Resume Writing

A resume is one of the most effective ways to identify and market your skills. You want your resume to be organized, visually appealing, identify your skills, demonstrate you productivity, and motivate the employer to extend an interview.

The purpose of a resume is to get a great job and sometimes it means you have to invest a little of your time up front creating a great marketing masterpiece about you. It may take a little longer to think of the right words to use, but in the end, when you are enjoying the benefits of an excellent career, you will be so glad you did.

You have to show them that you are a cut above the rest of the crowd by providing concrete examples of your successes. Do the thinking for the employer and give them what they are looking for. They want to know if you are capable of contributing to the bottom line, if you can solve problems and achieve goals.

First, use action-oriented keywords that reflect your ability to solve problems, take initiative, are performance-driven and goal-based. These words will grab the reader's attention.

Second, quantify your accomplishments with numbers that define your past successes. Give examples of how you saved the company money, streamlined processes, improved efficiencies and/or increased the company's profitability. Numbers are concrete and have meaning. Employers love to read quantifiable statements (that are truthful) as it paints a picture which shows what you accomplished rather than reading a bunch of words telling them what you did at your last job or two.

So take the time to write an excellent resume, you will be so glad you did.

Letter of Interest

The letter of interest introduces you and your background of professional skills to the prospective employer. The letter of intent is the first thing an employer is going to read, so it needs to be clear, concise, to the point and eye catching.

The letter interest has several purposes:

• to convince the employer that you have the best skills, qualifications and job experience to be the perfect candidate for the position
• to convince the employer to read your resume; and
• to convince the employer that it would be very worthwhile to invite you to for interview

So before you being writing your letter of interest, find out as much as possible about the company to which you are writing your letter, identify their mission and goals, and become familiar with the products or services they offer. Then, weave your knowledge of that information into your letter.

Feel free to contact Career Support Services to schedule an appointment for assistance in creating a successful resume and/or letter of interest