Jennifer Dillenger, Director of Career Services at Wofford College (a Mungo Center for Professional Excellence program), explains the basics of creating a cover letter and resume that will increase your chances of getting the interview. View a video of the presentation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDVMqXyttLc&feature=plcp.

3. Resumes
• Importance
• How to create one?
• I have one, now what?

4. • Profile Statement
o Kick off with a brief summary of
yourself
o Serves as a foundation for the rest of
your resume and a repository for key
words

5. • Lead with a Summary

6. • Lead with a Summary

7. • Get the Readers Attention
o Highlight Honors and Awards
• Dean’s List
• Scholarships
• Academic awards
o Leadership positions

8. • Get the Readers Attention
o Don’t just list jobs
o Illustrate how you have achieved success
with facts and figures
o Writing great bullets

9. • Do Not Focus on “Old Experience”
o High School
o More recent experience gets more space

10. • Tailor Your Resume to Your Reader
o Research the company and position
o Highlight skills they need

11. • Limit Certain Information
o Age, marital status, religious or political
affiliation
o Associations or activities

12. • Use “Clean” Formatting
o Basic fonts
o Basic formatting
o Use .pdf file type to preserve your layout
• Resume scanning is common

13. • Order
o Contact Information
o Profile
o Education
o Experience
o Skills
o Activities

14. • Keep It Brief
o Write in phrases
o Use clear, concise language
o One page

15. • Do Not Misrepresent Your Past
o Background checks
o Facebook and LinkedIn

16. • Spell Check ≠ Proof Reading
o “… instrumental in ruining the operation”
o “… traveled expensively through Europe”

23. Cover Letters
• Job Application
• Networking
• Recommendations/References

24. Human Resources
USC Upstate
Spartanburg, SC
June 19, 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is James Smith, and I am applying for the Business and Compliance Coordinator, posted on the
University of South Carolina Upstate website. My experience and personality perfectly match this
opportunity, and I am intimately acquainted with the environment and policies of college athletics.
In May 2009, I wrapped up my career as a baseball player at Wofford College. At Wofford, I majored in
Business Economics and participated in many on-campus activities, including the James Fund, a student
managed investment fund. I immediately stepped into a new role as the Volunteer Baseball Coach at
Liberty University, and I received a promotion to Second Assistant after the first year. My experiences in
this role included player development, recruiting, accommodation and meal scheduling, organizing
camps, and equipment ordering. For three summers, I also served as Head Coach for the Gastonia
Grizzlies of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. As Head Coach, I strengthened my skills, especially
leadership and planning. Through these positions, I gained valuable leadership, organizational, and
management skills while working with youth, students, and college administrators.
My experience in college athletics will be an asset to the USC Upstate Athletic Department. My
knowledge of NCAA rules will allow me to monitor each athletic program’s recruiting process. My
attention to detail and knowledge of travel arrangements and meals, ensure that budget requirements
will be met while exceeding expectations. I bring organizational, as well as relational, skills that will
allow me to create solid relationships with all departments. I am hard working and committed to
student success in all aspects from academics to athletics.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I am very interested in this position, and I have attached my
resume for your review. You can reach me at (864) xxx-xxxx or james.smith@gmail.com. I look forward
to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
James Smith

25. Networking
Mr. Porter,
Coming into my senior year I have started the search for a successful
career path hopefully starting around June 2013. I really appreciated
your advice last year in my search for a summer internship and was
hoping you would be able to provide me with the same guidance in my
search this year. If you have any advice or know anyone that I could
get in touch with to aid in my job search I would be extremely grateful.
Thank you very much for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Jillian Wofford

26. Networking
Mr. Porter,
I trust you are having an enjoyable summer. I am spending the second half of mine at Wofford
attending the Institute for Professional Development. Although we are only one week into the
five week program, I am already learning quite a bit. One of our most enjoyable challenges is
our consulting engagement. My team is working with OTO Development to create a solution
that addresses pricing, marketing, and sales strategies for its geographically dispersed hotel
operations. The engagement requires advanced Excel skills, so I get to build on my solid
background as well as assist others in my group with a little less Excel experience.
I really appreciated your advice last year in my search for a summer internship and was hoping
you would be able to provide me with similar guidance in my search this year. I am eager to
create options as I approach my senior year. My goal is to have an opportunity secured prior to
graduating in May 2013. If you have 10 minutes just to talk about my search I would greatly
appreciate it. I know you are extremely busy so if you are able to let me know when your
schedule might accommodate a conversation, I will most certainly adhere to 10 minutes.
Thank you very much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Jillian Wofford
Wofford College
Class of 2013