Resumes and Cover Letters

1. COMM 202: Career Fundamentals: Tutorial 4
Theo Guevara
T08 & T15

2. 1. Resumes
2. Cover Letters
3. TA Feedback
Agenda

3. 3
Course Timeline
• TUTORIAL: Resume &
Cover Letter
• WHAT’S DUE: LinkedIn
Assignment @ Oct
23rd 11:59pm
• TUTORIAL:
Informational
Interview
• WHAT’S DUE: Final
Copy of Resume & CL
@ Nov 6th 11:59 pm
on Turnitin
• NETWORKING EVENT:
Nov 13th (6-8pm)
week 10week 9week 8
• TUTORIAL: Resume
and Cover Letter Peer
Review & Networking
• WHAT’S DUE: Bring
TWO copies of your
Resume & CL draft to
tutorial, one for your
peer review and one
for me!

4. BUSINESS
CAREER CENTRE
RESOURCES
Tools at your
fingertips to help
you succeed
1. Career Toolkits
2. VMock
3. Ready, Set, Get Hired! Coaching

5. Download
Canvas > Comm202 > Modules > Career Toolkits

6.  Get immediate resume feedback, 24/7
 Strengthen your accomplishment statements
 Analyze your core competencies + enhance your skills on your resume
www.vmock.com/sauder

7. Ready, Set, Get Hired!
60 minute personalized 1:1
coaching appointment with an
external consultant
• Jobs
• CPA Recruit
• Interview Preparation
• Mock Interviews
• LinkedIn Profile Reviews
• And More!
Book now on COOL
Engage with an
External Consultant
Oct 22 – 26
Nov 21 - 23

8. Office Hours

9. Dates & Times:
Tuesday, October 23rd → 11:30am - 1pm
Wednesday, October 31st → 4 - 5:30pm
Friday, November 2nd → 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Monday, November 5th → 4 - 6pm
How to sign up:
1. Log into COOL
2. Under Workshops/Events, select Workshops/Other Events
3. Search up COMM 202 in the Search Bar and COMM 202 Office Hours should appear.
4. Hit RSVP and you're good to go
Office Hours

10. Resumes

11. FORMATTING & CONSISTENCY

12. Be consistent
font size, font style,
spacing, bullet points,
alignment, punctuation,
date & abbreviation
format, hyphens vs
dashes
First impression
pick a colour scheme
(if you don’t want black-
and-white, which is also
fine) and use white
space wisely
be concise with your
resume page count
Proofread
no grammar mistakes,
typos, spelling errors
proofread
proofread
proofread
Formatting
one two three

13. Consistency
spelling &
grammar
incorrect
information
improper
formatting
missing
information
incorrect
order
inconsistencies

14. Resume checklist
Header
• name
• phone
• email
• linkedin URL
Profile
• 5 lines of key
competencies
• summarize
strengths/
experiences/ skills
• match job posting
Education
• reverse
chronological order
• start with degree
• include grades/
awards
•
Experience
• reverse
chronological order
• RATS formation
• achievement based
statements
Interests
• specific
• differentiate
yourself
• reflect your
personality
one two three four five

15. 1. Preferred name with (given name) in brackets
2. Phone number
3. LinkedIn URL is personalized
4. Your current address
5. Professional email address
The “header”
It should include the following:
1

16. Profile
The “profile”
Your profile is the first thing an employer will read when looking at your resume. It’s the summary of your
resume, a brief introduction, and a preview of what’s to come.
2

17. Profile
The “profile” 2

18. • Bachelor of Commerce not BCOMM or B.Comm
• List expected date of completion (either as “Completion: …” or “Expected Completion: ...”)
• No laundry lists of courses: only specific, relevant courses
• GPA – score/%/letter grade, indicating the school scale
• Include key/relevant projects and awards
Education 3

19. • Achievement based (qualitative or quantitative results)
• Use industry language/jargon
• 2-3 statements per job experience
• Reverse chronological order
• Use RATS or STAR statements
Work experience 4

20. Accomplishment statements
STAR
RATS
result, action, task, situation
“Financially supported over 12
sustainability and traceability
initiatives across British Columbia
by working closely with the
sustainability manager, analyzing
sustainability requirements, and
managing funds for government
bodies”

21. ATTAINED DECREASED SAVED GENERATED
EXCEEDED MAXIMIZED SURPASSED OPTIMIZED
ELIMINATED MINIMIZED IMPROVED ESTABLISHED
INCREASED REDUCED CREATED ENHANCED
Results (skill verbs)

22. Interests
INTERESTS SHOULD:
• show your personality
• be memorable and specific (your “zinger”)
• be fun & appropriate
5

23. Interests 5

24. Cover Letters

25. Cover Letter Content
Opening
• strong hook
• interest/ passion
• skills/ experience
• research
• name drops
Body
• STAR format
• concise & specific
examples
• transferrable skills
• results show strengths
and skills
Closing
• reiterate skills
• sincere interest
• thanks and call to
action
• tie back to
introduction
•
Proofread
no grammar
mistakes, typos,
spelling errors -
proofread then
proofread again
Cover letter Content
one two three four

26. Cover Letter Content
Opening
• strong hook
• interest/ passion
• skills/ experience
• research
• name drops
Opening
“I will just follow my gut” was my mindset when I started my venture on
campus. However, I soon realized that just having an idea wasn’t enough to
succeed. Profitable businesses need good logistics, so I turned to UBC
Sauder’s Operations and Logistics program to help build the competencies
necessary to turn my idea into action. I learned that consumer communication
and supplier/customer relations, two of Nature’s Path’s main principles, are the
most important elements in improving logistics. Equipped with analytical skills,
solid academics and an entrepreneurial spirit, I am confident that I will help
Nature’s Path achieve the lean operations it strives for in its global supply
chain.
1

27. Cover Letter Content
Body
Body
• STAR format
• concise & specific
examples
• transferable skills
• results show strengths
and skills
My involvement as two-time captain for the UBC Rec flag football team has developed
my ability to perform well in a team, while also competing to establish myself as a self-
starter and individual contributor. Similarly, I further improved my collaborative skills with
corporate team members at Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets while working as an
intern this past summer. This experience gave me the opportunity to translate the skills I
learned on the football field, such as concise communication and collaborative efforts,
into the business world. I now have a better understanding of how an effective corporate
team must function and the importance of asking others for guidance. These two specific
experiences have provided me with the team skills necessary to further enhance my
professionalism and quickly adapt as I look to begin my professional career with PwC’s
large and diverse Calgary team.
2

28. Cover Letter Content
Closing
Closing
• reiterate skills
• sincere interest
• thanks and call to
action
• tie back to
introduction
•
My experience in inventory management and strong grasp of
data-driven decision-making has prepared me for MEC’s fast-
paced, innovative, and consumer-oriented environment. I am
confident that my skills will help accomplish your goal of
achieving lean operations. I look forward to an opportunity
to discuss my qualifications in more details at your
convenience. Thank you for your consideration.
4

29. Date
Contact Name
Title
Company
Address 1
City, Province Postal Code
Re: Position Title (reference number if given)
Dear [First name Last name],
or Dear Hiring Manager/Committee,
Addressing the
cover letter

30. Addressing the
cover letter

31. Sincerely, / Regards, / Best,
(Written signature if you want)
Your name
BCom Candidate 20XX
Sauder School of Business
Enclosed or Attached*: Resume
* Enclosed: physical copy
* Attached: electronic copy
Ending formatting

32. 32
Feedback time!
what should I start /
continue / stop?

33. 33
Action Items
1. Office Hours: sign-up on COOL
2. Resume & CL Drafts: Bring TWO hard copies of your
Resume and Cover Letter to your Tutorial next week (worth
2%)
3. Resume & CL Final Copy: Due Nov 6th @ 11:59PM on
Turnitin
4. Networking Event: Tuesday, Nov 13th from 6-8pm

34. 34
Questions?
Have a great day!