Resumes, Cover Letters and Applying Online
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The document is a workshop presentation led by career coach Bruce A. Bennett, focused on creating effective resumes and cover letters for job applications. It discusses various resume formats, essential components, common mistakes, and the importance of tailoring applications for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). The presentation also includes tips for enhancing resumes, the purpose of cover letters, and related job search resources.
Resumes, Cover Letters and Applying Online
- 1. Resumes, Cover Letters & Applying Online brought to you by Bruce A. Bennett Career Coach Corner February 3, 2020
- 2. 2 Introduction & Notes for Workshop Introduction Professional Career in Media & Marketing Research MCWN Volunteer & Contractor Career Coach Corner Blogger, Presenter & Podcaster General Notes for Today My contact info is on last slide Presentation file available upon request Workshop is interactive, Q/A & Parking lot Red Arrows Social Media Revolution
- 3. 3 Outline for Workshop Today Resume Formats Components General Points Mistakes Cover Letters Do I need one? Standard Format Q Style Format Applying On-line Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
- 4. 4 Goals for Session Goals Identify core elements of resume Restate job responsibilities into STARs Identify core elements cover letter Use of Job Boards and Employer ATS Know Thyself – Personal Intelligence
- 5. 5 Not all Resumes are Created Equal Paradigm for job search changed radically Seven seconds - really?? One resume does not work Customize resumes to fit job posting Keywords from description must be in resume Detail work experience history by dates Self Awareness What do you want? Five job titles, industry and target companies Research what skills are needed for those jobs 3 columns, acquired or desired skills, Y/N and what examples Catherine Breet Byers suggests 3 simple steps
- 6. 6 Resume Formats Chronological Details work experience history by dates Functional Highlights skills and expertise Blended Combo of the two Infographic Graphic, colorful, & creative Plain Text
- 7. 7 Resume Formats Chronological Resume Format Skills Resume Format Infographic format Plain Text Format Plain Text Format File
- 8. 8 Resume Components Contact information Name Address (printed vs. digital) Phone number (only 1) Email LinkedIn URL Career or Professional Summary Elevator speech scripted out Skills, Keywords or Buzzwords and phrases relevant to industry & skills Avoid clichés
- 9. 9 Resume Components Work Experience Company Job Title Dates (Month/Year) Description about company and/or URL Achievements, not duties or responsibilities Previous performance appraisals helpful More bullets for current position STARs or CARs Situation or Task, Action and Results Circumstance, Action and Results
- 10. 10 Resume Components Quantify or Recognize experience Maintained accounting records for AR and AP Managed 1,000+ AR & AP accounts working directly with the CFO Answered the phone Resolved customer issues through inbound calling system, averaging 60 calls a day Sold computers and printers to customers Practiced consultative sales techniques to provide customers with their hardware & software needs Managed and supervised 10 staff members Coached and developed 22 direct reports into supervisory role positions
- 11. 11 Resume Components Accomplishments Education College, Seminars, Workshops, Special training Military Experience Rank, Duties, Responsibilities, Relevant Experiences Technical or Computer Skills Community Activities Volunteer Experience
- 12. 12 General Points White space Applying on line, stick around to the end Two pages max? Font consistency is important Printed white paper 20# Recruiter Relates Resume Tips John Marty Offers More Resume Advice
- 13. 13 Typical Resume Mistakes Typos Objective References available upon request ABC’s of references Providing a Home and Cell phone number 25+ years of experience Putting a 3 page resume on 2 pages Distracting formats and/or fonts Clichés Responsible for…. Problem solving skills Detail orientated
- 14. 14 Fine Tune Your Resume Chrome extension - Grammarly
- 15. 15 Fine Tune Your Resume Microsoft addin - Grammarly
- 16. 16 Fine Tune Your Resume These websites refine your resume Match your key skills with job description Empower you to get past ATS robots www.jobscan.co https://theprofessional.me https://skillsyncer.com/
- 17. 17 Fine Tune Your Resume www.jobscan.co - Five scans per month
- 18. 18 Fine Tune Your Resume
- 24. 24 Refining a Resume An upgraded JobScan version does exist
- 27. 27 Cover Letters To Include or Not to Include
- 28. 28 Cover Letters Donna Salvi, Avid Careerist, Talks Cover Letters
- 29. 29 Cover Letters What function does it serve? Introduce yourself to the recruiter State your interest in the position Relate why you are a good fit How to write a cover letter
- 30. 30 Cover Letters Provides additional means of communication Gaps in employment Why Company or position interests you Relevant experience or industry knowledge Bullet points to highlight skills No more than a few paragraphs 4 Sentence Cover Letter Traditional format Comparative format Pain Letter
- 31. 31 Traditional Cover Letter Example Header information matches resume
- 32. 32 Traditional Cover Letter Example Bullets and closing statement
- 33. 33 Traditional Cover Letter Example Dear Ms. Polerecky, I found the Account Manager Associate position, Job ID3885, through a job search agent I created on the Ebsco website. My background is a great match with your staffing needs. The majority of my professional career has been at two companies: Nielsen Media Research and Synovate. During 2010, I was engaged in civic duties with the Village of Johnsburg and volunteering at the McHenry County Workforce Network, while continuing my career search. Additionally, I started conducting training seminars on LinkedIn for networking groups and Harper College in the latter half of 2010. I started at Lodestar Research in January 2011, but am seeking full time employment with benefits. When I started at Synovate, my role was initially defined as a liaison between a recent acquisition and the parent company. While I was there, I became the brand manager for the Interactive Opinion Network (ION). The ION product was the premier in-person data collection methodology used for survey research. I coordinated the processes from working with the programmers to fielding the studies. I am familiar with basic HTML code and rudimentary SQL queries. The ION product used Microsoft Access which I have been using for over a decade. Additionally, I was responsible for the quality assurance of the product. More recently, I have been at Lodestar Research, a company that focuses on B2B publishing. I use BPA Worldwide Brand Reports to evaluate B2B publishers as a prospective client. I have extensive management, operations, client service and relationship building experience that would benefit Hallmark Data Systems. My experience and skills include: Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida. Early adopter of new technology, software and social media. Ability to adapt to new challenges and responsibilities. In depth use of MSOffice 2007 products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook & Access to track, analyze and present data. Outstanding written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation and organizational skills. If you are looking for a committed team member with strong client service skills and the ability to multi-task in a fast paced environment, I am the candidate you are seeking to place with your client. I look forward to discussing how my background is a match for this opportunity and will call you on March 23 to follow up.
- 34. 34 Comparative Cover Letter Example Good Afternoon, Your advertisement for a Lead Expeditor caught my attention because it seemed an ideal match to my background and experience in inventory control. Having looked at your website, it is clear you present medical solutions that improve the lives of both doctors and patients and I am very excited about the prospect of playing a part in that role. Let me take this opportunity to present my background in comparison to the job requirements you have described. YOUR REQUIREMENTS MY BACKGROUND Bachelor’s Degree Bachelors Degree in Science 2+ yrs related experience with leadership 10+ yrs experience with 6+ yrs in a leadership role Strong Excel/proficient math Utilized advanced excel functions and math on a daily basis Superior attention to detail Maintained and monitored delivery dates for 30K finished goods Exceptional communication/adaptable/ strong sense of urgency Established direct communication in urgent situations to ensure accurate and timely actions Comparative Cover Letter
- 35. 35 Applicant Tracking Systems - ATS
- 36. 36 What is an ATS? Majority of major companies use an ATS for HR Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Software that enables the electronic handling of HR documentation Cradle to grave capability Tracks hiring compliance for company Taking the human out of Human Resources
- 37. 37 How Does an ATS Work Parses your resume into the system Scans resumes to qualify candidates Matches keywords in job description Performs data mining and collecting Ranks candidates by resumes & responses Can manage many tasks Identify top candidates/Reject unqualified Send applicant emails Schedule interviews Onboarding process Tracks reviews, promotions, terminations
- 38. 38 Pitfalls of ATS Many ATS cannot read a PDF, unless specifically directed to submit a PDF, submit doc Word Doc not Docx format Resume templates Cannot read tables or multiple columns Cannot read wording in header & footer Misspelled words are not recognized
- 39. 39 Pitfalls of ATS Single column format Avoid lines and borders Do not use underline Do not use Bold or Italics Left justification Serif fonts are not accurately read reliably Sans Serif fonts are better Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman Futura, Gotham, Franklin Gothic, Circular Size does matter - 11 or 12 pt font is better Margins of 1 preferred, .75 at the maximum
- 40. 40 ATS Resume Friendly Tips Use standard terminology for section titles Work Experience not Career Achievements Education not Professional Training Keyword matches found in job description Name document for relevant position BruceBennettManager.doc, not resume.doc Use full name instead of acronym Interactive Opinion Network, not ION
- 43. 43 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 44. 44 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 45. 45 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 46. 46 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 47. 47 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 48. 48 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 49. 49 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 50. 50 McHenry County Employer ATS
- 51. 51 Upload Your Resume On-line Glassdoor - https://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm Indeed - https://www.indeed.com/ ZipRecruiter - https://www.ziprecruiter.com Careerbuilder - https://www.careerbuilder.com Monster - https://www.monster.com Dice - https://www.dice.com/ Mashable - http://jobs.mashable.com/ Slideshare - https://www.slideshare.net/ JobServe - https://www.jobserve.com O*NET Online - https://www.onetonline.org/ Stella - https://www.stella.ai/welcome University Career Centers
- 52. 52 Find Jobs On-line See Previous Slide Corporate Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn And many, many others! Ladders.com Nexxt.com Resume-now.com
- 53. 53 Wordle.net Create a visual representation of your resume
- 54. 54 Video & Blog Links Catherine Breet Byers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8od1iolitg&feature=related Kimberly Bishop - Recruiter Give Resume Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpQaLX343Js Socialnomics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4znQDyz038 ATS Do’s and Don’ts https://www.resumetoreferral.com/ats-resumes/ Pain Letters https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/11/26/how-to-use-pain- letters-in-your-job-search/#310855967b44
- 55. 55 Success Stories Michele N. – Medical Attended Resume & LinkedIn workshops and gained confidence Mary M. – Educator Changed her resume after Resume, CL & ATS workshop and got 9 interviews Stefanie S. – Pharmacy Technician Prepared effectively after Winning Interview workshop and was hired Nick C. – Retail Loss Prevention Attended all workshops and incorporated learnings to get hired Samantha B. – Senior Year College Student Incorporated my recommendations, found on LinkedIn and offered job I want to add your name to the list!!
- 56. 56 McHenry County Workforce Network February Newsletter of Events & Services McHenry County Workforce Network Website Personalized Job Search Assistance Services To sign up, request the professional directly by email Resume Critique 30-45 minute sessions Dean Eitel – February 3 & 17 10:00 - 12:00 Email: [email protected] Kathy Hayhurst - February 10 8:30 - 10:45 Email: [email protected] Mock Interviews 60 minute sessions Kraig Roberts – February 3 & 27 9:30 - 10:30 Email: [email protected]
- 57. 57 Upcoming Events McHenry County Workforce Network 500 Russel Court, Woodstock IL 60098 LinkedIn for Your Job Search February 10, 2020 from 9:00am to 12:00pm Getting Started with LinkedIn Webinar Available on MCWN website Network to Success Job Club February 19, 2020 from 1:00pm to 3:30pm Crystal Lake Public Library 126 W Paddock St, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Employment Series Fridays January 31, February 2 & 14, 2020 from 2:30pm – 4:00pm Lake Villa District Library 140 N. Munn Road, Lindenhurst, IL 60046 LinkedIn Strategic Guidelines Wednesday March 18, 2020 from 10:00am – 12:00pm
- 59. Feel free to follow up or connect with me on LinkedIn Contact Info: Bruce A. Bennett Mobile: 815-302-9552 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bruceabennett Career Coach Corner Blog: http://bruce73.wordpress.com/ Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/b-squared-linkedin