Resumes, References, and Cover Letters
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Resumes, References, and Cover Letters A HELPFUL GUIDE FOR ENTERING THE JOB MARKET
Transcript of Resumes, References, and Cover Letters
Resumes, References, and Cover Letters
A H E L P F U L G U I D E F O R E N T E R I N G T H E J O B M A R K E T
Resume Writing Tips and InstructionsSTEP
BrainstormEmployment trends indicate workers will change careers not just jobs — several times in a lifetime. For this reason it is important to know that resume writing is a skill you will use throughout your life.
Before beginning your resume, put together an accomplishments history, including your most significant achievements from work, hobbies, volunteer projects, school, extracurricular activities, travel, and other life experiences.
Write everything down and do not limit yourself! Action verbs from the list on page 12 may help you remember things you have done and give you ideas for new ways to describe those activities. Friends or family familiar with your work and work style can be good sources of assistance as well. (Refer to Action Verb List)
Gather documents related to your experiences, such as performance reviews, letters of appreciation, job descriptions, documents, or presentations you wrote or prepared. This can be helpful now with your brainstorming and later to review, check, and confirm details. Categories to generate ideas and organize your information include:
• Education (universities attended, classes related to your career goal, certifications, special training)
• Experience (paid/unpaid, part/full-time, internships, military)
• Volunteer experience (church, civic groups, tutoring)
• Activities and honors (student organizations, professional associations, scholarships, academic achievements, sororities or fraternities)
• Important career-related skills (computer proficiency, foreign languages, problem solving, critical thinking, communication abilities)
• Personal achievements (financing your education, overcoming obstacles)
• Hobbies and interests (planning trips, managing personal investments)
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Keep your accomplishments history file and add to it over time because this will not be the last time you write a resume. Once you compile and organize information in your accomplishments history, it will be invaluable for all resumes you write throughout your career.
Objective
Summary of Qualifications
Profile
Awards and Recognition
Honors
Honors and Awards
Education
Specialized Training
Accomplishments
Activities
Relevant Experience
Related Experience
Internships
Employment History
Leadership
Volunteer Experience
POSSIBLE SECTION HEADINGS
Professional Experience
Additional Experience
Study Abroad Experience
International Experience
Other Experience
Relevant Skills
Computer Skills
Technical Skills
Computer Software
Certification
Licensure
Languages
Professional Memberships
Professional Affiliations
Additional Information
Work Authorization
STEP
Organize Initial DraftName & Contact Information (Required)• Include your name, phone number, address, and email.
Include your permanent address if it serves a purpose, such as moving back to your hometown.
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• If you use your cell phone as your contact phone number, be prepared to handle a professional conversation wherever you may answer your calls. Only use a work phone if it is appropriate for you to receive calls at work.
• Your phone number should be listed using one of these formats: 785-987-6543, (316) 123-4567, 785.555.5555 (DO NOT USE (555)-555-5555).
• Your email address should be professional (DO NOT USE [email protected]).
• Your name is generally bold and a few points larger in font size than the rest of the resume.
• Be consistent with the name you use across all of your materials including resume, cover letter, references, and online application.
Students who go by a name different than their legal name or those who’ve changed their name due to their marital status may be confused when it comes to deciding on what to use when applying for a job. It’s best to be consistent across all job-related materials. Remember that employers will need to match up your resume, cover letter, online application materials, calls to references, and background checks.
Below are some tips for addressing this issue in your professional documents:
• If you go by your middle name, include your legal first name as well (James (Dave) Phillips).
• If you go by a nickname or are an international student who has chosen an alternative name that you wish to be referred by, include your given name along with your preferred name (Wenfei (Cathy) Zhou or John “Jack” Smith, Jr.).
• If you have hyphenated or multiple last names, you may want to use your middle initial, instead of your middle name, to signal to the employer where your last name begins (Mary J. Kelly Gregory).
• If your last name has changed, for example, due to a change in marital status, you may include your former last name such as Sarah (Williams) Hanson. It’s also important to let your references know that your name has changed before an employer calls them for a reference check. They may not realize that Sarah Hanson is the same Sarah Williams they knew at one time.
• It’s a good idea to send a copy of your resume (including both names) to all of your references prior to the reference check—it will give them a better idea of your professional activities and serve as a reminder that your name has changed.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
John “Jack” Anderson IV1415 Louisiana StreetLawrence, KS 66045
Objective (Optional)
A well-crafted objective indicates that you are clear about opportunities available with an employer and that you are clear about the position you are seeking. Objectives can be a liability if they do not match the position for which you are applying.
You may not need an objective when posting a resume to an electronic job board or when handing it out at a career fair. Objectives work best when they are written for a specific job or career.
Employers expect applicants to customize their resumes for each position. The employment objective needs to be supported by the content of your resume.
Examples of objectives:
• To obtain an entry-level sales position in the consumer products industry.
• Seeking a summer internship in investment banking with XYZ Company.
Summary of Qualifications/Profile (Optional) Typically used by job seekers with more professional experience, this summary should focus on the big picture and help the employer understand how your experiences fit together. Summary information briefly communicates your experience, training, and personal abilities as they relate to the specific job you seek. Information of this type may be included in a cover letter, eliminating the need to include it in the resume. Details of your experiences belong in other sections of the resume. Examples:
• Two years of experience in a medical environment; familiar with confidentiality issues and medical terminology.
• Strong analytical skills developed through lab experience in chemistry and biology.
• Proven communication skills as demonstrated through club leadership, debate competition at state level, and writing for the university student newspaper.
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Education (Required)
This section can include your credit-based higher education degrees and certificates as well as noncredit learning. Your information should include:
• Degree (i.e., Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts)• Major(s)• Minors, concentrations, or areas of emphases• University name, city, and state• Month and year of graduation• GPA(s) (typically if above 3.0)—If you list anything other
than your overall GPA, be sure to specify which GPA you are using.
EDUCATIONBachelor of General Studies in Geography, May 2015The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
• Minor in Geology• GPA 3.65
Independently financed 75% of college education through scholarships and employment.
List your most recent degree first (Ph.D., Master’s, Bachelor’s). You don’t necessarily need to list every college or university at which you have taken classes. Once you are in college, high school is not typically included on a resume unless you are a freshman or you have a good reason why you want an employer to know where you went to high school.
Including academic awards or scholarships can show academic breadth and intellectual accomplishment. Sometimes it may be beneficial to include GPA (typically 3.0 or higher), and/or relevant courses.
If applicable, it can be a good idea to include a statement about your contribution toward financing your education.
Experience (Required)
The experience section should communicate what you accomplished in past paid or unpaid work experiences.
• Include the position title, employer/organization name, location (city, state), and dates with months and years.
• Typically your experience is listed in reverse chronological order with your most recent experience first.
• Highlight transferable skills and abilities rather than describing work duties and responsibilities. Think about the types of things that you did in your job or activities that relate to the types of things you will be doing in your future professional positions.
For example, “Interviewed, hired, and trained new team members” or “Led closing of store by assigning roles at the appropriate time, balancing the cash registers, securing all cash, and setting the alarm.”
• Describe your experience in a result-oriented fashion because employers know the best predictor of future performance is past performance.
NOT GOOD
DESCRIPTIONS OF EXPERIENCE
• Responsible for publicity.
• Duties included handling customer complaints.
• Responsibilities included adhering to safety policies and ensuring other lifeguards knew policies.
• Dealt with delinquent youth.
BETTER
• Interacted successfully with public affairs representatives and local media.
• Resolved service and billing
problems.
• Carried out safety precautions and instructed staff in the proper use of equipment.
• Explained team strategies and instructed youth on how to execute strategies.
BEST
• Increased community awareness of agency through interaction with public affairs representatives and local media.
• Resolved service and billing problems. Consistently recognized for promptness and professionalism.
• Carried out safety precautions and instructed staff in the proper use of equipment, resulting in a 50% reduction of injury accidents over the summer.
• Explained team strategies and instructed youth on how to execute them. Development of enthusiasm and skills led to winning the city competition.
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• Whenever possible, use concrete information to qualify and/or quantify your experience. For example, “Increased sales by 25% over a three month period” or “Taught a class of 300 students.”
• Do not use full sentences to describe your experience; use short phrases beginning with an action verb.
• Consider the type of position for which you are applying. You may want to try to use the words listed in the position description when describing your experience. Highlight the skills that are most relevant to the position for which you are applying.
• Generally new college graduates will not include experiences from high school or earlier. However, if you have relevant experience (i.e., you owned your own business) or if you are earlier in your college career (i.e., a freshman or sophomore), it may be appropriate to include experiences from high school.
• Include around 2 to 5 bullets to describe each experience.
• Use present tense when describing current positions. Use past tense when describing your past experiences.
Activities & Organizations (Optional)
This section can include membership in campus or community activities, professional organizations, volunteer activities, or relevant interests. You may choose to format this section as a list, or you may choose to set it up with the same format as your jobs with descriptions of the leadership roles you performed in these organizations.
Activities might:
• Demonstrate a well-rounded person with more dimensions than just work.
• Point out skills that have been demonstrated in your nonprofessional life.
• Account for gaps in employment.
• Start conversations (possibly the employer shares or is intrigued by your interest).
ACTIVITIESUniversity of Kansas Student AmbassadorAssociation of Collegiate EntrepreneursAlphi Chi Omega Sorority • Scholarship Coordinator • Chairperson of Recruitment CommitteeBig Brothers/Big Sisters Volunteer
When you choose to include activities and interests, be aware of “hot buttons.” A hot button is an activity or interest to which some employers may have a strong positive or negative reaction, such as religious or political affiliations. When you have an activity or interest that is a “hot button,” you have three options. Make an informed and reflective choice.
Options include:
• Include this information on your resume—Many applicants feel the employer should know who they are, inside and outside of the workplace, and they may not want to work for an employer who cannot accept them as a whole individual.
• Omit this information—You may want the opportunity to present yourself as a candidate rather than be prematurely discounted due to the employer’s bias.
• Generalize these activities/interests—Present them in a generic format (“Director of a choir” without specifying religion or denomination).
Interests are unstructured individual pursuits and can be included if relevant. Examples would be golf, marathon running, personal investment management. When considering if you want to include an interest, think about how the employer would view the activity as well as the space available on your resume.
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Honors & Awards (Optional)
This section can include scholarships, honor roll, dean’s list, competitive awards, juried shows, and so on.
• You may want to provide some information on the context of the award if it is not evident. For instance, “One of ten students selected from across the nation for the Fulbright Scholarship.”
• Do not include dollar amounts for scholarships.
• Your honors and awards may be listed as a separate section or may be included within your Education section if there are only a few items in your list.
HONORS AND AWARDS • Golden Key National Honor Society • Dean’s List, six semesters • Leadership Scholarship
Skills (Optional)
This section is included to highlight particular abilities. Frequently, technical skills, laboratory skills, and proficiency or fluency in a foreign language are found in this section. Items in this section should relate to the positions for which you are applying. The placement of this section on your resume may vary depending on the relevancy to the employer.
• Resumes do not get jobs; they get interviews.
• Resumes should convey your unique skills and abilities as they relate to the position for which you are applying.
• Some items may be appropriate under various headings. For example, scholarships could be listed under Education, Honors and Awards, or Study Abroad sections. Use your best judgement to determine which section makes the most sense for your resume.
• Resumes should not include every detail about you. They should highlight the specifics that make you a qualified candidate for the position you seek.
• Resumes should not be so short or so vague that an employer has no idea what your skills are or what you did in your last job.
• Human resources professionals know that the best predictor of future performance is past performance. In your resume, highlight the results of your experiences.
REMEMBER...
Work Authorization (Optional)
You can include this section if it is important for you to share your work authorization status. International students would not generally include their work status on their resume unless specifically requested by an employer.
WORK AUTHORIZATIONUnited States Permanent Resident – fully authorized to work in the U.S.
References (Required but separate from the resume)The statement “References Available Upon Request” is not needed as this is a given in the job search process. Reference names and information are generally listed on a separate page (see References section in this handout). Usually references are provided to an employer once they are requested or at an interview.
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STEP Format ItThere are many different ways to write a resume and a lot of different opinions about what is good. Your opinion is important too, so be sure to create a resume that reflects who you are while also targeting the employer’s needs.
Pass the 15-second glance test. Employers see hundreds of resumes, and they skim first. If this first test is passed, they may look at your resume more thoroughly.
• When ordering information and sections in your resume, prioritize according to the needs of the employer. Put the most important information toward the top and to the left.
• Choose a format and headings that effectively communicate the combination of skills and abilities that highlight your qualifications for the position and provide insight into you as a unique person. Refer to Possible Section Headings box for ideas on headings (See page 1).
• Length of resume varies according to field of interest and level of experience. Generally, an undergraduate with little or no professional experience will have a one-page resume. Experienced workers and some graduate students, along with students in certain disciplines, may have two pages. See your career services office for help in determining the appropriate length.
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• Make the resume easy to skim: bullets, short declarative phrases, easy-to-read font – 10 to 12 points, no abbreviations.
• Use one font style throughout the resume; avoid script fonts. Times New Roman and Arial are good choices.
• Do not use graphics, shadowing, clip art, or decorative bullets (use •).
• Use bold or underlining appropriately but sparingly.
• Put key information on the left and near the top of the page whenever possible (for example, job title rather than employment dates listed at the far left).
• Write your material in order of importance and relevance to the employer/position.
• Begin phrases with action verbs.
• Avoid generalities and focus on specifics about experience, projects and products.
• Quantify experience when possible (Employee of the Month, Received customer service ratings of 9.8/10, Managed a budget of $20,000).
• Be consistent in the format, layout, and spacing throughout.
FORMATTING AND WRITING TIPS
Resume Styles Reverse Chronological Resume: the traditional resume style lists everything in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent experience and working backward. Most resumes for new college graduates are written in this format, and employers are accustomed to seeing this style of resume.
Reverse Chronological resumes are particularly effective in the following cases:
• You are or will be a new college graduate.
• You have experience in the field of interest.
• You can demonstrate measurable results from work activities (“Marketed events, resulting in 50% increase in attendance”).
• You have held impressive job titles and/or have worked for big-name employers.
• You can demonstrate promotions and increased responsibilities.
Functional Resume: summarizes your professional “functions” or experience and minimizes employment history. Functional resumes are often useful for:
• Experienced workers and those returning to the workforce because it minimizes dates.
• Career changers because it outlines transferable work skills.
• Emphasizing knowledge and skills that have not been used in recent work.
Elements of both reverse chronological and functional styles can be combined if needed to show your experience.
Resume templates and resume wizards: Your resume is a reflection of you and your accomplishments. Utilizing a word processing template or wizard that produces a document similar to others may reflect that you did not give significant thought and consideration to your application. It is important that you learn how to write and produce an effective resume that best represents the value you can bring to an employer. Difficulty in formatting and inappropriate headings are just two of the issues that often arise with resume templates and wizards. KU Career Services staff members are available to assist you in getting started and finding the most appropriate resume writing solution for you.
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STEP
Proofread and EditMany human resource directors see the resume as a reflection of the applicant. Spelling errors, poor grammar, misalignment, poor organization, smudges, wordiness or vagueness will produce negative impressions.
Have several others critique your resume.
• Contact your career services office and make an appointment to have a professional career advisor look over your resume.
• Ask your references to take a look and give feedback.
• Ask a family member, friend, or roommate to look over the resume. They are often great at catching typing errors.
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Is the resume pleasing to the eye?
Spell check your resume, but be aware that it will not pick up on all errors.
CHECKLIST FOR PROOFREADING YOUR RESUME
Does it fit comfortably within the page? Is there an appropriate amount of white space?
Is the resume on cotton bond paper?
Is the print clear, unsmudged, and large enough to read – does it pass the photocopy test?
Did you use too much bold, italic, or underlining?
Does content support the objective?
Could you be more concise?
Is it too short? Does it look as though you struggled to fill a page?
Has extraneous material been eliminated?
Does the format present your qualifications in the most effective manner?
Is all important information included and easy to find?
Is the format uniform throughout?
Does the resume market your abilities and paint a picture that makes an employer want to know more about you?
STEP
Prepare Different VersionsPaper Version: highly designed with bullets, underlining, and other highlights. For the finished paper resume, use good quality paper (at least 20% cotton bond): white, ivory, or a very pale gray. Avoid patterns that would give a “dirty” appearance when copied.
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Electronic Version: looks the same as your paper version when emailed or pasted into a company resume database. Send it as a PDF file to preserve formatting.
Plain Text Version: you would remove any stylized formatting (i.e., bullets, bolding, italics) and then it can be pasted into an email message or cut and pasted into online forms.
•Saveastextfiles.• Enter no more than 65 characters (including spaces)
across the screen, then hit the “return” or “enter” key to force the line to wrap. In some instances 65 characters per line may be too many.
• Indent lines by using the space bar. • Use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS for section headers.• Surround formerly bolded subheadings within major
sections with asterisks (*).• Rebuild lists using a hyphen (-), asterisk (*), or plus sign
(+) at the beginning of each line instead of bullets or other special characters.
• If horizontal lines are desired, create them by using a series of dashes.
Email your resume to yourself and a friend to see how it looks. Identify and correct any formatting problems before sending it to potential employers.
Online ResumesBefore posting your resume on the Internet, consider whether you want your resume to be public. There are security issues inherent in posting personal contact information online. Check the confidentiality of the database or service where you are posting your resume. Never use your Social Security Number, date of birth, or other information that might make you vulnerable to identity theft.
There are ways to control the information you make available online:
• Consider creating a free email account at Yahoo! or Gmail to use only for job-search purposes with the possibility that you will stop using the email account once employment has been secured.
• Consider renting a post office box or a private mail box from a mail receiving agency to use during your job search. This will eliminate the need to use a street address as your mailing address in the information posted on the web.
• Determine whether your posted resume can be updated at no cost and whether it will be deleted from the databank if you do not update it within a specified time.
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Business Resume Examples
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aym
ent o
pera
tions
aud
it an
d ca
sh re
conc
iliat
ions
, pre
pare
jour
nal e
ntrie
s to
corr
ect o
ver/s
hort
acco
unts
. Im
plem
ente
d pr
oces
s cha
nges
to m
ore
easi
ly id
entif
y er
rors
mov
ing
forw
ard.
•
Res
earc
hed
and
valid
ated
ove
r $43
0,00
0 of
fals
e R
etai
l Man
agem
ent S
yste
m sh
orta
ges a
nd p
repa
red
the
nece
ssar
y jo
urna
l ent
ry to
reve
rse
thes
e sh
orta
ges.
• Pe
rson
ally
reco
ncile
d ca
sh re
ceip
ts fo
r ove
r 180
Spr
int r
etai
l sto
res o
n a
daily
bas
is.
KU
Boo
ksto
re
L
awre
nce,
Kan
sas
Sale
s Ass
ocia
te
Oct
ober
201
2 –
Aug
ust 2
013
• Pr
ovid
ed fa
st, f
riend
ly se
rvic
e to
cus
tom
ers a
nd re
solv
ed g
uest
con
cern
s in
a po
sitiv
e, h
elpf
ul m
anne
r. •
Con
sist
ently
exc
eede
d co
mpa
ny g
oals
for n
ew c
redi
t car
d re
gist
ratio
ns.
• M
aint
aine
d an
aw
aren
ess o
f all
prom
otio
ns a
nd a
dver
tisem
ents
. •
Cre
ated
mer
chan
dise
dis
play
s acc
ordi
ng to
sto
re sp
ecifi
catio
ns a
nd a
lerte
d m
anag
emen
t on
inve
ntor
y le
vels
. T
he U
nive
rsity
of C
hina
Dep
artm
ent o
f Fin
ance
Bei
jing,
Chi
na
Teac
hing
Ass
ista
nt
Sep
tem
ber 2
011
– A
ugus
t 201
2
• C
ondu
cted
rese
arch
und
er th
e di
rect
ion
of fi
nanc
e fa
culty
on
com
pani
es fo
r inc
lusi
on in
por
tfolio
s. •
Prov
ided
gui
danc
e to
facu
lty a
nd st
uden
ts w
orki
ng w
ith fi
nanc
ial s
oftw
are
thro
ugh
tuto
rial s
essi
ons.
• Ta
ught
two
disc
ussi
on se
ctio
ns o
f 20-
30 st
uden
ts a
nd h
eld
regu
lar o
ffic
e ho
urs.
L
EA
DE
RSH
IP
Chi
nese
Clu
b
Law
renc
e, K
ansa
s V
ice
Pres
iden
t
Apr
il 20
13 –
Pre
sent
•
Plan
and
faci
litat
e w
eekl
y m
eetin
gs a
ttend
ed b
y 14
0 ac
tive
mem
bers
and
sche
dule
rele
vant
gue
st sp
eake
rs.
• Se
rve
as a
liai
son
betw
een
the
exec
utiv
e al
umni
boa
rd a
nd a
ctiv
e m
embe
rs o
f the
org
aniz
atio
n.
Trea
sure
r
A
ugus
t 201
2 –
Apr
il 20
13
• M
anag
ed a
nnua
l bud
get o
f $85
,000
. •
Serv
e as
liai
son
repr
esen
tativ
e to
Uni
vers
ity S
enat
e.
AC
TIV
ITIE
S / A
WA
RD
S B
eta
Alp
ha P
si m
embe
r
W
atso
n Sc
hola
rshi
p C
hurc
h ch
oir m
embe
r
In
tern
atio
nal S
tude
nt O
rient
atio
n Pe
er A
dvis
or
LA
NG
UA
GE
SK
ILL
S Fl
uent
in C
hine
se (M
anda
rin) a
nd E
nglis
h; P
rofic
ient
in S
pani
sh
WO
RK
AU
TH
OR
IZA
TIO
N
U.S
. Per
man
ent R
esid
ent—
fully
aut
horiz
ed to
wor
k in
the
U.S
.
Thi
s lin
e on
ly fo
r A
ccou
ntin
g m
ajor
s in
tend
ing
to d
o th
e M
Acc
8
Computing/Engineering Resume Examples
Mat
thew
A. M
echa
nike
r C
urre
nt A
ddre
ss:
1923
W. M
aine
Stre
et, L
awre
nce,
Kan
sas 6
6044
Mat
tm@
ku.e
du
Perm
anen
t Add
ress
: 20
6 W
ashi
ngto
n R
oad,
Sal
ina,
Kan
sas 6
2301
(7
85) 3
12-5
578
ED
UC
AT
ION
:
T
he U
nive
rsity
of K
ansa
s, L
awre
nce,
Kan
sas
B
ache
lor o
f Sci
ence
in M
echa
nica
l Eng
inee
ring
, Exp
ecte
d M
ay 2
014
– G
PA:
3.79
/4.0
0 IN
TE
RN
SHIP
EX
PER
IEN
CE
:
Koc
h In
dust
ries
, Inc
., M
inne
apol
is, M
inne
sota
Pro
ject
Man
ager
Inte
rn, S
umm
er 2
013
- P
rovi
ded
engi
neer
ing
supp
ort f
or th
e B
uild
-it a
nd C
onst
ruct
ion
grou
p in
clud
ing
desi
gn, p
erm
its, a
nd c
ertif
icat
ion
for
p
lann
ed p
roje
cts.
- O
rgan
ized
and
led
all c
lient
mee
tings
and
ove
rsaw
all
proj
ect c
omm
unic
atio
n.
- M
anag
ed fi
ve p
roje
cts,
estim
ated
at $
1.5
mill
ion.
T
he B
oein
g C
ompa
ny, W
ichi
ta, K
ansa
s
Eng
inee
ring
Inte
rn, S
umm
er 2
012
- M
embe
r of a
mili
tary
stre
ss g
roup
that
pro
vide
d fle
et su
ppor
t for
the
KC
-135
and
its d
eriv
ativ
es.
- P
erfo
rmed
stru
ctur
al a
naly
sis o
n di
ffer
ent c
ompo
nent
s of t
he a
irpla
ne to
ens
ure
safe
ty a
nd m
aint
aina
bilit
y.
Mar
che
Inc.
, Law
renc
e, K
ansa
s
Eng
inee
ring
Inte
rn, S
umm
er 2
011
- C
ontri
bute
d to
gro
up d
esig
n te
ams t
hat p
roto
type
d co
nsum
er re
crea
tiona
l pro
duct
s, m
edic
al c
ompo
nent
s, bu
sine
ss
in
stru
men
tatio
ns a
nd O
EM p
rodu
cts.
- D
esig
ned
prot
otyp
es in
Pro
/Eng
inee
r and
pro
duce
d re
al m
odel
s usi
ng F
DM
mac
hine
s.
EN
GIN
EE
RIN
G P
RO
JEC
T:
B
oat L
ift D
esig
n Pr
ojec
t, U
nive
rsity
of K
ansa
s
Sen
ior D
esig
n Pr
ojec
t, 20
13-2
014
- T
eam
with
two
stud
ents
to d
esig
n an
d m
anuf
actu
re a
hyd
raul
ic li
ft th
at ra
ises
a 4
,000
lb. b
oat o
ut o
f wat
er fo
r sto
rage
.
-
Pro
toty
pe th
e lif
t usi
ng S
olid
Wor
ks a
nd F
EA c
ompu
ter m
odel
ing.
A
DD
ITIO
NA
L E
XPE
RIE
NC
E:
Uni
vers
ity o
f Kan
sas I
nter
frat
erni
ty C
ounc
il, L
awre
nce,
Kan
sas
E
xecu
tive
Vice
-Pre
side
nt, 2
012-
2013
-
Cre
ated
new
bill
ing
and
budg
etin
g pr
oced
ures
, im
plem
ente
d ne
w c
omm
unic
atio
n an
d ac
coun
ting
softw
are,
and
rest
ruct
ured
inve
stm
ents
.
- M
anag
ed $
50,0
00 a
nnua
l bud
get.
Wild
cat S
tock
Far
m, S
alin
a, K
ansa
s
Far
m H
and,
200
0-20
11
- F
ifth
gene
ratio
n to
be
rais
ed o
n a
fam
ily-o
wne
d an
d -o
pera
ted
grai
n an
d liv
esto
ck fa
rm.
- O
pera
ted
and
repa
ired
heav
y m
achi
nery
.
W
illow
Ben
d G
olf C
ours
e, W
ichi
ta, K
ansa
s
Sho
rt O
rder
Coo
k, S
umm
er 2
009,
201
0
-
Tab
ulat
ed fo
od in
vent
ory
and
mer
chan
dise
list
s. SK
ILL
S:
A
utod
esk
Aut
oCA
D, A
utod
esk
Inve
ntor
, Sol
idW
orks
, Mat
lab,
Lab
VIE
W, C
++, M
icro
soft
Exce
l.
AC
TIV
ITIE
S:
Del
ta C
hi V
ice-
Pres
iden
t, En
gine
erin
g St
uden
t Sen
ate,
Gre
ek E
ndea
vor F
acili
tato
r, R
ock
Cha
lk C
ast M
embe
r, Ic
thus
Bib
le
S
tudy
, Del
ta C
hi P
hila
nthr
opy
Cha
irman
, Int
ram
ural
Spo
rts, S
ailin
g C
lub.
H
ON
OR
S:
Tau
Bet
a Pi
(Nat
iona
l Eng
inee
ring
Hon
or S
ocie
ty),
Out
stan
ding
Gre
ek S
enio
r, N
omin
ated
for R
hode
s and
Mar
shal
l
Sch
olar
ship
s, Pi
Tau
Sig
ma
(Mec
hani
cal E
ngin
eerin
g H
onor
Soc
iety
), G
olde
n K
ey, L
eade
rshi
p Sc
hola
rshi
p,
O
rder
of O
meg
a, H
igh
Scho
ol S
alut
ator
ian,
Kan
sas S
tate
For
ensi
cs C
ham
pion
.
Fran
cesc
a Fr
eshm
an
1815
Nai
smith
Driv
e, #
230
3 La
wre
nce,
KS
660
45
Fran
cesc
a785
@ku
.edu
78
5-55
5-36
48
EDU
CA
TIO
N
U
nive
rsity
of K
ansa
s, L
awre
nce,
KS
P
ursu
ing
Bac
helo
r of S
cien
ce in
Inte
rdis
cipl
inar
y C
ompu
ting,
Exp
ecte
d M
ay 2
017
F
ree
Stat
e H
igh
Scho
ol, L
awre
nce,
KS
H
igh
Sch
ool D
iplo
ma,
Aw
arde
d Ju
ne 2
013
G
PA
3.9
/4.0
EX
PER
IEN
CE
F
rank
’s F
amily
Res
taur
ant,
Law
renc
e, K
S
Shi
ft M
anag
er, J
une
2013
- P
rese
nt
+ S
uper
vise
cre
w, t
rain
new
em
ploy
ees,
and
del
egat
e ta
sks
as n
eede
d
+
Enc
oura
ge te
amw
ork
and
colla
bora
tion
amon
g em
ploy
ees
+ O
pera
te c
ash
regi
ster
, sec
ure
mon
ey, a
nd c
lose
rest
aura
nt
W
aitre
ss, J
une
2012
- M
ay 2
013
+ P
rovi
ded
frien
dly
and
effic
ient
cus
tom
er s
ervi
ce
+ C
hose
n E
mpl
oyee
of t
he M
onth
in A
ugus
t 201
2 (a
war
d ba
sed
on w
ork
ethi
c an
d cu
stom
er s
ervi
ce)
C
ity o
f Law
renc
e, L
awre
nce,
KS
Y
outh
Sof
tbal
l Um
pire
, Jun
e 20
11 -
Aug
ust 2
011
+
Com
mun
icat
ed w
ith p
laye
rs, e
nfor
ced
rule
s, a
nd m
aint
aine
d ac
cura
te ti
me
shee
ts
+ C
alm
ly a
nd ta
ctfu
lly re
solv
ed c
onfli
cts
betw
een
coac
hes,
par
ents
, and
pla
yers
SK
ILLS
Com
pute
r - P
rofic
ient
in P
HP
, HTM
L, M
S O
ffice
. Fa
mili
ar w
ith M
ySQ
L, C
++, P
erl,
Linu
x
L
angu
age
- Flu
ent i
n G
erm
an
HO
NO
RS
+ S
choo
l of E
ngin
eerin
g S
chol
arsh
ip
+ U
nive
rsity
of K
ansa
s S
chol
arsh
ip
+ K
ansa
s H
onor
Sch
olar
A
CTI
VITI
ES
C
olle
ge
+ E
ngin
eerin
g Le
arni
ng C
omm
unity
+
Soc
iety
of W
omen
Eng
inee
rs
H
igh
Scho
ol (S
enio
r yea
r)
+ P
resi
dent
, Fre
e S
tate
Com
pute
r Clu
b - o
rgan
ized
mee
tings
, led
rede
sign
of s
choo
l’s w
ebsi
te
+ C
o-ca
ptai
n, F
ree
Sta
te S
oftb
all -
con
tribu
ted
to te
am’s
3rd
pla
ce fi
nish
in 2
013
stat
e co
mpe
titio
n
+ T
reas
urer
, Nat
iona
l Hon
or S
ocie
ty
+ V
olun
teer
, Chu
rch
You
th G
roup
- as
sist
ed w
ith m
onth
ly c
omm
unity
ser
vice
pro
ject
s
+
FIR
ST
Rob
otic
s co
mpe
titio
n
+
Sch
olar
s B
owl T
eam
+
Mar
chin
g B
and
Onl
y in
clud
e yo
ur h
igh
scho
ol if
you
are
a fr
eshm
an o
r th
ere
isa
spec
ific
reas
on w
hy t
he e
mpl
oyer
nee
ds t
o be
aw
are
of t
his
info
rmat
ion.
9
Journalism/Creative Resume Examples
Ch
ris
Cri
mso
n
790
0 W
hea
t St
ate
Stre
et
Law
ren
ce, K
S 6
60
49
(7
85)
555
-212
1
crim
son
@ku
.ed
u
O
BJE
CT
IVE
An
inte
rnsh
ip in
med
ia s
ales
for
sp
rin
g 2
015
E
DU
CA
TIO
N
U
niv
ersi
ty o
f K
ansa
s, L
awre
nce
, Kan
sas
Wil
liam
All
en W
hit
e S
choo
l of
Jou
rnal
ism
an
d M
ass
Com
mu
nic
atio
ns
Bac
hel
or o
f S
cien
ce in
Jou
rnal
ism
, str
ateg
ic c
omm
un
icat
ion
em
ph
asis
M
inor
in H
isto
ry
Gra
du
atio
n d
ate:
Dec
emb
er 2
015
Stu
dy
Ab
road
, Un
iver
sité
Mar
c B
loch
, Str
asb
ourg
, Fra
nce
, Su
mm
er 2
013
R
EL
EV
AN
T
M
edia
Cro
ssro
ads,
KU
JH a
nd
kan
san
.co
m
EX
PE
RIE
NC
E
A
ccou
nt E
xecu
tive
, Aug
ust 2
012
– p
rese
nt
• In
itia
te c
old
cal
ls a
nd
en
gage
new
cli
ents
to
adve
rtis
e •
Dev
elop
bu
sin
ess
pro
pos
als
for
clie
nts
•
Exc
eed
ed s
ales
qu
ota
by
20
per
cen
t fo
r fo
ur
con
secu
tive
mon
ths
Kan
sas
Dep
artm
ent
of
Co
mm
erce
, To
pek
a, K
ansa
s R
esea
rch
Dir
ecto
r, J
anua
ry –
May
201
4
• D
evel
oped
a s
trat
egic
cam
pai
gn a
s p
art
of a
cap
ston
e cl
ass
pro
ject
•
Hel
ped
cli
ent
iden
tify
way
s to
att
ract
an
d r
etai
n w
orke
rs in
Kan
sas
• C
ond
uct
ed p
rim
ary
and
sec
ond
ary
mar
ket
rese
arch
OT
HE
R W
OR
K
L
ola
& F
ran
kie’
s C
off
ee S
ho
p, L
awre
nce
, Kan
sas
HIS
TO
RY
B
aris
ta, A
ugus
t – D
ecem
ber
2011
•
Inte
ract
ed w
ith
a v
arie
ty o
f cu
stom
ers
and
str
engt
hen
ed c
ust
omer
ser
vice
ski
lls
• O
pen
ed a
nd
clo
sed
sh
op, w
orki
ng
18-2
5 h
ours
per
wee
k R
oge
rs P
ain
tin
g, L
awre
nce
, Kan
sas
Pain
ter,
May
– A
ugus
t 201
0 •
Pai
nte
d h
omes
for
loca
l bu
sin
ess
• C
onsu
lted
wit
h c
ust
omer
s on
col
or o
pti
ons
and
mad
e lo
cal b
usi
nes
s co
nta
cts
Kel
ls, I
nd
epen
den
ce, M
isso
uri
Fi
ne J
ewel
ry A
ssoc
iate
, Aug
ust 2
009
– M
ay 2
010
• R
ecog
niz
ed f
or in
crea
sed
sal
es a
nd
aw
ard
ed t
op s
elle
r fo
r en
gage
men
t ri
ngs
•
Tru
sted
to
han
dle
hig
h-c
ost
inve
nto
ry
H
ON
OR
S
Mid
wes
t E
xch
ange
Ren
ewab
le S
cho
lars
hip
O
live
r H
all C
om
mu
nit
y S
ervi
ce A
war
d
AC
TIV
ITIE
S
H
abit
at f
or
Hu
man
ity
T
rave
led
to
Ari
zon
a to
pai
nt
hou
ses
and
reb
uil
d a
day
care
cen
ter
St.
An
dre
w’s
Ch
urc
h
Sin
g in
th
e ch
oir
for
spec
ial s
ervi
ces
Hav
e p
arti
cip
ated
in a
t le
ast
one
mis
sion
tri
p a
yea
r si
nce
20
09
Jean
ie J
ourn
alis
mm
ulti
med
ia v
isua
l jou
rnal
ist
jjour
nalis
m.c
om78
5.86
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Educ
atio
nUn
iver
sity
of K
ansa
s, L
awre
nce,
Kan
sas
Will
iam
Alle
n W
hite
Sch
ool o
f Jou
rnal
ism
and
Mas
s Co
mm
unic
atio
nsBa
chel
or o
f Sci
ence
in Jo
urna
lism
news
and
info
rmat
ion
emph
asis
GPA
3.25
Grad
uatio
n da
te: M
ay 2
014
Skills
Adob
e Cr
eativ
e Su
ite
Phot
ogra
phy
Live
-Twe
etin
g
Vide
ogra
phy
Wor
dpre
ssSE
O-wr
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Wor
kFr
eela
nce
Repo
rter
— K
ansa
s Ci
ty S
tar,
Augu
st 2
012
– pr
esen
t —
Rep
ort o
n as
sign
men
ts in
the
Kans
as C
ity m
etro
are
a fo
r the
Sta
r, Ka
nsas
City.
com
913
Mag
azin
e, Jo
co91
3.co
m, M
idwe
st D
emoc
racy
Pro
ject
and
oth
er zo
ne p
ublic
atio
ns.
— E
nter
pris
e st
ory i
deas
Stri
nger
— T
he A
ssoc
iate
d Pr
ess,
Nov
embe
r 20
12—
Rep
orte
d pr
esid
entia
l and
loca
l ele
ctio
n re
sults
to th
e As
soci
ated
Pre
ss re
gion
al o
ffice
Met
ro R
epor
ting
Inte
rn —
Kan
sas
City
Sta
r, M
ay 2
012
– Au
gust
201
2 —
Rep
orte
d on
ass
ignm
ents
in th
e Ka
nsas
City
met
ro a
rea
for t
he K
ansa
s Ci
ty S
tar,
Kans
asCi
ty.co
m, 9
13 M
agaz
ine,
Joco
913.
com
and
oth
er zo
ne p
ublic
atio
ns.
Web
Edi
tor
– Th
e U
nive
rsity
Dai
ly K
ansa
n, A
ugus
t 201
1 –
Dece
mbe
r 20
11 —
Man
aged
repo
rters
upl
oadi
ng c
onte
nt to
Kan
san.
com
— M
aint
aine
d fre
sh a
nd li
vely
cont
ent t
o at
tract
stu
dent
s an
d al
umni
to K
ansa
n.co
m—
Ove
rsaw
Kan
san
soci
al m
edia
acc
ount
s
Desi
gn C
hief
– T
he U
nive
rsity
Dai
ly K
ansa
n, A
ugus
t 201
1 –
May
201
2—
Man
aged
thre
e pa
ge d
esig
ners
one
nig
ht a
wee
k to
com
plet
e th
e pa
per’s
pro
duct
ion
— C
reat
ed n
ewsp
aper
des
ign
layo
ut a
nd g
raph
ics
to a
ccom
pany
arti
cles
Spor
ts W
rite
r –
The
Uni
vers
ity D
aily
Kan
san,
Sep
tem
ber
– De
cem
ber
2010
— W
rote
sto
ries
for v
ario
us s
ports
incl
udin
g so
ftbal
l, wo
men
’s ba
sket
ball,
trac
k an
d fie
ld
Page
Des
igne
r –
Jayh
awke
r M
agaz
ine,
Feb
ruar
y –
Augu
st 2
011
— C
reat
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agaz
ine
desi
gn o
f var
ious
sto
ry a
nd p
hoto
pac
kage
s Pa
ge D
esig
ner
– Th
e U
nive
rsity
Dai
ly K
ansa
n, J
anua
ry –
May
201
1—
Cre
ated
new
spap
er d
esig
n la
yout
and
gra
phic
s to
acc
ompa
ny a
rticl
es Co
rres
pond
ent –
The
Uni
vers
ity D
aily
Kan
san,
Aug
ust –
Dec
embe
r 20
10—
Wro
te s
torie
s fo
r spe
cial
sec
tions
suc
h as
hom
ecom
ing
and
bask
etba
ll pr
evie
w—
Ent
erpr
ised
sto
ry id
eas
Awards
Howa
rd Tu
rtle
Visu
al Jo
urna
lism
Sch
olar
ship
Ro
ger N
. Woo
ldrid
ge M
emor
ial S
chol
arsh
ip
Activities
Jour
nalis
m A
mba
ssad
ors
Augu
st 2
011
– pr
esen
t
KU H
onor
s Pr
ogra
mAu
gust
201
0 –
pres
ent
Med
ical
Ser
vice
Bur
eau
Augu
st 2
009
10
Liberal Arts and Sciences Resume Examples
Walter Conservation
12
3 M
ain
Stre
et L
awre
nce,
KS
660
45 �
555
-‐555
-‐555
5 �
wco
nser
vatio
n@ku
.edu
ED
UCA
TION
Bachelor of A
rts, Environ
mental Studies
Dec
embe
r, 20
xx
Minor: Latin American Studies
Law
renc
e, K
S Th
e Un
iver
sity
of K
ansa
s
• Ov
eral
l GPA
: 3.4
•
Emph
asis
in E
nvir
onm
enta
l Pol
icy
• Gl
obal
Aw
aren
ess P
rogr
am C
ertif
icat
ion
Senior Project: “Water Quality in th
e Arkansas River”
• Re
sear
ched
thre
e m
ajor
wat
er p
ollu
tant
s and
effe
cts o
n Ar
kans
as R
iver
•
Iden
tifie
d an
d ex
plai
ned
posi
tive
cont
ribu
tions
and
cri
tical
impo
rtan
ce o
f riv
er to
are
a co
mm
unity
m
embe
rs in
repo
rt d
istr
ibut
ed to
loca
l man
ufac
turi
ng c
ompa
nies
Stud
y Ab
road, Preparing for International Careers, Costa Rica
Spri
ng 2
0xx
• In
terv
iew
ed C
osta
Ric
an b
usin
ess l
eade
rs to
dev
elop
incr
ease
d un
ders
tand
ing
of n
atio
nal e
cono
mic
an
d en
viro
nmen
tal p
olic
ies
• Cr
eate
d 15
min
ute
Vim
eo m
edia
pre
sent
atio
n on
eco
-‐tou
rism
indu
stry
; cho
sen
for d
ispl
ay o
n La
tin
Amer
ican
Stu
dies
web
site
INTE
RNSH
IP
Non
-‐Profit Environ
mental Policies and Procedures In
ternship
Janu
ary
20xx
-‐Aug
ust 2
0xx
Nor
th C
arol
ina
Coas
tal F
eder
atio
n
Mor
ehea
d Ci
ty, N
C •
Rese
arch
ed p
ublic
issu
es a
nd p
olic
ies c
once
rnin
g th
e N
orth
Car
olin
a co
asta
l are
a •
Com
pile
d fa
ct sh
eets
on
wet
land
func
tions
and
effe
cts o
f des
truc
tion,
pra
ctic
al m
etho
ds o
f sto
rm
wat
er m
anag
emen
t, an
d ho
rtic
ultu
ral t
echn
ique
s nec
essa
ry to
cre
ate
and
mai
ntai
n ve
geta
tive
buffe
rs o
n sh
orel
ines
•
Accu
rate
ly a
nd e
ffici
ently
ent
ered
and
mai
ntai
ned
digi
tal e
nvir
onm
enta
l dat
a ut
ilizi
ng v
ario
us
softw
are
such
as E
xcel
and
SPS
S •
Man
aged
hig
h vo
lum
e of
inco
min
g ca
lls a
nd fo
llow
ed u
p w
ith e
nvir
onm
enta
l and
gov
ernm
enta
l ag
enci
es fo
r mor
e in
form
atio
n
• W
orke
d cl
osel
y w
ith sm
all t
eam
to c
oord
inat
e an
d im
plem
ent
anim
al re
scue
from
rete
ntio
n po
nd
bein
g dr
aine
d du
e to
exp
ansi
on o
f loc
al sh
oppi
ng m
all
VOLU
NTE
ER EXP
ERIENCE
Conversation
Leader
Fall
20xx
Ap
plie
d En
glis
h Ce
nter
, The
Uni
vers
ity o
f Kan
sas
Law
renc
e, K
S •
Faci
litat
ed w
eekl
y sm
all g
roup
dis
cuss
ions
with
15+
inte
rnat
iona
l stu
dent
s fro
m d
iver
se
back
grou
nds
• Se
lect
ed c
onve
rsat
ion
topi
cs a
nd e
ncou
rage
d in
crea
sed
diffi
culty
to e
xpan
d co
mm
unic
atio
n sk
ills
• In
crea
sed
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
str
uggl
es in
tern
atio
nal s
tude
nts f
ace
whe
n in
trod
uced
to A
mer
ican
cu
lture
Vo
lunteer Coordinator/ Volun
teer
Spri
ng 2
0xx
The
Big
Even
t, Ca
mpu
s & C
omm
unity
Vol
unte
er D
ay
Law
renc
e, K
S •
Expa
nded
num
ber o
f com
mun
ity re
side
nt p
roje
ct re
gist
ratio
ns b
y 20
% th
roug
h us
e of
soci
al m
edia
to
pro
mot
e pr
ogra
m g
oals
•
Team
ed w
ith o
ther
coo
rdin
ator
s to
assi
gn 3
,000
vol
unte
ers t
o ov
er 4
00 lo
cal p
roje
cts
• Pa
rtne
red
with
30
volu
ntee
rs to
repl
ant t
rees
alo
ng lo
cal t
raffi
c w
ay
Ima
J. H
awk
im
ajha
wk@
ku.e
du
36 P
rivat
e R
oad
3057
, Apa
rtm
ent 7
La
wre
nce,
KS
6604
5 Ph
one:
555
-555
-555
5 w
ww
.link
edin
.com
/im
a-ha
wk
SUM
MA
RY
OF
QU
AL
IFIC
AT
ION
S
• T
wo
year
s ex
perie
nce
with
eve
nt p
rom
otio
n th
roug
h us
e of
prin
ted
mat
eria
l and
soc
ial m
edia
•
Prov
en c
omm
unic
atio
n sk
ills
deve
lope
d th
roug
h ca
mpu
s le
ader
ship
and
vol
unte
er w
ork
• E
xper
ienc
ed w
riter
with
str
ong
editi
ng s
kills
and
abi
lity
to c
reat
e ta
rget
ed m
essa
ges
•
Four
yea
rs e
xper
ienc
e w
ith M
icro
soft
Wor
d, E
xcel
, Pow
erPo
int,
and
Ado
be P
hoto
shop
•
Org
aniz
ed a
nd h
ard-
wor
king
indi
vidu
al a
ble
to ta
ke in
itiat
ive,
thin
k cr
eativ
ely,
and
wor
k ef
fect
ivel
y w
ith
peer
s, s
uper
viso
rs, s
uppo
rt s
taff
and
the
publ
ic
ED
UC
AT
ION
The
Uni
vers
ity
of K
ansa
s, L
awre
nce,
KS
Bach
elor o
f Arts
in E
nglis
h, E
xpec
ted
20X
X
• M
ajor
GPA
: 3.5
, Aca
dem
ic H
onor
Rol
l R
elev
ant C
ours
ewor
k: P
rofe
ssio
nal W
ritin
g, F
ound
atio
ns o
f Tec
hnic
al W
ritin
g, C
omm
unic
atin
g on
the
Inte
rnet
, Spe
aker
-Aud
ienc
e C
omm
unic
atio
n R
EL
EV
AN
T E
XP
ER
IEN
CE
Kan
sas
Uni
ons,
Law
renc
e, K
S
Stud
ent U
nion
Acti
vities
Coo
rdin
ator
, Aug
ust 2
0XX
– P
rese
nt
• C
reat
e pr
omot
iona
l mat
eria
ls fo
r m
onth
ly e
vent
s ut
ilizi
ng p
hoto
grap
hy, v
ideo
, and
cre
ativ
e te
xt d
esig
n •
Part
ner
with
oth
er s
taff
to e
ffec
tivel
y re
ach
a br
oad
audi
ence
for
each
eve
nt
• Le
ad m
ultip
le S
tude
nt U
nion
Act
iviti
es fu
ndra
iser
s, c
olle
ctin
g an
ave
rage
of $
2,50
0 ea
ch y
ear
Alp
ha C
hi O
meg
a So
rori
ty, T
he U
nive
rsit
y of
Kan
sas,
Law
renc
e, K
S H
ead
of R
ecrui
tmen
t, A
ugus
t 20X
X –
Pre
sent
•
Rev
ised
rec
ruitm
ent c
ampa
ign,
res
ultin
g in
hig
her
rete
ntio
n of
pot
entia
l new
mem
bers
Del
ta E
psilo
n Io
ta, T
he U
nive
rsit
y of
Kan
sas,
Law
renc
e, K
S Pu
blic
Rela
tions
Man
ager
, Aug
ust 2
0XX
– J
uly
20X
X
• U
pdat
ed F
aceb
ook,
Tw
itter
and
Lin
kedI
n to
info
rm m
embe
rs a
bout
upc
omin
g ac
tiviti
es a
nd e
vent
s •
Des
igne
d pr
omot
iona
l mat
eria
ls fo
r ev
ents
, inc
ludi
ng c
harit
y tr
ivia
tour
nam
ent a
nd th
e pr
ofes
sion
al
clot
hing
clo
set d
rive
A
DD
ITIO
NA
L E
XP
ER
IEN
CE
Aca
dem
ic P
rogr
ams
for
Exc
elle
nce,
The
Uni
vers
ity
of K
ansa
s, L
awre
nce,
KS
Peer
Tut
or, A
ugus
t 20X
X –
May
20X
X
• T
utor
ed fo
ur s
tude
nts
in E
nglis
h co
mpo
sitio
n; a
ssis
ted
with
con
tent
pre
para
tion
for
clas
s/te
sts
and
prov
ided
feed
back
on
writ
ten
assi
gnm
ents
with
att
entio
n to
acc
epte
d w
ritin
g pr
actic
es
• D
evel
oped
str
ateg
ies
for
wor
king
with
eac
h st
uden
t bas
ed o
n in
divi
dual
lear
ning
nee
ds
• C
omm
unic
ated
reg
ular
ly w
ith A
cade
mic
Coo
rdin
ator
, off
erin
g as
sess
men
t of s
tude
nt p
rogr
ess
Silv
ercr
est R
esor
t, W
auto
ma,
WI
W
aitre
ss a
nd H
ostes
s, Su
mm
ers
20X
X a
nd 2
0XX
•
Tra
ined
eig
ht n
ew s
taff
mem
bers
in te
chni
ques
use
d to
pro
vide
firs
t-cl
ass
serv
ice;
upd
ated
trai
ning
man
ual
to r
efle
ct c
hang
es in
pol
icie
s •
Sele
cted
by
man
agem
ent t
o w
ork
at s
peci
al c
omm
unity
eve
nts
serv
ing
over
200
gue
sts
11
Action Verb ListAccomplishments achievedawardedbenchmarkedcompletedexpandedexceededimprovedpioneeredreduced (losses)resolved (issues)restoredreversedspearheadedsucceededsurpassedtransformedwon
Analytical & Research analyzedassessedcalibratedclarifiedcollectedcomparedconductedcritiqueddetecteddetermineddiagnosedevaluatedexaminedexperimentedexploredextractedformulatedgatheredidentifiedinspectedinterpretedinterviewedinventedinvestigatedlocatedmeasuredobservedorganizedprovedresearchedreviewedsearchedscreenedsolvedspecifiedsummarizedsurveyedtested validated
Communication & Persuasion addressedadvertisedarbitratedarrangedarticulatedauthoredclarifiedcollaboratedcommunicatedcomposed
condensedconferredconsultedcontactedconveyedconvincedcorrespondeddebateddefineddemonstrateddescribeddevelopeddirecteddiscusseddissuadeddocumenteddraftededitededucatedelicitedenlistedestablishedexplainedexpressedformulatedfurnishedillustratedincorporatedinfluencedinformedinteractedinterpretedinterviewedinvolvedjoinedjudgedlecturedmarketedmediatedmoderatednegotiatedobservedoutlinedparticipatedpersuadedpresentedpromotedproposedpublicizedpublishedreconciledrecruitedreferredreinforcedreportedresolvedrespondedsolicitedspecifiedspokesuggestedsummarizedsynthesizedtranslatedwrote
Creative actedadaptedbegancombinedcomposedconceptualized
condensedcreatedcustomizeddesigneddeviseddevelopeddirecteddisplayeddrewentertainedestablishedfashionedformulatedfoundedillustratedinitiatedinstitutedintegratedintroducedinventedmodeledmodifiedoriginatedperformedphotographedplannedrevisedrevitalizedshapedsolved
Financial & Data administeredadjustedallocatedanalyzedappraisedassessedauditedbalancedbudgetedcalculatedcomputedconservedcontrolledcorrectedcutdecreaseddetermineddevelopedestimatedmanagedmarketedmeasuredplannedpreparedprogrammedprojectedpurchasedreconciledreducedresearchedretrieved tabulatedtrimmedtrackedquantified
Helping adaptedadvocatedaidedansweredarranged
assessedassistedcared forclarifiedcoachedcontributedcooperatedcounseleddemonstrateddiagnosededucatedencouragedensuredexpeditedfacilitatedguidedhelpedintervenedmotivatedpreventedprovidedreferredrehabilitatedrepresentedresolvedsimplifiedsuppliedsupportedvolunteered
Interpersonal & Teamwork advisedcollaboratedenabledfocusedinitiatedinteractedinvolvedlistenedmediatedmentoredmoderatednegotiatedpartneredteamed
Leadership & Management accomplishedactedadministeredadvancedadvisedanalyzedappointedapprovedassignedattainedauthorizedchairedcompletedconsideredconsolidatedcontractedcontrolledconvertedcoordinatedcounseleddecideddecreaseddelegateddetermined
developeddirecteddispatcheddisseminateddiversifiedeliminatedemphasizedenforcedenhancedenlistedensuredestablishedexaminedexecutedexplainedfoundedgeneratedgovernedguidedheadedhiredhostedimprovedincorporatedincreasedinfluencedinitiatedinspectedinspiredinstigatedinstitutedinstructedintegratedintroducedlaunchedledloweredmanagedmergedmodifiedmotivatedorganizedoriginatedoverhauledoversawpioneeredplannedpresidedprioritizedproducedproposedrecommendedrecruitedreorganizedreplacedrepresentedrestoredreviewedsavedscheduledsecuredselectedshapedsolidifiedstimulatedstreamlinedstrengthenedsupervisedterminatedtrimmedverified
Organization & Detail approvedarrangedcataloguedcategorizedchartedclassifiedcodedcollectedcompiledcontainedcoordinatedcorrectedcorrespondeddistributedexecutedexpeditedfiledgeneratedimplementedincorporatedinspectedloggedmaintainedmonitoredobtainedoperatedorderedorganizedplannedpreparedprocessedprovidedpurchasedrecordedregisteredreservedrespondedrestructuredreviewedroutedscheduledscreenedset upstandardizedsubmittedsuppliedupdatedusedvalidatedverified
Teaching & Training adaptedadvisedappraisedclarifiedcoachedcommunicatedconductedcoordinatedcritiqueddemonstrateddevelopededucatedenabledencouragedevaluatedexplainedfacilitatedfocused
guidedinfluencedinformedinstilledinstructedmotivatedpersuadedsetsimulatedstimulatedtaughttestedtrainedtransmittedtutored
Technical adaptedadvisedanalyzedappliedassembledautomatedbuiltcalculatedcodedcomputedcomputerizedconservedconstructedcontrolledconverteddebuggeddesigneddetermineddevelopeddiagnoseddraftedengineeredfabricatedfortifiedidentifiedimplementedinspectedinstalledlocatedmaintainedmonitorednetworkedoperatedoverhauledpreventedprintedprogrammedproposedrecordedrectifiedregulatedremodelledrepairedreplacedrestoredretrievedsolvedspecializedspecifiedstandardizedstudiedsupportedtrainedtroubleshotupgraded
12
References
Be sure to thank your references at the completion of your job search.
Resumes and cover letters win interviews; excellent references can win job offers.
If you are being considered for a job, it is likely that the potential employer will speak with your references. Once you have gotten this far in your job search you must be certain that your references will provide a good recommendation. A less-than-enthusiastic reference at a critical juncture can spell disaster, so select your references carefully.
WhoTo identify as many potential references as possible, consider current and former bosses, professors, advisors, volunteer coordinators, co-workers, and subordinates who have first-hand knowledge of your work and abilities. Be sure to find references who know you well enough to speak on your behalf. Roommates, friends, and family members do not make good professional references.
WhatNext, call or meet with the people on your list who are likely to deliver a very positive report and have seen you perform well. Begin by explaining that you are in a job search, and then ask whether they would be willing to act as a reference for you. You might say something like: “Dr. Thomas, I will be graduating in May and will be seeking a full-time position. I realize how important references can be, and I was wondering if you would be comfortable serving as a reference?”
The answer will usually be positive. Be prepared to provide a brief idea of what you have been doing recently and the type of position you seek. With past co-workers or supervisors, you may want to state why you left that job because they are likely to be asked by the potential employer. Deliver a current copy of your resume to your references so they will be familiar with your experiences and what you have highlighted for employers.
How ManyYou will generally be asked to provide at least three references. It is a good idea to have a “backup” on the list in case one or more of your references is unavailable.
WhereDo not include references on your resume. Names and contact information for references take up a lot of space and usually have little meaning to a potential employer at the “resume stage.” Make a separate reference page. Be sure to include your name and contact information at the top. When delivered with your resume and cover letter, the three documents should be complementary and professional. It is a good idea to print all three on the same high-quality bond paper.
Include reference’s name, current title, agency or organization with which they are currently affiliated, address, preferred phone number(s), and email address. In some cases, you may also want to note your relationship to the individual, such as a former supervisor at KU Library, particularly if your reference has moved to a new organization. Be certain everything is correct!
WhenProvide your reference list to a potential employer only when requested.
HELPFUL TIPS
• Alert your references that potential employers may be calling and provide them with your most recent resume.
• Notify your references if your name has changed since they knew you.
13
Sample Reference Page
SUZY SCHOLAR 2201 West Seventh � Lawrence, Kansas 66044 � (785) 555-‐9876 � [email protected] PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES Dr. Bob Debits (Professor for several finance courses) Professor of Finance University of Kansas School of Business 206 Summerfield Lawrence, KS 66045 (785) 864-‐1234 (work) [email protected]
Susan Boss (Direct supervisor) Sales Manager Microsoft 10000 Shopping Ave. Walham, MA 02455 (339) 456-‐7890 (cell) [email protected]
Ona Reference (Faculty advisor for Marketing Club) Robert C. Smith Distinguished Professor of Marketing University of Kansas School of Business 350 Summerfield Lawrence, KS 66045 (785) 222-‐1111 (work) (785) 333-‐4444 (cell) [email protected]
Joe Schmo (Former supervisor at ABC Manufacturing) Owner Schmo Industries 1234 Main Street South Kansas City, KS 66543 (913) 999-‐9999 (work) (913) 963-‐8521 (home) (785) 741-‐1234 (cell) schmo@schmoindustriescom
Include your relationship to the reference
Include the reference’s current job title and where they work along with current contact information
Ask your reference how they would like to be contacted and include only those phone numbers or emails
If your reference has changed jobs since you worked with him/her, note that on your reference page
14
Cover LettersWhen to use a cover letterMany employers will require a cover letter as part of your application. There may be other times when a cover letter is also appropriate. Include a cover letter with your resume when you cannot present it in person, for example if sent through U.S. Postal Service or email. Remember, whatever you write in your email IS your cover letter. A cover letter is not necessary when you deliver your resume to a potential employer at a career fair.
The purpose of cover letters The purpose of the cover letter and resume package is to motivate the employer to take action and invite you for an interview. When delivered together, the two documents should be complementary and work together to accomplish your purpose. The appearance of your resume/cover letter package will be enhanced if both documents are printed on the same high-quality bond paper.
A cover letter should work like advertising copy. It should:
• catch the reader’s attention (opening paragraph)
• communicate skills and experience (middle paragraph)
• support your statements with specifics (middle paragraph)
• compel the reader to act (final paragraph)
Employers report that an impressive cover letter is often more important than the resume when making a decision whether to interview a candidate, so it can be a mistake to focus too much attention on the resume and ignore the potential value of a well-written letter. Like the resume, the cover letter is not intended to get you the job—it is intended to get you an interview (when you can convince the employer face-to-face that you are the right one for the job).
The most important aspect of a cover letter is employer focus. Present the employer with indications of your personality and style along with your skills and abilities.
Highlight your qualifications for the specific position you seek, clearly stating your interests and qualifications relative to the employer’s needs.
Always customize your cover letter! Sending out a general cover letter and resume to hundreds of employers is rarely successful. It can create a perception on the employer’s part that you are not a serious and thoughtful person, that you are desperate for a job, or that you don’t really care enough about their organization to learn about them.
Your letter should be just a few paragraphs and only one page in length. While there is no “perfect formula” regarding length and what to include, keep it relevant and relatively brief.
• Starting every sentence with “I” or “my”.
• Extraneous words and wordy phrases, such as “in order to” and “for the purpose of”.
• Confusing and complex language and sentence structure (HINT: Read your letter aloud to identify awkwardness, then correct it).
• Long sentences and paragraphs.
• Weak or overused words.
• Font sizes smaller than 10 point and larger than 12 point.
• Nondescript phrases such as “I was a computer lab assistant.” Instead, say: “I provided technical assistance”. “I conducted research activities using observation and data analysis skills while…” instead of “I worked as a research assistant”.
THINGS TO AVOID IN COVER LETTERS
15
Cover Letters Sample Cover Letter
1234
Mai
n Av
enue
La
wre
nce,
KS
6604
6 Se
ptem
ber 2
0, 2
013
Ms.
Bett
y Sm
ith
Hum
an R
esou
rces
Dir
ecto
r Bi
g Ti
me
Softw
are
678
Mad
ison
Ave
nue
Over
land
Par
k, K
S 66
212
Dea
r Ms.
Smith
: It
is w
ith g
reat
inte
rest
that
I ap
ply
for t
he p
ositi
on o
f sal
es re
pres
enta
tive
for t
he
Mid
wes
t ter
rito
ry. A
t the
rece
nt U
nive
rsity
of K
ansa
s ca
reer
fair
, I m
et Jo
e Jo
b, C
hica
go
sale
s rep
rese
ntat
ive
for B
ig T
ime
Softw
are,
who
told
me
abou
t the
pos
ition
. My
exte
nsiv
e sa
les a
nd le
ader
ship
exp
erie
nce
as w
ell a
s str
engt
hs th
at in
clud
e a
com
mitt
ed w
ork
ethi
c, st
rong
mot
ivat
ion
to s
ucce
ed a
nd a
dem
onst
rate
d re
cord
of e
xcee
ding
goa
ls w
ould
mak
e m
e an
exc
elle
nt fi
t for
you
r com
pany
. Af
ter s
peak
ing
with
Mr.
Job
and
rese
arch
ing
Big
Tim
e So
ftwar
e, I
am im
pres
sed
with
the
inno
vativ
e so
ftwar
e yo
ur c
ompa
ny is
dev
elop
ing
for t
he h
ealth
car
e in
dust
ry. Y
our r
ecen
t re
leas
e of
Sup
er S
peci
al S
oftw
are
vers
ion
5.0
repr
esen
ts a
sig
nific
ant a
dvan
ce in
te
chno
logy
and
shou
ld b
e w
ell r
ecei
ved
in th
e ho
me
heal
th fi
eld.
Thi
s rap
idly
gro
win
g se
gmen
t of t
he in
dust
ry is
crea
ting
uniq
ue o
ppor
tuni
ties
to a
cqui
re n
ew c
lient
s. I
have
a
cons
iste
nt re
cord
of a
chie
vem
ent i
n bu
ildin
g cu
stom
er re
latio
nshi
ps th
at g
ener
ate
sale
s w
hile
wor
king
on
a te
am a
nd m
eetin
g de
adlin
es. D
urin
g m
y su
mm
er in
tern
ship
at U
nion
Sa
les,
I exc
eede
d th
e m
onth
ly sa
les q
uota
by
30 p
erce
nt –
the
maj
ority
of t
hose
sal
es w
ere
to n
ew c
lient
s. A
t The
Uni
vers
ity D
aily
Kan
san,
I co
nsis
tent
ly s
urpa
ssed
the
sale
s goa
l of
$500
in a
dver
tisin
g pe
r wee
k.
As c
hief
mem
bers
hip
offic
er o
f Pi A
lpha
Pi,
an a
cade
mic
hon
ors
orga
niza
tion,
I pi
onee
red
a re
crui
tmen
t pro
gram
that
bro
ught
in o
ver 2
0 ne
w m
embe
rs, i
ncre
asin
g ou
r m
embe
rshi
p ba
se b
y 52
per
cent
. At
the
Chic
ago
Grill
Res
taur
ant,
I was
sele
cted
to tr
ain
all n
ew h
ires
on
prop
er se
rvin
g te
chni
ques
and
was
ent
rust
ed w
ith c
losi
ng th
e re
stau
rant
af
ter o
nly
thre
e m
onth
s of e
mpl
oym
ent.
The
se e
xper
ienc
es d
emon
stra
te th
at I
am a
hi
ghly
mot
ivat
ed a
nd g
oal-‐d
rive
n le
ader
who
str
ives
for e
xcel
lenc
e in
eve
ryth
ing
I do.
I l
ook
forw
ard
to th
e op
port
unity
to in
terv
iew
with
you
and
hav
e at
tach
ed m
y re
sum
e as
re
ques
ted.
I w
ill c
onta
ct y
ou n
ext w
eek
to sc
hedu
le a
tim
e w
hen
we
can
furt
her d
iscu
ss
my
qual
ifica
tions
. If y
ou h
ave
any
ques
tions
, I ca
n be
reac
hed
at (7
85) 5
55-‐1
234
or b
y em
ail a
t jay
hk@
ku.e
du. T
hank
you
for y
our t
ime
and
cons
ider
atio
n.
Sinc
erel
y,
Jay
Haw
k
Your
Add
ress
D
ate
Firs
t and
Las
t Nam
e of
con
tact
per
son
or “H
uman
Res
ourc
es M
anag
er” i
f na
me
is u
nkno
wn
Title
of C
onta
ct P
erso
n Em
ploy
er C
onta
ct In
form
atio
n If
empl
oyer
nam
e is
not
ava
ilabl
e, u
se H
uman
Res
ourc
es M
anag
er,
Dir
ecto
r or H
irin
g M
anag
er
Firs
t Par
agra
ph:
•W
hy y
ou a
re w
ritin
g •
Wha
t pos
ition
you
are
app
lyin
g fo
r •
How
you
lear
ned
abou
t the
pos
ition
•
Who
refe
rred
you
(if a
pplic
able
) Bo
dy:
•W
hy y
ou a
re in
tere
sted
in th
e po
sitio
n •
Wha
t you
can
con
trib
ute
•H
ow y
our q
ualif
icat
ions
wou
ld b
enef
it th
e or
gani
zatio
n •
How
you
r ski
lls a
nd e
xper
ienc
e m
atch
thei
r nee
ds
Last
Par
agra
ph:
•Re
fer t
o do
cum
ents
enc
lose
d or
ava
ilabl
e su
ch a
s lis
t of r
efer
ence
s •
Give
the
phon
e nu
mbe
r and
tim
e th
at y
ou c
an b
e re
ache
d
or w
hen
you
will
con
tact
them
•
Than
k th
em fo
r the
ir ti
me
and
cons
ider
atio
n of
you
r app
licat
ion
Or, “
Resp
ectfu
lly”
Type
you
r fir
st a
nd la
st n
ame
Leav
e fo
ur sp
aces
so y
ou c
an s
ign
your
nam
e in
ink
afte
r it i
s pri
nted
Le
ave
only
one
bla
nk li
ne a
nd ty
pe y
our n
ame
for e
mai
led
lett
ers
16
Professional CommunicationWhether you are submitting an application for a position or developing a networking contact online, all of your communication needs to be done with professionalism. Employers are evaluating your communication skills with every piece of correspondence, so be sure they will get a good impression.
Many of your connections with professionals will be done through electronic media. In online correspondence it is important to follow the same basic guidelines as you would in any other formal style of communication. Below are some examples.
Networking Through Email
Subject: Request to Connect from a KU Student
Dear Ms. Ellsworth:
Dr. Studia, professor of sociology at the Universityof Kansas, suggested that I contact you. As a fellowJayhawk, she felt you might be willing to visit withme about my career path.
I am a junior at KU, majoring in sociology, and amcurrently exploring career options. Your background in human rights work and your leadership in non-profitorganizationsarebothveryinterestingtome.I would like to learn more about what it’s like to workforanonprofit,andwashopingyoumightbewilling to give me advice on how to prepare myself for this career path.
Wouldyoubewillingtovisitwithmebrieflyaboutyour experiences? I’m available between December5 and January 10 and would be happy to connectthrough email, on the phone, or in person.
Sincerely,
17
Informational Interview Request Through Email
Dear Mr. Budig:
IamcurrentlyajuniorfinancestudentattheUniversity of Kansas and am interested in learningmoreaboutcareersinthefinanceindustry.Aftera class discussion and personal research, oneparticular career that has sparked my interest isfinancialadvising.
Would you be willing to take 20 to 30 minutes out ofyour day to provide me with advice and expertisebasedonyourexperiencesinthisfield?Iamavailable on Monday and Friday afternoons throughthe next four weeks. If this is a possibility, pleaseemail me back or contact me at 555-555-5555. Thankyou for your time!
Sincerely,
Subject: Informational Interview Request from Jay Hawk
Subject: Positions in Software Development
Job Prospecting Through Email
Dear Mr. Haworth:
After reading a description of your company on LinkedIn, I would like to know about possible job opportunities in your software development department. I am a senior in Computer Science, and will earn my bachelor’s degree in May.
Last summer, I had the opportunity to do an internship for the XYZ Solutions Firm where I workedclosely with a team to develop business technology programs. My training also included testing existing systems.Thisexperienceconfirmedmyinterestinacareer in software development, and I believe your company would be an excellent match for my skills.
Myresumeisattachedforyourconsideration.Irealizethat you have many demands on your time, but I would appreciate an opportunity to discuss employment possibilities with your company. Would youbeavailabletheweekofJanuary10tomeetbriefly?If you would prefer to contact me by phone, my number is 555-555-5555.
Thank you very much for considering my request. Ilook forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully,
Networking Introduction Through Social Media Messaging
Dear Ms. Fraser:
I am currently a psychology major at the University ofKansas exploring career options. While researching people who work in higher education and live in Chicago,Ifoundyourprofile.IwillbeinChicagoduring the week of March 18-22. Would you be willing to take 20-30 minutes of your time to talk to me about yourexperiencesinthisfield?Ifyouwouldratherconnect by email, I can be reached at [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
LinkedIn Invitation to Connect Message (Someone you’ve never met)
Dear Mr. Sabatini:
I am a photo media major at the University of Kansas exploring career options. I joined the PhotoMarketing group, and enjoy reading the discussionsthere. Would you be willing to connect with me so that Ican learn more about your work?
Sincerely,
LinkedIn Invitation to Connect(Someone already known to you)
Dear Ms. Higuchi:
I enjoyed the time I spent working for you at ABC Company.Thehelpyouofferedmeduringmyinternship was invaluable. I hope you will connect with me on LinkedIn so we can stay in touch in the future! Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
DO
• Spell check ALL written communication.
• Proofread electronic messages just as thoroughly as you would printed documents.
• Use a subject line in ALL emails such as “Application for Marketing Internship”.
• Be respectful of the person you are contacting; don’t ask for something they can’t provide .
• Use formal greetings and closings when possible.
• Create an email “signature” that includes all of your contact information.
• Use a formal greeting such as Mr./Ms. unless they have given you permission to call them by their first name or you know them well.
DON’T
• Use informal text shortcuts such as “ur” for “you are”.
• Use emoticons in any of your communication.
• Use an informal tone in your writing.
• Attach a resume in a request to connect, or in a request for an informational interview.
TIPS FOR ONLINE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
18
Business Career Services Center 125 Summerfield Hall Phone 785-864-5591 Fax 785-864-5078 Email [email protected] www.business.ku.edu/bcsc
Engineering Career Center 1001 Eaton Hall Phone 785-864-3891 Fax 785-864-5643 Email [email protected] www.ecc.ku.edu
Music Career Center 450 Murphy Hall Phone 785-864-4466 Fax 785-864-5387 www.music.ku.edu
Journalism Career Center 120 Stauffer-Flint Hall Phone 785-864-7630 Fax 785-864-5318 Email [email protected] www.journalism.ku.edu
University Career Center 110 Burge Union Phone 785-864-3624 Fax 785-864-4572 Email [email protected] career.ku.edu
©2013 The University of Kansas. All rights reserved.
