This assignment will require you to demonstrate an ability to successfully prepare an accurate and complete resume, cover letter, and thank you letter.
Make sure to download and attached files.
You will select an active job posting that you would want to apply for and prepare your resume and cover letter (also referred to as an application letter) for the position. You can find active positions on sites such as:
* www.indeed.com
* www.careerbuilder.com
* www.glassdoor.com
Make sure you share with me the URL of your job posting when uploading your files (20 points). You can copy and paste the URL into the “online text” option when uploading your files or you can save a Word document and attach it with your three written pieces here.
This assignment will require you to demonstrate an ability to successfully prepare an accurate and complete resume, cover letter, and follow-up employment correspondence needed to succeed in the workplace.
You will select an active job posting that you would want to apply for and prepare your resume and cover letter (also referred to as an application letter) for the position. The follow-up employment correspondence that you will prepare is a message to send to an employer after a job interview. For the purposes of the assignment, you will prepare your written message as if you have had a job interview. This can also be referred to as a “thank you” for the interview but shows the employer that you are interested in the position and wish to be considered further for the position.
Your final project will consist of three written pieces of communication plus your job posting URL:
1. Cover letter (160 points) – must use the provided template (if you do not use the template, the maximum you can get here is 100 points)
2. Resume (160 points) – must use the provided template (if you do not use the template, the maximum you can get here is 100 points)
3. Thank you message (160 points)
4. Share with me the URL of your job posting (20 points)
Make sure to follow the following TIPS and INSTRUCTIONS:
Heading:
We no longer encourage the disclosure of your full address because it is one more piece of information that can be stolen. You should have your name, city and state, email and phone number only.
Education:
List your degree correctly: For example, Associate Degree in Business Management. Then add bullet points – using action verbs – providing more information (e.g. GPA, relevant courses taken, etc)
Delete high school and add WCC to your education. After we start college, there is no need to state our high school experience. If you are a guest student at WCC, please provide the university/college you are originally attending (for example, Eastern Michigan University).
Add your graduation date to your education experience. If you haven’t graduated yet, add your expected graduation date. Differently from the work experience, we list only the graduation date (or expected graduation date). We do not recommend disclosing when you started your studies.
Summary/Objective:
Remove your summary/objective. They are no longer a necessary part of the resume. We suggest you keep that information written in your cover letter.
Verb tense:
Add bullet points for each relevant work and/or volunteer experience you have done so far. Make sure you use the right tense of the verb in your bullet points. If it is a job/education you did in the past and you are no longer doing it, use past tense for your action verbs. If it is a job/education that you are still doing, use the present tense for your action verbs. Download the Action Verb List.pdf verbs to help you with that.
Bullet points:
Instead of writing everything in only one paragraph, split them and add multiple bullet points for each relevant work and/or volunteer experience / education experience you have done so far.
Skills:
List your hard skills instead of just soft skills. For example, you can talk about computer skills, languages, etc. Leave the soft skills to be discussed in your cover letter or in an interview.
Add the level of proficiency to your computer skills: basic, intermediate or advance.
Overall layout:
Work on your layout in order to fit your information in either 1 full page or 2 full pages. Half pages are not recommended. The template provided only counts to 1 full page. If you have a lot of experience and need a second page, make sure to follow the format.
We don’t recommend underline the headings because people can think they are hyperlinks. Instead, capitalize and bold them.
Hobbies:
List only hobbies that are relevant to the position you want to apply
Bullet points – employment:
Don’t break down the bullet points in 2 different pages. Work on your layout in order to have all bullet points nearby the job you are describing.
References:
Do not write “references upon request”, rather have them ready in a separate sheet of paper when your employer requests them.
Also, there is no need to write your references in your resume, rather have them ready in a separate sheet of paper when your employer requests them. You do not need to submit a reference list for this assignment.
Chronology:
Make sure to list your education and work experience in chronological order – most recent first. Then you go backward from there.
Picture:
We do not recommend the disclosure of a picture in any resume. Employers need to judge applicants by their background, experience, and knowledge only.
Format:
Use the provided template.
Personal Pronouns:
Do not use personal pronouns in your resume. It means no “I”, “mine”, “mine”, “our”, “us”, etc. Leave that to your cover letter. Use bullet points using action verbs only.
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The attached file (resume sample) is an example of what a student might use to apply for a position. You must use this as your template. It’s important to note that the education section for a soon-to-be graduate (or a recent one) will always be at the top of the resume upon graduation from the university. It will only move down below the experience heading when the candidate has been working for at least a year in a professional position.
You will also find here an Action Verb list that will help you formulate your own experiences. Remember, all bullet points in your resume will start with an action verb.
Finally, you will find useful tips on how to come up with a winning resume.
As for your cover letter, the attached file (cover letter example) is an example of a cover letter used to introduce a resume to a prospective employer. This can be sent electronically via email depending on the directions from the prospective employer. You can also use this to upload to an online applicant portal when applying for a position online.
The guidelines (guidelines for writing a cover letter) that are included show you how to write specifically by paragraph and include the correct information that an employer will want to see. You must use the file (cover letter example) as your template while following the guidelines for writing a cover letter.
As for your final written piece – the Thank you Letter – there is no template you need to follow (no files attached here) but you must use the concepts we learned throughout the semester. Consult the book to make sure you have a great written piece.
*THE TEMPLATES WILL BE ATTACHED*
*MY RESUME WILL BE ATTACHED FOR INFORMATION*
