that relate to the specific position to which you’re applying. Consider this section a personalized advertisement to encourage the evaluator to continue reading. Like the job/career objective, this element is optional, especially for college students or recent graduates. EDUCATION Here, you should list the following: (1) institutions attended, with locations; (2) study abroad experiences; (3) degrees earned and dates received; (4) major and core concentration. Begin with the most recent degree received or in progress. For college students and recent graduates, many experts recommend your GPA be included if it is 3.0 or higher. Dean’s list, honor societies and academic awards can also be incorporated into the education section. If you want multiple awards and recognitions to stand out, consider creating a special subsection under Education.

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Do not include your high school unless it a highly recognized and/or could be a good networking connection. The exceptions, however, are for first- and second-year college students seeking jobs or internships and teacher candidates who are applying to their alma mater. Finally, if you would like to highlight specific coursework that relates to the position, use a Related Courses section within the Education category. For example, if you’re applying for a business manager position that requires knowledge of accounting practices, highlight the accounting courses you took. Do not, however, list courses that are obvious, such as introductory classes. Example Roger Williams University Bristol, RI Bachelor of Science May 2011 Major: Criminal Justice Minor: Psychology GPA: 3.62 Consistently awarded Dean’s List Nominated and honored in Who’s Who Among Student Leaders WORK EXPERIENCE This section can include all your experiences—both paid and unpaid. Examples include:

Part-time work Full-time work

Summer jobs Work-study positions

Co-ops/internships University leadership experiences

Volunteer activities

Start with your most recent experience. For each experience, provide the position you held (i.e., job title), name of the organization, city and state of its location and the dates of your involvement (months and years only, not the actual date). You do not have to include every experience you have had; instead, list only those that demonstrate the experience needed to succeed in the position you are pursuing. Do include leadership positions, community service experiences and summer jobs. These experiences instill skills that can be transferred to professional positions, and employers recognize this. Example Public Relations Intern Summer 2010 Ailbe Marketing Group, Warren, RI Analyze your accomplishments from each experience, and write skill-based statements. Do not just write a job description or a list of your responsibilities. Describe what you did

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(skills), why you did it (purpose) and what you achieved (results). This will give you an accomplishment-driven resume—a very powerful tool. Consider the following tips for creating effective statements:

Introduce each statement with an action. And avoid repetition by using variety of action words.

Prioritize information and select only what is most significant and relevant.

Describe the work environment concisely so the reader will have a fuller picture of your experience. (E.g., ―managed a busy food and beverage concession that served approximately 200 performing arts event patrons each evening.‖)

Use the first person, but omit the pronoun ―I.‖

Use active versions, not passive.

Add qualitative and/or quantitative details (or what we call ―spark‖). ―Efficiently handled cash receipts of approximately $800 per shift,‖ has a bigger impact than, ―waited tables.‖

Use clear, concise language.

Avoid using terms such as ―responsible for‖ or ―duties included‖

Example A Achieved the highest monthly sales award within two months of starting the position.

Example B Promoted a safe and positive living environment for 50 university residents by planning and conducting monthly educational and social events.

Example C Designed a market survey that was distributed to more than 1000 households and analyzed responses to create a new store marketing plan. TECHNOLOGY SKILLS In today’s job market, employers want details on the depth of your computer skills. Use different skill levels (i.e., proficient, familiar with) to list programs that you are familiar with and programs you can use with confidence. List specific names for particular software applications. Do not bundle software into ―suites‖ since you cannot be sure that the reader will know what is actually in the ―suite‖ and may be looking for a specific word, like ―Access.‖

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SAMPLE ACTION VERB LIST Use action words like these to describe your experience and accomplishments:

Management/ Leadership Skills

Communication Skills

Computer/ Technical

Skills

Financial/ Mathematical

Skills administered reorganized accounted interviewed adapted accounted

analyzed replaced addressed inventoried applied adjusted

appointed reviewed advertised involved assembled administered

approved scheduled advised joined built allocated

attained secured arbitrated judged calculated analyzed

authorized selected articulated lectured computed appraised

considered streamlined assisted listened conserved articulated

consolidated supervised authored marketed constructed assessed

contracted terminated clarified mediated converted audited

controlled coached moderated debugged authored

converted communicated negotiated designed balanced

coordinated composed observed determined budgeted

decided condensed outlined developed calculated

delegated conferred participated engineered charted

developed consulted persuaded fabricated classified

directed contacted presented installed compared

eliminated conveyed promoted maintained computed

emphasized convinced proposed operated conserved

enforced corresponded publicized overhauled consolidated

enhanced coordinated reconciled printed corrected

established counseled recruited programmed determined

generated debated referred rectified developed

handled defined reinforced regulated entered

headed demonstrated reported remodeled estimated

hired described resolved repaired evaluated

hosted developed responded replaced filed

improved directed solicited restored financed

incorporated discussed spoke solved forecasted

increased disciplined suggested specialized logged

initiated drafted summarized standardized managed

inspected edited surveyed studied marketed

instituted elected synthesized upgraded measured

led elicited translated utilized planned

managed enlisted transported prepared

merged entertained tutored programmed

motivated explained wrote projected

organized expressed published

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Accreditation Regional accreditation ensures your academic program meets the same high standards for educational quality and rigor required of premier colleges and universities nationwide. Oftentimes, employers want to verify the accreditation of a college or university before they will pay for tuition or fees as part of a company-sponsored benefits program.

Roger Williams University The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education accredits Roger Williams University. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) accredits the Bachelor of Architecture. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredits the Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Business Management, Economics, Financial Services, International Business and Marketing programs. The American Chemical Society (ACS) accredits the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) approves the Elementary Education Program and the Secondary Education Program. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits the Engineering Program and the Environmental Engineering Program. The American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) accredits the Construction Management Program. The American Bar Association (ABA) approves the Paralegal Studies Program. The academic programs of the School of Justice Studies have been peer reviewed by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). The American Bar Association (ABA) approves the Law program.

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Ima Builder 100 Laurel Ave.

Hartford, CT (860)379-0000

Ibuilder013@g.rwu.edu

SUMMARY: Academically successful master’s degree recipient in Architecture with

international and domestic education and experience owning and operating an independent business.

EDUCATION: Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI May 2010 Bachelor of Science in Architecture/Master of Architecture GPA: 3.75/4.0 STUDY FLORENCE, ITALY Spring 2010 ABROAD: • Art and Architecture History in Context: Masters and Monuments of Florence • Advanced Architectural Design Studio • Italian Emigration to the United States • History and Politics of the Development of the European Union HONORS/ • Achieve Dean’s List status consistently AWARDS: • Recipient of the William Gilbert Scholastic Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement in high school • Recipient of the Daughter’s of the American Revolution Scholarship awarded to a descendent of a Revolutionary War veteran • Recipient of the Roger Williams University Scholarship for academic achievement WORK Ima Builder Lawn Maintenance, Winsted, CT Summers 2008-present EXPERIENCE: • Built thriving lawn care business by marketing business to neighbors • Increase revenue annually by 12% and doubled sales since 2008 • Suggest lawn improvements to customers, increasing customer satisfaction and services provided SKILLS: • AutoCAD • Word • Excel

• Conversational Italian

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Writing a Cover Letter

Introduction There are at least four good reasons to write a cover letter:

1. To inform the reader why you are writing. The reader needs to know for which position you wish to be considered.

2. To demonstrate your writing and communication skills. 3. To highlight aspects of your background. Expand upon your resume! Give

concrete examples of your skills and experience and match them to the qualifications of the position or the needs of the employer.

4. To stimulate interest in you and your resume and to underscore your interest in the job.

Format

Use a standard business letter format.

The cover letter should be printed on the same paper that your resume and your reference list is printed on.

Whenever possible, address your cover letter to a specific person. While someone in Human Resources generally does the screening of resumes, they do not usually make the hiring decision without the input of the hiring manager. When possible, send your resume to both Human Resources and the hiring manager.

Tips

If at all possible, address your cover letter to a person. If you are unsure of the gender of the person, use their full name with no Ms. or Mr. beforehand. If you do not know the name of the individual, address the cover letter to their title or simply ―Dear Recruiter.‖

Don’t be afraid to get a little creative but always be professional. You want your cover letter to stand out (in a tasteful, positive way!) amongst all of the others that have also been received.

Your cover letter is an opportunity to let your personality show. These people may be working with you every day, give them an idea of what you are really like.

Prepare each cover letter individually! Closely follow the requirements and directions of the job advertisement and show that you are aware of the needs of that employer.

ALWAYS proofread your letters. Then, have someone else proofread them. There is no excuse for mistakes in a cover letter.

You may want to create a letterhead for yourself using your name and contact information. This way, every document you send the organization has your ―logo‖ at the top (See examples). This is also important because your cover letter and resume may get separated. A letterhead insures that they will always have your contact information on hand. As a bonus, they will come to recognize your logo.

Note: The following sample and template are just to give you an idea of what you may want to include. Ultimately, your cover letter is your own—include what you think is important.

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Date Your Name Your address City, State Zip Code Employer’s Name Title Company Name Company Address City, State Zip code Dear Ms. or Mr. : FIRST PARAGRAPH: Create interest and attract attention! Let your personality, enthusiasm, and interest show! Explain why you are writing the letter. If you are responding to an advertisement, state the name and date of the publication or web site where you found the ad as well as the job title for which you are applying. If someone referred you, tell the reader who referred you and how they are connected to the organization. This is one of the strongest methods to ensure that your resume will be read and increases your chances of an interview dramatically. This paragraph will probably be only two to three sentences long. SECOND PARAGRAPH: Tell the employer why you think you are qualified for the job. Highlight and expand upon your skills and experiences from your resume that you do not want the reader to overlook. This is a good place to mention any projects or work you are doing currently which is not listed in your resume. Be sure to tell the employer what you can bring to the organization. THIRD PARAGRAPH: Indicate that you have researched the organization to which you are applying. Connect the organization’s expressed needs with the skills and personality traits that you can bring to the job. Don’t talk about what the organization can do for you, but what you can do for them. This should connect directly to the second paragraph. Utilize the organization’s web site, job description and other information to draw correlations between the organization’s needs and your skills, education and/or experience. CLOSING PARAGRAPH: This paragraph has two purposes. First, thank the employer for reviewing your credentials. Second, indicate when you will contact the employer to discuss the possibility of an interview. If you do not have a contact person for the organization, be sure to state when and where you can be reached most easily. Sincerely, (sign your name here) Your name typed

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Ima Builder 100 Laurel Ave.

Hartford, CT (860)379-0000

Ibuilder013@g.rwu.edu

August 22, 2010 Mr. Art Chitect Director of Human Resources Didwe, Buildit, and Howe 122 High Rise Lane Great City, RI 04321 Dear Mr. Chitect: I am writing to inquire about joining your firm as an Architect Intern. Ann Critique, a retired employee of your firm who is currently a professor of architecture studio at my university, has educated me about the excellent work your firm does. My five years of architecture study, including study abroad in Florence, Italy, have prepared me for the position of an Architect Intern to Didwe, Buildit, and Howe. I have full knowledge of the creative and technical, as well as business aspects of an architecture firm. As a student of architecture, I am aware of the qualities and techniques that produce a solid design. Having run my own business, I am familiar with the demands of clients and can produce the results that they envision. I am aware that your firm is currently involved in the massive redesign of downtown Providence. Urban redesign is an aspect of architecture that I have been eager to explore for a long time. My experience studying in Florence has prepared me to take on a position in this quickly growing field. The various awards and scholarships I have received speak for my exemplary work ethic. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the success of your winning team. I look forward to scheduling an interview for an apprenticeship with Didwe, Buildit, and Howe. I will call during the week of (ten business days from the day I send this) to see when we might meet to further discuss my qualifications. Sincerely, Ima Builder Enclosure

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Writing a Reference Sheet

A reference sheet should NOT be mailed with your resume and cover letter, unless requested. If you are interested in pursuing the position, offer your list to the recruiter at the conclusion of your first interview.

References should include faculty at your university, employers, or anyone who can specifically verify your professionalism. Do not use friends, relatives, clergy, etc. as references.

Include 3-5 references in your list.

When asking someone to be a reference for you, confirm that they can give you either a POSITIVE or a BALANCED reference. Do not assume that because you had a positive experience, your employer did also. If the person can only provide a NEGATIVE reference, look for a new reference—you want as many positive references as possible. Use a balanced reference only if you cannot find 3-5 positive references.

Describe to your references the organization and type of job that for which you are applying. This information will better help them to highlight important qualities and skills you possess that would benefit the employer who is considering hiring you. Inform this person each time you use them as a reference so that they can know who to expect a call from.

On your reference sheet, include the name, title, place from which you know him/her, phone number, and email address of your reference. There is no need to include an address as the recruiter or employer will either be calling or emailing them to verify your credentials.

Using your previously created letterhead or ―logo‖ is encouraged. This will give all of your correspondences with each company a uniform appearance. Also, your personal information should be on any document sent to a perspective employer to keep your contact information directly at their fingertips!

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Ima Builder 100 Laurel Ave.

Hartford, CT (860)379-0000

Ibuilder013@g.rwu.edu

References

Sheeza Professor Roger Williams University

School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation Assistant Professor, Architecture

(401) 254-1111 sprofessor@rwu.edu

Him Too

Roger Williams University School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management

Professor, Construction Management (401) 254-2222 htoo@rwu.edu

Mya Coach

Roger Williams University, Athletics Head Softball Coach

(401) 254-3333 mcoach@rwu.edu

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Writing a Thank You Letter

Send the person with whom you had an interview a thank you letter in the immediate days after the interview, within 24 hours ideally. Then, give them at least ten days before you check on your status with that company.

Be sure to ask for business cards of each person with whom you meet. You will then have the correct spelling of each person’s name along with the correct job title and address.

If you meet with a group at once, it is appropriate to send then all the same thank you letter, addressed to each individual person. If you meet with people separately, they should each get a unique thank you letter.

The follow-up letter should not be too lengthy. Do not repeat everything that the employer has already learned from your resume and cover letter. Don’t be afraid to take notes during the interview to capture key point that need to be reiterated in the thank you letter.

The main point of the follow-up letter is to thank the interviewer and to reiterate why you are a wonderful candidate for the position. Make sure that you do both! This is your last opportunity to sell yourself as the ideal employee.

Personalize your correspondence by utilizing information or a point that was discussed in your interview and draw correlations to again show why you are a good fit for the position and organization.

Offer to provide any additional information and provide all of your contact information. Make it easy for the organization to offer you the position.

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Ima Builder 100 Laurel Ave.

Hartford, CT (860)379-0000

Ibuilder013@g.rwu.edu

August 22, 2010 Mr. Art Chitect Director of Human Resources Didwe, Buildit, and Howe 122 High Rise Lane Great City, RI 04321 Dear Mr. Chitect: I want to thank you for your time on Wednesday. Our discussion left me even more excited about joining the Didwe, Buildit, and Howe team as an Architectural Intern and convinced that I would be a perfect fit. I am tremendously excited by the prospect of working in the challenging and highly innovative environment you have established. I am happy to learn of the new projects that have recently been awarded to Didwe, Buildit and Howe and know that I can make a contribution to these projects’s success. In return, I will bring you proven strengths in drafting technique and fresh approaches. I am eager to prove my abilities and successes to you on a first-hand basis. I will keep in touch to see when we might meet again and if there is any other information I can provide you in the meantime. Thank you again for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Ima Builder