Effective Resumes and Cover Letters For Computer Science Joan McCurdy-Myers Director

1. Effective Resumes and Cover Letters For Computer Science Joan McCurdy-Myers Director

2. AS YOU WAIT, PLEASE … • Discuss the strengths & weaknesses of Robert Wood’s resume with the person next to you

3. WORKSHOP GOALS • To show how to effectively market yourself in resumes and cover letters • How? By understanding the following: • • Needs of employer (RESEARCH) • • What you have to offer employer(Relevant SKILLS & EXAMPLES) • • How to highlight that you have they’re looking for (FORMAT)

4. FROM THE EMPLOYER’S VIEWPOINT • How long does an employer spend looking at a resume the first time through? • Survey question: When considering an application, which document do you pay more attention to? resume? cover letter? Weigh both equally?

5. DEBRIEF OF ROBERT’S RESUME • What did you think of Robert’s resume? • What were its strengths? - What could be improved? (content and format)

6. COMPONENTS OF A RESUME • What are they?- Common resume components - Other sections* Note: The order and contents of your resume may change depending on the position • For more info … Click on Resume & Cover Letter Toolkit, • “Prepare Content- Resume and Cover Letter” • http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers/toolkit.html

7. HOW TO TAILOR YOUR RESUMEAND COVER LETTER • KNOW what the EMPLOYER WANTS- List the key skill sets sought • KNOW what YOU have to OFFER- What are your relevant strengths? • MAKE THE MATCH between 1 and 2- Select 3-5 skills; provide concrete examples and focus on accomplishments

8. EMPLOYERS SAY.. Employers of new grads were asked…Which do you place greatest importance on • Paid Experience? • Volunteer & extra-curricular experience? • Weigh paid and unpaid experience equally?

9. SKILLS Employers of new grads want evidence of skills i.e. what you can do for them because you did it somewhere else (paid, unpaid, course work) Give concrete examples in your resume and cover letter as proof of your skills

10. SKILL SETS • Kinds of skills: • • technical/specific e.g. computer, lab, languages, program-specific • • transferable e.g. written & verbal communication, organizational, analytical, problem-solving • • self-management/personal e.g. initiative, flexible, confident, self-motivated

11. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP IDENTIFY YOUR SKILLS • Online and print resources available through the Career Centre- “Careers by Major” info., Career Centre website (Under “Explore Careers” Tab) www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers/careers_by_major.html • Individual career counselling appointments • - Skills card sort and other self-assessment tools

12. ROBERT’S 2ND RESUME • 20 sec test • What are the specific strengths of Robert’s 2nd resume compared to his 1st resume?- Look at both format and content • How does it market Robert for the Software Developer position?

13. ACCOMPLISHMENT-BASED RESUMES Go beyond listing duties to include: • HOW you performed your tasks (to demonstrate skills) • RESULTS you generated (increased profits, positive evaluations, solved a problem) • The SCOPE of your responsibilities (through the use of #s)

14. ALWAYS REMEMBER … • Start bullets with ACTION WORDS • AVOID saying “DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITES included” • Give PROOF of your SKILLS • Use ACCOMPLISHMENT-BASED statements • ORDER points based on importance/relevance

15. LOOK AT YOUR OWN RESUME… • Identify 2 changes could you make • Once you’ve revised your resume, sign up through UTM Career Centre website for an individual resume critique…Same day only.

16. COVER LETTER:EFFECTIVE MARKETING • Marketing tool that shows your RELEVANT skills and accomplishments • Links to employer NEEDS • Uses a FORMAT which highlights the match • Persuasively answers the question: WHY SHOULD THE EMPLOYER CONSIDERYOU FOR THIS POSITION?

17. COVER LETTERS • Take a quick look at Robert’s cover letter • Identify some strengths and weaknesses of this cover letter.

18. EMPLOYERS WERE ASKED… • When considering an application, employers pay more attention to which document? • Resume: 53% • Cover Letter: 6% • Weigh both documents equally: 41% • *Advice: To an employer, your cover letter demonstrates your written communication skills and conveys your personality!

19. COVER LETTER: FIRST PARAGRAPH • Why writing? Why would the employer be interested in you? • Clear “thesis statement” indicating what you have to offer the employer • Refer to job ad or type of work • Ask yourself “What are the threethings that I want the reader to remember about me?” • Need to be RELEVANT to the position

20. COVER LETTER: 2nd & 3rd PARAGRAPHS • Give examples of the relevant strengths (skills, experience, academics) identified in thesis • Focus on what you can contribute i.e. how you meet what employer needs (posting & research) • Make relevant reference to organization

21. COVER LETTER: CLOSING PARAGRAPH • Thank you • Propose action (request interview); provide contact info. (phone/email) • Can also reiterate fit for the position

22. RESEARCHING AN ORGANIZATION • Why research? • How to research: • Job posting • Organization’s website • Web resources • Networking – talk to people!

23. RESEARCHING AN ORGANIZATION • What to research? • What are the activities/services/projects of the organization? • What is their philosophy/mission statement/ values? • Who are their clients? • What are their accomplishments and also failures, challenges, future goals of the department?

24. ROBERT’S IMPROVED COVER LETTER • Read through improved cover letter • What did Robert do differently to make this cover letter more effective?- List at least 3 things that make his improved cover letter better than the first one • What 2 things could you do to improve your cover letter?

25. WRAP UP UTM Career Centre Resources: • Our website: “Resume and Cover Letter Toolkit” - Additional RCL samples, Electronic Resumes, Top 10 Resume and Cover Letter Tips and more… • Online sign-up for individual critiques starts at 9am. Spaces fille very quickly.

26. Evaluations Please  • We appreciate your feedback. Thank you!