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1 R sum s, applications, and cover letters 125 YEARS. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Reprinted in 2009 from the Summer 1999 issue of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly -- includes updated information for 21st century jobseekers R sum s, applications, and cover letters Olivia Crosby (updated in 2009. by Drew Liming) Y ou have skills that employers want. But those skills won't get you a job if no one knows you have them. Good r sum s, applications, and cover letters broadcast your abilities. They tell employers how your qualifi- cations match a job's responsibilities. Drew Liming is a If these paper preliminaries are con- contributing editor to the OOQ and structed well, you have a better chance can be reached at (202) 691 5262 or of landing interviews and, eventually, gov.

2 A job. Occupational Outlook Quarterly Summer 1999 (2009 update). The availability of personal comput- will help you pass the 30- second test and ers and laser printers has raised employers' win interviews. The first section, on r su- expectations of the quality of r sum s and m s, describes what information they should cover letters applicants produce. E-mail and contain, how to highlight your skills for the online applications help some employers sort job you want, and types of r sum s. The next and track hundreds of r sum s. Technology section discusses the four parts of a cover has also given r sum writers greater flexibil- letter salutation, opening, body, and closing.

3 Ity; page limits and formatting standards are A final section offers suggestions for finding no longer as rigid as they were several years out more about r sum s and cover letters . The ago. The only rule is that there are no rules, box on page 5 provides advice on completing says Frank Fox, executive director of the application forms. Professional Association of R sum Writers. R sum s should be error free no typos or spelling mistakes but beyond that, use any R sum s: format that conveys the information well.. However, the no-rules rule does not mean Marketing your skills anything goes. You still have to consider what A r sum is a brief summary of your experi- is reasonable and appropriate for the job you ence, education, and skills.

4 It is a marketing want. Advertisements for a single job open- piece, usually one or two pages long, designed ing can generate dozens, even hundreds, of to interest an employer. Good r sum s match responses. Busy reviewers often spend as the jobseeker's abilities to the job's require- little as 30 seconds deciding whether a r sum ments. The best r sum s highlight an appli- deserves consideration. cant's strengths and accomplishments. This article provides some guidelines There are four main steps to creating for creating r sum s and cover letters that a r sum : Compiling information about Summer 1999 (2009 update) Occupational Outlook Quarterly.

5 Yourself and the occupations that interest you, Why should I hire you? It lists a few of your choosing a r sum format, adding style, and best qualifications and belongs below your proofreading the final document. You may contact information. A qualifications summary also want to prepare your r sum for e-mail- is optional. It can be particularly effective for ing and an online application form. applicants with extensive or varied experience because it prevents the important facts from Gathering and organizing the facts being lost among the details. Start working on your r sum by collecting Education. List all relevant training, and reviewing information about yourself: certifications, and education on your r sum.

6 Previous positions, job duties, volunteer Start with the most recent and work back- work, skills, accomplishments, education, and ward. For each school you have attended, activities. These are the raw materials of your list the school's name and location; diploma, r sum . This is also a good time to review certificate, or degree earned, along with year your career goals and to think about which of completion; field of study; and honors past jobs you have liked, and why. received. If you have not yet completed one After compiling this information, research of your degrees, use the word expected before the occupations that interest you. Determine your graduation date.

7 If you do not know the duties they entail, credentials they require, when you will graduate, add in progress after and skills they use. Your r sum will use your the name of the unfinished degree. autobiographical information to show that you The education section is especially impor- meet an occupation's requirements. tant for recent graduates. Include your overall You will probably need to write a differ- grade point average, average within major, or ent r sum for each job that interests you. class standing, if it helps your case. The gen- Each r sum will emphasize what is relevant eral guideline is to include averages of and to one position. Remember: Even if you do above, but the minimum useful average is still not have many specialized and technical widely debated.

8 Graduates should also con- skills, most occupations also require abilities sider listing relevant courses under a separate like reliability, teamwork, and communica- heading. Listing four to eight courses related tion. These are particularly important for to a particular occupation shows a connection entry-level workers. between education and work. College gradu- The next step is to organize the personal ates need not list their high school credentials. information you have assembled. Most r - Experience. R sum s should include sum writers use the following components. your job history: The name and location of Contact information. This includes your the organizations you have worked for, years name; permanent and college campus address- you worked there, title of your job, a few of es, if they are different; phone number; and the duties you performed, and results you e-mail address, if you have one.

9 Place your achieved. Also, describe relevant volunteer full legal name at the top of your r sum and activities, internships, and school projects, your contact information underneath it. This especially if you have little paid experience. information should be easy to see; review- When describing your job duties, em- ers who can't find your phone number can't phasize results instead of responsibilities and call you for an interview. Also, make sure the performance rather than qualities. It is not outgoing message on your voicemail sounds enough, for example, to claim you are orga- professional. If you list an e-mail address, nized; you must use your experience to prove remember to check your inbox regularly.

10 It. Qualifications summary. The qualifi- Job descriptions often specify the scope cations summary, which evolved from the of a position's duties such as the number objective statement, is an overview designed of phone lines answered, forms processed, or to quickly answer the employer's question people supervised. If you worked on a project Occupational Outlook Quarterly Summer 1999 (2009 update). Applications: Fitting yourself to the form Many jobs require jobseekers to complete an application instead of submitting a r - sum . But an application is a r sum in disguise: Its purpose is to show your qualifi- cations. Assembling the following information about yourself in advance will make it easier to complete applications: Identification.