How to Write a Resume & Cover Letter

1. Practical Tips 
Sharing Some Experience
By: Taher Abdel-Hameed
Anwar Resala
18-June-2011

2.  Taher Abdel-Hameed
 Graduated from Faculty of Commerce – English
Section – Business Administration
 Got two scholarships .... Business & Managerial Skills
 Worked as IT Sales Rep. at a Software Company
 Nowadays working as Business Developer at
AWARENESS for Training & Events
 Oops! and was a Job Seeker for 4 Months & this
is why I am here today

3. 1. .........................
2. .........................
3. .........................

4. Do you think you have to do this?

5. Know Yourself in General
Know Your Dream Job
Write Your Resume & Cover Letter
Job Searching Techniques
Interviews & Offers
Getting Your Job
Feedback & Sharpen your Skills

6.  A brief history of your qualifications that you
prepare for potential employers.
 It is Not to obtain a job.
 Simply to get an Opportunity to Interview
 Then in Interview SELLING YOURSELF
 It is an advertisement of your abilities .... so
make it Perfect.

7. CV
 Comprehensive.
 3 – 5 pages, but can be much more.
 Emphasizes professional experience, qualifications,
accomplishments & activities.
 European Style
Resume
 Brief.
 1 – 2 pages maximum.
 Summary of personal & educational information as well
as experience, qualifications, accomplishments &
activities.
 American Style

8.  Who will Read it?
◦ HR Professional, Administrative, etc.......
◦ They are Humans   So there is NO one-solution-
fits-all
 KISS: Keep It Simple & Smart
 ‫أكتب ما تمتلكة مه مهارات و إمكاويات بأحسه طريمة‬

9.  There are many type most famous are:
1. Chronological form:
◦ job experience lists in reverse chronological
order (Latest Positions are the first)
◦ clear & logical
2. Functional form:
◦ arrange work experience according to areas of skill
◦ draws attention to accomplishments
3. Creative Resume: if your career support that
e.g. Media, Marketing, Graphics,

12.  Prepare Your Pen
 Separated white Paper
 Volunteer Please ?

13.  Heading (Name & Contacts)
 Career Objective
 Education
 Experience You Can Order it according to
 Training & Courses Importance
 Activities Relevance
Eye-Catch
 Languages Skills
 Computer Skills
 Hobbies/Interests
 References

14.  Your Name in a big font
 Your Contacts: Phones , Mobile , Email ,
Online Profiles on Social Media Networks
 Your Address & City
 Hint: Regarding your address details
◦ If it’s far form Company Location write it at the end
of Resume..... Why?

15.  Never put your photo except in
these Cases:
1. Don’t put picture unless it is requested
2. If you will work as Model ???!!!!!!
 What if your name maybe Male or Female
1. You can put your photo
2. You can select a nickname in business life 
 Examples:
Salama Vs. Salma  Be Ahmed Salama
Sahar ‫ ساهر‬Vs. Sahar/Saher ‫سحر/سهر‬

16. Note Address !

18.  No Need for These words at the beginning:
◦ Resume
◦ Personal CV
◦ Curriculum Vita

19.  What Positions you are looking for ....
 Show two issues:
1. Field you would like to work in ...
Marketing, Sales, Engineering, HR, Customer
Service
2. Career Opportunity, Internship, Summer Training)
 Articulate it with Win-Win
 Just 2 or 3 lines
 Some People (Out Egypt) Prefer to be Just the
targeted Position title !!!!!!!!

20.  An opportunity in Sales department at a
reputable Company to increase company
profits, and developing my skills at the same
time.
 Assistant Marketing Manager
 Avoid General Objectives:
◦ A position allowing me to utilize my knowledge and
experience in different areas.

21.  Bachelor of Arts  BA
 Bachelor of Science  BS or BSc
 Hint: If your grads is Fair don’t write it
 If your Secondary School is distinctive write it
Example:
 BS. Commerce, English Section, Cairo
University, 2000 - 2004.
◦ Major : Business Administration.
◦ Grades: Good.

22.  Starting with most recent position first.
 If you are seeking your first job, list any
relevant work experience, including summer
jobs and voluntary work
 Hint: You can Separate Achievements in
another Section or include it here if it’s
Related

23.  Write your responsibilities
 What you are doing in each position
 Choose Positive Words
 Your Task was  Wiped tables
 Write it in Professional way as
Created healthy environment for customers
and maintained positive image
‫لصة سىان بتمع – تفسير أحالم – ابه سريه‬

24.  Arabic
 English
 French, Germany, Japanese .... etc....
 Use these words
◦ Native .... Or .... Mother Tongue
◦ Poor >> Fair >> Good >> Very Good >> Excellent
>> Fluent

25.  If your job is not a technical in IT .... Just give
a quick view & stress on software related to
your job
 Examples:
 Excellent Word and PowerPoint, Good Excel,
Access, (ICDL) and MS-Project.
 Good Photoshop, Flash, and Web design.
 Using SPSS
 Using CRM

26.  It’s about professional people who know you
 Just mention this:
◦ Available upon request.
 You Can mention Name & Title if you have
high references
 Dr. Ahmed Taha, CEO, XYZ Company
 Mr. Ayman Salah, Sales Manager, ABC
 Avoid writing their contacts in resume

27.  Fonts size 10:12 for normal resume body text
 Use simple fonts such as (Arial, Time New
Romans, Tahoma, Verdana)
 Don’t leave much spaces, bold, italics, and
underlining.
 Sending your resume in
PDF (Recommended)
or Word (doc not docx) format

28.  File Name:
First Name + Last Name + Resume
 First Name + Last Name + Resume +Job Dept
 Never write file name names like:
‫اسم الملف بالعربي‬
CV ..... Resume ..... My CV ....... etc...

29. 1. Abbreviations
2. Personal Pronouns: I, Me, My
3. Negative Words: Boring , Fired , Hate, Conflict,
4. Colors: Attractiveness is a matter of
content,
5. Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation Mistakes
6. Word Arts, Clip Arts, logos & Graphics
7. Don’t use Capital letters in writing the
whole CV.
8. Using Highlight Shadow

30.  Writing your skills as points like:
 Good communication skills
 Good presentation skills
 Team Worker
 Able to work under pressure
 Self motivated
Write it as Situations & sentences in
Cover Letter or in Experience Section in
Resume
examples
1. Participated in many Researches,
Presentations, and Projects (With Teams &
Independently) in Marketing, and HR.
2. Motivated my team in many hard times

31. HOW?

32.  You can make your resume in creative way
If your career & industry support that
 Mind-Map Resume?
 Flash Resume? Animated Resume?
 Video Resume?
 Social Media Resume?
 You Using Colors Carefully !!!
 Hint: send it to potential direct manager
rather than HR !!!!!! Why?

34.  It’s a letter attached before the resume to
encourage employer to open your resume
 You can show some of your strengths which
are not appear in resume
 Is it Important?
 Can it make a difference?
 YES it’s more than Important but in Egypt is
underestimated

35.  Dear Mr. XXXXX XXXX
 Intro & position you are interest in
 1 or 2 paragraphs about YOU .... Don’t write
your resume Again .... Just mention some
points why you are qualified for that position
 Last paragraph mention your attached
resume & Closing
 Your Signature (Hand Write if it possible)

36.  Try to customize it for each company esp.
your dream Company
 Try to link between your career goals &
company objectives/Culture/so on......
 When Sending your resume in Email:
 Subject Lines:
Application to ........... Dept.
Resume for ................ Dept.
Application for a position in ................ Dept.
Application for ......(Job Title).......
 Let’s see Samples

37.  It is NOT all about Resume & Cover Letter
 It’s Equation
 Resume +Cover Letter + Job Search
Techniques + Good Interview Skills+ ‫تىفيك ربىا‬
+ ‫ = رزق‬YOUR Target Position

39.  CV Writing Course by Amr Hussien from Bayan
 CV Writing Course by Dina & Al Waleed
 http://www.4shared.com/dir/19016235/998c5092/Job_Sear
ch__Hunting_in_Egypt__.html
 Vault Guide to Resumes Cover Letters and Interviewing, 3rd
Ed(2003)