Get That Job! Resume Workshop
A Trudie House

Download Course Syllabus – Get that Job! Resume Workshop

Instructor Information:

Rebecca Jackson
Email: Rebecca@ATrudieHouse.com
Web site: www.rbccajackson.com

Course Description:

Are you getting ready to apply for a job, or are you already seeking employment?  A resume (or résumé) is a brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience that you prepare as part of your application materials for a prospective job.  To ensure that your resume is read by the recipient, you will need a cover letter that markets your unique qualifications for the specified job description.
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Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Describe the main function of a professional resume.
• Identify the components of a professional resume.
• Describe best-practice techniques for creating a professional resume.
• Explain how to draft and produce a professional resume for both print and virtual distribution (through email).
• Describe the main function of a cover letter.
• Explain how to develop an effective cover letter to accompany a resume.
• Identify effective language and keywords to use in a professional resume or cover letter, and describe template designs that will enhance and polish a resume and cover letter.
• Explain how to tailor a resume and cover letter for a specific job.

Course Overview

• Unit 1: An Introduction to the Resume

In this unit, you will learn about the function of a professional resume and the different types of resumes typically presented in today’s job market.  Also, you will learn about various formats in which to present a resume (e.g. a conventional resume, a functional or skills-based resume, a chronological resume, etc.).  Finally, you will collect information about your own professional skills and accomplishments in order to prepare for building your own resume later in this course.

Unit 1 Time Advisory

This unit should take approximately 1 hour to complete.

☐    Subunit 1.1: 0.5 hours

☐    Subunit 1.2: 0.5 hours

• Explain the purpose of a professional resume, and discuss the benefits and disadvantages of resumes.
• Describe different types of professional resumes and their functions.
• Distinguish between a resume and a curriculum vitae, or CV.
• Identify and describe different modes of resume presentation as well as best-practice techniques for creating a professional resume.
• Summarize the personal information needed to create a resume.

• 1.1 The Purpose of a Resume

An effective resume as “…principally an objective summary of your skills and achievements, secondly a subtly clever argument that you are worth hiring, and finally a reflection of your individuality.”    Click on the link above to access “Chapter 8: Resumes.”  Read the introduction, and then click on “Writing the Conventional Resume” to read the chapter.  This chapter describes several types of resumes and offers samples of each type.  You might be asked, for example, to submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV) rather than a conventional resume for an academic job.  To learn more about the difference between a CV and a resume, study “The Graduate Student and Post-Graduate Resume” section and the sample link to view each type of resume.  You will also benefit from a list of common action words used to describe your job experience.  This chapter also covers the topics for subunits 1.2 and 1.3, as well as any inclusive sub-subunits.

• 1.2 Types of Resumes

Note: This topic is addressed by the Penn State University material assigned in subunit 1.1.  In particular, focus on the links to “Writing the Conventional Resume” and “More Advanced, More Daring Resumes” from Joe Schall’s Style for Students Online: “Chapter 8: Resumes.”  Other types of resumes are described in the readings for the sub-subunits below.

• Reading: Ohio State University Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing: “Writing an Effective Resume”

Link: Ohio State University Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing: “Writing an Effective Resume” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this article, which explains common mistakes in resume writing and teaches how to format resumes for web-based and paper-based applications.  One common mistake is to assume that there is only one correct layout or format for a resume.  A chronological resume is more traditional and lists job titles and dates in reverse chronology (most recent/current job first).  A skills resume emphasizes your strengths by combining activities from various sources of experience, for example, school, paid jobs, volunteer work, etc.  Your decision as to what format to use for a given target job will depend on your work history and the nature of your desired position.  The article also specifies information to include in various parts of your resume.  Note that this reading also covers topics outlined in sub-subunits 1.2.3 and 1.2.4 as well as subunits 1.3, 2.1, and 2.2.

Reading this article should take approximately 15 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.

• 1.2.1 Federal Resumes
• Reading: U.S. National Park Service: “Federal Resume Writing Workshop”

Link: U.S. National Park Service: “Federal Resume Writing Workshop” (PDF)

Instructions:  You may wish to apply for a federal job.  This article contains detailed information about how to ensure that your resume and cover letter meet the formatting and style requirements for this type of job.  Click on the link above to access the U.S. National Park Service website.  On the webpage, scroll down the alphabetical list of participant guides and click on “Federal Resume Writing Workshop.”  This PDF provides many examples of federal resumes and cover letters.  For this assignment, read only Module 2, “What Is a Federal Resume?” This module provides samples of several resume formats.  Reading any additional modules in this article is optional, but will be helpful if you are interested in applying for a federal job.

Reading this article should take approximately 10 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.

• 1.2.2 Conventional Resumes

Note: This topic is addressed by the Penn State University material assigned in subunit 1.1.  Under “Chapter 8: Resumes,” on the left of the page, click on “Writing the Conventional Resume.”  To view samples of conventional resumes, click on the link at the bottom of the page.

• 1.2.3 Chronological Resumes

Note: This topic is covered by the Ohio State Writing Center article in subunit 1.2.  In particular, focus on the information below the heading “What Kinds of Resumes Are There?”

• 1.2.4 Functional (Skills-Based) Resumes

Note: This topic is covered by the Ohio State Writing Center article in subunit 1.2.  In particular, focus on the information below the heading “What Kinds of Resumes Are There?” 

• 1.2.5 Combined Chronological and Functional Resumes
• Reading: Rockport Institute: “How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume – Part 2”

Link: Rockport Institute: “How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume – Part 2” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above, scroll down toward the end of the webpage, and read the section entitled “Basic Resume Formats” to learn about chronological, functional, and combined resumes.  This reading covers sub-subunit 1.2.3 and 1.2.4.

Reading this webpage should take approximately 5 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.

• 1.3 Common Resume Errors

Note: This topic is covered by the Ohio State Writing Center article in subunit 1.2.  In particular, review the beginning of the article under the heading “Common Resume Errors.”

• Unit 1 Assessment
• Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Assessment”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 1 Assessment”

Instructions: Please complete these multiple-choice questions.

• Unit 2: The Key Components of a Resume and Cover Letter

Now that you have an understanding of the basic function of a professional resume, you can focus on the key components of a resume in greater detail.  In this unit, you will study the kinds of content and categories often included on a resume and learn how the arrangement of these components can change based on the information and accomplishments you wish to emphasize to a potential employer.  You will consider which categories you would like to include on your own resume, and then you will draft your resume by listing your major accomplishments, professional skills, and other pertinent information in an organized manner under these categories.  In addition, you will draft a cover letter to accompany your resume.  Finally, you will explore some common design elements frequently used on a resume and learn about simple techniques for effectively formatting and styling a resume.  By doing so, you will lay the groundwork for polishing your resume in Unit 3.

Unit 2 Time Advisory

This unit should take approximately 1.25 hours to complete.

☐    Subunit 2.1: 0.5 hours

☐    Subunit 2.3: 0.25 hours

☐    Subunit 2.4: 0.5 hours

Unit2 Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Identify and describe the different components of a resume.
• Explain how resume components can be organized according to career goals.
• Assess whether to use some components and omit others on a resume.
• Articulate the process of applying simple and effective resume formatting techniques.
• Explain how to draft an effective resume by listing major accomplishments, professional skills, and other relevant information in a focused manner, and perform this task.
• Explain the purpose of a cover letter, identify different types of cover letters, and choose which ones to use for specific courses.
• Explain how to compose a cover-letter template.
• Describe ways to personalize a cover letter.
• Explain how to draft a cover letter to accompany a resume, and perform this task.
• Explain the purpose of a portfolio, and describe various documents that one might include in a portfolio.

• 2.1 Anatomy of a Resume

Note: This material is covered in subunit 1.3 above.  See the Ohio State Writing Center article entitled “Writing an Effective Resume.” Scroll down to “Formatting Your Resume for Human and Electronic Readers” to learn the components, formats, and tips for resumes written for a computerized job application system, a web-based resume, and for resumes to be read by an actual human being!

• Reading: Six Steps to Job Search Success, “Chapter 4: Step 2: Create a Compelling Marketing Campaign, Part 1: Resume”

Link: Six Steps to Job Search Success: “Chapter 4: Step 2: Create a Compelling Marketing Campaign, Part 1: Resume” (PDF)

Instructions: Please click on the link above and read sections 4.1–4.9 of chapter 4.  This chapter provides helpful instructions to construct various parts of the resume and an accompanying sample of each part.  Please note the exercises are not required.  Pay special attention to “Section 4.8: Chapter Takeaways”  (A question or two might be on the Final Exam!).  Section 4.5 applies to the topic for subunit 2.2 below, “References.”

Reading this chapter should take approximately 30 minutes.

Terms of Use: This text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work’s original creator or licensee.

• 2.2 References

Note: This topic is covered by the Ohio State Writing Center article assigned in subunit 1.3, as well as Section 4.5 of Caroline Ceniza-Levine and Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio’s textbook assigned in subunit 2.1.  For the Ohio State Writing Center article, scroll down to “References” for information about including professional and personal references — people who will vouch for you to a potential employer — on your resume.  References can also be typed on a separate page and presented to the potential employer whenever appropriate.  To create a separate list of References, see Section 4.5 of Caroline Ceniza-Levine and Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio’s textbook in Subunit 2.1. 

• 2.3 What Is a Cover Letter?
• Reading: The University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center: The Writer’s Handbook: “What Is a Cover Letter?”

Link: The University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center: The Writer’s Handbook: “What Is a Cover Letter?” (HTML)

Instructions: Click on the link above and read this article, which offers helpful advice on how to “write a letter of application that introduces you, explains your purpose for writing, highlights a few of your experiences or skills, and requests an opportunity to meet personally with the potential employer.”  You can click on “content” and “format” to receive specific suggestions for this type of letter as well as sample letters.

Reading this article should take approximately 15 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.

• 2.4 Types of Cover Letters
• Reading: Penn State University: Joe Schall’s Style for Students Online: “Chapter 9: Writing Cover Letters”

Link: Penn State University: Joe Schall’s Style for Students Online: “Chapter 9: Writing Cover Letters” (HTML)

Instructions: Click on the link above and read about how to create an audience-friendly cover letter.  As an optional supplement to this reading, you may also choose to view the quintcareers.com site under “Self Study” at the bottom of the page.  This site offers samples of cover letters under the several different job headings and also provides many other resources for job seekers.  The site also offers templates to personalize your cover letters.

Reading this chapter should take approximately 15 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.

• 2.4.1 The Application Letter

Note: This topic is covered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison article in subunit 2.3.  In this article, the term cover letter is also referred to as a letter of application.

• 2.4.2 Creating a Portfolio
• Reading: The BorderLink Project: “Get to Work!”

Link: The BorderLink Project: “Get to Work!” (HTML)

Instructions: Click on the link above to learn how to supplement your resume and cover letter with tangible evidence of your skills and abilities.  This article explains why a portfolio serves several functions.  For example, it can be helpful to organize your documents that you will use to persuade an employer that you are uniquely qualified for the job.  Additionally, you can provide actual samples of specific strengths you wish to stress to an employer.  The article provides tips to organize your portfolio as well as suggestions of what to include to demonstrate your strengths.  Helpful links are provided for examples of what to include in order to demonstrate skills, personal qualities, etc.

Reading this article should take approximately 15 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.

• Unit 2 Assessment
• Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Assessment”

Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Unit 2 Assessment”

Instructions: Please complete these multiple-choice questions.

• Unit 3: Bolstering Your Resume and Cover Letter

In the final unit of this course, you will polish your resume and cover letter.  Even if you do not consider yourself technically skilled, you still can create an attractive resume by employing some freely available online resources.  You will examine ways to enhance your resume and cover letter and learn about techniques to make your application to each job as competitive as possible.  You will harness effective action verbs, keywords, and positioning (a formatting strategy for promoting your professional identity) to strengthen the language and organization of your resume.  You also will learn how to edit and review your resume and cover letter to ensure its quality.  Finally, you will learn how to tailor your application materials toward a specific job and identify the pitfalls to avoid when finalizing your resume and cover letter.

Unit 3 Time Advisory

This unit should take approximately 0.75 hours to complete.

☐    Subunit 3.2: 0.25 hours

☐    Subunit 3.3: 0.5 hours

Unit3 Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Identify elements that make a resume appear attractive, well-organized, and amenable to both print and email distribution.
• Discuss the importance of using effective action words, keywords, and positioning for a resume, describe how to showcase one’s professional skill sets in a cover letter, and perform these tasks.
• Describe enhancement techniques to make a resume and cover letter more polished and competitive, and apply these techniques in the creation of his or her resume and cover letter.
• Summarize formatting and editing techniques that one can use to ensure consistency and quality within a resume and cover letter.
• Explain how to tailor application materials toward a specific job, and perform this task.
• Identify different ways to distribute a resume.
• Summarize elements to avoid when finalizing, and distributing a resume and cover letter.
• Identify best practices for naming and saving one’s resume.

• 3.1 Enhancing the Language and Style of Your Resume and Cover Letter
• 3.1.1 Action Words

Note: This topic is addressed by the Penn State University material assigned in subunit 1.1.  In particular, review the section titled “Common Action Words Used to Describe Job Experience.”

• 3.1.2 Keywords for Scannable Resumes

Note: This topic is addressed by the Penn State University material assigned in subunit 1.1.  In particular, review the section titled “Computer Scanning of Resumes.”  To ensure that your scannable resume receives “hits” from the scanner, this chapter offers a “how-to” approach for successfully using keywords.

• 3.2 Polishing Your Resume and Cover Letter

Note: This topic is addressed by the Penn State University material assigned in subunit 1.1.  In particular, review the section titled “Quality Checking Your Resume.”  This chapter stresses the need to ensure that the content, format, and final presentation are representing you well.  Probably the best advice given is to have your resume and cover letter proofread by other trusted readers who will give you honest feedback about their impressions.

• Reading: Rockport Institute: “How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume – Part 4”

Link: Rockport Institute: “How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume – Part 4” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above, and read “Part 4: A Few Guidelines for a Better Presentation.”  This article provides information on how to write “powerful but subtle advertising copy.”  Your goal is to have a prospective employer immediately reach for the phone to invite you to interview.  You do not just want the reader to be informed; you want them to be “interested and excited.”  Note that you have already read Part 2 of this article in sub-subunit 1.3.5.  Optionally, you may wish to read any additional parts of this article that are of interest.

Reading this article should take approximately 15 minutes.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage above.

• 3.3 Putting It All Together!
• Reading: GreatSampleResume.com: “Great Sample Resumes”

Link: GreatSampleResume.com: “Great Sample Resumes” (HTML)

Instructions: Please click on the link above to obtain free sample resumes, templates, and access to a free resume builder.  Sample resumes are categorized by job title and by industry.  To write your own eye-catching, professional resume, select several sample resumes from the lists that may be of interest to you for ideas about formatting, descriptions, etc.  To write an accompanying cover letter that is worthy of your new resume, see sample cover letters under the “Other” heading.  These cover letter examples are categorized by industry/profession.

Now you are ready to apply your new skills to formulate a winning resume and cover letter!  Take some time to explore the sample resumes and cover letters on this website, and then work to revise or build your own resume and cover letter.

You should dedicate approximately 30 minutes to exploring this resource and working on your own resume and cover letter.

EVALUATION:
Students will receive an “S” for satisfactory progress or an “I” for incomplete based on class attendance and participation as well as mastery of assigned tasks. Class is repeatable three times.

CONDUCT CODE/ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

As a resident of A Trudie House, you are expected to exhibit conduct compatible with the mission of our organization. It is your responsibility to become familiar with and adhere to the A Trudie House Student Conduct Code and the Academic Integrity Policy, as contained in the Resident Handbook.