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Cover Letter and
Resume Writing
to Get You
Noticed

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INTRODUCTION TO
Cover Letter & Resume Writing
•Why it is important to have a Cover Letter
•Keywords
•The do’s and don'ts of a Cover Letter
•Format of a Resume
•What companies are looking for in their employees
•What to put on Your Resume
•How to word Your Resume
•Ideas to help you
•Tips and pointers

3. WHY A COVER
LETTER?
A well-written
cover letter
distinguishes
your application.

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The Basics to
start you off
• No more than 1 page
• Standard fonts, size between 10-14, single spaced
• Print on Quality paper either white or off white
• Make a pdf. if emailing to avoid track changes showing up
• Strive for neatness and personality
J O B

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Some skill keywords include: wrote, planned,
programmed, designed, provided, created, built, enabled,
taught and trained.
Some results oriented keywords include: increased,
reduced, redesigned, upgraded, initiated, implemented,
generated and produced.
Some recognition related keywords include:
honored, awarded, promoted, selected, lauded for,
recognized, chosen and credited.
USE KEYWORDS
from the job description in your
Cover Letter and Resume

6. Do’s and Don’ts
of writing a
cover letter
DON’T SEND
A Cover letter with errors
DO CHECK
Grammar & spelling

7. DON’T SEND
A Generic cover letter
This is not one size fits all!!
DO MENTION
The Job you are applying for
Skills, Experiences and
Qualities that would best let
you STAND OUT at this job.

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DON’T SEND
A letter with the incorrect contact
Or company
DO
Address it to the right person
Make sure you use the right
company name

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DON’T USE
Out dated greetings like
SIR OR MADAM
DO USE
Dear Human Resources Manager
or
a woman as Ms. not Mrs.

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DON’T
Have it too short or too long
Too short = No Enthusiasm
Too long = Over bearing
DO
No longer than 3 to 5
paragraphs and no more than 6
lines in each one.

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THINGS TO REMEMBER
•Cover Letters are Important
•Include Keywords
•Follow the Do’s and Don’ts for Cover Letter Content
Example Cover Letter Included in Backup

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Basic Rules
for the
Resume
MANY OF THE SAME RULES APPLY TO BOTH THE
COVER LETTER AND RESUME
• No more than 1 page
• Print on Quality paper either white or off white
• Standard fonts, size between 10-14
• Do not Underline, Italicize, or Script
• Make a pdf. if emailing to avoid track changes showing up
• Strive for neatness and personality
• Do not fold or staple Resume
• If you are mailing it use a large envelope

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What is a RESUME?
Is a brief account of one's professional or work experience and
qualifications, often submitted with an employment application.
By a dictionary definition

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A Resume is a self portrait you paint for an
employer.
It is a well-structured, easy-to-read presentation of your own
skills, capabilities and accomplishments. Its purpose is to intrigue
a prospective employer to the point where he or she invites you
for an interview.

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Top 10 Employee Skills
1. Communication skills verbal, written, and listening
2. Analytical and research skills
3. Computer & Technical Literacy
4. Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple Priorities
5. Interpersonal Abilities
6. Leadership/Management
7. Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness
8. Planning/Organizing
9. Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity
10. Teamwork

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Your resume
should be adapted
and customized
for each job
application. This
is why it is
important to know
the skills that each
job entails
especially the one
you desire.
Job Categories:
Life Guard
Office Clerk
Food Prep
Stock Person
Construction
Child Care
Lawn Service
Customize Each Job Application

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LIFE GUARD
If you have Life guard certification
CPR and AED certification
Or
CLERICAL
If you have computer skills and have
knowledge of MS Office
*These skills should be stated
in your resume. You are tailoring
Your resume for the job.
Include Your Specific Qualifications

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THE TOP 10 QUALITIES EMPLOYERS SEEK
1. Communication Skills
2. Honesty
3. Technical & Computer Competency
4. Work Ethic
5. Flexibility
6. Determination and Persistence
7. Teamwork
8. Eager and willing to add their knowledge and skills
9. Problems Solving or Analytical skills
10. Loyalty
These skills and qualities are so very important and should
appear in your resume. Many employers will scan
your resume. The software program will scan for
key words / skills that pertain to the job.

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A resume pulls together your education,
experiences, skills,classroom accomplishments,
extra-curricular activities, and
volunteer work and presents them to the employer.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
WHAT DO I PUT ON MY RESUME?

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1.0 The Heading
Your full name include middle initial
At least 14 pt and bold.
Full address do not abbreviate street, avenue or boulevard
Your city, state, and zip.
You can use state abbreviation (AL)
Your telephone number home and cell
But make sure your voice message is professional;
E-mail address - chose an appropriate email address.
6 Main Sections of a Basic Resume
William S. Smith
25 Euclid Avenue
Athens, AL 35622
Home: 256-555-5555 Cell: 256-555-5432
Email: Billsmith@yahoo.com
S
A
M
P
L
E

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2.0 JOB OBJECTIVE
This states what job you are seeking.
Keep it short and sweet
Each resume you send out should be tailored
to the job you are applying for.
Seeking part-time employment in the
restaurant industry.
or
Weekend employment at a retail store
specializing in books.
S
A
M
P
L
E

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3.0 EDUCATION
Include name of school and projected graduation date.
Include grade point average if greater than 3.0.
Include any academic honors
Include perfect attendance if applicable since this displays
punctuality and reliability
If you are an upcoming senior state your future plans.
For example, I will be attending Calhoun Community College
this fall majoring in Nursing.

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SAMPLE of EDUCATION
EDUCATION
Madison County High School, Gurley AL
High School diploma anticipated May 2014
Junior GPA 3.21
Next fall I will be attending Calhoun Community
College majoring in Criminal Justice
High School Awards and Recognition
National Honor Society
Taking College classes at Calhoun Community College
Perfect Attendance Certificate 2013

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4.0 WORK EXPERIENCE
Non- paid internships
Lawn Care Service
Child care- baby sitting
Elderly care (Grand Parent)
Volunteering
Church Groups
Shadowing a career
Pet Sitter

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What is Work Experience?
Maybe you have Volunteer Experience
SAMPLES
Volunteer Experience
-Big Brother / Big Sister
-American Cancer Society, Run For Life participant

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Use Action Words to Describe Your
Experience
Briefly give the employer an overview of work
that has taught you skills.
 Use action words to describe your job duties.
ACTION WORDS EXAMPLES
Achieved
Arranged
Collected
Communicated
Determined
Guided
Influenced
Handled
Motivated
Selected
Tutored
Utilized
Listing Work Experience

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Guidelines for Listing Work Experience
Most recent first
Title of position,
Name of Organization,
Location: City, State,
Dates of employment
Describe work responsibilities. Emphasis on specific skills. Also check job
description on website for ideas.
Pet Sitter
2004 - Present
• Provide pet sitting services including dog walking, feeding and yard care.
Child Care
2002 - Present
• Provide child care for several families after school, weekends and during school vacations.
Cashier, Big City Grocery Store, Madison, AL Sept. 2012 – Sept. 2013
•Greeted incoming patrons, offering assistance with locating items and properly using coupons
•Managed cash register, handling debit, credit, check, and cash transactions
•Awarded “employee of the month” three times for reliability and exceptional customer service
SAMPLES

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• Member of sports teams
• Member of church group
• Member of the Band / Choir
• Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts
• Clubs or youth organizations
5.0 INTERESTS / ACTIVITIES

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6.0 Skills
Taking a foreign language
Communication skills
Child caring
Researching and resource skills
Computer Skills
SKILLS
• Spanish – Beginner
• Communication Skills
• Experience in child care- Intermediate
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint,
and Internet
S
A
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P
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RESUME WRITING CHECK LIST
How to ensure your resume does not get thrown out.
4 Essential Steps!

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#2 Have a teacher or someone
you know proof read it.
#1 Grammatical and Misspelled
words
PLEASE
do not just rely on spell check

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#3 IS IT ONE PAGE?
#4 DOES IT SELL YOUR ABILITIES FOR THE JOB?

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•Format of a Resume
•Top 10 skills employers seek
•Top 10 qualities employers look for
•What to put on Your Resume
•How to word Your Resume
•Some ideas to help you
•NO grammatical or spelling errors
SUMMARY
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Example Resume Included in Backup

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First Name Last Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Cell Phone Number
Email
Name or
Title or Human Resource Manager
Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Date
Dear Hiring Manager, or Ms. Smith
I am interested in the summer position at Super Store advertised in The Huntsville
Times.
I have excellent communication skills and an aptitude for customer service. My past
experience as a volunteer at Huntsville Hospital made it necessary for me to focus on
providing quality customer service, and also enabled me to work with all types of
people.
I believe that my communication skills, customer service abilities, and positive work
ethic would make me an asset to your store.
Thank you for your consideration. I can be reached at email address or 256-222-2222.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Your Signature
Employer Contact
Information
Your Contact Info
Date
Greeting
Introduction
What you offer them
What happens now
and close
SAMPLE

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Sample
William S. Smith
25 Euclid Avenue
Gurley, AL 35622
Home: 256-555-5555 Cell: 256-555-5432
Email: Billsmith@yahoo.com
EDUCATION
Madison County High School, Gurley AL
High School diploma anticipated May 2014
Junior GPA 3.81
Next fall I will be attending Calhoun Community College majoring in Criminal Justice
High School Awards and Recognition
National Honor Society 2012
Perfect Attendance Certificate 2013
OBJECTIVE
Seeking part-time employment in the restaurant industry.
EXPERIENCE
Cashier, All Purpose Grocery Store, Madison, AL Sept. 2012 – Sept. 2013
•Greeted incoming patrons, offering assistance with locating items and properly using coupons
•Managed cash register, handling debit, credit, check, and cash transactions
•Awarded “employee of the month” three times for reliability and exceptional customer service
INTEREST / ACTVITIES
• Member of Madison County High School Tennis Team
• Boy Scout
• Piano
SKILLS
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and Internet
• Spanish – Beginner
• Experience in child care- Intermediate