Ch 18 Mini Sim

Because you've decided to write a combination resume, the next section will be your work experience. During high school, you worked as a cashier at a home improvement store. During college, you've worked at a specialty grocery store. You started out as a stockperson and were recently promoted to Assistant Team Leader. Given this information, which of the following would be the most appropriate way to state your employment experience on your resume?

6/20XX-PR Specialty Grocery Store: 3/20XX-PR - Assistant Team Leader • Assist Team Leader in providing customers with a consistently positive shopping experience • Ensure that team members respond to backup cashiering calls within 60 seconds of less • Developed innovative social networking site for employee scheduling that was adopted as a corporate model 6/20XX-3/20XX - Stock Associate • Perform daily stockroom maintenance and shipping tasks • Maintain warehouse in compliance with OSHA safety standards • Achieved 95% average productivity rate over a 2- week evaluation period 9/20XX-6/20XX Home Improvement Store - Front-End Cashier • Responsible for processing sales and returns using a cash register • Promoted customer loyalty plans and/or extended protection/replacement plans • Address and diplomatically handle customer complaints • Earned status as Part-Time Employee of the Month 3 times

No matter what format you've selected, a resume typically begins with an introductory statement or objective. It is essentially a one- to two-sentence summation of what you have to offer an employer and your short-term professional goals. A well-written objective is both confident and succinct and should persuade the hiring manager to continue reading your resume. Of the following options, which objective statement would be most appropriate to begin your resume?

Energetic BSBA graduate with concentration in HR and 3+ years of customer service experience seeking a human resource position in an organization where excellent communication, multitasking, and leadership skills will be fully utilized.

In a combination resume, the objective statement is typically followed by your educational background. Before enrolling in your current college/university, you attended a community college and earned an associate degree in Business Administration. Now, in addition to the core requirements for your BSBA degree, you have taken 21 credits of human resource management-specific courses, including: International Human Resources Management, Recruiting/Selecting Effective Employees, Employee Training and Development, Human Resource Management: The Legal Environment, Negotiation and Dispute Settlement, and Managing Performance and Compensation. Your overall GPA at the community college was 2.6, but you have earned a GPA of 3.6 in your bachelor's degree program, with a 4.0 GPA in your area of concentration. You've made the Dean's List all semesters in your BSBA program. Given this information, which of the following would be the most appropriate way to state your educational background on your resume?

BSBA, Your College/University 20XX-20XX • Concentration in Human Resource Management • Coursework included: • Manpower Planning and Operation Employee Training • Advanced Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining • Wage and Salary Administration • Overall GPA: 3.6; GPA in area of concentration: 4.0 • Dean's List all semesters AAS, Business Administration, Your Community College 20XX-20XX

Before you start writing your resume, you do some research and learn that there are three common types of resumes: • A chronological resume lists your work history in reverse order, starting with your current or most recent job and working backwards. It is the most common way to organize a resume, and many employers like this format because it presents your work history in a clear, easy-to-follow arrangement. • A functional or skill-based resume focuses on skills and capabilities you possess that qualify you for a position. Instead of listing your work history at the top, a functional resume begins with key areas of experience, responsibilities, and accomplishments. • A combination resume highlights the strengths of candidates who have both relevant work experience and skills. It meshes the skills focus of the functional resume with the work history focus of the chronological format. Which type of resume will you choose to use?

Combination resume

You know that your first priority in job hunting is to utilize all of the resources and people you have at your disposal-i.e., your network. You know that it's better to apply to someone you know as opposed to someone you don't know. You contact many people in your network, including relatives, professors, and friends, but unfortunately, no one is able to provide you with the name of anyone at Structural Sound who might be able to pave the way for getting your resume looked at by the right people. It appears that you're going to have to send your resume to the individual identified in the job posting. Now it's time to compose a cover letter for your resume. Remember that the opening paragraph of your cover letter should accomplish two tasks: (1) explaining why you are writing and (2) giving the reader a reason to keep reading by demonstrating that you have some relevant knowledge about the company and that you have potential for meeting the company's needs. In short, you want to persuade the reader to read your message, rather than discard or ignore it. Of the following options, which opening paragraph would be most appropriate, given the situation?

Dear Ms. Swanson: As a long-term customer of Structural Sound products, I was thrilled to see the opening for a Human Resource Assistant. With my BSBA degree and a concentration in human resource management, I know I can use my skill set and knowledge to quickly become a valuable member of the Structural Sound team.

It's time to close your cover letter. Remember that the purpose of the cover letter is to land an interview, so this section should address the "action" portion of the AIDA model. Of the following choices, which closing would be most appropriate for your cover letter?

I am confident that I can bring value to Structural Sound, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience and skills can contribute to Structural Sound's continued growth and success. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and further discuss my qualifications. I can be reached by phone at XXX-XXX-XXXX or by email at [your email address]. Thank you again for your review of my credentials, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Now that you've introduced yourself and gained the attention of the reader, it's time to write the body of the cover letter. In this section, you should build interest in your resume by presenting your strongest selling points in terms of their potential benefit to the organization. Ideally, you'll use keywords outlined in the job posting to identify how your skills fit the employer's needs and how your abilities match the goals of the organization. Before you start writing, let's take another look at that job posting. Given the situation, which of the following bodies of your cover letter would be most appropriate?

I am seeking a career opportunity where my academic-based experience, combined with my enthusiasm and dedication to achieving success, will make a positive difference for Structural Sound's employees and customers. I am motivated to join an organization where I can contribute my unique skills and grow as a professional in human resources My college curriculum has included 21 credit hours of coursework in many facets of human resource management, including recruiting and selecting employees, wage and salary administration, and benefits administration. During high school and college, I worked in a fast-paced retail environment where customer service is paramount, and I-like Structural Sound-have always believed in doing the right thing for the customer. In addition to strong oral and written communication skills, I have proficiency in all facets of Microsoft Office and familiarity with several other software applications.

Because you've decided to write a combination resume, the next section on your resume will be the skills and abilities you believe you can bring to the employer. If you have any relevant professional certifications, these would also be listed in this section. You would like to highlight that you have excellent communication skills, are proficient in Microsoft Office, have some experience in Adobe InDesign, and have leadership skills learned at your position as Assistant Team Leader at the Specialty Grocery Store. You are also conversational in Spanish. Given this information, which of the following would be the most appropriate way to state your skills and abilities on your resume?

• Communication Skills o Excellent written and verbal communication skills Adept at addressing and diplomatically handling customer concerns and complaints o Experienced in training customer service associates o Conver Conversational in Spanish • Leadership o As Assistant Team Leader at Specialty Grocery Store, assisted in leading team of 10 members in providing customers with a consistently positive shopping experience o Developed innovative social networking site for employee scheduling that was adopted as a corporate model • Computer/Technical Skills o Proficient in Microsoft Office o Experienced in Adobe InDesign desktop publishing software