The University of
Oklahoma

Resumes
A resume is a brief summary of your abilities, education, experience, and skills. Its main task is to convince prospective employers to contact you. A resume has one purpose: to get you a job interview.
Resumes must do their work quickly. Employers or personnel officers may look through hundreds of applications and may spend only a few seconds reviewing your resume. To get someone to look at it longer, your resume must quickly convey that you are capable and competent enough to be worth interviewing. The more thoroughly you prepare your resume now, the more likely someone is to read it later.

Unit Overview
In this unit, you will learn the basics of developing a resume and cover letters.  You will also develop an understanding of how to tailor your resume to fit the needs of a potential employer.

Samples

    Resume Tutor
   Resume Samples
   Cover Letter Samples

Prepare Your Own
   Write three resumes -- style them for specific purposes, as though you were responding to specific job applications.
    Include a cover letter.

Sample "Cold Call" Resume Cover Letter from Monster.com
   Components of Your Letter

• The Salutation: Since you are writing an unsolicited letter, it's crucial that you address a particular person. Do some research so you can get your resume in the hands of the manager most likely to be interested in hiring you.
  
• The Opener: There are a number of different techniques you can use to open your letter. Here are two examples:
  

• The Body: Summarize the key strengths you bring to the table. A great strategy is to include a bulleted list of achievements and qualifications that would benefit the company. Provide an overview of your main selling points and examples of how you have contributed to your current or former employers.
  
• The Close: End your letter with an action statement, promising to follow up to explore the possibility of an interview. This is a much stronger closing than, "I hope to hear from you soon."