Resumes and Cover Letters MA MAPH PH Spr Spring ng Wor orks - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Resumes and Cover Letters MA MAPH PH Spr Spring ng Wor

• rks

kshop hop

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Why Attend GRADUCon?

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• LEARN HOW TO LAUNCH A CAREER IN VARIOUS FIELDS
• Careers in Museums panel
• Careers in Nonprofits panel
• Where Else Can You Teach? panel
• CONNECT WITH MAPH ALUMNI
• Kamran Swanson, Asst. Professor, Harold Washington College
• Katie Rahn, Director of Marketing, Art Institute of Chicago
• Anna Piepmeyer, Manager, Chicago Public Education Fund
• BUILD NEW SKILLS
• Negotiation workshop
• LinkedIn workshop

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AGENDA

• 1. Job Doc Overview
• 2. Drafting Resumes
• 3. Drafting Cover Letters
• 4. Resume Workshop

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AGENDA

• 1. Job Doc Overview

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• Resumes and cover letters are

arguments

• They use claims and evidence to

convince employers that you are a great fit

• They must be tailored to every job

description

• They are not a replacement for

networking

Overview

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How do they fit together?

Resume Letter Life Sources Article Abstract

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AGENDA

• 2. Drafting Resumes

Formatting: 11-12 Pt. Font

AVOID Arial Times New Roman Calibri Cambria Comic Sans

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USE Garamond Georgia Palatino Linotype

Helvetica Neue Light

Century Gothic Trebuchet MS

Formatting: Margins

.6” – 1” for all docs

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Formatting: Structure

Contact Info

Education

• Thesis?
• Awards?
• Study Abroad?

Headings Bullets Spacing

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Formatting: Structure

Vertical

• Reverse

chronological

• rder in each

section

• Under each

heading, most relevant bullets

• n top
• More bullets for

most recent, relevant experiences, fewer for past

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Formatting: Structure

Horizontal

• Most

important information

• n the left
• Compound

bullets can get lost

• Strong action

verbs should run down the left-hand side

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Content: Education

• Top of page
• Lead with name of university
• Degree-based programs only (incl. study abroad)
• Prominent awards/honors
• Relevant course work (optional)
• Thesis title (optional)

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Content: Experience

• Begin with a master resume containing

all experiences, then tailor to each job

• Consider organizing experiences by

job function

• “Research Experience”
• “Administrative Experience”
• “Customer Service Experience”
• “Teaching Experience”
• Include academic and volunteer

experiences

• Proportions of information included do

not need to reflect actual work responsibilities

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Reality Resume

Content: Experience

Brilliant Bullet Points

• Begin with strong action verbs: led, analyzed, organized,
• ptimized, developed, etc.
• Try not to repeat the same verbs or competencies
• Implied first person sentence fragments (no pronouns
• r periods)
• Present tense for ongoing roles; past tense for past roles
• 1 or 2 lines, never 3

Demonstrate Your PPI

• Project: What did you do?
• Purpose: Why did you do this?
• Impact: What impact did your actions have?

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Content: Skills

Skills and Languages Section: Recommended

• Technical skills: Highlight most impressive,

less common competencies

• Language skills: Fluent, conversational,

basic Interests Section: Optional

• Chance to “humanize” yourself
• Make these specific and unique
• Use only when space allows
• One line maximum

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AGENDA

• 3. Drafting Cover Letters

• Expands on a few items in your resume
• Discusses your motivation for seeking

employment in this field

• Explains why you are a good fit for the

specific organization and/or team

• Shows how you will make an impact
• Provides proof of legitimate interest in

and knowledge of the organization

• Demonstrates writing skills

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A Good Cover Letter . . .

Generic Cover Letter

• Introduction
• Reason(s) for interest in organization
• Mention conversations with employees
• Thesis: 2 distinct competencies, A & B
• Claim and evidence of competency A
• Relate example back to the company
• Claim and evidence of competency B
• Relate example back to the company
• Wrap up and thank you sentence

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¶ 1 ¶ 2 ¶ 3 ¶ 4

Cover Letter Formatting

Their full address Date Address a real person Physical signature Your contact info

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AGENDA

• 4. Resume Workshop

Resume Workshop

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• Form small groups
• Share your resume
• Receive feedback from your peers
• What story is this document telling?
• Is it organized and easy to read?
• Do the bullet points show impact?
• What changes would you suggest?

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Questions?

cwiersema@uchicago.edu

Appointments?

gradgargoyle.uchicago.edu