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Resume Templates
Cover Letter
Present a one-page cover letter with every resume you provide. Your cover letter is your marketing tool and should not duplicate your resume. Attract the interest of the prospective employer, communicate your interest in the job and organization, communicate your marketable qualifications, offer contact information and ask for an interview.
- Address your letter to the individual responsible for hiring and include their title if known - do not use sir or madam.
- Ensure your letter is free of typos and grammatical errors.
- Use action verbs to convey warmth and enthusiasm.
- Describe how your skills, abilities and personal suitability will benefit the organization.
Resume
Always direct your resume to a concrete position within an organization. Request for a copy of the job description and clearly identify how you meet those qualifications and skills required by the job.
- State your contact information at the top of your resume examples.
- Employers often use the resume as a screening device. Thus, most resumes will be given a thirty-second glance. Keep it to three pages or less and list your qualification statements in bullet form near the top.
- Match your qualifications to those advertised or to the statement of qualifications.
- Back up your qualifications by using specific examples in the body of your resume.
- Technical companies, especially those advertised on the Internet often use a software program to screen resumes. Pay close attention to key words used to identify the required qualifications, skills, experience and education and use these key words in your resume sample and cover letter.
- Keep your resume upbeat and enthusiastic by using succinct, positive action verbs to identify your qualifications.
- Be sure to have the names, contact information and consent of at least three references on hand.
- Always include a cover letter.
How to Ace the Job Interview
The person who is accountable for hiring, a human resource manager, a panel or combination thereof generally conducts a job interview. It can be formal, informal, screening, multiple, situational or group. The better prepared you are for the job interviews, the less anxious you will be and the more chance you will have for success.
- If possible, find out what type of interview the organization will be holding.
- Practice by asking a supportive friend or a career counselor to role-play the interview with you or practice in front of a mirror or video camera until you are comfortable.
- Research commonly asked interview questions. Practice answering them.
- Assess your strengths and weaknesses. Work on improving speaking too rapidly, too loudly, too softly, and appearing nervous.
- Dress for success by being well groomed and wearing clothes that are clean, pressed and appropriate for the industry in which you are seeking work.
- Research the organization prior to the interview.
- Take extra copies of your resume with you and your list of references.
- Arrive TEN minutes early. Greet the receptionist in a professional and friendly manner.
- Make sure the interview works for you as much as it works for the prospective employer. Get the information you need to make an appropriate decision should the job be offered to you, such as why the organization is hiring, what they expect of the incumbent, and future plans that will affect the position and your growth within the organization.
- Follow-up with a note of appreciation for the interviewer's time.
- If you aren't successful in getting the job, ask for feedback.
- Don't give up! Keep improving your resume and practicing your interview skills.