Write a Resume(CV) and Cover Letter

Warmer Discussion

• Are you doing job hunting (part time or full time)?
• What part time jobs have you had?
• What job do you want after you graduate?
• Are you interested in English-speaking jobs or jobs overseas?
• Where do students look for jobs these days?

C.V. or Resume? Which is which?

• Resume: A one page summary. Work first. More for US and business
• CV: A 2-3 page summary. School first. More for UK and academics.

Step 1 - Analyse a CV/Resume structure

Look at the examples

• How are they different?
• What are the sections in each?
• What order is each section in?
• How much information is given
• How are each different from Japanese rirekishou?

Step 2 - write your own

• Feel free to lie or invent if you don’t want to share.
• Maybe imagine who you MIGHT be in 5-10 years and write THAT resume.

If you have no work experience, try these:

• Club/circle/team membership
• Volunteer experience
• Driving license
• Awards (study, sports)
• Sports , Music, Hobbies
• First Aid experience
• What else can you think of?
• WHat words can you use to describe your other experience better? (keen, proficient, qualified, active)

If you have part-time experience

Make your job sound better

Instead of: Waiter, XYZ Ramen, Shinjuku. I took money, took orders, cleaned toilet. Better to say: Serving staff, XYZ Ramen, Shinjuku. Responsible for cash handling, customer service and hygiene inspection.

I…	I was responsible for…
took money	cash handling
talked to customers	customer service
wrote signs	publicity
locked the door	security
fixed the door	maintenance
cooked	food preparation
cleaned (the kitchen)	(food) hygiene
put up Halloween decorations	décor
told new staff what to do	staff training
organised shift swaps	scheduling
did some paperwork	administration
filled the shelves	stock control
giving free stuff away	promotions
checked something	quality control

Task 1: Find an advert for a job you want.

• Find an appropriate CV Template
  • Some are available to download (but many are not free)
  • There are some built into Google
  • I will share one in Classroom.
• Fill in the details. Add sections (e.g. for circles) if you need to
• Try to adapt your CV to the job.
• Remember to use your circle roles/part time job work as necessary.

Task 2: Cover letter

• Usually you don’t just send the CV. You send a short letter:
  • introducing yourself
  • saying how your skills/experience match those asked for in the job advert
  • giving any information they asked for which is not on your CV (e.g. interview availability)
  • giving any other highlights you really don’t want them to miss
• There are different styles.
  • UK cover letters tend to be very short (like the example below)
  • US cover letters tend to add more text, about aims/philosophy.
  • Make sure you know what style you need and find more examples.

Cover Letter - Suggested structure and useful language

• 1) Top of letter
  • YOUR name, address, email address, date (top right)
  • THEIR Name, title, address (left aligned
• 2) Start with Formal greeting
  • If there is a name, use “Dear X”
  • No name?
    • Use “To Whom it May Concern” (title case deliberate)
    • You could also use “Dear Hiring Committee” or “Dear Recruitment Department” if that’s what they called themselves.
• 3) Greeting paragraph.
  • Name yourself and the job (any order)
    • “I am writing to apply for the role of X.”
    • “I am contacting you in response to the job posting for ROLE”
    • “I am a 4th year student at…”
    • “I would like to apply for the position of”
    • “I am writing in response to the job announcement for ROLE”
  • Give where you saw the ad e.g.
    • ”, as posted on DATE in SOURCE.”
    • “as advertised on SOURCE”
    • “posted on your company’s recruitment page.”
  • Opening info line
    • ” I strongly believe I am a good match for this position because
    • “I am applying because I feel that my skills, experience, and qualifications are a good match for the position advertised”
    • “I am applying because I am very interested in FIELD due to REASON”
    • Describe why you like company + “For these reasons, I am very interested in applying to your company, and below I will explain why I think I would be a good fit.”
• 4) Optional more personal paragraph (before or after job advert paragraph, or joined to greeting)
  • Why you are interested in this field
  • Why you are interested in this company
  • Could be:
    • people who recommended it
    • People you met doing the job who inspired you
    • Related past experiences
• 5) Paragraph about job advert. Point by point, in order, say how you meet or almost meet the requirements not covered already. If possible, give examples.
  • Start
    • “In terms of the requirements in the job interview,
    • I would like to explain how my skills qualifications and experience match those advertised. First,…”
  • Transition between points
    • In terms of
    • As for
    • In addition
    • The posting also mentions X, which
    • As regards
  • Experience/Skills you have
    • “I have extensive experience in”
    • “I have a strong background in”
    • “I have regularly been asked to”
    • While I ….I was responsible for
    • At PLACE, I was asked to
    • I did X for three months at PLACE
  • Experience/Skills you don’t quite have
    • “While I am not X, I do have similar/related experience from my time doing X”
    • “While I do not have experience doing X, I have spent time doing Y”
  • Experience/Skills you don’t have
    • While I cannot use X at the moment, …
    • While I have never X’d, …
    • Although I do not X, …
    • … I am very keen to learn
    • … I recently started an online course which will be completed by the start date.
    • … I have previously learned Y, and I believe the skills would transfer easily.
  • Giving details
    • “For example”
    • “One way in which I used this skill is”
    • “Specifically, when I was ROLE, I suggested/improved/implemented improvements”
  • Use Adjectives, but not too much
• 6) Paragraph about anything not asked for, but relevant.
  • Driving license?
  • Other languages “In addition to the fluency in English requested, I also speak German at an intermediate level.”
  • Awards “I won an (award/was awarded) for achieving a high threshold score on an English proficiency exam, only given to around 25 students each year.”
  • Hobbies/SportsCircle activities not already used
  • Any unfinished courses and qualification not already mentioned (“I am currently working towards a certificate in”)
• 7) Final Paragraph
  • enclosures
    • “Please find enclosed my CV and scans of my qualifications.”
    • “As requested, I have enclosed X, Y and Z”
  • Offer more
    • If you have any questions about my application, please do not hesitate to contact me.
  • Closing
    • “I look forward to hearing from you, and to possibly working together in the future.”
    • “Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my application”
• 8) Ending
  • If you used “To Whom”, end “Yours faithfully,”
  • If you used “Dear NAME”, end “Yours sincerely,”
  • Note the comma, not period here
• 9) Sign
  • Print and Sign it if paper application
  • Paste an image of your signature if PDF application
  • Type your name.

Cover letter - other tips

• Print the ad as a PDF before you start. If you get an interview and they’ve deleted the advert, you might not remember what requirements they had.
• If electronic application, EXPORT AS A PDF unless they request Word. Not everyone has the same software and it could make things weird, especially tables.
• I aim for (Double spaced), 60-80% of one page
  • Avoid spilling over to a second page then stopping after 3 lines
  • Avoid half-empty one-page letters
  • Avoid saying too much (single spaced 100% of page will not get read)
• If paper
  • use good paper and a good envelope.
  • fold it neatly
• Spellcheck!
  • Spellcheck again!
  • Have someone check it for you! Email me if you don’t have a proofreader.
• Spellcheck again!

Example cover letter

Thanks to HS for the original example.

This is JUST THE TEXT. Find and follow a template (Word/Drive) for a standard formal business letter (addresses, alignment, margins, etc).

Dear Ms Smith,

I am a fourth-year Science and Engineering student at X University, and I would like to apply for the position of assistant school manager, as advertised on your website.

I am confident that my university course has prepared me for a career as a English school assistant in terms of language skill – please see the attached TOEIC and TOEFL certificates. Although I do not possess any experience as a manager, I was a trainer for new staff for one year in my part-time job at Toho Cinemas. Working there helped me to learn the importance of dealing with customers in a friendly and efficient way, accurate management of reservations, and handling cash. I believe I can apply the skills obtained in the future.

Should you have any queries regarding my application or require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would like to thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Hiromi Suzuki

STYLE: Some useful vocab for CVs and cover letters

• Verbs
  • Creative/effective/self-starter
    • solved
    • suggested
    • initiated
    • designed
    • developed
    • established
  • team work communication skills / interpersonal skills
    • shared
    • participated in
    • contributed to
    • supported
    • collaborated
    • facilitated
  • Leadership
    • led
    • managed (a project/a team of three)
    • trained
    • organised
    • chaired
    • delegated
    • motivated
    • supervised
  • Specific project actions: Creativity / effectiveness
    • devised
    • handled
    • approved
    • proactively X’d
    • identified
    • formulated
    • improved
    • increased/decreased
    • investigated
    • wrote
    • compiled
    • presented
    • represented … at
    • planning
    • anticipated
    • arranged
    • budgeted for /
    • organised
    • scheduled
    • evaluated
    • made + NOUN (suggestions, recommendations)
• Other patterns
  • Sentence Starters
    • I was responsible for X
    • I assisted in Xing
    • I successfully X’d
    • I my role as X, I Y’d
    • As ROLE, I X’d
  • Specific skills (e.g. IT)
    • proficient in/with
    • good command of
    • working knowledge of
• Adjectives
  • in-depth
  • successful
  • substantial
• Adverbs
  • successfully
  • completely
  • currently
• As with all formal writing, AVOID
  • PHRASAL VERBS - they’re too casual
    • ~come up with~
    • ~look after~
    • ~take over~
  • CASUAL words
    • boss (manager)
    • job (position, post)
    • ad (posting, advertisement)
  • Abbreviations
    • can’t -> cannot
    • haven’t -> havenot
  • Missed Conditionsals
    • I want to -> I would like to
    • I can send -> I could send