resume&

cover letter

22: 442 Portfolio Review

Cutler-Lake

Resume Do’s & Don’tsBased on my research & compilation of contemporary advice:

DoBe brief.Be honest.Use color, but be careful.Choose your typefaces with care.If sent as PDF, make sure fonts are out-lined/converted to paths.Keep it to one page.Spell check.Use proper grammar.Use the correct dashes.Have others proofread your resume.Keep your design consistent across plat-forms. (Cover letter, PDF portfolio, etc.)Tailor each resume to the job description: it’s ok to have multiple versions for differ-ent positions.

List items in reverse chronological order.Print on good paper.

Don’tBe gimmicky.Have an “objective” statement.*Include your age.Use cliches. (“Design Ninja”)Use a resume template.Let style override function.Add unnecessary words. Keep it concise.Include a photo of yourself.*

*Also, you will probably want to have a separate machine-readable version of your resume. See the last part of this doc-ument for important information.

What absolutely must be on your resume?

Your name.Your address.Your e-mail address.Your phone number.Online portfolio URLYour UWO BFA (w/graduation date).Relevant job experience.Skills such as computer/software skills, or fluency in another language.

And perhaps:Samples of your work.GPA (only if over 3.4)Infographics/charts/symbols

But avoid:“References Available Upon Request.”Photo of yourself.Listing your age.Objective Statement.*Career Objective.*Where you went to high school.*

*some resources recommend these things. Others claim they are no longer in vogue...or worse, tacky.

One recent study showed that re-cruiters spend all of 6.25 seconds looking at a candidate’s résumé before deciding whether he or she is fit for a job. —Forbes

CareerBuilder also asked sur-vey-takers to list terms they con-sider turn-offs, and to offer advice about the words that make them view a candidate favorably. The message: Don’t include sweeping terms of self-praise, like “team player,” “go-getter” and “self-mo-tivated.” Rather describe your accomplishments specifically with words like “improved,” “created” and “increased” and a specific explanation of exactly what you did, including numbers whenever possible. —Forbes

<<<I wish I knew who to attribute this to. If only it was this easy!

Your resume is a document designed (in every way) to give potential employers a concise summary of your skills and qualifica-tions. As they are often screened very quickly, it is important that you make the right im-pression at first glance.

<<<Does this sort of graph point out your weaknesses? Don’t ask Milan to take photos!

As somebody who has to wade through resumes every couple of months, I don’t want to read an essay. Tell me what you have done and what you are good at. If there are questions I will ask.—anonymous internet comment

resume categoriesCopied from The Interview Guys.com

Resumes are really nothing more than a bunch of specific categories that quickly outline who you are and what you’ve done and can do. Making sure your cate-gories are well organized is a quick way to help put you in the “yes” pile and keep you out of the “trash” pile.

One of the biggest problems with many resumes is they lack focus and clarity. Double check yours and make sure your categories are well defined and organized.

Header Start your resume off with the most important information first: your person-al information! Include your full name, phone number, email and personal branding website if you have one. It’s also appropriate to include your perma-nent mailing address, but this can be optional.

Objective or Resume Summary[this category seems up for debate–kcl]Depending on what sort of job seeker you are and what job you’re applying for, you will have to choose between an objective statement (what your employ-ment goals are with the company you’re applying to) or a resume summary (a quick recap of your skills and experienc-es that highlight your value to a potential employer.) Regardless of whether you include an objective or a summary, keep this short and sweet (no more than a sentence or two.)

[I would list your UWO B.F.A. with graduation date here, before job experi-ence–kcl]

Experience/QualificationsThis part is all about your work history and should not only include who you worked for but what you did and how long you did it. Include the title you held and a quick bulleted list of respon-sibilities and/or duties. This is listed in reverse chronological order with your most recent job first.

the worst words to use on your résumé

“Before you add another bullet point, con-sider this: It’s not always about what you add in—the best changes you can make may lie in what you take out.

The average resume is chock-full of sorely outdated, essentially meaningless phrases that take up valuable space on the page. Eliminate them, and you’ll come off as a better, more substantial candidate—and your resume won’t smack of that same generic, mind-numbing quality found on everyone else’s.

Every word—yes, every word—on that page should be working hard to highlight your talents and skills. If it’s not, it shouldn’t be on there.” —forbes.com

the “worst” words:1. Best of breed2. Go-getter3. Think outside of the box4. Synergy5. Go-to person6. Thought leadership7. Value add8. Results-driven9. Team player10. Bottom-line11. Hard worker12. Strategic thinker13. Dynamic14. Self-motivate15. Detail-oriented16. Proactively17. Track record

the words hiring managers want to see:1. Achieved2. Improved3. Trained/mentored4. Managed5. Created6. Resolved7. Volunteered8. Influenced9. Increased/decreased10. Ideas11. Negotiated12. Launched13. Revenue/profits14. Under budget15. Won

Make sure for each job you list:• The name of the company or organiza-tion where you were employed.• The city and state for that company or organization.• Your last position and/or title you held while there.• Your employment period for each job in Month/Date format• A brief description of your duties and responsibilities in a short, bulleted list

Skills & AbilitiesThis section is a quick outline of the skills to put on a resume that relate to the posi-tion/career you’re applying to. These can include things like computer skills, techni-cal skills, language skills, anything that can help make you the perfect candidate!

ReferencesIncluding references is no longer a requirement. It’s a good idea to have references, but the days of listing them at the bottom of your resume is a thing of the past. Instead, have them as a separate list, and if requested, you’ll be able to provide it.

InterestsThis category is a tough one. Not ev-ery resume should include an interests section…this isn’t Facebook and your potential IT employer probably doesn’t need to know you spend your weekends dressing up as a troll warlord and reen-acting great battles. Interests and hobbies can be a double-edged sword and listing something that has nothing to do with the job you’re applying for can not only waste valuable resume space but can also make you seem unfocused or scattered. HOW-EVER…there are times when including interests can help you out…especially if they’re related to the job you’re applying for and show interest outside of the office, such as volunteering for an organization you know the corporation is already involved in (do you research first)! This category should be carefully considered before you add it. Weigh the pros and cons very seriously.

Do not underestimate the importance of a cover letter, especially when applying for jobs via e-mail. In many cases, your cover letter will determine whether or not the recruiter looks at your resume at all. It should be professional, informa-tive and to the point.

One of the most common graphic design resume mistakes that people make is writing a cover letter that’s basically just a long form version of their resume. That’s not what a cover letter is for—it’s your introduction to the employer and a chance to explain why you fit what they’re looking for.

Your cover letter should be personal-ized for the business you’re applying to. When responding to a job listing or want ad, your cover letter should be a direct response to whatever it is the employer is asking for in a designer. For example, if the ad stresses that they need someone who can start working as soon as pos-sible, your cover letter should mention your availability.

Keep the letter brief; it should only be one page, period. Use small paragraphs and get to the point as quickly as pos-sible. You can assume your cover letter is going to be skimmed for information, so don’t make it too dense. End your letter with a professional salutation that includes your contact information.—Vladimir Gendelman

The Cover Letter

A cover letter—which needs to be tailored to each job you apply to—is a short, single page letter meant to accompany your resume.

Suggestions:Instead of the generic “To Whom it May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam”, try your best to identify the name of the per-son (or people) who may be reading it.

State how you learned about the job op-portunity, and explain why you and this position would be a good fit.

Avoid discussing any weaknesses on your part. This isn’t the place for that.

Show you’ve read the position announce-ment carefully responding directly to it in some way. Use their language if you can.

Keep a consistent design (colors, typefac-es, etc. across your methods of communi-cation.)

Be concise but friendly. Thank them for their consideration.

Above: Keep the design consistent throughout. This example was too small to read, but my guess is that this person’s resume, business card, etc. all use the same typefaces & visual motif.

The Thank You Card

Your mother was right (again). If you score an interview,

always

always

always

send a proper (that means handwrit-ten) thank you promptly. Extra points for designing your own card.

FROM RESUME SCREENING TOOLS to Robot Vera, an AI-based software technology that helps recruit and hire hu-mans, it’s safe to say that the robots have become a necessary evil that job seekers need to contend with. Automation and machine learning have become a recruit-er’s best friends, helping to sift through hundreds or thousands of applications. However, for an applicant the influx of tech can be overwhelming, conjuring up images of a robot apocalypse.

But before you panic or head for a nuclear bunker, there are a few things you can do to optimize your resume to get beyond the wall of bots and into the hands of a human recruiter. We spoke to Aman-da Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume, a resume writing service that helps you craft a winning CV.

Here are her top tips for crafting a bot-beating resume:

1. KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

While it’s not likely that you’ll know who else is vying for an open position, recognizing what you’re up against is key. In the job application process, you are up against the ATS. “ATS stands for appli-cant tracking system. In short, an ATS is a piece of software used by employers to scan and rank the online job applications they receive for their open positions,” says Augustine. “These bots were initially created with large organizations in mind, which needed help sifting through the thousands of incoming applications they received on a weekly basis. An estimated 95% of Fortune 500 companies currently use an ATS to manage their applicant tracking process. Today, this software has become popular with employers and recruiting firms of all shapes and sizes.”

Think of ATSs as the gatekeepers to your dream job. You’ve got to get past them first in order to succeed.

Can Your Resume Beat The Bots? How to Make It ATS-friendlyby Amy Eliza Jackson

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/ats-friendly-resume/

2. WORD CHOICE & KEYWORDS MATTER

Using action verbs like “outperformed,” “solved,” “led,” and “delivered,” are essen-tial when crafting a resume. These com-pelling action verbs powerfully show off what you did in each of your roles. Howev-er, when it comes to the bots, you’ve got to kick things up a notch.

“The most important element — beyond formatting your resume so it can be accurately ‘read’ and parsed by the ATS — is keyword optimization,” says Augus-tine. “This is how the applicant tracking system determines if you possess the necessary qualifications to be considered for the position. In addition to listing out a specific term, be sure to also include any common abbreviations to cover your bases.”

However, Augustine warns against key-word stuffing or packing your resume and cover letter with buzzwords. “If the ATS can’t sift through the B.S., I guarantee the recruiter or hiring manager will — and then promptly dismiss your application.” Instead use keywords sparingly and intelligently.

“To make sure your resume is compatible with [any ATS] system, incorporate the best keywords throughout your resume 2-3 times, with at least one of those ref-erences falling within your Work Experi-ence or Education section. It’s one thing to state that “SEO (search engine optimi-zation)” is among your core competen-cies, but it’s another thing entirely to show where in your employment history you leveraged that knowledge to add value to an organization.”

3. KEEP IT SIMPLE

While beautiful resume templates, cus-tom cover letters, and charts may wow a human recruiter, chances are that the ATS bots won’t appreciate the extra effort. Here are Augustine’s fast few tips for keeping it simple:

Use a simple, clean design. Embedded charts and other images, custom font styles, and intricate bullet styles will get scrambled or simply skipped over when the ATS scans your application.

Avoid submitting your resume as a PDF unless the system specifically lists PDF files among the acceptable options. Some ATS software scans a PDF as though it were one big image, essentially missing all the information contained in your resume. Stick to a Word document that is compatible with all ATS systems.Don’t include important details like your contact information in the header or foot-er. Again, not every ATS is able to read the information placed in these sections of a Word document.

Most importantly, customize your resume with keywords that represent the required soft and hard skills found in the job listings. Incorporate these terms throughout the resume, particularly in the “Key Skills” and “Work Experience” sections.

4. BALANCE IS KEY

While resume-scanning software has become increasingly popular, it has not replaced human recruiters. Let me be clear: the robots have not taken over recruiting. “When you’re writing your resume, always keep both audiences in mind,” advises Augustine. “It’s important to avoid the major resume mistakes that will cause an ATS to dismiss your appli-cation, but remember that a human being will ultimately look at your resume once it passes the ATS test. You want to craft a document that is visually appealing and helps the reader quickly find the most important information.”

5. BE SPECIFIC, NOT GENERAL

Generic resumes are a big no-no. Gone are the days when you could send out a dozen cookie-cutter resumes and get a callback, or as my colleague describes this job application approach, “spray and pray.” Customize your resume to the job you are applying to. “While you shouldn’t

overhaul your resume for each job appli-cation, it’s important to make minor edits each time to highlight your most relevant qualifications (and incorporate the key-words) based on each job listing,” advises Augustine.

Furthermore, as you evaluate your resume or give it the final gut check, try to remain objective, says Augustine. “Remember that you’re not writing this resume for you; you’re writing it for prospective employers. When you’re deciding what information to include in your resume, consider if the details will help a recruiter or employer assess your qualifications for a particular role.”

6. THE PLACE TO SHINE: A COVER LETTER

At this time, not all bots or ATSs can scan or read cover letters. Therefore, even though the application may say a cover letter is optional, it could be the perfect opportunity to really differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other applicants. Augustine cautions again that you keep the formatting simple. Nevertheless, when crafting a cover letter, consider the follow-ing rules of thumb:

>Doesn’t just regurgitate the content on your resume>Opening paragraph is catchy>Explains why you love the company>Connects your accomplishments and experiences to what they’re looking for>Explains what you can do for the compa-ny/how you can solve their challenges>Includes some of your personality>Contains a call to action (e.g. “I look forward to hearing from you about next steps.”)>Links to portfolio or samples of work (if applicable)>Is addressed to an actual person or team (NOT “To whom it may concern”)>Is about 3-4 paragraphs in length (and definitely less than a page)>Doesn’t use overly-formal language