Job Search Resources
What is a resume? A method to market your skills for the position you have applied for.
Your resume is not a personal history; it is to show your failures and shortcomings. The simple purpose is to get noticed and tell the employer you have the qualifications for the position you are applying for.
Start with the Basics:
Basic information that all resumes should have include your name, address, email address, phone number Use the header/footer option in MS Word. Add your name and contact info at the top of the page and utilize left-aligned and right-aligned columns to maximize your space.
Analyze you information—what have you accomplished so far? Ask your friends, family, and loved ones to help brainstorm your strengths and accomplishments!
Resume History Information:
Other Considerations:
Resume Style:
There is no right or wrong way to style your resume, but your experience should be not be overpowered by the design or colors. Get a feel for the position and company that you are applying to in order to determine which would appeal most to recruiters.
If you have a logo or personal branding, keep it simple and classy.
Decide on your categories and what should be first on your resume.
Be consistent with formatting, font and font size, but nothing smaller than 10 point font.
Example: 12 point font for headers, 11 point font for the body text.
Resume Dos and Don'ts:
DO:
Tailor your resume for the job you are applying for. You might have three different resumes for specific positions, but it will be more efficient than a 'blanket' resume.
Put your jobs in reverse chronological order. Your last/current relevant job goes first. If you are new to the job market, and do not have a job history, focus on what you have accomplished in high school.
Highlight your project management experiences. Even if it is tasks within Sudden Media, these will look great to future employers and recruiters!
Summarize your software and hardware proficiency. Do not list programs on your resume that you would not be comfortable explaining to someone who is unfamiliar.
Make it easy to read. Utilize short statements and bullet points to prevent your resume from being too 'wordy'.
Keep it simple. Even if you are applying for the most creative, artsy job your experience should do the speaking-not a busy and hard-to-read design. No distracting color schemes or crazy fonts.
Update your resume after every freelance gig! Your resume is a work in progress.
Keep your reference page separate. Include their name, place of employment/how you know them, title, email address and phone number.
Use power verbs and avoid over-used words: motivated, creative, enthusiastic, track record, passionate, successful, driven, leadership, strategic, extensive experience (per Linkedln).
DON’T:
Misrepresent your experiences. This will be proven upon hiring and is often grounds for termination.
Rush your resume writing. Take your time to proofread your resume and a cover letter, and have others review it as well. You do not want to be passed over due to typos or grammatical errors.
Share too much information. Your resume is not a biography. Do not include any personal information (social security number, information about your religion/personal philosophies, etc.) that does not pertain to the position.
List references on your resume. These should be listed on a separate page that is available upon request, and does not need to be stated.
Use references without asking for permission. Make sure people have great things to say about working with you—and don’t catch them off guard.
Include the telephone of your current employer unless they are aware of your intent to leave. This can be extremely awkward!
Resume Examples
SAMPLE RESUME [YOUR NAME HERE]
home: 555.555.5555 cell: 566.486.2222 email: youremail@me.com
PROFILE
Eager and multi-talented engineer and event technician with an advanced knowledge of lighting and audio visual setups.
EDUCATION
Institute of Production and Recording Minneapolis, MN July 2015-present
Associate in Applied Science, Live Sound and Show Production
Relevant Coursework: Sound Reinforcement 1-111, System Maintenance and Advanced Wiring, Advanced Lighting and Visual Systems
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Lead Audio Engineer, Sudden Media-Minneapolis, MN July 2015-present
Sales Associate, The Retail Store-Minneapolis, MN June 2008-present
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS
Consoles
ICON D Control/Command
SSL 9000 J-Series/SSL 6000 E-Series
Nerve VR Legend
GrandMA2 Lighting Control Console
Trident 80B 56-lnput Console
Software
Pro Tools HD10
Ableton Live
Logic Pro 9
Steinberg Nuendo
Propellerhead Reason
SAMPLE RESUME
1 Main Street, New Cityland, CA 91010
Home: (555) 322-7337 | Cell: 000-000-0000
example-email@example.com
Summary
Motivated Audio Engineer with strong recording editing and mixing experience. Diverse background in TV studio on-location and product sound engineering. Effective communicator and team player with strong organizational project and time management abilities.
Highlights
|
· Sound quality · Equipment maintenance and testing · Requirements gathering · Troubleshooting |
Technology savvy · Field sound expertise · Live programming · Backups |
Experience
Freelance Audio Engineer 1/1/2008 – Current
New Cityland, CA
Assistant Audio Engineer 3/1/2006 – 6/1/2008
Longmount Sound
New Cityland, CA
Assistant Audio Engineer 9/1/2004 – 2/1/2006
Fox News 10
New Cityland, CA
Education
Bachelor of Science – Computer Science 2005
University of California, Santa Monica
What is A Cover Letter?
A cover letter is a document that is sent with your resume to offer more information on your skills and experience. A cover letter typically offers additional information on why you are qualified for the job you are applying for. Effective cover letters describe the reasons for your interest in that particular position and identify your most relevant work/school skills/ and or experiences. The cover letter should express a high level of interest and knowledge regarding the position.
Your cover letter should be written specifically for each position you are applying for.
Like a well-written essay, there are three parts to every cover letter. Here are some tips to get you started:
Cover Letter Salutation
If you have a contact person's name, be sure to include their name in your letter. If you do not have a contact, use Linkedin or a Google search to find the person who is in charge of hiring or HR. Let the person know how you heard about the position or who referred you to this position.
Email Cover Letter Contact Section When you send an email cover letter, instead of listing your contact information at the top of the message include your contact information in your signature.
Body of Cover Letter The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow-up. This section of your cover letter should include:
Cover Letter Closure When you're writing a cover letter or sending an email message to apply for a job, it is important to close your letter in a professional manner, always be on your best. Make sure to include your phone number and email.
How to Send an Email Cover Letter
Copyright Marco Volpi
The most important part of sending an email cover letter is to follow the employer's instructions. If the job posting says to include your cover letter and resume as an attachment, attach Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF files to your email message. Save the files with your name, so they don't get mixed up with other applicant's materials i.e. alisondoyleresume.doc, alisondoylecover.doc.
Formatting an Email Cover Letter
When the employers requests a cover letter and resume in the body of an email message, paste your cover letter and resume into your email message. Use a basic font and remove the formatting. Don't use HTML. You don't know what email client the employer is using, so, simple is best because the employer may not see a formatted message the same way you do.
Don't Forget the Details
Be sure to include a Subject Line in your email with the position for which you are applying and your name. For example: Alison Doyle, Social Media Manager Position.
Include a signature with all your contact information - name, address, phone, and email address, so it's easy for the hiring manager to get in touch with you.
Send the email message to yourself first to test that the formatting works. If everything looks good, resend to the employer.
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
Your Address
City, State Zip
December 30, 2004
Name of person listed in ad
Position title
Company name
Street Address
City, state zip
Dear ________________________ :
FIRST PARAGRAPH: State the position title that you are applying for and how you found out about the company/position, date you found it. Express your interest in the company and the position.
SECOND PARAGRAPH: Explain why you are interested in the position and organization. Highlight and explain how your education, experience, and personal qualifications fit the position. Inform the employer how the company can benefit from you. Match your skills and abilities to the position description (job posting). Somehow state that your resume is enclosed or attached.
THIRD PARAGRAPH: The closing statement - Thank the person for reviewing your qualifications. Request an interview. Tell how you can most easily be reached and include your phone number so the employer can contact you.
Sincerely,
Signature
Type your name
Encl: Resume (if enclosing it) *OR*
Att: Resume (if attaching it)
Reference Page
Three is the golden rule. Unless more are specifically requested, stick to three references. Do not include family members or a handful of personal friends who cannot vouch for you professionalism.
Formatting Your Reference Page
Consistency: Your header on your cover letter, resume, and reference page should all be consistent.
Relationships: Include the person’s name, company name, title, how you know the person, telephone number and email address of your reference, as well as how long you have known the individual.
SAMPLE REFERENCE PAGE [YOUR NAME HERE]
1 Main Street, New Cityland, CA 91010
Home: (555) 322-7337 | Cell: 000-000-0000
example-email@example.com
REFERENCES
Name:
Job Title:
Address:
City, State:
Email:
Phone:
Relationship and years known:
Name:
Job Title:
Address:
City, State:
Email:
Phone:
Relationship and years known:
Name:
Job Title:
Address:
City, State:
Email:
Phone:
Relationship and years known:
Search Tips
IPR Students and Alumni have exclusive access to our campus job board at https://iprcareerconnect.mysmartjobboard.com/
Our department finds the best leads and post them to our website for FREE. You do not need to log in to see the positions! We are more than happy to get you started and answer any questions that you may have. There are job boards for separate states, as well as international career opportunities.
For more job leads, make sure to join the Facebook group IPR Career Services and IPR Connect. We are always updating information and providing exclusive job leads, internships, and volunteer opportunities from employers and local groups.
Tailor Your Search:
Register with as many free job search sites as you wish, and subscribe for new jobs as they are posted by recruiters. By having job leads sent to your e-mail, you are spending less time searching for jobs yourself.
Keywords Matter!
The keywords you search will determine the different jobs that are pulled for your web searches. Here are some keywords to get you started for a career in the creative arts:
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· Audio |
· Video |
|
· Media |
· Recording |
|
· Videographer |
· Video Editing |
|
· Audio Editing |
· Marketing Coordinator |
|
· Entertainment |
· Music |
|
· Sound Designer |
· Post Production |
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· Audio Visual |
· Sound Technician |
You may also choose to search for specialized programs in your job search, such as Pro Tools or Ableton to find tailored positions. Check out www.onetonline.org for more keywords.
When Applying for Jobs..