[La-students] Fw: [nabs-l] Building the Perfect Resume

[Joe Orozco]

From: "Dennis Clark" <dennisgclark at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Joe Orozco" <jsorozco at gmail.com>; "National Association of Blind 
Students mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 11:15 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Building the Perfect Resume


> This is a good introduction to resume writing.  I would add that you 
> should pay particular attention to grammatical errors or spelling errors 
> in your cover letter.  And needless to say there should be no errors in 
> your resume. I am stunned by the number of cover letters and resumes that 
> I receive which have both.  They are immediately deleted.  An employer's 
> assumption is that the quality of the work you are seeing in the resume 
> and cover letter is the best you can ever hope to get from the applicant, 
> and if it is substandard then they do not have a chance getting an 
> interview.  Also, if you are really interested in the position, take the 
> time to write a cover letter which explicitly links your experience to the 
> skills listed in the job description.  The following is a cover letter 
> which I recently received from a job applicant, and needless to say, this 
> applicant got the job.  I received other applications which simply said 
> please see attached resume. This made them seem less than truly 
> interested, and they were quickly eliminated.
>
> Dear Whom it May Concern:
>
> I am applying for the assistant position for a blind attorney advertised 
> in the UCLA Bruin.
>
> I believe that I possess each of the qualifications listed for the 
> position, and also that I will be dedicated to my responsibilities.  I am 
> currently enrolled in UCLA's professional program in screenwriting where I 
> have been learning techniques to building story structure.  I received a 
> Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Hawaii at 
> Manoa in May 2006 with an overall grade point average of 3.77/4.0.
>
> While a student at the University of Hawaii, I had the opportunity to 
> assist a blind student as she prepared for the PRAXIS (a Pre-Professional 
> Skills Assessment for teaching) examination.  My
> duties included transcribing testing material, scribing notes and 
> assisting with computer technology (JAWS).
>
> I wish to repeat that I am very interested in working for you.  I am a 
> cheerful person, but I hold the integrity of maintaining professional 
> relationships.  I would greatly  appreciate the opportunity to discuss
> my qualifications with you in person or via telephone.  Please contact me 
> at (310) xxx-xxx if you have any further inquiries.
>
> Her resume went on to describe in full detail her experience with JAWS, as 
> well as her other computer claims.  Many times applicants embellish their 
> skills amd experience so you have to investigate these claims during the 
> interview to see if their experience is real.  This particular person was 
> completely honest, and if anything did not list all her actual skills.
>
> Good luck in your job search.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Joe Orozco" <jsorozco at gmail.com>
> To: "New Jersey Students" <njabs-talk at nfbnet.org>; "Virginia Students" 
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> Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 5:57 PM
> Subject: [nabs-l] Building the Perfect Resume
>
>
>> Building The Perfect Resume
>>
>>
>> A good resume is vital. It is your calling card to a prospective
>> employer--one that lays out your qualifications and hopefully gets you a 
>> job
>> interview.
>> Remember, most employers will spend less than five minutes initially
>> reviewing your resume. Follow these guidelines to make sure your resume 
>> gets
>> you noticed.
>>
>>
>> Be sure to include these basics:
>>
>> .
>>
>> Contact information: full name, phone number, school and permanent 
>> address,
>> and e-mail address.
>>
>> .
>>
>> Education: school, degree, date of completion, honors, and special course
>> work. If you are still in school, provide your expected date of 
>> completion.
>>
>> .
>>
>> Experience: In addition to work history, include relevant 
>> non-professional
>> experience, such as internships, extracurricular activities, and 
>> significant
>> volunteer work.
>>
>> .
>>
>> Skills: List any computer systems, office equipment, and software 
>> programs
>> you are familiar with, as well as particular office skills (shorthand,
>> typing
>> speed, etc.).
>>
>> .
>>
>> Other Categories: If they are relevant, include publications, awards,
>> leadership positions, or other notable achievements.
>>
>> There are many different ways to organize your resume. The most basic
>> formats include:
>>
>> .
>>
>> Chronological: To emphasize your work history, list your jobs and
>> activities, beginning with your most recent experiences.
>>
>> .
>>
>> Functional: To emphasize your skill sets, group your experiences under
>> categorical headings, such as Leadership or Technology Support.
>>
>> The key is to pick a format that presents your achievements most
>> effectively--as well as being easy to read and comprehend.
>>
>> Tips for a Winning Resume:
>>
>> .
>>
>> Keep it brief. Limit your resume to one page. Instead of paragraphs, use
>> bullet-pointed lists.
>>
>> .
>>
>> Provide meaningful descriptions of your experiences. When detailing your 
>> job
>> history, use short sentences or fragments to demonstrate your relevant
>> experience.
>>
>>
>> .
>>
>> Use strong action words ("developed and implemented a new filing system";
>> "created two new membership programs").
>>
>> .
>>
>> Use formatting to help you out. Capitalize and use boldface, italics, or
>> underlining to help organize the information.
>>
>> .
>>
>> Proofread. Use spell-check, double-check your contact information, and 
>> make
>> sure your formatting is consistent. Ask a friend or family member to
>> proofread
>> it as well.
>>
>> .
>>
>> Custom fit your resume. Revise your resume for each job application to 
>> make
>> sure it fits the opportunity at hand.
>>
>> The final test: Take a look at your resume from an arm's distance. Is it
>> confusing and text-heavy? Or is it easy to find the information you need?
>> Please
>> be sure your resume is reader-friendly.
>>
>> Source: Kay Peterson, Ph.D., Fastweb.com
>>
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>