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Resume/Cover Letter Writing Workshop
How to Write a Resume:
Set up your formatting and resume style:
- Start your resume by opening a new document in your preferred word processor (like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Apple Pages). Then use the following resume formatting:
- Set ½”–1” inch margins on all sides
- Make sure your page is set to US Letter size and portrait orientation
- Select a professional font for your resume, such as Arial or Helvetica
- Adjust your font size between 10 and 12 point
- TIP: Keep everything on one-page so you don’t overwhelm the hiring manager. Only write a two-page resume if all of your information is relevant to the job, or if you’re applying for a senior leadership role.
Pick a resume layout:
- There are three main resume formats most job seekers use today. Each format is structured to help you lay out and emphasize different parts of your professional background.
- Those three formats include the chronological resume, the combination resume, and the functional resume.
- The right format for you depends on your work history, the job you are applying to, and your skillset.
Add a resume header:
- Your resume should have an eye-catching resume header at the top of the page to quickly highlight your contact details for hiring managers.
- A resume header needs to include your:
- Name
- Email address (use a professional one like firstname.lastname@gmail.com)
- Phone number
- You can also add these optional details:
- An online portfolio or website (if relevant to the job)
- Your LinkedIn
- Your mailing address (if you want to show you are a local)
- A resume headline (a subtitle that describes your experience)
- TIP: Your name should always be the largest element on your resume to make it stand out, so use a font size larger than 20 points.
Use a resume introduction:
- Hiring managers, especially those at large companies, have many applications to review for each job opening. With so much competition, it can be tough to make sure your resume gets the attention it deserves.
- To stand out to the hiring manager, your resume needs to communicate why you are the right person for the job as quickly as possible. That is where a convincing resume introduction comes into play.
- Your resume introduction provides a quick snapshot of your experience, skills, and qualifications at the very top of your resume. It should be 3–5 sentences and can be written in either sentence or bullet-point format.
Target your work experience:
- Next is your resume’s work experience section, which many recruiters and employers are most interested in (so it is important to get it right).
- For each work experience entry, list the following basic information:
- How to list work experience on your resume
- Job title – Dates employed (year and month)
- Company name – Company location (city and state)
- Three to five bullet points describing your achievements and responsibilities
- Include hard numbers in your bullet points when possible
- To make your work experience section shine, target each bullet point to the specific job you want. Look carefully at the skills mentioned in the description, and showcase any of those skills you have with clear examples.
Use numbers and action verbs:
- Many job seekers make the mistake of simply listing past responsibilities in their experience section and resume introduction. Phrases like “responsible for” and “tasked with” are technically correct, but they do not do a good job of explaining what you accomplished at work.
- To make a resume better than those job seekers, instead focus on your achievements, complete with hard numbers that illustrate the impact of your work.
Showcase your skills:
- Your key skills should be prominently displayed in your resume’s skills section to give employers an at-a-glance view of the hard and soft skills that qualify you for the role.
- Hard skills are learned through specific training, workshops, work experience, or school and include the skills you need to operate equipment at work (like point-of-sale systems).
- Soft skills relate to your personality, and you develop them by simply dealing with people and daily tasks while at work. Organizational skills like coordination and self-management are good examples of soft skills valued by employers.
- Include a mix of hard and soft skills on your resume to show employers you have a balance of technical savvy and the ability to work well with colleagues and clients.
- TIP: have a lot of skills? Consider adding a technical skills section to your resume so employers know where to look for those skills. Adding a technical skills section is especially useful if you work in medicine, engineering, or marketing.
Highlight your education:
- Your education section should normally come after all of your work experience, but you can place it first if you have never held a full-time job or you are currently a student.
- An effective education section on a resume includes only your highest degree. If you did not go to college, add your high school diploma instead.
- TIP: The exception is for teaching jobs in higher education and college applications. For these roles, you need to write an academic CV and list all of your degrees, including high school diplomas, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and PhDs.
Add other optional sections:
- Depending on your experience and background, consider adding optional resume sections. For example, certifications and awards are great if they are relevant to your chosen career, while hobbies and volunteer work are useful if you are writing a resume with no experience.
Proofread your application:
- Spend some time reading through it at least a couple of times. You would be surprised how easy it is to make a typo and how hard it is to spot them in your own writing.
- Software tools you can use to check your resume for grammar or spelling mistakes include:
- Microsoft Word’s spell checker
- Grammarly
- Hemingway
Save your resume as a PDF:
- When you are sure your resume is finished and you have checked for errors, you can save it. The best option is to save your resume as a PDF. PDFs save your formatting even if you use fonts that are not installed on the hiring manager’s computer, so they will appear exactly as you want them to appear.
- However, if the job ad specifically asks for your resume in Microsoft Word (DOCX) format or some other format, follow those instructions.
- TIP: Your resume’s file name should be simple and clear and make it easy for the hiring manager to find it later. For example, Gloria-Chen-Resume.pdf is a good file name because it contains the applicant’s name and the word “resume.”
Please Check out this website for more thorough details!
Video - Write an Incredible Resume: 5 Golden Rules!
How to Write a Cover letter:
Note the date
- Document the date you are sending the letter. The date line is usually in between your address and the address to which you are sending the letter.
Include your name and address
- It is standard practice to begin with your name and address at the top of your cover letter. Some people use this information, reflecting the way it appears on their resume:
- Example:
Gilbert Swann
533 Sym Blvd, Edmonton, AB (555) 668-4100 | GS334@email.com
Include the recipient's name and address:
- You can find this information in the job description or on the company's website.
- The beginning of the letter will often look like this:
SENDER: Gilbert Swann
533 Sym Blvd, Edmonton, AB
(555) 668-4100
May 5th, 20XX
TO: Tonya Wilcox
Equate Systems
123 Root Street, Edmonton, AB
Introduce yourself:
- Begin with a standard greeting like “Dear”, or “Hello”.
Make your opening paragraph about your interest in the position:
- Your first paragraph ought to include the position you're applying for. Be enthusiastic about the position and company.
Include your background:
- The second paragraph may be a synopsis of your relevant experience. Include key achievements and expertise that relate to the position. Provide details about your successes and positive outcomes.
Focus on your qualifications:
- Focus on another key achievement or skill, especially if it links to a keyword in the job description.
End with the things you believe distinguish you from other candidates:
- Your last paragraph should reiterate the reasons that you are suited for the role. Here is where you can underline why you are especially ready to take on the job and what sets you apart from other candidates. You can also use this opportunity to express your desire to know more about the role.
Sign with an appropriate salutation including your signature:
- Sign your name following a closing salutation like “All the best”, or “Sincerely”.
- Following these steps will help you create a cover letter that shows employers why you are uniquely qualified for the position。
Please Check out this website for more thorough details!
Video - Write an Amazing Cover Letter: 3 Golden Rules (Template included)