Laurier Coop

1
Resumes and Cover Letters
2
Overview

• Resumes
• Purpose to secure an interview, not the job!
• Cover Letters
• Purpose to sell your strongest skills related to
  the position

3
Resumes

• Resume Layout
• Two pages
• No more than 2 fonts
• 11-point font for text
• Minimal graphics (watermarks, lines)

4
Resumes

• Resume Layout
• Contact Information
• Name, permanent current addresses, phone,
  Laurier email
• Employment Skills
• Education
• Awards
• Work Experience
• Volunteer Experience
• Activities

5
Resumes

• Employment Skills
• Focus on tangible skills
• Software Programs, Languages
• If you must include soft skills, back up with
  an example
• instead of Effective Presentation
  Skills
• Gained communication skills while delivering
  sales presentations to potential customers.

6
Resumes

• Education
• Include name of institution, location,
  program, dates
• Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario,
  2004-present
• Bachelor of Business Administration Program
• Co-op Option
• Eastwood Collegiate Institute, Kitchener,
  Ontario, 2000-2004
• Ontario Secondary School Diploma

7
Resumes

• Awards
• One or two awards, place under Education
• Three awards, use a separate heading
• List athletic awards in activities section

8
Resumes

• Work Experience
• job title, company name, location, dates
• short descriptive phrases
• begin with a verb
• use s wherever possible
• past vs. present tense

9
Verbs

• Analyzed
• Arranged
• Assisted
• Budgeted
• Catalogued
• Collaborated
• Devised
• Developed
• Updated

• Facilitated
• Instructed
• Launched
• Managed
• Organized
• Promoted
• Recommended
• Reviewed
• Spearheaded
• Synthesized

10
Examples

• Customer service
• Vs.
• Assisted customers with purchases of clothing.
• Cooked hamburgers and French fries
• Vs.
• Prepared food orders in an efficient manner.

11
Resumes

• Volunteer Experience
• Two volunteer jobs, list under a separate
  heading
• If listing with paid jobs, indicate volunteer
  positions

12
Resumes

• Activities
• emphasize most recent extracurricular
  activities and those most relevant to your goals
• include any athletic awards here

13
Items Not to Include

• Objectives may exclude you from some
  positions
• References a given bring a list to the
  interview

14
A Final Note on Resumes

• Check carefully for spelling, grammar, its
  Wilfrid, not Wilfred!!!
• Submit Resume for review by beginning of August
• If seeking a CA position, submit resume in June
  (information about early CA mailing will be
  mailed to you in June)
• Complete suggested changes, take to Printing
  Services (along with a copy of transcript) 202
  Regina Street or the Bookstore (computer area)
  pick up 30 copies 24 hours later
• Upload resume onto the Navigator System (must be
  pdf format)
• Staples Computer Room (Co-op Office)
• Job postings begin early September
• Questions?

15
Cover Letters

• Layout
• Salutation
• Opening Paragraph
• Academic Paragraph
• Employment Paragraph
• Closing Paragraph

16
Cover Letters

• 62 Hazel Street
• Waterloo, Ontario
• N2J 1J2
• March 29, 2006 
• Bruce Whytock
• Manager, Financial Planning
• Weston Bakery
• 1425 The Queensway
• Etobicoke, Ontario M8Z 1T3
• Dear Mr. Whytock

• Your address
• Date
• Employers name and address
• Last name only

17
Opening Paragraph

• Why I'd like to work for you
• When Im looking for work
• What makes your organization
• appealing
• or
• How I gained a special skill or knowledge

Command attention!
18
Academic Paragraph

• Program
• Knowledge
• gained through lectures and research
• Skills
• gained through course work or
• extracurricular activities

19
Employment Paragraph

• Demonstrate relevant skills
• Show how and where you used each skill
• (task) (company)
• I developed communication skills while
  collaborating on the launch of a new model for
  Toyota Canada.

20
Example

• I have great time management skills and am well
  organized.
• VS.
• As the Event Coordinator for East Meets West, I
  developed strong organizational skills when
  coordinating the annual Food Festival for over
  300 people.

21
Closing Paragraph

• Summarize your skills
• and knowledge
• State the next step
• Thank the employer
• Sign your name

22
Questions? Contact Christine Thur cthur_at_wlu.ca