Resume Workshop for Educators

Resumes, Cover Letters & References

Jeremiah 29:11

What is a resume?

Your first meeting with an employer

Advertisement

Marketing tool

Calling card

Qualifications brief

NOT an autobiography or a curriculum vitae

How do you use a resume?To obtain an interview

To articulate unique skills, quantifiable outcomes and your value proposition

To track your job history, education, training events, achievements and awards/honors—the facts

To articulate and remind you what you are “selling”

To narrow your job focus

The Resume Writing ProcessAn “everything” resume or the Master Resume

All the experiences, skills, activities and accomplishments that help define YOU

A history from which to pick and choose what to include in your “target” resumes

The “specific” resume or the Targeted ResumeResearch the employer, i.e., product or service,

culture, values, mission, historyStudy the job description

Highlight strengths AND weaknesses Keywords: nouns and verbs Demonstrate by “telling your story”

Resume Format: ChronologicalReverse chronological order (2014-Present, 2013,

2012, 2011)New grads generally list education first, otherwise

it typically follows work historyInclude internships, volunteer work and other

experiencesSkills and accomplishments of each (metrics?)Advantages and disadvantages

Most common and familiar Employment gaps emphasized Skills not as easily highlighted

Resume Format: FunctionalOrganized by skill sets and

accomplishmentsCluster style by set, i.e., clerical,

administration, customer service, managementAdvantages and disadvantages

Used by career changers and those with little work experience

Employment gaps are not as noticeable Can raise “red flags”

Resume Format: CombinationUses features of bothPresents skills and experiences as themesPositions and companies are still

organized in reverse chronological orderMatch skills and achievements to job

requirements, i.e., Profile Summary, Skill Highlights, Achievement Highlights

Advantages and disadvantages Versatile Impactful More effort

Appearance Visual impact!

Good use of “white” space (3-5 foot test)

Even margins (0.8-1.5 inches)

Font size (10-12)

Font choice (Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, Verdana)

Format needs consistency: indentations, bullets, hyphens, commas, dashes, bold, capital letters, underlining (do not use when scannable resumes are requested)

Length (1-2 pages; Dick Johnson Resume, Page 2)

Check and double check!

ContentAccurate & honest

Professional email & phone message

Keywords, specific nouns & action verbs

Use a thesaurus & avoid abbreviations

Include GPA or Major GPA (3.0 or above)

Avoid unnecessary repetition

Quantify, i.e., Implemented lesson plans across all disciplines for 1st, 3rd, and 4th grade students with classes ranging in size from 20-25 students. Think STAR: situation or task, action, results for maximum

Additional ThoughtsReferences

Career portfolio (keep adding to it)

LinkedIn profile (Join Alumni LinkedIn Group)

Think like an employer!

Network, network, network

What is a cover letter? Expresses your motivation for applying, i.e., letter of application

Convinces the employer to read your resume

Makes connections

Draws employer’s attention to specific qualifications

Provides a sample of your written communication

Establishes your credibility

Identifies the “next step”

Cover Letter TipsAddress the letter to an individual, if at all possible

Keep the letter to one page or less and only 3-5 paragraphs

Customize for each application

Stress the positive

Use language consistent with the job description

Appeal to employer culture, values and goals

Strategies for Future SuccessKnow your strengths and weaknesses

Work on developing your strengthsCompensate for your weaknesses

Practice communicating your strengths in both written and verbal formElevator speechesMini-resume card

Judson Resources

MyJudson/Student Success Center/Online Career Center

Illinois Small College Placement Associationwww.collegecentral.com/iscpa

CareerFest in the Spring Semester

Alumni LinkedIn Searches

Teacher Credential FilesThe following information is located on Land a Job in Your Field in the Online Career Center:

Cover SheetWhy is this sheet helpful? (Used to inform districts)

Content SheetWhat makes up a file? (See Content Sheet)How is it stored and transmitted? (Hard drive, flash drive,

often posted on Regional Office of Education website)When does it need to be updated? (Every couple years or

more, depending upon professional accomplishments)

Additional Online Resourceswww.Teachers-Teachers.Com Directory of Regional Offices of Education:http://www.isbe.net/regionaloffices/pdf/roedirectory.pdf

Illinois Education Job BankK-12 Job SpotUS Department of Education

Ten Best Teacher Job Sites:http://certificationmap.com/the-ten-best-teacher-job-sites/