Effective Marketing Materials are critical to gain an audience with your target companies for your ideal position. To be effective, your marketing materials must be tailored and directed to meet the needs of the hiring party. The basic documents that you will need are your Résumé, Cover Letters, "Story" , and Profile.

A.    Resume: The purpose of a résumé is to gain a meeting or an interview with a decision maker. Your résumé must demonstrate that you have the relevant skills and experiences for the position desired. It must also demonstrate how the hiring party will benefit from hiring you. Your résumé is a marketing document, not a historical document.

Creating your résumé starts with understanding the market and positions that you are pursuing. The best résumés reflect market research. Look for job postings on job boards or company's website in order to see what skills and experiences are in demand. Ask friends to send you job descriptions that match your goals. Use these to identify the skills and experiences that companies are seeking, paying special attention to the "buzz" words used within that company, industry and/or position. Next, match your own skills and experiences with those that companies are seeking. This becomes the basis for a résumé that markets you to your chosen audience.

Résumé readers rarely spend more than 30 seconds skimming your résumé, so it must be very easy to read and provide the needed information. They are looking for three things:

            1.  Do you have the skills and experiences to do the job?

            2.  Where have you worked previously?

            3.  What have you accomplished?

Here are some sample resumes to help you craft your own document:

·         Early Career Résumé Sample

·         Mid-Career Résumé Sample

The following guidelines are a great place to start in drafting your résumé:

·         Your résumé is a marketing document used to convince the reader that you are the best possible person for the position.

·         It must be very easy to skim (or read) and clearly show that you have the skills and experience to do the job.

·         While capturing the depth and breadth of your former positions, it must focus upon your achievements, preferably using quantifiable examples of your achievements.

·         All information provided should be relevant to the reader and your next position (do not feel the need to include information that is irrelevant to the reader or the position).

·         If you are changing careers, it must clearly show that your skills and experiences are easily transferable to the new position.

·         It must show the reader how you will benefit them (not how they will benefit you).

·         It must be honest and accurate.

When formatting your resume remember that it should be no more than two pages, typed, with no errors or mistakes. Here are formatting suggestions for each of the résumé sections:

·         Heading: Your complete address, phone number and e-mail address organized in a logical manner that fits the style and look of your overall résumé. Sample headings

·         Summary: This is a brief summary (two or three sentences) that describes your overall expertise and skills. Sample summaries.

·         Professional Experience: This is the detailed body of your résumé where each employer is identified including your last job title, work location and dates of service. Underneath each firm are your bulleted entries which emphasize your experiences, results and skills. Sample professional experiences

·         Education: This is the section that specifies your academic degrees, honors, activities and schools attended. Sample education entries

·         Additions and Deletions: Certifications and affiliations that are relevant to the position and the type of work that you wish to perform should always be included. The same is true for language and other special skills. Information that should not be included are items such as salary history, personal information or references.

·         Action Words to include in writing résumés - Sample action words

In today’s world of electronic job search, it is important that your resume transmits well via email. Since computer and printer setups vary, the way an MS Word document is delivered on email or at a printer can be different than the version you think you sent. To prevent distorted formatting including incorrect page breaks, different font or messed up margins, it is wise to send your resume as a .pdf file. (“pdf” actually stands for “portable document format.”)

Most employers’ databases and applicant tracking systems now accept .pdf files, but if your resume format is rejected, try sending it as a “.doc” file with very basic formatting. Avoid over-formatting and refrain from imbedding graphics or pictures in a resume that you upload into an employer’s electronic system. Do make a point of including the keywords (including the likely title of the position you are seeking) in your resume so that the system’s search can “find” you.

For additional information about submitting resumes electronically and being found by electronic search tools, read Lisa Vass’ article entitled “Resume, Meet Technology: Making Your Resume Format Machine- Friendly" found at TheLadders.com.

B.        Cover Letters:  A cover letter is sent along with a resume to provide additional information and highlight how you (the candidate) are relevant and fit a particular need of the recipient. It typical serves as an introduction, establishes for the reader what position (or assistance) you are seeking and hopefully entices them to read your résumé. It is generally no more than one page in length. The letter should highlight your relevant skills and experiences in regards to the position that you are seeking. It is also your opportunity to present qualifications that may not be on your resume that match the needs of a position.

Traditionally, a cover letter was written as a formal business letter with the resume as an “enclosure.” E-mail has changed the way cover letters are used and delivered. When submitting a resume via email, the body of the e-mail could serve as the cover letter. Brevity is essential in an e-mail. Alternatively the Cover Letter and Resume may be submitted as one file (a .pdf file will ensure that format is not compromised) included as an attachment to an e-mail.

·               Cover Letter Sample

·               Email Cover Letter Sample

Heading, Address and Greeting -  The heading should include your address, the date, your phone number and the e-mail addresses where you can be reached. Ensure that your voice mail sounds professional (especially if you are using your home phone). Additionally, ensure that all of the contact information is accessible to both parties in a professional and confidential manner. The inside address should be a standard business letter format including the name of the addressee, title, company and business address. The greeting should simply be "Dear Mr. or Ms. (last name)".

Body - The first paragraph explains why you are contacting the reader. It should identify the position that you are seeking and tell how you found out about this position. 

The second paragraph should describe your skills and qualifications that are relevant to the company and position. This is the most important part of your cover letter - it must entice the reader to review your resume. You must clearly demonstrate to the employer how your interests, education and experience fit the job requirements. Use the job requirements (as listed on the job description) and match them to your skills. Refer the reader to your resume for additional information concerning your background and interests. If you have related experience or specialized training, be sure to point it out. Show the employer what you will be able to do for this organization.

The third paragraph is all about action! This paragraph should contain your specific "next steps." This will demonstrate how you will follow up to pursue the position. Polite aggressiveness is a very favorable quality to have as a potential candidate. Make the next action step your responsibility.

Closing & Enclosures  The closing is as simple as "Sincerely yours,"  If you need to copy this letter to another individual (especially if the potential manager is not the designated addressee), do so by simply typing copy: (name) at the bottom of the letter. To include an enclosure such as a résumé, write Enclosures at the bottom under copy.

C.        Your Story:  A very common question asked during most interviews and meetings is "Tell me about yourself." You must have a great opening pitch to "wow" the listener. Most people decide if they like you in the first 30 seconds and whether they are really interested in pursuing your potential employment in the first five to eight minutes!  How you answer this simple question usually makes the difference in a successful interview.

Story Sample

Your story should immediately show why you are a prime candidate for a particular position or role. It relates your past experiences and skills to the position that is open. It must also convince the decision maker that you will benefit them in accomplishing their goals and objectives. Here are some hints to assist you in creating your story:

·         Keep it short: 30 seconds to no more than one minute (prepare several versions).

·         Show energy and passion for accomplishing the tasks of the position.

·         Talk about your skills and experiences that are relevant to the position.

·         Demonstrate skills by providing examples of your success and achievements.

·         Show specific examples of relevant accomplishments.

·         Add a "differentiator" that helps people remember you.

·         This is NOT the chronology of your life.

·         Practice your story with friends before using it in a professional setting.

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D.        Profile:  A profile summarizes your professional background and supports networking by giving others a quick picture of who you are and what type of position you currently hold or are seeking during a search. A simple single-page hard-copy profile statement is beneficial in many networking situations, especially when initiating a networking conversation during a job search; it makes it easy for your audience to understand your background and search objective. A Profile is not a substitute for your résumé, however the themes that you portray in all your marketing materials should be consistent.

A  Sample Profile is provided to illustrate the sections that may be included:

·         Heading includes your name and contact information.

·         Search Plan Profile is a statement of your job objective.

·         Recent Positions is a top line summary of your most relevant 2-3 positions.

·         Targets include a list of industry segments and companies that interest you. This segmentation of targets can spur a networking partner to connect you with relevant contacts.

·         Education includes relevant degrees and institutions.

Modern Online/Social Networking sites now allow for easier access and farther reaching networking. Having a consistent profile message, one that matches your marketing materials, current situation and what you want your networking peers to know, is all part of creating your personal brand.   LinkedIn, now the most common professional networking site, has a very robust profile section, and you should be aware that many employers and recruiters search LinkedIn to source talent. (See Step CD6 on Online Networking.)