Creating your professional brand requires a clear and concise message about you, specifically through a cover letter and resume.
Eva Chan 
CreatingaCoverLetterResume1.pptxCreating a Cover Letter & Resume
Recruiting Process
Recruiter uses ATS
Hiring Manager holds online interview
Team interviews in-person
Skills Needed
Hard Skills (Technical)
Data analysis
Coding
Design
Customer support
Information technology
Project management
Social media management
Digital marketing
Technical writing
Soft Skills (People)
Communication
Time management
Critical thinking & problem-solving
Teamwork
Emotional intelligence
Digital literacy
Initiative
Persuasive Argument
1 page each
Letter
Ethos
Pathos
Resume
Logos
Ethos
Job Posting: Manager Needed
Sparrow Associates, a leading management consulting company in the San Francisco Bay Area, seeks an enthusiastic and professional office manager to join our team. Effective collaboration is a must. Technical competencies in MS Office required. Analytical skills—especially as related to budget data—are highly valued. Online applications accepted through June 30 only at www.sparrow.associates.com.
General Cover Letter Content
Introduction: Answers what’s this about and why you’re writing
Body 1: Answers reader’s question, “How can you help with the job?”
Body 2: Answers reader’s question, “How can you help the company?”
Conclusion: what’s the call-to-action?
Sample Cover Letter
Resume Types & Relevant Skills
Chronological (Logos)
Lists work experience chronologically, beginning with most recent experience first
Identifies position, company, city, state, dates of employment
Functional (Ethos)
Lists categories of relevant skills organized by the keywords found in the job posting.
Work experience listed after Relevant Skills section
General Resume Content
Qualifications Summary—targets employer needs
Education—college degree(s); no coursework
Work experience: position, company, city, state, dates of employment
Relevant skills: action-object-business reason
Volunteer experience/professional organizations/extracurricular activities
Professional licenses/certification/language fluency
Sample Qualifications Summary
Financial management major with experience in:
Analyzing detailed income and profit/loss statements
Explaining complicated tax requirements to clients
Managing MS Dynamics, Quicken, and ERP application systems
Use a consistent structure for each bullet
Produced
List active verb in past or present tense.
a user-friendly, searchable database with MS Access
List object of the verb.
to manage client relationships.
What is the business reason?
Produced a user-friendly, searchable database with MS Access to manage client relationships.
Describe Work Skills Completely
| INEFFECTIVE | EFFECTIVE |
| Responsible for the night crew at In-and-Out Burgers | Supervised an 8-person night crew to run food operations. Handled all customer complaints to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. |
| Experience with general office duties | Typed and filed confidential correspondence to ensure timely and professional communication with clients. Formatted fliers, brochures, and newsletters to promote workforce awareness of company initiatives. |
| Developed excellent communication skills | Wrote a comprehensive policy and procedures manual for new interns |
| Effective team player | Collaborated with product design, marketing, and manufacturing to develop a $500K client proposal. |
| Detail oriented | Developed monthly and yearly sales and budget forecasts valuing $1mm in potential revenue. |
Sample Relevant Skills
Collaboration
Participated in several campus-based student committees and fundraising initiatives to raise awareness about the city’s homeless issue.
Technical Competence
Produced a user-friendly, searchable database with MS Access to manage client relationships.
Developed complex timelines with MS Project to manage multiple team projects.
Organized schedules, contacts, and communication with Microsoft Outlook to optimize productivity of legal team.
Analytical Skills
Analyzed operating budget of a local nonprofit organization and recommended changes to the product line as part of service-learning requirements for a managerial accounting course.
Assignment: Cover Letter & Resume
Find an internship or job posting related to your major/interests.
Using MS Word, create a relevant cover email (letter) and resume for the job.
Submit the documents as one file; the file should include:
Job description (copy & paste the text)
Cover email/letter
Resume
Planning Process
Who
Who is the reader? Recruiter & Hiring Manager
Why is this message important to them? They have a need for a person with certain skills and experience to help them.
Why
What is the intent of the message (to do, to know, to feel)? To know and to feel (persuasion)
What do you want them to do in response to the message? Schedule a time to meet.
What
What is the situation that prompted the message? (Study what you understand what the team/department/company does).
Is there urgency? Possibly. (Depends on how the job is posted.)
Will the message prompt any negative emotions (anger, hostility, confusion, etc.)? No.
Checklist
File has 3 documents: job posting, cover letter, and resume.
Cover letter organized logically (intro, body, conclusion) and shows that writer understands position and company
Resume organizes experience to match relevant skills in job description
Bullets are clear and consistent, showing logos and ethos
SUBJECT: Interest in Office Manager Role Dear Sandy Owens, It was great to read about Sparrow Associates’ search for an Office Manager on Glassdoor. Based on the job posting, I believe I can help you and the team with my experience and skills and here’s how. Managing an office for a team of consultants requires a professional with timely organizational and communication skills. I recently supported a small legal firm of two attorneys and two paralegals where I coordinated schedules, contacted clients, organized files, and ensured bills were paid on time. Sparrow Associates is known for its collaborative culture. I thrive in teamwork that helps bring the organization success. One thing I bring to projects is my ability to anticipate the needs of others so we can respond in a proactive way. Can we meet to discuss how I can help meet Sparrow Associates needs as an Office Manager? Please email [email protected] or call 415-xxx-xxxx. I’m available Monday through Fridays; mornings are best. Thanks, Mary Smith
SUBJECT: Interest in Office Manager Role
Dear Sandy Owens,
It was great to read about Sparrow Associates’ search for an Office Manager on Glassdoor.
Based on the job posting, I believe I can help you and the team with my experience and skills
and here’s how.
Managing an office for a team of consultants requires a professional with timely organizational
and communication skills. I recently supported a small legal firm of two attorneys and two
paralegals where I coordinated schedules, contacted clients, organized files, and ensured bills
were paid on time.
Sparrow Associates is known for its collaborative culture. I thrive in teamwork that helps bring
the organization success. One thing I bring to projects is my ability to anticipate the needs of
others so we can respond in a proactive way.
Can we meet to discuss how I can help meet Sparrow Associates needs as an Office Manager?
Please email [email protected] or call 415-xxx-xxxx. I’m available Monday through Fridays;
mornings are best.
Thanks,
Mary Smith
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