S T AND   OU T   B Y   T E L L I NG   Y OUR   S TO R Y  

HOW  TO  WRITE  A  WINNING  RESUME  AND  COVER  LETTER  

PRESENTED  BY:  ASHLEY  PUTNAM  

FOR  IDEALIST  CAREERS  @IDEALISTCAREERS  |  IDEALISTCAREERS.ORG  

ASHLEY  PUTNAM  Fellowship  Director,  The  Work  First  FoundaKon  Contributor,  Idealist  Careers  @stwcareers  @AshleyAPutnam  

Ø  Ashley  has  worked  for  5+  years  recruiKng  staff  for  domesKc  and  internaKonal  organizaKons  aimed  at  finding  effecKve  soluKons  to  poverty.  She  currently  serves  as  Fellowship  Director  for  The  Work  First  FoundaKon,  where  she  manages  a  program  that  connects  young  professionals  with  work  in  urban  poverty  and  public  policy.  Ashley  began  her  work  in  career  counseling  at  America  Works,  where  she  counseled  low-­‐income  clients  on  resume  wriKng  and  job  search  in  New  York.  She  later  worked  as  Community  Engagement  Manager  for  Mercado  Global  in  Guatemala,  where  she  organized  internship  programs  and  oversaw  private  fundraising.  Ashley  graduated  from  Barnard  College  in  2006  with  a  B.A.  in  Anthropology.  Read  more  of  Ashley’s  career  Kps  and  advice  at  savetheworld-­‐careers.tumblr.com  or  follow  her  on  twi]er  @stwcareers  

HOW  CAN  I  STAND  OUT?  

Ø Recruiters  see  hundreds  of  candidates  for  each  posiKon  they  post  online.  

Ø Your  resume  and  cover  le]er  should  tell  a  clear,  persuasive  story  about  why  you  are  the  best  candidate.  

ObjecKves  

Analyze  the  job  

descripKon  

Review  the  mission  

statement  

Map  out  your  story  

Resume  Tips  

Cover  le]er  Kps  

Review,  edit  and  repeat  

MAP  OUT  YOUR  STORY  

Experience  

Specific  skills  

CapabiliCes  

Career  path  

Your  Career  

Ideal  Candidate  

BEFORE  YOU  APPLY  

ANALYZE  THE  JOB  DESCRIPTION  

Job  DescripCon  

Mission/Overview  

DuKes  

QualificaKons  

ANALYZE  THE  JOB  DESCRIPTION  

Job  DescripCon  

• What  would  you  actually  DO  at  this  job?    What  are  the  tasks  involved?  

AcKon  verbs/DuKes  

• Do  you  need  any  specific  hard  skills?  Language  fluency?  Computer  socware?  

ParKcular  skills/knowledge  

• What  do  they  expect  you  to  be  capable  of  learning?  What  soc  skills  can  you  infer  that  they  want?  

CapabiliKes  

REVIEW  THE  ORGANIZATION’S  MISSION  STATEMENT  

Mission  Statement  

Mission  and  vision  

Current  projects  

PrioriKes  and  needs  

MAP  OUT  YOUR  STORY  

Experience  Can  you  do  the  duKes  required?  

Skills  Do  you  have  key  language,  computer  socware,  or  technical  skills?  

CapabiliCes  Is  this  person  capable  of  learning  the  job?    

Career  path  Why  do  you  want  this  job  and  why  should  I  want  you?  

Your  Career  

Ideal  Candidate  

Map  Out  Your  Story  

RESUME  

USE  ACTION  VERBS  

Good  Responsible  

People  person  

Experienced  

EffecKve  

Be]er  Supervised  product  distribuKon  

Handled  high-­‐level  clients  and  managed  donor  relaKonships    

Generated  weekly  reports  using  quanKtaKve  analysis  

Examined  areas  of  weakness  and  proposed  soluKons  

Resume  Tips  

USE  NUMBERS  

Good  I  recruited  volunteers    

I  assisted  in  fundraising  events  

I  managed  a  team  

I  conducted  an  impact  assessment  

Be]er  Recruited  over  150  volunteers  across  five  

locaKons  

Executed  two  major  fundraising  events  which  raised  over  $200,000  collecKvely  

Managed  a  staff  of  four  people  and  two  part-­‐Kme  assistants  

Measured  program  impact  across  23  counKes  in  the  state  over  a  period  of  9  months  

Resume  Tips  

HIGHLIGHT  AREAS  YOU  WANT  TO  DRAW  ATTENTION  TO  

Resume  Tips  

Worked  in  the  field  previously  but  not  currently  working  there?  Ø Make  that  previous  posiKon  on  your  resume  longer  and  add  addiKonal  details  that  staff  will  appreciate.  

Want  to  highlight  a  course  you  took  on  the  subject?  Ø Make  a  subsecKon  of  educaKon  called  “Relevant  Coursework”  or  “Previous  Research”  if  your  wrote  a  project  on  the  subject.  

Does  the  job  require  internaConal  work  or  language  fluency?  

Ø Add  a  secKon  on  “InternaKonal  Experience”  or  “Language  Skills”  that  describes  the  Kme  you  spent  abroad  or  language  experience.  

KEEP  IT  CLEAN  Resume  Tips  

FormaWng  maXers!  Ø Make  sure  everything  is  in  line  including  dates,  sub  headers,  and  Ktles.  

Ø Be  consistent.    If  you  bold  a  company  name,  bold  every  company  name.  If  you  use  italics  on  a  job  descripKon,  use  italics  for  every  descripKon.  

Ø The  visual  appeal  of  your  resume  keeps  you  looking  professional.  

 

 

COVER  LETTER  

MAKE  AN  OUTLINE  Cover  LeXer  Tips  

I.  IntroducKon  a.  Summary  sentence  “I  have  the  experience,  skills  and  passion  

necessary  to  be  an  ideal  candidate  for  this  posiKon.”  

II.  SupporKng  paragraph  one  a.  Experience  

b.  Hard  skills  

III.  SupporKng  paragraph  two  a.  CapabiliKes  

b.  Passion  

IV.  Conclusion  

GIVE  CONCRETE  EXAMPLES  Cover  LeXer  Tips  

People  skills  “I  developed  strong  interpersonal  skills  and  the  ability  to  work  with  teams  of  different  backgrounds  while  serving  as  a  Peace  Corps  member  in  Maldova.”  

MulK-­‐tasking  “While  at  COMPANY  NAME,  I  juggled  administraKve  and  planning  tasks  on  and  learned  how  to  prioriKze  the  items  that  were  needed  immediately.”  

Problem-­‐solving  “During  my  summer  internship  at  the  Department  of  EducaKon,  I  measured  the  impact  of  free  lunches  on  low-­‐income  children  and  proposed  ways  to  make  the  program  more  effecKve.”  

 

WHY  DO  I  NEED  YOU?  

Skills  • Needs  • Technical  

Experience  • Prior  work  • Familiarity  with  industry  

Passion  • Why  do  you  want  this?  

Cover  LeXer  Tips  

Skills   Experience   Passion  

DRAW  YOUR  PATH  

Experience  Can  you  do  the  duKes  required?  

Skills  Do  you  have  key  language,  computer  socware,  or  technical  skills?  

CapabiliCes  Is  this  person  capable  of  learning  the  job?    

Career  path  Why  do  you  want  this  job  and  why  should  I  want  you?  

Your  Career  

Ideal  Candidate  

Cover  leXer  Cps  

TIE  YOUR  STORY  TO  MISSION  Cover  LeXer  Tips  

My mission =

your mission

AVOID    Cover  LeXer  Tips  

GrammaKcal  errors    Run-­‐on  sentences    Gimmicks    Veering  off  topic  

✗  

✗  

✗  

✗  

A  GOOD  STORY  Cover  LeXer  Tips  

•  Clear  

•  Concise  •  Persuasive  

•  Relevant  

ObjecKves  

Analyze  the  job  

descripKon  

Review  the  mission  

statement  

Map  out  your  story  

Resume  Tips  

Cover  le]er  Kps  

Review,  edit  and  repeat  

MAP  OUT  YOUR  STORY  

Experience  Can  you  do  the  duKes  required?  

Skills  Do  you  have  key  language,  computer  socware,  or  technical  skills?  

CapabiliCes  Is  this  person  capable  of  learning  the  job?    

Career  path  Why  do  you  want  this  job  and  why  should  I  want  you?  

Your  Career  

Ideal  Candidate  

Map  Out  Your  Story  

KEEP  IN  TOUCH  

Ø Job  openings  Ø Resume  and  cover  le]er  consulKng  

Ø More  advice  online  

Ashley  Putnam  Fellowship  Director  The  Work  First  FoundaKon  savetheworldcareers@gmail.com    @stwcareers  @AshleyAPutnam    

    Corporate  Representative

America  Works  of  New  York  is  a  social  service  agency  with  location  through  the  country.    Working  with  ‘hard-­‐to-­‐serve’  clients  we  have  successfully  matched  candidates  with  ideal  positions  since  1984. Job  Description: The  Corporate  Representative  is  responsible  for  assisting  in  the  development  and  implementation  of  participant  programs,  including  coordination  of  routine  functions  for  skills  training  and  evaluation  services.    This  includes  administering  and  scoring  tests,  job  coaching,  documentation  and  report  writing.    The  Corporate  Representative  reports  to  the  Director  of  Operations.   Duties  include,  but  are  not  limited  to:

• Actively  participate  in  the  development  and  implementation  of  evaluation  and  work  adjustment  program  plans,  including  administration  of  curriculum  and  scoring  of  testing.    

• Complete  all  necessary  documentation  and  paperwork  and  assist  in  report  writing,  including  timely  feedback  to  Pre-­‐Employment  Specialists,  Corp  Representatives  and  Employers.    

• Assist  in  the  development  and  implementation  of  appropriate  modifications.  • Provide  vocational  and  skills  training  to  participants.  • Establish  and  maintain  a  good  working  relationship  between  Vendors  and  

referral  sources,  employers  and  community  training  sites,  providing  appropriate  feedback  and  recommendations  to  participants  and  referral  sources.        

• Serve  as  a  significant  role  model  for  effective  and  appropriate  work  behaviors,  procedures  and  practices.    Act  as  a  liaison  and  advocate  for  participants.  

• Conduct  job  analysis,  task  analysis,  and  time  studies  as  needed.    Requirements:  

• Degree  in  Human  Services  or  related  fields  such  as  Psychology,  Sociology,  Education  required.    Master's  degree  in  these  disciplines  preferred.  

• Require  a  minimum  of  two  years  direct  service  experience  working  with  people  with  conducting  employment  and  training  programs.      

• Ability  to  relate  to  participants,  referral  sources,  and  employers  in  a  manner  that  is  respectful  and  professional.      

• Must  have  good  problem  solving  skills  and  a  creative  approach  to  training.    • Travel  may  be  required  within  the  5  Boroughs.  • Knowledge  of  Salesforce,  Efforts  to  Outcomes  (ETO)  and  NYCWAY  systems.  • Bilingual  (Spanish,  Mandarin,  Russian)  a  plus.  

 

This  is  a  real  job  ad.  The  resume  and  cover  letter  that  follow  were  written  for  this  job.  

Justin A. Jones

Education NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service New York, NY

Master of Public Administration, May 2012 Specialization: International Public Policy and Non-Profit Management Coursework: Managing Public Service Organizations, Program Analysis & Evaluation, Financial Management, Policy Formation

BOSTON UNIVERSITY, College of Communication Boston, MA Bachelor of Arts, Communications and Sociology, May 2003 (Summa Cum Laude)

Experience 9/2011–6/2012

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service President of the Student Government and Council

New York, NY

� Advocated on behalf of approximately 960 students and 23 student groups as their primary representative to the faculty and administration

� Managed a staff overseeing all aspects of student engagement and the $18,000 budget allocation � Supervised the planning / execution of several large-scale events, with upwards of 300 participants � Developed a Volunteer Corps focused on community service, via clothing and book drives,

volunteerism at a local homeless shelter, and activism/awareness campaigns for Earth Day 2012 � Spearheaded the Wagner Climate Coalition--twelve different student groups examining climate

change through various prisms--sponsoring over a dozen events with upwards of 150 participants � Led a graduate-student inclusive philanthropy campaign, garnering a 73% response rate from the

graduating class—the highest in the school’s history 8/2011–12/2011 Teaching Colleague to Charles Brecher, Professor of Public and Health Administration

� Handpicked to assist in all aspects of instruction in a core course on public policy analysis: lesson planning / presentation, classroom management, online course content, and student evaluation

6/2011–8/2011 Research Assistant to Paul Light, Professor of Public Service and Management � Worked on a project designed to assist the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development in Abu Dhabi,

a $135,000~ initiative promoting social and sustainable entrepreneurship in Arab-majority countries � Researched methodologies for measuring social-return-on-investments (SROI), integrating them

into a framework for assessing effectiveness of specific SROI measures

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS 9/2007–12/2009 Capabilities Project Manager, Combat Development Command Quantico, VA

� Regularly advised top-level decision makers on communication capabilities and future needs � Led research and development teams in authoring several high-level documents under deadline

6/2007–9/2007 Executive Officer, Service Company, 7th Communication Battalion Okinawa, Japan � Selected as Chief of Staff over peers and higher ranking officers, planning and supervising the

training and logistics for approximately 200 Marines while managing over $100 million in equipment 5/2006–6/2007 Action Officer, Multi-National Force Iraq Communication Information Systems Iraq

� Implemented a $600,000 project to provide the Government of Iraq’s national operations with state-of-the-art audio, visual and communications capabilities

� Handpicked to lead a six-member team installing systems to improve convoy communications and reduce emergency medevac response time throughout the country, achieving mission success without casualties or loss of equipment

� Successfully planned and conducted more than 15 major communications projects, which included supervising the installation of the video-teleconferencing apparatus for the Saddam Hussein trial

11/2005–4/2006 Marine Liaison, American Embassy Manila, Philippines � Coordinated communications and threat-assessments with the embassy’s Political-Military section

during a state emergency, and assisted with relief efforts during the Southern Leyte natural disaster

12/2004–11/2005

05/2003–12/2009

Platoon Commander, 7th Communication Battalion Japan/South Korea/Thailand/Australia � Led a 40-Marine team that provided voice, video, and data communications support for upwards of

three-dozen disparate units and 4,000 end-users in multiple exercises throughout Southeast Asia � On short-notice reassignment, supervised personnel logistics, facilitated ground support operations,

and assisted with threat-assessments for approximately 12,600 personnel during a large-scale disaster relief mission (Operation Unified Assistance for the Indian Ocean Tsunami)

Numerous awards include: The Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Operation Iraqi Freedom Medal, the Humanitarian Assistance Medal (twice), and the Korean National Defense Medal

Skills STATA, SPSS, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Earth, SharePoint. Level II (Secret) Security Clearance

This is an example of a resume and cover letter that are tailored to the previous job description. *

Justin A. Jones

23 Oct 2012 America Works of New York, Inc. 228 East 45th Street, 16th Floor New York, NY 10017

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am writing in response to the Corporate Representative job-posting for America Works, a position brought to my attention by Leah Vinton, a former classmate at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. As a Master of Public Administration graduate with extensive experience in project management, program evaluation, strategic and interpersonal communications, and organizational teambuilding and leadership, I am ideally qualified to advance your organization’s important work. And as a highly skilled yet unemployed veteran myself, I am uniquely suited to empathize and work with your target clientele.

In this prolonged economic recession, America Works is performing (and excelling) in the critically important mission to put some of our country’s most vulnerable populations back to work. Finding private-sector jobs for a steadily growing segment of the American populace is undoubtedly fraught with challenge. I am no stranger to working proactively and effectively in fast-paced and high-pressure work- environments. As a former Marine officer with multiple deployments in combat and disaster-relief operations in Asia and the Middle East, I planned and managed over two dozen operations to ensure mission success under deadline, served as the Chief of Staff for approximately 200 Marines, and coordinated efforts with a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Often tasked as the spokesperson for higher- ranking officers, I am well acquainted with conference planning and oral presentation—communicating to, coordinating with, and conveying updates for high-profile individuals—whether in written correspondence or public speaking. The frenetic and often chaotic exercises and deployments I operated in taught me to cultivate a meticulous attention to detail, and my frequent leadership roles provided ample opportunity to mentor promising Marines under my charge.

As the President of my graduate school’s student association, I strengthened these skills, working with 23 other student groups to identify advocacy goals, discover shared opportunities, resolve conflicts, and oversee various student programs’ implementation. Likewise, I enrolled in classes that gave me new strengths in program analysis—from inceptions to outcomes—financial management, and data based tracking and evaluation.

America Works is spearheading a promising model of personalized service and public-private collaboration—a model that other social enterprises would do well to emulate. With my strong managerial experience, proven mentoring and interpersonal skills, communications aptitude, and academic distinction, I would be an invaluable asset to your team. I have enclosed my resume for your review, and I welcome the opportunity to further discuss my background and relevant qualifications in person.

Sincerely,

Justin Jones

A S H L E Y P U T N A M 1 4 2 5 P S T R E E T N W | W A S H I N G T O N , D C | 2 0 0 0 5

WORK EXPERIENCE

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development June –August 2014 Research Utilization | Washington, D.C. § published research articles regarding housing and community development for the department’s online

publication: The Edge Magazine The Work First Foundation Jan 2013 – June 2014

Fellowship Director | New York, NY § managed public policy fellowship program which focuses on issues of urban poverty and public policy

through direct service and research; recruited and supervised eight fellows across five locations § oversaw eight research projects relevant to the mission of the foundation; responsible for proposal, survey

tools, quantitative or qualitative method of study, data analysis, and presentation of findings Mercado Global Aug 2011 - Dec 2012

Community Engagement Manager | Panajachel, Solola, Guatemala § oversaw relationships with private investors to provide income, business development and market access to

indigenous women in rural areas of Guatemala § supervised annual social impact survey; assessed artisan income, financial literacy, food security, health care

access and overall success of organization goals § connected with retail partners and development organizations to promote Mercado’s model of building

rural women entrepreneurs and leveraging the fashion industry to have a sustainable impact § partnered with Dining for Women, Echoing Green, the Guatemalan Department of Economic

Development., and the Clinton Global Imitative; procured a $70,000 grant for HIV/AIDS training § recruited and directed summer internship program; managed relationships with partner institutions to seek

summer interns; oversaw volunteer experience for 8 week program in Guatemala Berlitz Language School Oct 2007 - Sept 2008

Instructional Supervisor | Santa Barbara, CA § hired and trained teachers for Berlitz Kids, Immerse and Converse, and semi-private instruction § managed over 30 instructors and 50 language programs, including Spanish, Portugese and Indonesian;

coordinated classes and schedules, including all after-school programs

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Buenos Aires, Argentina January 2014 § studied the intersection of social work and public policy in the context of Buenos Aires

Istanbul, Turkey July 2011 § attended the International Association of Conflict Management annual conference

Valledupar, Colombia May 2010 § participated in exchange program at la Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina

Seville, Spain Aug 2006-July 2007 § conducted ethnographic research on North African migrant laborers and urban space for migrants

Dhrangandra, Gujarat, India July-August 2004 § conducted field study on the separation of gender in Swaminarayan temples in northern Gujarati villages

EDUCATION

Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service | New York, NY Sept 2013- May 2015 Master’s in Public Administration: International Non-Profit Management

Barnard College of Columbia University | New York, NY Aug 2002 - May 2006 B.A. Anthropology and Psychology, Magna Cum Laude

SKILLS

Technical: Microsoft Office; Adobe Photoshop; Donor Perfect; Raiser’s Edge; Salesforce; Constant Contact Language: Read, write and speak fluent Spanish

This resume emphasizes international experience by including an “international experience” section and including more information about her work at Mercado Global.

A S H L E Y P U T N A M 1 4 2 5 P S T R E E T N W | W A S H I N G T O N , D C | 2 0 0 0 5

EDUCATION

Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service | New York, NY Sept 2013- May 2015 Master’s in Public Administration: International Non-Profit Management

Barnard College of Columbia University | New York, NY Aug 2002 - May 2006 B.A. Anthropology and Psychology, Magna Cum Laude

RESEARCH

From Political Commitments to Collective Action: Strategy recommendations to improve migrant worker rights in Qatar surrounding the 2022 World Cup. (May 2014)

Budget and amendments to the Supplementary Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP): Memorandum to the U.S. House and Senate Agricultural Committee. (November 2013)

WORK EXPERIENCE

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development June –August 2014 Research Utilization | Washington, D.C. § Analyzed research regarding housing and community development for HUD User’s biweekly publication:

The Edge Magazine Online § Translated policy initiatives for various stakeholders in housing provision and community building; covered

topics including Moving to Opportunities, Promise Zones, measurements of teacher evaluation, bulk purchasing for solar energy, and other areas of urban policy research

The Work First Foundation Jan 2013 – June 2014 Fellowship Director | New York, NY § managed public policy fellowship program which focuses on issues of urban poverty and public policy

through direct service and research § oversaw eight research projects relevant to the mission of the foundation; responsible for proposal, survey

tools, quantitative or qualitative method of study, data analysis, and presentation of findings § coordinated time sheets, pay roll, paid leave, and weekly responsibilities for eight fellows across five offices.

Established professional development goals and provided feedback. § researched issues including housing programs for individuals leaving the shelter system, employment trends

for ex-offenders and employment-focused literacy for adults without a high school equivalency. Mercado Global Aug 2011 - Dec 2012

Community Engagement Manager | Panajachel, Solola, Guatemala § supervised annual social impact survey; assessed artisan income, financial literacy, food security, health care

access and overall success of organization goals § oversaw marketing of impact study; researched policies regarding women and social entrepreneurship in the

developing world; present findings in proposal for United Nations and Clinton Global Initiative America Works, Inc. May 2009 - July 2011

Corporate Representative | New York, NY § coordinated with city agencies, such as New York City Housing Authority and Department of Sanitation, to

help individuals who were living below the poverty level become self-sufficient through employment § built and managed a program of over 900 public housing residents through partnerships with Resident

Employment Services and outreach conducted in Brooklyn, Bronx, and Manhattan housing sites § guided clients in resume writing, interview etiquette, and job search; developed individualized employability

plans; provided referrals for emergency housing, interview attire, childcare, and legal counsel § met with executive-level staff from housing authority and the Human Resources Administration to provide

quarterly updates on NYCHA program; proposed improvements for outreach and increased participation

SKILLS

Technical: Microsoft Office; Adobe Photoshop; Donor Perfect; Raiser’s Edge; Salesforce; Constant Contact Language: Read, write and speak fluent Spanish

This resume emphasizes education and research experience by including a “research” section and placing education credentials at the top.

James Smith

12 Main Street · New York, NY · (212) 555-555 · jamessmith@aol.com EDUCATION

New York State University, New York NY Bachelor of Arts: May 2012 Major: English, Minor: Math

Computer Proficiencies: Microsoft Office Suite, Micro Case, SPSS

Strengths: Organized and able to work independently or as a team player Reliable, hard working, adaptable Experience working in both hands-on and office environments.

EXPERIENCE Organizer, DOWNTOWN DISTRIBUTION, Brooklyn, NY 7/2014-Present * Organize work load on a daily basis to enable timely completion of assigned tasks * Ensure that invoices and paperwork are complete and accurate * Installment and setup of promotional materials * Delivery of products Hostess, ANGELA’s DINER, New Haven, CT 8/2012-1/2014 Intern, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DC, WASHINGTON, DC Summer 2013 * Worked directly with clients to assist them in finding employment and housing * Created informational packets to familiarize clients with American society and culture * Involved in designing a billboard to advertise the Institutes services * Developed a cultural sensitivity training program for employees * Assisted case workers with relaying information to clients regarding legal proceedings Intern, Smith Manufacturing Firm, Westchester, NY Sept 2010- Jan 2012 * Worked directly with operations management * Collected productivity data on almost thirty employees * Assisted in projects to improve the safety and efficiency of production cells by creating floor layouts and collecting suggestions from employees. * Assisted in resolving a discrepancies between specifications and procedures Assistant Operator, WESTFORD CORPORATION, Westford, CT 5/2004-8/2004 * Responsible for people operations, including initial setup following customer specifications * Provided quality control to ensure consistency of product * Mastered operations of multiple areas required different techniques for successful operations SKILLS

Great at working with people, team player, good with hands SPSS programming software, Mail Chimp, Social Media

This is an example of a poorly formatted resume.

August 13, 2014

Dear Sir or Madam: I have over seven years of experience drafting and negotiating contracts in entertainment, licensing and luxury brands. However, I have not been practicing law for three years, as your advertisement on entertainmentcareers.net specified. I understand that I am not adhering to the letter of your request, but I urge you not to stop reading. I am extremely passionate about entertainment law; I have served as a paralegal with an entertainment law firm, worked in film production, been a personal assistant to a film producer, worked in product placement, and hold a B.F.A in Screenwriting. My work experience in entertainment was my impetus to attend law school; a position with an entertainment law firm has been my goal ever since. Moreover, I am a contracts nerd; after working with the entertainment law firm as a paralegal, I served as the Senior Contracts Coordinator for a global brand licensing agency. I have since worked with intellectual property contracts, employment contracts, settlement agreements, and non-disclosure agreements, among others. I also served as a Teaching Assistant for the first year Contracts class during my third year of law school. I can furnish multiple references attesting to my drafting skills and borderline obsession with contract preparation and review. Aside from my passion and my experience, I can offer other skills that cannot be taught. I have worked in entertainment for several years and have a thorough understanding of the sensitivity and tact required to successfully interact with clients in this industry. Currently, I am working with a boutique immigration firm, handling visa and greencard matters for entertainment clients. Each interaction requires a delicate balance of managing expectations, appropriate firm representation, and sound legal counsel. I am entrusted with daily contact with our clients and handle communication with grace and professionalism. Professional traits aside, I am a well-rounded individual with a sense of humor, rare attributes to be found in the legal industry. I will also work three times as hard as any third year attorney who may apply for this position. I would love to be part of your team. Attached, please find my resume detailing my work experience. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Jen Mecum

This  is  an  example  of  a  cover  letter  written  by  someone  trying  to  break  into  a  field  where  they  have  little  experience.