Interns Professional Mentors Printable Forms Internship Coordinator   Reynolds School of Journalism Mail Stop 310 University of Nevada, Reno Reno, NV 89557 Internship Coordinator: Warren Lerude 775.784.4192 Send internship email to rsjintern@unr.edu	Sample cover letter and resume How to write an effective cover letter Cover letter format Critical points for cover letters Sample cover letter How to write an effective resume Hints for specific categories on resume Your skills related to the position(s) you want Sample Resume A Sample Resume B   HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE COVER LETTER A cover letter is simply a letter introducing you and your resume to the employer. You must always include a cover letter when mailing a resume. Most cover letters follow a logical sequence. Using the following will help the resume reader understand why you are interested in the organization and why you think you are qualified for a position. Back to Top COVER LETTER FORMAT First Paragraph: The first paragraph should indicate what job you are interested in and how you heard about it. Use the names of contact persons here, if you have any. Mention what you know about the organization. Highlight your most salient qualifications. Second Paragraph(s): The middle paragraph(s) should relate to your education, experience, skills and background to the particular position or the organization's needs. Refer to the enclosed resume for details and highlight the specific accomplishments and competencies that could be useful to the organization. If your education, experience, and general qualifications are numerous, you may want to write a separate paragraph on each of these areas. Last Paragraph: The last paragraph should indicate your plans for follow up contact and refer to the enclosed resume. Thank the reader for his/her time on your behalf. Back to Top CRITICAL POINTS FOR COVER LETTERS The following cover letter examples show the best cover letter style. Always remember that employers hire on the basis of 20 percent skills and 80 percent personality. Your cover letter should reflect your personality, while your resume reflects your accomplishments and skills. Make your cover letter exciting, energetic, and enthusiastic. Always remember the following points: Use the interviewer's name. Call the personnel office and find the exact spelling of the personnel manager's name. Sometimes you may also want to send a resume to the manager of the department of division where you want to work. He/she may be thinking of creating a position that you would be perfect for, but may not have communicated that plan to the personnel office. If you cannot find out the personnel manager's name, use "Dear Sir or Madam" in the salutation. Mention the position you are interested in. Never say "I would be interested in anything you feel I'm qualified for" because this indicates an unclear focus and career goal. The employer needs to know what you are interested in doing because employees who are doing what interests them tend to be happy and productive. You can use this section to demonstrate that you have researched the organization. Use exciting language. Sound enthusiastic and energetic. Show you know something about the company. This tells them you are serious about working for them and that you are not sending resumes to every company in the city. Highlight your accomplishments. Do not give a list of the jobs you have held; that is on the resume. Remember that an employer wants to know what you can do, not how many years you were able to hold down a job. Show the employer what you can do for the company. Do not mention your needs at all. You want to help the organization "grow and expand." You want to help them do their business better. Every employer will respond positively to this desire. Arrange to call them to set up an appointment. The statement "please call me" gives them the option of filing and forgetting your resume, while telling them you will call "early next week" or on "Thursday, Nov. 10" gives you two advantages: a) they will not file the resume so they can refer to it when you call and b) they will be more likely to read the resume so they can intelligently discuss it when you call. In addition, it shows that you have initiative and determination. The above points are demonstrated on the following example. Remember to use proper typing format and to proof your letter carefully for errors. Back to Top SAMPLE COVER LETTER -- Italicized words demonstrate points made above. Employer name Company Address City, State, Zip Code Dear Mr./Mrs. Name or Dear Sir/Madam: Your employment advertisement in Thursday's News Chronicle indicating an opening for an administrative assistant is of special interest to me. Judy James, who is employed at your firm, suggested I write to you. I have heard that Grover Electronics is a growing company and wants dynamic employees who are good team members and want to contribute to the firm. During the last five years, I worked as an office manager and was able to redesign the office by investigating and selecting word-processing equipment. I understand that your opening includes responsibilities for supervising and coordinating word-processing procedures with your home office. I was able to reduce the operating costs over 30 percent by selecting the best equipment for our purposes. In addition, I hold a bachelor's degree in business. I am excited about the opportunity to discuss with you the information I have gathered about your company and why I feel I would be a valuable asset. I have enclosed a resume of my education and work experience for your examination. I will call your office early next week to determine a convenient time for an appointment to further discuss employment opportunities. Thank you. Sincerely,   Name Address City, State, Zip Code Enclosure Back to Top HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE RESUME -- GENERAL DO'S AND DON'TS: DO: Be clear and consistent with your format. Use outline structure. Remember a resume usually receives an initial scan of 30 seconds. It must be easy to read and your qualifications must stand out. Choose a format based on your qualifications for each position, not based on a sample resume. See section on resume formats. Always list events chronologically backward through time, beginning with the present. Emphasize your accomplishments and achievements. Emphasize your experience and education. Use exciting and dynamic language, for example, "responsibilities" instead of "duties." A one-page resume is recommended for recent graduates. However, go to two pages rather than crowd the information by using little spacing and narrow margins. "White space" is an asset for the reader. Use good parchment paper if possible. Choose the color of the paper carefully. Light colored paper scans and copies well. Be careful with your choice and use of graphics. Make sure you proof your resume carefully for errors. Many readers stop at the first error. Always write a new resume for each different position you apply for. DON'T: Don't be afraid to "toot your own horn." Don't emphasize longevity; instead, emphasize growth and achievement. Don't put personal information such as weight, height, age, marital status, number of children, etc., on a resume. Don't use someone as a reference without their permission. Remember the underlying rules about resumes: Make it easy to read Make it neat in all categories Tell the reader: a) what you did b) where you did it c) when you did it Back to Top HINTS FOR SPECIFIC CATEGORIES ON THE RESUME Name, Address, Telephone If your name is difficult to pronounce, consider a nickname. If your address may change soon, consider a post office box. If you are generally not at home , give a message phone number. Use a mature message on your answering machine or voice mail. Career Objective If you know the job title, give it. Do not babble about how you want a "creative and challenging job with a growth oriented company using my skills and abilities ......" It is nonsense and indicates you don't know what you want. If you don't know the exact title, give the department or general activity you want and some idea of the level. Example: "Entry-level marketing position." Education Do not list the name of the school first. Always list degree level, then major, then school, then graduation date (what, where, when). Example: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno; 2001. Never abbreviate. Example: Bachelor of Arts, not BA. Do not put projected graduation date (Spring 2001). Simply put Spring 2001. If you wish to relevant coursework, give the descriptive title, not the course number. If you have college courses and/or degrees, you do not have to give your high school information. Experience Include paid, non-paid and military experience, job title, company name, address and telephone, supervisor's name, start and end dates (month, year). Also include starting and ending salary, numbers of employees your supervised, detailed accomplishments and responsibilities and reason for leaving. Organizations, Affiliations and Memberships Include positions held in each, dates of involvement, activities, functions, responsibilities, workshops, seminars, conferences, conventions, etc. Published Works Include title, publisher and date Hobbies and Interests Do not make your list too long. If you must list your hobbies, research shows interviewers want: A team sport. An individual sport. An intellectual pursuit related to your profession. References Name, title, business name, address, phone and type of reference (professional or personal). Accomplishments Significant professional accomplishments -- unique contributions you have made to an employer or improvements made because of you. Examples: worked on a task force with student leaders to determine future plans for student community service; reorganized an inventory system resulting in significant savings within six months. Back to Top YOUR SKILLS RELATED TO THE POSITION(S) YOU WANT Examine the requirements of the position(s); examine your accomplishments for indication of skills. Professional (content, technical) Skill Required Examples Ability to use specific computer software Ability to perform certain laboratory procedures Ability to do accounting Ability to speak Spanish Personal Skills Required Examples Good interpersonal skills Good written communication Good oral communication Good supervisory skills Ability to learn quickly Ability to work on a team Ultimate Career Ambition -- How does this position fit in? Examples Where do you see yourself in three, five, ten years? How does this position meet your objective? Keywords are characteristics expressed as nouns or labels. For electronic resumes, keywork summaries provide a method of once over search capability. Keywords may be industry specific or be person characteristics. Examples Writer Communicator Team Member Manager Back to Top Sample Resume A: Chronological NAME Address City, State, Zip Code (Area code) telephone number E-mail address OBJECTIVE A position leading to a Public Relations career. EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism University of Nevada, Reno; Spring 2001 Associate of Arts Degree in General Education Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno; Summer 1997 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Public Affairs Intern, Saint Mary's Hospital, Reno; 1999 Wrote and edited press releases for local media and articles for in-house newsletters. Created and designed effective brochures and flyers using desktop publishing. Public Relations Intern, KTVN Television, Reno; 1998 Developed marketing strategies to promote television services and sponsor community events. Learned research skills and writing techniques. Communicated with professionals at all levels. Sales Assistant, Macy's Department Store, Reno; 1996-97 Created new displays. Used persuasion and promotional skills. Developed strong customer service skills. ACTIVITIES Chairman, Homecoming Week Committee; 1999 Member, Delta Delta Delta Sorority; 1997-2001 Back to Top Sample resume B: Chronological NAME Address City, State, Zip Code (Area code) telephone number E-mail address OBJECTIVE Environmental Consulting position; special interest in hydrology. EDUCATION Master of Science, Geological Sciences, June 1996 University of Nevada, Reno Thesis Title: Gold Deposits in Northern Nevada Bachelor of Science, Geological Sciences, June 1993 University of Nevada, Reno RELATED EXPERIENCES Research assistant, mountain mining -- Elko, NV, August 1994-present Located numerous abandoned gold mines Updated and confirmed shaft locations and processing sites Worked extensively with gold processing techniques Buyer and Seller, New River Lapidary -- Reno, NV, August 1993-August 1994 Maintained sales of fine mineral specimens Planned and performed buying and selling abroad Fully responsible for maintaining all accounts Environmental Researcher, Chemistry Department Truckee Meadows Community College -- Reno, NV, 1993 Collected and analyzed soil samples Utilized acetylene spectrophotometry to detect lead concentrations Prepared conclusive report based on findings Presented findings to the American Chemical Society MEMBERSHIPS Member, Geology Club President, National Speleogological Society Member, Cave Club Back to Top
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