Writing Resumes and Cover Letters



FIRST, know the three functions of cover letters (employers have three questions that must be addressed in three separate paragraphs):

1. What do you want? (I am applying for position X)

2. Why should I care? (These skills/abilities can help your company)

3. What do you want me to do? (Please contact me at your convenience)

SECOND, show the three functions of resumes (areas of evaluation):

1. This is my work experience (how motivated I am/have been)

2. This is the level of my education (how able I am to learn, how trainable)

3. This is my character (how I fit/can fit in your organization)

THIRD, understand the professional code of conduct necessary, and carry out a job search plan:

1. Define and sell skills, show diversification, show ability

2. Show clear intent, but with flexibility/adaptability

3. Show motivation/assertiveness

4. Show respect (always listen first), be tactful

5. Engage in a process (processes can be improved) – always learn from each experience (use what works, improve what does not)

Elements in a Cover Letter: The cover letter should be tri-folded in such a way that when the reader opens it up, they see “Dear PERSON X. Of course, resume will be tri-folded with, and underneath the cover letter.

Date

PERSON X, Their title

Company name

Company address

Dear PERSON X,

First Paragraph – Interest/Advertise

Guidelines for First Paragraph:

1. Should include the source by which the position was advertised.

2. Should indicate that you are interested in the position.

3. May indicate the circumstances under which you are applying (i.e. Perhaps you were asked to apply for the position, maybe you network with people in COMPANY X, or have had previous meetings, interviews, or a tour with COMPANY X. – a way of setting yourself apart from others)

Second Paragraph - Sell

Guidelines for Second Paragraph:

1. Should indicate why you are fit (or well suited) for the position you are pursuing.

2. Should highlight any personal skills or experience that you have and how it will benefit COMPANY X.

*Personal skills might be: positive attitude, motivated, energetic, assertive, aggressive, good at problem solving, driven, family-oriented, involved, determined, willing to learn or to be trained, good verbal communication, good writing skills, work well in teams, multi-lingual, eager, computer literate, punctual, responsive, responsible, organized, etc.

*Experience might be: travel experience, industrial experience (management, engineer, technician, intern), memberships, conferences, tours, military training, training, and education.

3. This paragraph should not repeat your resume!

4. This paragraph is your chance to speak directly to the HRM or executive and SELL yourself.

Third Paragraph – Consider

Guidelines for Third Paragraph:

1. Should indicate any enclosures (i.e. “Enclosed, you will find a copy of my resume”)

2. Should request that they consider you for the position.

3. Should tell the person that you look forward to meeting with them.

4. Should let them know to feel free to contact you at any time.

5. Should include a thank you in advance for their consideration.

Sincerely,

Signature

Your name

Your address

Your FAX, e-mail, etc.

Resume Guidelines:

1. Your name should stand out. You should have your contact information close to your name.

2. Write in technical form. Be blunt, not wordy. Be clear and concise. Use a dictionary and thesaurus to help with wording. This will broaden your vocabulary and perhaps avoid “common” language.

3. You should keep a consistent format throughout your resume. (Flow)

4. Never abbreviate! People do not often know the acronyms placed in resumes. Many do not even know the abbreviations of states let alone where they are. Do you know the different states abbreviations (MO, MI, MN, MT, MS)? Many people do not know what SPC, CNC, CAD, JIT, or ERP are.

5. Never over-exaggerate! Remember, anything placed in a resume is subject to be challenged in an interview.

6. Spell-check your resume. It goes without saying that misspellings reflect a degree of ignorance in the individual. With today’s technology, misspellings should never happen. Do not skip this simple step.

7. Have others proofread your resume. Often, thoughts you are trying to convey are clear to you, but are not clear to others.

8. Fill the page. Format your resume so that the appearance is organized and easy to read. Stick with standard fonts such as Times, Arial, or Universe. Many large companies will input the resumes in a scanner to read and search out for certain criteria as a means of screening.

9. Organize headings in a way that include education and all related items, work experience and all related items, and other areas. Usually headings include OBJECTIVE, EDUCATION, COURSE WORK IN MAJOR, SKILLS, WORK EXPERIENCE, AWARDS AND HONORS, PERSONAL INTERESTS, PERSONAL PROFILE, ACTIVITIES, and AFFILIATIONS.

10. Content under headings should include THE WHAT (degree, position, title, skill, award), in most cases THE WHERE (company, institution, club, organization), WHERE THE WHERE IS (city, state), THE WHEN (month, year), and THE SPECIFICS (i.e. Duties, details).

11. References are usually on a separate page. You might send a list of references with your resume to avoid unnecessary time spent by managers to request that information. The cookie-cutter approach on many resumes is to place a “References available upon request” statement at the bottom of the resume page. This is not only a waste of your time but is also a waste of management’s time as well (they want to find someone a quickly and easily as possible). Why wouldn’t you send references with your resume? Be sure to have your name and address on your references in case they become separated from your resume.

Job-Search Recommendations:

1. Do not write a cover letter to a company without first finding out the name of the person you are writing to. In other words, know the name of the Human Resource Manager or Executive and address them in the cover letter. In most cases, you can call the companies general phone number and obtain contact information quite easily.

2. Visit three companies - line up tours of the companies you wish to interview with. Dress accordingly (casual-formal, not formal). You must know what the company does before you interview with them. Touring them is part of an informal interview strategy.

3. If you visit a company, fill out a general application to the company while you are there. Ask to see a human resource manager. Find out if COMPANY X is going to be hiring POSITION X in the near future. When you inquire about such things, you are conducting an informal interview (i.e. you are putting a name to a face with respects to your resume). Of course, it does not hurt to have a resume in hand when you do this. You set yourself apart from others who simply write a “To Whom it may Concern” letter sent with their resume. Often, you can determine from the responsiveness of COMPANY X as to whether you want to work there or not.

4. You might search the web for company information prior to an interview. This shows ability and motivation.

5. For some of you, web page development is quite easy. Take advantage of your skills and place your resume on a web page. If you visit COMPANY X without your resume and they ask for a copy, you will be able to easily provide them with one. This will demonstrate a level of technical competence.

Common Interview Questions:

What is your greatest accomplishment? (KEY)

What is your greatest weakness?

Situational questions – If you are on a team

Why should we hire you? What are your strengths?

How do you effectively communicate?

What is the most recent book that you have read?

Describe an incident where you disagreed with someone. How did this get resolved?

What did you learn at school? What did your education teach you?

What is the best method to reprimand someone who is not doing their job?

How do you motivate people? (KEY)

What do you feel is your role as a manager? (KEY)

Resume Format must be Consistent for Flow: What you do in format determines the FLOW OF INFORMATION off of the page!!! Anyone with an eye for detail will see this.

Education and Work Experience have similar content areas (primarily five areas). These are:

| | | |

|1) THE WHAT |2) THE WHERE |3) WHERE THE WHERE IS |

|Job/Title/Position |Company |City, State |

|Degree |Institution | |

|Accomplishment/Award | | |

| | |

|4) THE WHEN |5) THE SPECIFICS |

|Month, Year |Duties |

|Year |Characteristics |

|Summer, Year |Details |

If you bold “The What” in Education, you retain that format by bolding “The What” in the other areas of the resume (e.g. Work Experience).

If you place dates in “( )” under Education, you retain that format by placing dates in “( )” for other areas of the resume (e.g. Work Experience).

If you bullet the specifics under Education, you retain that format by bulleting specifics in the other areas of the resume (e.g. Work Experience).

Two Actions You Can Take Now:

1. Network with other students now. Success is a measure of opportunities, and opportunities come from WHAT YOU KNOW + WHO YOU KNOW. Some of you will be in executive level positions. Many of you will find success and wonder what “person X” is doing. If you establish good ties with those you know now, you will spread opportunity to those around you.

2. Visit companies now. Tour companies and shadow people. This extends the level of opportunity available.

3. Get experience before your senior year. You are competing with others who are. You will close opportunities if you do not.

4. Look at opportunities outside your specific area….diversify.

June 26, 2002

Mr. Robert Johnson, VP of Operations

Disney Land Company

Re: Mechanical Engineer II

Dear Robert:

I was informed that you have a Mechanical Engineer II position available. I am interested in applying and interviewing for this position.

I believe my industrial experience in engineering and management will benefit the present and future plans of your organization. I have participated in many activities that involve design, fabrication, and installation of industrial equipment. My experience in fluid power system design, troubleshooting, and overall problem solving ability makes me qualified for the position of Mechanical Engineer II. I have worked diligently to attain the skills necessary to become an effective mechanical engineer, and I am well prepared to make a positive contribution to Disney Land Company.

Enclosed are copies of my resume, application for employment, and references for your review. I would like to meet with you to discuss my qualifications in further detail. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience; I look forward to meeting with you.

Sincerely,

Charlie Brown

121 Hiremeplease Lane

Macomb, IL 61455

309-298-1111 (C)

Charlie Brown, CMfgT 5730 Highland Way Apt. 216

charliebrown@ Middleton, WI 53562

(815) 999-1234

EDUCATION:

Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering Systems (May 2005)

Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering Technology (December 2004)

Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

Course Work:

Manufacturing Materials and Production, Material Science, Plastics and Composites, Computer-Aided Drafting and Detailing with AutoCAD and Unigraphics, Jig and Fixture Design, Computer-Numerical Control (CNC) Programming and Manual Machining of mills and lathes, Computer-Aided Manufacturing/ Machining (CAD/CAM) with SurfCAM, Programming and setup of industrial robots, electronics, Statistical Quality Control, facility layout design and material handling, safety and health training, industrial electronics, flow production, work cell integration, logistics and warehouse management, process quality control.

Educational Activities/Awards:

Outstanding Graduate Student, Department of Engineering Technology (April 2005)

Student Athlete, Western Illinois Cross Country and Track and Field teams (2001-2004)

$1,000 Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Chapter 23 Scholarship (November 2004)

$1,000 Local 219 Robert Custer Memorial Scholarship (August 2004)

Chair, Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), S-137 (October 2003-2004)

Training:

Occupational Safety and Health Training Certification (January 2005)

Certified Manufacturing Technologist (October 2004)

Lean 101 Training (February 2004)

Value Stream Mapping Training (April 2005)

EXPERIENCE:

Sr. Manufacturing Process Engineer (January 2006-Present)

GRT Productions Inc., Madison, Wisconsin

Lead the implementation of Mixed Model Value Stream, Lean/Kaizen, and Six Sigma initiatives resulting in a 40% reduction in labor content, 36% reduction in inventory, and 35% reduction in floor space. Managed labor and productivity system, including definition of work centers, product routings and documentation used for machine set-up in support of manufacturing metrics. Managed facility’s quality program and system database to include compliance and continued registration to ISO 9001:2000 standards. Lead efforts in supporting Sales and Manufacturing in meeting cost, quality, and delivery goals. Planned and scheduled engineering personnel workloads relative to commitments and requirements.

Manufacturing Engineer (October 2004-January 2006)

Makentyre Inc., Sauk City, Wisconsin

Developed a lean manufacturing program and trained the production supervisors, group leads, and operators. Designed a project matrix, and managed teams in the implementation of manufacturing initiatives resulting in an annual cost savings of over $750,000. Developed and managed a $275,000 automation project, resulting in an annual cost savings of $195,000. Estimated and justified an engineering departmental budget of $1.2 million for the 2006 fiscal year. Worked directly with engineers and the director of engineering on a three-plant consolidation project.

Graduate Assistant (January 2003)

Department of Engineering Technology, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

Assisted department professors with instruction and preparation of course materials, office work, managed robotic and computer laboratories, conducted research, and tutored students.

Industrial Engineering Intern (Summers/Winters 2002, 2003, 2004)

McConnell Packaging, Rockford, Illinois

Designed a production expansion to the existing plant, designed a nest block for a welder on an existing line to minimize faulty parts, and designed polycarbonate enclosures for automated production machinery. Assisted the Development Specialist for a Anderson Packaging customer, and conducted a design of experiments for their fully automated production line. Detailed and documented drawings with AutoCAD and developed operator manuals. Served as Project Manager for warehouse layout improvements; calculated material, cost estimates, and managed the construction phase of the project. Reduced change-over down time and material handling, and increased production through applying Lean Techniques. Provided training for the operators and supervisors on new changeover techniques.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Work cell design and setup

Cost estimation of large-scale implementations

Computer hardware/software installation, Microsoft Windows operating system

Computer-Aided Design/Drafting with AutoCAD and Unigraphics

Spreadsheet design with Excel, Presentation design with PowerPoint

Industrial robotic programming

Computer-Numerical Control (CNC) Programming and manual machining

Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) with SurfCAM

PERSONAL PROFILE:

Outdoor recreation - golfing, fishing, boating

Professional Consulting/Cost reduction training

Motivated, quick learner, proactive

Married seven years, have three children.

Charlie Brown, CMfgT 5730 Highland Way Apt. 216

charliebrown@ Middleton, WI 53562

(815) 999-1234

REFERENCES:

Dr. Steve Jones, Professor & Chair (Retired)

Industrial Education & Technology

Western Illinois University

115 Swanson Drive

Macomb, IL 61455

309-837-1111 (H)

309-333-2222 (C)

SJ@

Mr. William Johnson, Owner

CRH Technoloies

101 Drive There Road

Macomb, IL 61455

309-298-1111 (O)

309-837-2222 (H)

309-255-3333 (C)

WJ@

Mr. Mike Smith, Director

Regional Builders Association

Horrabin Hall 686 

Macomb, Illinois 61455 

(309) 298-1234 (O) 

(309) 298-2345 (C)

MS@RBA.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Tom Jones, Owner

McAfee Construction

Dear Tom,

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to interview for the management position on Monday, June 30, 2008. I hope I was able to answer any questions you may have about my abilities and vision for the company. While I believe there are challenges that come with the position, I really do believe we can move the company in a positive direction.

Please feel free to contact me at the phone number below if you have any additional questions. Again, I do appreciate the opportunity to interview with you.

Sincerely,

Mr. Charlie Brown

121 Hiremeplease Lane

Macomb, IL 61455

309-298-1111 (C)

THE PROCESS:

1. Document what you have done in a resume.

2. Determine what you want to do – sell skills/abilities in your cover letter.

3. Research companies – find out what company does.

4. Visit companies in person – ask to fill out general application for employment – find out names of players - if possible, line up a tour to meet players - determine their culture. Always have access to your resume in case they ask. They may want to put a face to the paper then.

5. Send cover letters to player(s), not “to whom it may concern”.

6. Before you interview, review interview questions (many online sources) – determine how you respond – have someone ask you questions for preparation (you may be surprised how you respond).

7. During visits and interviews, always get business cards! If you forget a name, you have accomplished nothing (only wasted time).

8. During interviews/visits, be confident in your learning ability and what you have done. However, be humble. There is a careful balance between confident and overconfident.

9. Always follow up with a tactful letter after being interviewed – certain doom if you do not (part of the test).

10. Remember that if you aren’t willing to engage in this process, you limit your available opportunities. Know that someone else who is assertive and willing is engaging in this process.

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