Continued Training: Resumes and Cover Letters

Summary

This article first outlines what a successful resume should look like and the specific parts that should or should not be included. The two types of resumes, chronological and functional, are formatted differently but still require the same amount of material. Some things that a resume needs are name and contact information, education, work experience, skills, certifications, awards, and much more. Things to leave out of a resume are things like personal information and references. The article also highlights how useful Linkedin is because it can connect you to more employers directly. There are examples of resumes for those with varying experience to show that anyone can create a good resume. Because jobs are so competitive, resumes are filtered by employees, and ways to fit that are to use certain words or phrases and refrain from complex-looking resumes. The last part of the article talks about cover letters, their function and importance, and how to write one. Cover letters should be unique to each job that a person applies to and should explain to a possible employer why you think you're the best person for the job.

Take Away

A practical application from this article that I think is one of the most important things about creating a resume is proper wording. It mentions that a resume is meant to show the best qualities and strengths of an applicant, which is why you have to use words and phrases that make you look good. But there has to be a balance between making yourself look and not coming across as pretentious. Candidates have to advocate for themselves, which can be difficult at times, but it's necessary.

Reflection

If I have a client in the WC looking to create a resume, I would first make sure that they are using phrases and words that show their strengths, but without exaggerating their abilities. Also, so their resume doesn't get weeded out by the filter, I would have them include those certain phrases or words. For example, if the job description mentions teamwork, then the student should include the word teamwork. Not only will a filter catch it, but it shows an employer that you have exactly what they're looking for because you're using their own words.