Wetfeet - Killer Cover Letters and Resumes(1)(1).pdf

WetFeet has earned a strong reputation among college gradu-ates and career professionals for its series of highly credible,no-holds-barred Insider Guides.WetFeets investigative writers get behind the annual reports and corporate PR to tell the real story of what its like to work at specific companies and in different industries.www.WetFCareers/Job SearchWetFeet Insider GuideKiller Cover Letters&Resumes!by Rosanne LurieKiller Cover Letters&Resunes!Your objective:Stand out from the pack.Thanks to the ease of submitting a resume online,recruiters today receive literally hundreds of resumes for each open position.How do they sift through these stacks of resumes?What can you do to position yourself at the top of the heap?In this WetFeet Insider Guide,career advisor Rosanne Lurie explores these questions to bring you the latest wisdom from recruiters and hiring managers.She also analyzes a number of resume formats and real job seekers resumes to help you determine the ideal format and focus for your own resume.Turn to this WetFeet Insider Guide to learn Recruiters top five resume pet peeves and the top five things they look for in cover letters and resumes.How to analyze your skills to determine what you have to offer prospective employers that will put you at the top of their list.How to write achievement statements,as opposed to job descriptions.How to write the perfect cover letter that will grab the recruiters attention.The core components of a focused and effective resume.Solutions for special cases,such as lack of experience or gaps in employment.Basic resume dos and donts,and common resume blunders to avoid.WetFeet Insider GuideThe WetFeet Research MethodologyYou hold in your hands a copy of the best-quality research available for job seekers.We have designed this Insider Guide to save you time doing your job research and to provide highly accurate information written precisely for the needs of the job-seeking public.(We also hope that youll enjoy reading it,because,believe it or not,the job search doesnt have to be a pain in the neck.)Each WetFeet Insider Guide represents hundreds of hours of careful research and writing.We start with a review of the public information available.(Our writers are also experts in reading between the lines.)We augment this information with dozens of in-depth interviews of people who actually work for each company or industry we cover.And,although we keep the identity of the rank-and-file employees anonymous to encourage candor,we also interview the companys recruiting staff extensively,to make sure that we give you,the reader,accurate information about recruiting,process,compensation,hiring targets,and so on.(WetFeet retains all editorial control of the product.)We also regularly survey our members and customers to learn about their experiences in the recruiting process.Finally,each Insider Guide goes through an editorial review and fact-checking process to make sure that the information and writing live up to our exacting standards before it goes out the door.Are we perfect?Nobut we do believe that youll find our content to be the highest-quality content of its type available on the Web or in print.(Please see our guarantee below.)We also are eager to hear about your experiences on the recruiting front and your feedback(both positive and negative)about our products and our process.Thank you for your interest.The WetFeet GuaranteeYouve got enough to worry about with your job search.So,if you dont like this Insider Guide,send it back within 30 days of purchase and well refund your money.Contact us at 1-800-926-4JOB or We AreWetFeet is the trusted destination for job seekers to research companies and industries,and manage their careers.WetFeet Insider Guides provide you with inside information for a successful job search.At WetFeet,we do the work for you and present our results in an informative,credible,and entertaining way.Think of us as your own private research company whose primary mission is to assist you in making more informed career decisions.WetFeet was founded in 1994 by Stanford MBAs Gary Alpert and Steve Pollock.While exploring our next career moves,we needed products like the WetFeet Insider Guides to help us through the research and interviewing game.But they didnt exist.So we started writing.Today,WetFeet serves more than a million job candidates each month by helping them nail their interviews,avoid ill-fated career decisions,and add thousands of dollars to their compensation packages.The quality of our work and knowledge of the job-seeking world have also allowed us to develop an extensive corporate and university membership.In addition,WetFeets services include two award-winning websites(WetF and InternshipP),Web-based recruiting technologies,consulting services,and our exclusive research studies,such as the annual WetFeet Student Recruitment Survey.Our team members,who come from diverse backgrounds,share a passion about the job-search process and a commitment to delivering the highest quality products and customer service.About Our NameOne of the most frequent questions we receive is,“So,whats the story behind your name?”The short story is that the inspiration for our name comes from a popular business school case study about L.L.Bean,the successful mail-order company.Leon Leonwood Bean got his start because he quite simply,and very literally,had a case of wet feet.Every time he went hunting in the Maine woods,his shoes leaked,and he returned with soaked feet.So,one day,he decided to make a better hunting shoe.And he did.And he told his friends,and they lined up to buy their own pairs of Bean boots.And L.L.Bean,the company,was born.all because a man who had wet feet decided to make boots.The lesson we took from the Bean case?Lots of people get wet feet,but entrepreneurs make boots.And thats exactly what were doing at WetFeet.InsiderGuideKiller Cover Lettersand Resumes!By Rosanne LurieHelping you make smarter career decisions.WetFeet Inc.101 Howard StreetSuite 300San Francisco,CA 94105Phone:(415)284-7900 or 1-800-926-4JOBFax:(415)284-7910Website:Killer Cover Letters and Resumes!By Rosanne LurieISBN:1-58207-371-6Photocopying Is ProhibitedCopyright 2003 WetFeet,Inc.All rights reserved.This publication is protected bythe copyright laws of the United States of America.No copying in any form ispermitted.It may not be reproduced,distributed,stored in a retrieval system,ortransmitted in any form or by any means,in part or in whole,without the expresswritten permission of WetFeet,Inc.Table of ContentsPutting Your Best Foot Forward.1 Overview.2The Bottom Line.4On Your Mark,Get Set,Prep!.5 Doing Your Due Diligence.6Three Steps for Effective Research.7Where to Look.10Why Research?.11“Bottom Line”Skills.13Determining What You Have to Offer.14Analyzing Your Transferable Skills.17Exercises.22Time to Get Cookin.33 Customizing Cover Letters.34General Formatting Guidelines.36Sample Cover Letters.39Resumes and the Recipe for Success.49 Focus on Form and Function.50General Formatting Guidelines.50The Guts of Your Resume.52Resume Design and Organization.58Special Cases.65Basic Resume Donts and Dos.70Mail Merge Morons and Other Big Offenders.73Sample Resumes.76What Happens Next?.93 Contacting the Employer.94Before You Hit“Send”.95Following Up.96Thank-You Letters.98In Closing.100For Your Reference.101 Recommended Resources.102Books.104Surveys.105Author Bio.106Putting Your Best FootForward Overview The Bottom Line1Best Foot ForwardOverviewMost job hunters today tend to view the search for work as casting a net andhoping that an opportunity is ensnared.Certainly an approach like this canbring results,but a lot of effort is wasted as well.Honing the instruments youuse to capture the interest of employers will take the mystery,and some of thefrustration,out of the process.You need to understand what employers lookfor in the initial review of applications,and what qualities will lead you to thenext stage in the hiring process.The ease of posting jobs online means morepeople will apply for the same position,while changes in the economy and jobmarket mean that todays employers can afford to be extra choosy.Now,morethan ever,you need to find ways to put yourself ahead of the pack.To get some sense of the employers perspective,check out this bit ofinformation:Recently,ResumeD contacted more than 5,000recruiters and hiring managers throughout the United States and Canadaregarding the success of using online job postings.More than 92 percent ofthose surveyed reported being inundated with irrelevant responses to their jobpostings.Most participants indicated that they receive hundreds of responsesper online job posting.Additional complaints included:A majority of resumes do not match the job description.71%Job seekers“blasting out”unsolicited resumes.63%Job seekers fail to follow specific resume submission instructions found injob post.34%2Best Foot ForwardMike Worthington of ResumeD says,“Most online job postings buryrecruiters with literally hundreds of resumes.The ease that job seekers canrespond to postings online is now their greatest obstacle.”For more information,visit www.ResumeD or see the resource section at the endof this guide.One of the best ways to impress employers is to avoid these all-too-commonerrors.Whether youre just out of college,changing careers,or a seasonedprofessional looking to make the next career move,this guide will help you dothe best possible job of presenting your qualifications to recruiters and hiringmanagers in the United States.Although“perfect”application materials wontnecessarily land you a jobtheres a lot more to getting a job offer thansending a good resumethis guide will give you valuable insight into whatemployers are seeking,and how to develop materials that reflect your strengths.For starters,youll learn about the best ways to prepare for your job search,including how to determine and articulate your strengths,research techniques,andhow to customize your presentation towards desired positions and organizations.Next,youll get the full scoop on how to create a killer resume and cover letterfrom what information it should(and shouldnt)contain to how it should look andsound.Multiple cover letter and resume examples,as well as suggestions forcreating layouts that suit your unique needs,will give you great ideas for how yourown materials should look and sound.The section on special concerns examinescommon problem areassuch as international careers,“overqualified”candidatesyndrome,or long time gapswith helpful suggestions for how to address them.The final section contains suggestions for following up your application,as well asresources that will help you in your job search.3Best Foot ForwardThe Bottom LineAt best,resume readers spend 30 seconds reviewing a cover letter or resume thefirst time.This is especially true in a competitive job market,where recruitersreceive up to 200 responses to advertised job postings.In 30 seconds,an excellentcover letter and resume package needs to convey an image of who you are,whatyoure capable of,and how you have used your abilities to accomplish results.Ideally,it indicates that you know yourself well and have a firm grasp on whatyou bring to the table.In a nutshell,your cover letter and resume are less aboutwhere you have been than about where you want to go next.Although insiders tell us“there isnt one right answer”to the question of how tocreate a good cover letter or resume(phew!),they say the best materials areconcise,results-oriented,and very clearly presented.Of course,a great resumealone wont land you the job of your dreams,but appropriate choices in shapingyour materials make you far more likely to get a call,and can even help you sailmore smoothly through the interview process.This guide will show you the way.Are you ready to begin?Lets dive in!4Best Foot ForwardOn Your Mark,Get Set,Prep!Doing Your Due Diligence Three Steps for Effective Research Where to Look Why Research?“Bottom Line”Skills Determining What You Have to Offer Analyzing Your Transferable Skills Exercises5On Your MarkDoing Your Due DiligenceYou may come to the job search armed with a great track record at work andschool,numerous promotions and awards,and affiliations with prestigiousinstitutions that most only dream of visiting.Or maybe this doesnt describeyou at all,and you worry about how you will ever measure up.Whatever yourbackground,you can be sure that you will not progress far in the job marketwithout doing your due diligence.A runner doesnt win the race withouttraining,and a job seeker doesnt get an interview without laying somegroundwork.Preparation,not impressive credentials,is the real key to success.Good preparation begins with understanding the conditions and contexts ofthe job search.It is the difference between firing out resumes in great quantitieswith little focus,and taking a few well aimed shots directly at your desiredtargets.Your success rate will increase markedly if you do preliminary researchbefore sending out your applications.Say you learn from a friend who works at your dream company that the perfectposition has just opened up.You quickly cut and paste your cover letter andresume into an e-mail,and then wait with bated breath.Every time the phonerings,you race to answer it,confident it will be the company calling for aninterview.So it comes as somewhat of a shock when you hear that someoneelse got the interview you so coveted.With your high grades and impressivework experience,why wouldnt the company so much as give you a shot?When your friend tells you later that the person who“stole your interview”hadimpressed the boss with a cover letter that showed shed thoroughly researchedthe company,you feel like kicking yourself.If only you had done your researchinstead of sending out the same cover letter and resume you send to everyone.6On Your MarkResearch is so essential to your job search that it cannot be overemphasized.Recruiters and hiring managers consistently report that candidates who seeminformed about the organization and the industry are given priority in the initialreview of applications,and are most likely to succeed later at the interview stage.Almost every company will ask the question,“Why us?”Doing research ensuresyou can answer this question in an educated fashion.Youll have a great advantageover your competition if you are able to express an understanding of the objectivesof the organization(products,services,or operations),the company culture,andwhy your skills and experience are ideally suited to their needs.Three Steps for EffectiveResearchThe better the information you gather,the more on target your cover letter andresume will be.The key to successful investigation is knowing what to look forand where to find it.The following three steps will guide you through this all-important research process:1.Deconstruct the job description.2.Contemplate the company3.Investigate the industry.7On Your MarkStep 1:Deco