Creating Resumes and Cover Letters

1
Creating Resumes and Cover Letters
Written by John Wilkinson To accompany Georgia
Lesson 01012-13.1 Georgia Agriculture Education
Curriculum Office July 2002
2
Goals of a good cover letter

• Introduce yourself
• Get you noticed
• Convey special info
• Highlight accomplishments
• GET EMPLOYERS, AWARD JUDGES AND SCHOLARSHIP
  COMMITTEES TO READ YOUR RESUME

3
Goals of a good resume

• Convey information
• Show who you are
• Distinguish yourself
• Look good!

4
Cover Letter and Resume-your ticket to riches and
fame

• Who are you?
• What are you looking for?
• What kind of job/college do you want?
• Where are you going?
• Be yourself!

• What is your message?
• What have you done?
• Where did you do it?
• What can you do?
• Whats the product?
• How to sell it?

5
Writing a Cover Letter

• Lead with your strongest information
• Use the logical connector Geography, type of
  work, alma mater, common acquaintance
• Introduce yourself
• Highlight activities that set you apart
• Suggest the next step
• Let them know what your next step will be for
  contact

6
Writing a Resume

• Step one Brainstorm
• Write a list of all of your achievements,
  activities, etc.
• Step two Organize
• Categorize your achievements
• Place in Experience, Education and Others
• Include School related honors and activities
  under education Publications, scholarships,
  offices and organizations

7
Writing a Resume (cont.)

• Step Three Produce
• Format your resume to highlight the big stuff
• Use bold or underlines to offset your name,
  schools and places of employment
• Use bulleted points over narrative
• Use Italics to make something special stand out
• Make the resume appealing
• Clutter makes it hard to read and hard to pick
  out the good stuff

8
General Advice for Cover Letters and Resumes

• Cover Letters
• Try not to begin paragraphs with I
• Use the standard business letter format
• Be brief
• Make sure it conveys the connection

• Resumes
• Show off
• Reflect useful information
• Be succinct
• Make it personal
• Dont ever, ever lie