Resumes, Cover Letters, and Applying Online

This webinar showcases resume styles and the elements that go into building your resume. Every job application requires unique skills, and this session will show you how to improve your resume to match the jobs to which you are applying. Additionally, we will discuss cover letters and learn about ideas to include. Every job application requires unique skills so learn ways to give you the best chance of success when applying for a new position. Learn how to take advantage of all the features when uploading a job application to a company’s applicant tracking system.

1. Resumes, Cover Letters & Applying Online brought to you by Bruce A. Bennett Career Coach Corner August 1, 2024

2. Introduction & Notes for Workshop Introduction MCWN Volunteer in 2010 & contractor starting 2018 Career Coach Corner Blogger & Presenter B² Discuss LinkedIn Podcaster General Notes for Today My contact info is on the last slide Workshop is interactive, Q/A & Parking lot Follow-up email includes a link to the deck and evaluation survey 2

3. Outline for Workshop Today Resume Different Formats Components General Points & Mistakes Fine Tuning Your Resume Cover Letters Standard Format Comparative Style Applying Online Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) Identify specific ATS vendors 3

4. Goals for Workshop Identify core elements of resume and cover letter Restate job responsibilities into STARs Utilize ATS Simulator websites to customize resume Identify the various Employer Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) 4

5. Resources Available On-line 5

6. Not all Resumes are Created Equal 6

7. Resumes are Not Created Equal Paradigm for job search changed radically One resume does not work Customize resumes to fit a job posting Key skills from the job ad must be in your resume Self Awareness Identify Top 5 Skills by High 5 Test 7

8. Resumes are Not Created Equal The basic report is FREE! What's in the full report - $29 https://high5test.com/personality-test-for-individuals/ 8

9. Resumes are Not Created Equal What do you want? Identify five job titles Determine target companies Research what skills are needed for those jobs Create a spreadsheet with three columns List your skills and which skills are required Ascertain any shortfalls Decide on how to address issue Education, Volunteer or Training? Catherine Breet Byers suggests 3 simple steps 9

10. Resume Formats Chronological Details work experience history by dates Most common & widely accepted Functional Highlights skills and expertise Infographic Graphic, colorful, & creative Marketing, graphics designer & graduates Main drawback is not ATS friendly format Plain Text 10

11. Resume Formats Chronological Resume Format Functional Resume Format Infographic Format Plain Text Format Plain Text Format File 11

12. Resume Components Contact information Name Address (printed vs. digital) Phone number Provide only one phone number, not labeled Use format 234-567-9876 Email Update email from AOL or Yahoo Provide a Gmail address to be more “current” LinkedIn URL 12

13. Resume Components Career or Professional Summary Elevator speech scripted out Skills, Keywords or Buzzwords and phrases relevant to your industry & skills Work Experience Company, Job Title and Dates (Month/Year) Description of company and/or URL if not easily recognized Achievements, not duties or responsibilities Previous performance appraisals helpful More bullets for the current position STARs or CARs 13

14. Resume Components Education College Degree, Activities, or GPA if a recent grad Acceptable to omit the years from education Continuing Education Seminars, Workshops, Special training Military Experience Rank, Duties, Responsibilities, Relevant Experiences Technical or Computer Skills Community Activities Volunteer Experience 14

15. Work Experience Bullet - STAR/Metrics Maintained accounting records for AR and AP Managed 1,000+ AR & AP accounts working directly with CFO Answered the phone Resolved customer issues through inbound calling system, averaging 60 calls a day Sold computers and printers to customers Practiced consultative sales techniques to match customers with their hardware & software needs versus their wants Managed and supervised 10 staff members Coached and developed 22 direct reports into supervisory role positions 15

16. Resume Components Bullet points should have an action verb Use the right action verb to make an impact Use MS Word Thesaurus, highlight word and press Shift F7 Bloom's Taxonomy Action Verbs 16

17. Artificial Intelligence Many programs, e.g. - ChatGPT, Copilot, etc. Key is prompts that elicit descriptive bullets Cannot rely on data accuracy, you own it Paul Cameron demonstrates how AI can help 3:34 out of 9:10 minutes 17

18. Artificial Intelligence 18

19. Artificial Intelligence A career summary created by ChatGPT - https://chatgpt.com/ The prompts included a job description from Indeed and an individual resume Experienced warehouse worker and certified forklift operator proficient in both English and Spanish. Skilled in efficiently loading and unloading materials from trucks and vans using a variety of equipment including forklifts, clamp trucks, and manual jacks. Meticulous attention to detail in verifying counts for pressroom materials and preparing finished goods for shipment, while accurately scanning inventory to and from warehouse, dock, and production areas. Committed to safety, productivity, and quality assurance in all assigned duties. 19

20. Artificial Intelligence The key is prompts that elicit descriptive bullets 20

21. Artificial Intelligence Paul Cameron YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@SpeedUpMySearch Simple Resume Tactic for More Employer Responses 21

22. General Points White space needed and two pages maximum Consistent sans serif font type Header font size 15, rest of resume font size 11 Print resume on 20# or 32-36# paper Save resume with name and job title e.g. BABennett LinkedIn Trainer.docx Amanda Augustine Suggests Resume Advice Andy LaCivita - 3 Steps to a Perfect Resume 22

23. Typical Resume Mistakes Typos Objective References available upon request the ABC’s of references Provide a Home and Cell phone number 25+ years of experience Putting a 3-page resume on 2 pages Distracting formats and/or fonts Overused stale terms Responsible for or Duties include 23

24. Fine Tune Your Resume Chrome extension - www.grammarly.com 24

25. Fine Tune Your Resume Grammarly as Microsoft addin 25

26. Fine Tune Your Resume These websites help refine your resume Match your key skills with a job description Empowers you to get past ATS robots Job search topical content is offered regularly Free account or premium options available https://theprofessional.me https://cultivatedculture.com/resume-scanner/ https://skillsyncer.com/ www.jobscan.co 26

27. theprofessional.me https://theprofessional.me/ - Unlimited scans per month 27

28. theprofessional.me 28

29. theprofessional.me 29

30. theprofessional.me 30

31. theprofessional.me 31

32. Cultivated Culture https://cultivatedculture.com/ - Ten scans per month 32

33. Cultivated Culture 33

34. Cultivated Culture 34

35. Cultivated Culture 35

36. Cultivated Culture 36

37. Cultivated Culture 37

38. Cultivated Culture 38

39. SkillSyncer https://skillsyncer.com/ - One scan per week Earn additional scans by inviting friends, family, etc. 39

40. SkillSyncer 40

41. SkillSyncer 41

42. SkillSyncer 42

43. SkillSyncer 43

44. SkillSyncer 44

45. SkillSyncer 45

46. SkillSyncer 46

47. JobScan.co www.jobscan.co - Five scans per month Receive 10 Free Scans with this Referral Link Our new Power Edit experience has been enabled for your account 47

48. JobScan.co 48

49. JobScan.co 49

50. JobScan.co 50

51. JobScan.co - ATS Tips 51

52. JobScan.co - ATS Tips 52 There are hundreds of ATS vendors These tips are a sample of how a specific ATS data mines a resume

53. JobScan.co - ATS Tips 53

54. JobScan.co - ATS Tips 54 Oracle’s ATS

55. JobScan.co - ATS Tips 55

56. JobScan.co - ATS Tips 56

57. JobScan.co 57

58. JobScan.co 58

59. Cover Letters Cover letters beg the question - to include or not to include? 59

60. Cover Letters Cover letters beg the question - to include or not to include? 60

61. Cover Letters A Ladders article stressed several changes in hiring practices post Covid-19 Recruiters say if you don’t do this, you may as well not apply for the job Survey by TopResume revealed these findings A cover letter is more likely to be read - 48% Candidate’s thank you note is more significant - 68% Employment gaps no longer have red flag - 87% 61

62. Cover Letters What function does it serve? Introduce yourself to the recruiter State your interest in the position Relate why you are a good fit How to write a cover letter by ZipJob 62

63. Cover Letters Provides additional means of communication Identify existing employee(s) for a referral Why Company or position interests you Relevant experience or industry knowledge Gaps in employment, e.g. care for elderly parents Bullet points to highlight skills No more than a few paragraphs 63

64. Cover Letters Types of Cover Letters Traditional format Comparative format Pain Cover Letter by Liz Ryan 4 Sentence Cover Letter by Andy LaCivita 64

65. Traditional Cover Letter Example Header information matches resume 65

66. Traditional Cover Letter Example Bullets and closing statement 66

67. Traditional Cover Letter Example 67

68. Comparative Cover Letter Example Comparative Cover Letter 68

69. Sample Cover Letter Template Hallmark Data Systems Attn: Julie Jones, HR Manager Phone: [phone] Web: http://www.halldata.com/ Dear Ms. Jones,   LinkedIn alerted me to the Senior Client Relationship Manager position, Job ID# 53635, which matches my experience. I have extensive management, operations, client service, and relationship building experience that would benefit Hallmark Data Systems . My work at Lodestar Research utilized BPA Worldwide Brand Reports to evaluate B2B publishers as prospective clients. I look forward to discussing how my background matches this opportunity or any others in your organization .   Regards, Bruce 69

70. Applicant Tracking Systems - ATS 70

71. Applicant Tracking Systems - ATS 71

72. What is an ATS? Human Resource Information System (HRIS) Vast majority of major companies use an ATS Software that enables the electronic handling of HR documentation Cradle-to-grave capability Tracks hiring compliance for the company Taking the human out of Human Resources 72

73. How Does an ATS Work? Scans resumes to evaluate candidates Parses your resume data into the database Performs data mining and collecting Matches keywords in the job description Analyzes responses to screener questions Identifies and ranks candidates 73

74. How Does an ATS Work? Can manage many tasks Identify top candidates/Reject unqualified Send applicant emails Schedule interviews Onboarding process Tracks reviews, promotions, terminations 74

75. ATS Pitfalls Not all ATS can read PDF Unless specifically directed to submit a PDF, submit a Word Docx, not Doc format Avoid resume templates Cannot read tables or multiple columns Wording in the header & footer is not read Misspelled words are not recognized 75

76. ATS Pitfalls Single column format using left justification Avoid borders, lines and underline usage Serif fonts are not accurately read Times New Roman Sans Serif fonts are better Arial, Helvetica, Cambria, Trebuchet MS, etc. Size does matter - 11 or 12 pt font is better Margins of 1” preferred, .75” at the max 76

77. ATS Resume Friendly Tips Use standard terminology for section titles Work Experience not Career Achievements Education not Professional Training Name document for relevant position BruceBennettManager.docx, not resume.docx Use full name instead of acronym ION Interactive Opinion Network, then (ION) 77

78. Applicant Tracking Systems 78

79. Applicant Tracking Systems 79

80. McHenry County Employer ATS 80

81. McHenry County Employer ATS 81

82. McHenry County Employer ATS 82

83. McHenry County Employer ATS 83

84. McHenry County Employer ATS 84

85. McHenry County Employer ATS 85

86. Upload Your Resume On-line Glassdoor - https://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm Indeed - https://www.indeed.com/ ZipRecruiter - https://www.ziprecruiter.com Careerbuilder - https://www.careerbuilder.com Monster - https://www.monster.com Dice - https://www.dice.com/ Mashable - http://jobs.mashable.com/ Slideshare - https://www.slideshare.net/ JobServe - https://www.jobserve.com O*NET Online - https://www.onetonline.org/ Stella - https://www.stella.ai/welcome University & College Career Centers 86

87. Find Jobs On-line See Previous Slide Corporate Website Facebook X LinkedIn And many, many others! Ladders.com Nexxt.com Resume-now.com 87

88. Video & Additional Resource Links Social Media Revolution - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k_G_h41ZaQ Catherine Breet Byers - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8od1iolitg&feature=related Amanda Augustine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP-S9rvAYYo Andy LaCivita - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhwEsfXS6y8 Donna Svei, Avid Careerist - https://www.avidcareerist.com/2015/06/08/does-resume-need-cover-letter/ Zip Recruiter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHg0b7Nai6c Pain Letters - https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/11/26/how-to-use-pain-letters-in-your-job-search/#310855967b44 – ATS Do’s and Don’ts - https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/do-employers-care-about-cover-letters 8 Resume writing tips - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-resume-writing-tips-2022-jessica-hernandez-cpbs-cdbs / 88

89. I want to add you to the 2024 Success Stories Scott - Director Mark - Risk Management Lara - Communications Shannon - Office Admin Mickey - Communications Robert - IT Paul - Writer Melissa - Market Research Liz - Market Research Kurt - Marketing Lisa - Administration

90. McHenry County Workforce Network Career Workshops & Services brochure for August Free Personalized Job Search Assistance Services To sign up, request the professional directly by email Resume Critique 30 - 45 minute In-person sessions Bob Lueders August 7 from from 10:00am - 12:00pm August 14 from 11:00am - 1:00pm Email: [email protected] 90

91. Upcoming Webinar Events Guide for a Winning Interview Monday August 5, 2024, from 10:00am to 12:00pm NTS - The Elevator Pitch & Other Job Search Tools Wednesday August 7, 2024, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm LinkedIn for Your Job Search Thursday August 22, 2024, from 10:00am to 12:00pm LinkedIn Strategic Guidelines Monday, August 26, 2024 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm NTS - Confidence Building in Your Job Search Wednesday September 11, 2024, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

92. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn Bruce A. Bennett Mobile: [phone] Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bruceabennett Career Coach Corner Blog: http://bruce73.wordpress.com/ https://bruce73.wordpress.com/upcoming-presentations/ Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/b-squared-linkedin