T26&33 Cover Letters

1. Welcome to COMM 202
T26 & T33
Tutorial 6
Week 6: Peer Review
Austin Smith Disconnect from technology please

2. Breathing Exercise

3. “Forces beyond your control can
take away everything you
possess except one thing, your
freedom to choose how you will
respond to the situation.”
Viktor Frankl
Opening Lesson

5. Today’s Key Learning's
Agenda
Cover Letter Peer Review
Resume Overview
Action Items

6. Cover Letter Peer Review!

7. 1. Write your table number on ALL of your documents
2. Put your documents in a pile in the middle of the table
3. Get out your marking utensils
Each new slide section,
PASS DOCUMENT TO THE RIGHT
Instructions

8. Cover Letters!

9. Formatting
 Left Aligned
 Font size the same
throughout
 Consistent margins
 No IDENTS on paragraphs
 Bullet Points vs. Paragraphs

10. Addressing the CL
Date
Contact Name
Their Title
Company
Address
City, Province Postal Code
Re: Position Title
Dear Mr. / Ms. Their Last Name OR Hiring Manager
These
spaces
are
important
!
If unknown, this
can be omitted
AVOID:
“To Whom it May
Concern”
“Dear Sir or Madam”
Country is typically
unnecessary unless
applying outside of
Canada

11. To a specific person
To a non-
specified
committee/m
anager

12. Bottom Formatting
Sincerely,
Full Name
BCom Candidate 20XX
Sauder School of Business
Enclosed/Attached: Resume
These
spaces are
mportant!
Other Options:
Best, Regards
Co-op Students:
BCom BTM Co-op Candidate
2016
Written Signature is
OPTIONAL
Attached: Resume, Transcript
Use “Enclosed: …” only if sending
application by mail

13. Opening
 How do you like the hook?
 Is there keen, genuine interest and/or passion for the
position?
 Is there a clear expression of the skills/experience
matching the job posting?
 Is company research integrated (and indicates interest)?
 If name drop is used, was it well-integrated?

14. Skills Matching
• Are there specific skills matched to the job description?
• Do they reference specific examples that leverage
experiences/qualifications?
• Are the highlighted experiences specific and concise?
• Do they indicate transferrable skills?
• Do the results show strength or success?
• Suggested minimum of 2 skills/attributes matched

15. Conclusion
• Are skills reiterated in a different (not redundant!) way?
• Is sincere interest expressed?
• Is there a gracious thank you and call to action
• request for meeting?

16. Branding
• Is their research insightful? Have they gone the distance to show
how they will “fit” into the industry or organization?
• Did they use Industry Terms?

17. WHO WOULD YOU HIRE?
Of the applications on your table, who has…
• Who had the WOW factor?
• Did they show CAN, WANT, & FIT?
• What was GOOD about their application?
• What do they need to work on?

18. Resume!

19. FROM THIS:

20. TO THIS:

21. Header
Basic Info
 Address
 LinkedIn URL
(Personalized)
 Phone Number
 Website URL
The banner at the top of the
page that contains basic
information!

22. Profile
 No more then 5 lines for key competencies (4 for profile)
 Languages
 Skills/strengths/experiences
 Branded to job posting
 Is the profile linked with proof elsewhere in the resume

23. Education
 BCom not BCOMM
 Location of school
 Start with degree
 Key courses, but no grocery lists
 GPA (cumulative or quantitative courses only)
 Key/relevant projects – accomplishment statement form
 Awards – accomplishment statement form

24. Personal Branding
Presenting yourself throughout the
document!

25. Marking!
If you have 2 or more errors,
we will deduct 40%!
TYPOS FORMATTING
SPELLING &
GRAMMAR
MISSING INFO
DASHES VS.
HYPHENS
CONSISTENCY

26. Accomplishment Statements

27. STAR TO RATS
Employers do not want to hear your stories,
they want to see your accomplishments!

28. Result
Action
Task
Situation
Flip It!

29. Result Verbs!
ATTAINED
EXCEEDED
ELIMINATED
INCREASED
DECREASED
MAXIMIZED
MINIMIZED
REDUCED
SAVED
SURPASSED
IMPROVED
CREATED
GENERATED
ENHANCED
OPTIMIZED
ESTABLISHED
**Try not to repeat words!!

30. 2 Result Types
QUALITATIVE
• Positive Feedback
• Promotion/Increase in
Responsibilities
• Implementation
• Awards
• Examples?
QUANTITATIVE
• How much?
• How many?
• Numbers
• Percentages
• Examples?

31. Action
Do your results match up with your actions?
Are those skills relevant to the job?
What skills did you see?

32. Situation/Task
• What other context are necessary to understand?

33. DUTY BASED
Developed website to
boost traffic.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
VS.

34. DUTY BASED
Developed website to
boost traffic.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
VS.
This is a
job description!

35. DUTY BASED
Developed website to boost
traffic. VS.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Boosted the website’s average rate
of monthly hits by 34% by updating
it with new features and content
such as an interactive world map, a
student involvement section, and a
homepage newsfeed—all of which
catered to local business students

36. DUTY BASED
Developed website to boost
traffic. VS.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Boosted the website’s average rate
of monthly hits by 34% by updating
it with new features and content
such as an interactive world map, a
student involvement section, and a
homepage newsfeed—all of which
catered to local business studentsThis is how they know you’re
good at it!

37. ACCOMPLISHMENT
Boosted the website’s average rate of
monthly hits by 34%...
…by updating it with new features and
content such as an interactive world map, a
student involvement section, and a
homepage newsfeed—
…all of which catered to local business
students
RESULT
ACTION
SITUATION / TASK

38. ACTIVITY
Take one of your skills-matching
paragraphs and rewrite it as an
accomplishment statement!

39. Key Takeaways
• No Duty Statements!
• Be Concise
• Format Consistently!
• Always Stay Relevant
• Small Details Matter!
• YOU DO YOU. (aka be yourself!)

40. BCC News 202 Reminders
 Skills Matrix due
Friday, Feb.12th @ 2
PM!
 Watch the resume e-
module and review
“Outline to a
Chronological
Resume”
 Complete your
resume DRAFT for
next class (bring two
copies!)
 Sign up for Office
Hours on COOL
 Full list of eligible
workshops on COOL!

41. Be present