Discussion topic for week 6: Resume and Cover Letter Tips from UMGC’s Career Services Unit
Tips from UMGC’s Career Services Unit on writing resumes
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Tips from UMGC’s Career Services Unit on writing cover letters
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Then answer the following questions:
For these questions, refer to the Resumes page:
- What approach might you take for your resume — the chronological approach or the functional approach? Why?
- Using two of the action verbs given, write two accomplishments you have experienced from a previous job.
- In the Technical Skills section, the UMGC website gives an example: Proficient in Microsoft Word, Access, Excel and PeopleSoft.
However, Lindsay Kolowich Cox does not recommend this type of statement. In her article, “21 Things Recruiters Absolutely Hate About Your Resume,” in point #8, she discourages general statements of this nature. Please see her advice on this point.
What do you think? What types of technical skills should be listed in a resume?
- The following advice is given in the Do’s and Don’ts page: Don’t use the word “I” or other first or third person pronouns.
What does this mean? If you need to look this grammar concept up, please do.
For these questions, refer to the Cover letters page:
- How long would you suggest a typical cover letter should be?
- See the two sample cover letters:
How is the career changer sample different from the experienced sample? Using this sample as an example, what advice would you give to a person who is writing a cover letter for a position in a new field, one that is different from their current field?
SOLUTION
When it comes to resume formats, I prefer the chronological approach. This strategy allows me to demonstrate my consistent professional growth in the medical field, from my early days as a CNA to my present pursuit of an RN degree. A chronological resume demonstrates how my duties and abilities have evolved, which is critical for displaying my progression in healthcare roles. In terms of accomplishments, action verbs are important for making assertions livelier and more specific. For example, I worked with an interdisciplinary team to enhance patient care outcomes, resulting in a 15% reduction in hospital readmissions. Another example is when I developed a new patient documentation system, which improved record accuracy by 20% while reducing charting time by 10%. These statements are straightforward and result-oriented, in line with Lindsay Kolowich Cox’s admonition to avoid nebulous accomplishments. Instead, she suggests offering precise, measurable impacts, which make each statement more meaningful to recruiters.
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