Agenda:
• What is a resume?
• Three types of resumes and examples.
• Best resume templates and fonts.
• Tailoring resume sections and accomplishments.
• Getting past Applicant Tracking Systems.
• What is a cover letter? Overview and examples.
• Make an Appointment: LWTech Career Services.
Mind-
blowing
Statistic
According to a 2018
Forbes article What
Your Resume is Up
Against employers
only spend 6
seconds looking
at a resume before
they decide if they
will interview the
candidate or not.
What is a Resume?
The Resume
What it is
• It’s a self-marketing tool that helps you
find a job, internship, or make a career
change.
• It convinces an employer to offer you an
interview.
• It shows the employer you match the
job, so you customize it for each job
using keywords.
• It’s a “snapshot” of your achievements,
experience, education and how you can
help them.
• It gives you talking points for your
interview.
• It’s well structured, easy to read, and
presents your qualifications for the job.
What it isn’t
• Your entire work history or life story.
• You don’t have to include every skill you
have or account for your time–only share
what’s relevant for the position, industry,
or company.
• Two pages. Most resumes are only one
page, unless you are applying to a high-
profile job or if you have extensive,
related experience.
• While the resume is an accurate and
true portrayal of you and your
experience, it’s not a “legal” document.
You decide what you include and what to
leave out.
Three Types of Resumes
• Functional Resume
• Chronological Resume
• Combination Resume
• Best resume fonts: Arial, Calibri Light, Calibri,
Garamond, Cambria
Let’s look at some examples!
Functional
Resume 1
• Best for large gaps in
time or career
changers
• Emphasizes Skills,
Strengths, Projects,
Accomplishments
• Minimizes or omits
dates if more than 10
years old
Functional
Resume 2
• Focus on career
summary, professional
accomplishments
(leaving out dates in
those sections) and
pushing “work history”
dates to bottom.
• Could consider leaving
out “work history
dates” and put “5+
years” instead of
“1989-1994.”
Chronological
Resume
• Organized by
dates
• Recent experience
first, older
experience last
• For people with no
significant time
gaps, most info is
related to same
profession or
transferable
Combination
(Hybrid)
Resume
• Mixes features
from Functional &
Chronological
• Some areas list
dates if in the last
10 years, some
areas omit older
dates and former
unrelated jobs
Templates – Beware!
Don’t use templates that:
• Show a picture of you (Discrimination! Nothing
to do with your ability to do the job!)
• Includes weird charts that are hard to read.
• Too colorful or busy (consider industry you are
going into.)
• Have unusual formatting that might be hard to
read at a glance.
• You can usually alter a template to simplify it.
Tailoring
Resumes
• Use keywords from
the job description.
• Give examples to
“prove” you have
those skills.
• Research the
company (Google
it, LinkedIn page,
website/mission
statement,
Glassdoor.com,
etc.)
Use Strong Action Words
Ask yourself: When did I save the company money? What
problems did I solve? What awards did I receive? What stands
out of past performance evaluations? How did I stand out
among others? What process improvements did I suggest?
When was I recognized for a job well done?
• Solved budget issue by securing donations on short notice
• Improved financial reports by automating process
• Awarded Employee of the Month based on performance
• Collaborated with departments to improve consistency
• Resolved customer issues to strengthen sales
• Managed complex data base to ensure client privacy
• Developed method to ensure product quality
Duties Versus
Accomplishments
A duty is a simple task that you are required to do.
An accomplishment is a task you did well and shows an
impactful result. When possible, turn job duties into
accomplishments!
Job Duty:
• Responsible for delivering, scanning, and loading heavy
packages
Job Accomplishment:
• Developed innovative process to improve package
production delivery rate; increased rate from 77 to 120
packages delivered per hour resulting in time/money
savings.
Add Awards, Achievements, Projects
• Dean’s List/President’s List, GPA 3.5+.
• Volunteer activities, Awards, Scholarships.
• Employee of the Month, Eagle Scout.
• Projects that prove your ability to use specific
technology, meet deadlines, solve problems,
overcome obstacles, and collaborate with others.
• Relevant workshops, certificates, certifications,
industry associations, club involvement, and
LinkedIn Learning courses.
Transferable
Skills
Prove soft skills by
giving examples of
times you were….
• Creative
• Persuasive
• Collaborative
• Adapted quickly
What is a Resume Headline?
• It goes at the top of the resume, usually under your
name and contact information.
• Sometimes this is referred to and titled as
Professional Summary, Profile, Career Summary.
• Some resumes put a header/title over it, some
don’t.
• It can be one to three sentences, or it can be your
industry related skills.
• It’s important, because it’s the first thing the
employer will read on your resume.
Resume Headline Examples
• Analytical project manager
with a knack for motivating
people
• Web Developer | HTML5 |
jQuery | PHP | JavaScript
• Supply Chain Analyst -
Experience in Logistics,
Merchandising, Accounts
Payable, Master Data, and
Distribution
Resume Headline Tips
• Create other resume sections, then write it last.
• Is it attention-grabbing, intriguing?
• Does it summarize what YOU can do for
THEM?
• Does it answer the question, why should I be
interested in interviewing you?
• Does it showcase your unique skills (but also
match the job description?)
Resume Headline Do’s and Don’ts
No (too generic)
• “Objective”
• Looking for opportunity
for growth
• Seeking full time
position near home
• Seeking role with
work/life balance
• Interested in remote
work-from-home jobs
Yes
• Award-winning graphic
designer
• Bio-medical device
technician with IPC
certifications
• Human resources
professional
specializing in
recruiting for innovative
tech companies
NOT ON MY RESUME!
Don't include:
Your height, weight, age, date of birth, place of birth,
marital status, social security number, picture of
yourself, religion (unless relevant to the position) or political
affiliations (unless applying for a job/career in politics).
Don’t list hobbies
(unless somehow
related to
company/job/industry)
Don’t write “References available upon request.”
Applicant
Tracking
Systems
98% of Fortune500
companies use
Applicant Tracking
systems (ATS) to
screen resumes.
ATS only send
resumes to real
people if the resume
matches the job
description by 80%
or more.
What is a Cover Letter?
• It highlights your skills related to the job description
and the company. It’s short – about 300 words.
• It answers the question, “Why are you applying for
this position at this company?”
• Can include numbers to impress employers.
(Example, “Last year, I recruited and trained more
than 60 new volunteers, which saved the
organization $10,000 and increased productivity by
40%)
• Can list your top strengths and achievements,
which will benefit the employer and the team.
Cover Letter Examples
One Page, Uses Bullets,
Generates Interest
Style/Font Matches
Resume
Cover Letter Basic Structure
1. First Paragraph:
• What position you are applying for and how you found the opening.
• Personal referral or other connection you have.
• Why the position interests you and why you are a fit for the employer.
2. Second paragraph:
• Your knowledge of the occupation (refer to the job posting details) and
how your skills and strengths match the position. What sets you apart
from others who might be applying?
• How have you demonstrated in the past that you have the needed
skills? Give examples of achievements, skills, and accomplishments.
3. Third Paragraph:
• Thank them for their consideration and ask for an interview to discuss
the opportunity further. Convey your enthusiasm and that you look
forward to meeting with them to learn more and share ideas.
Tips & Best Practices
• Ask people you know (friends, family,
colleagues, LinkedIn connections) if they can
refer you to a job. Use their name.
• Don’t write “To Whom it May Concern” on
your cover letter. Find the person’s name or
department name by researching the
company. (If you can’t find info, write ”Dear
Hiring Manager and Team.”)
• If emailing the resume and cover letter to an
employer as an attachment: Send as PDFs so
formatting stays in place.
LWTech Career Services (W201E)
• 1:1 appointment with a career specialist (virtual or in-person)
• Resume and Cover Letter development
• Job Search help & LinkedIn Profile development
• Mock Interviews and referrals for free interview clothing
• Access to employment events (employer panels, guest speakers,
internship/externship opportunities, and job fairs.)
• Visit our webpage: LWTech.edu/CareerServices
• Career Spot Videos
• Hire Lions Powered by Handshake online job board
• Follow us on LinkedIn – LWTech Career Services
• Self-enroll for free in LWTech Career Strategies Canvas Course
Contact us to schedule an appointment at
(425) 739-8113 or Career.Services@LWTech.edu
