To: Dr. Stice
From: Sefiu Ballam Date: 09/18/2014
Re: Kenneth Bradley Resume and Cover Letter
Resume:
Reading Markel’s chapter “Writing Job Application Materials’ has given me a better understanding on how to write a successful resume. Kenneth Bradley could have written a better resume if he also read this chapter. Starting with the Objective or Summary Statement Markel suggests “highlighting three or four important skills or accomplishments.’ Mr. Bradley does not list one skill or accomplishment in his objective. He also does not use any key worlds pertaining to his chosen field of employment. Resume-application software would not be likely to pass on this resume to an actual person.
Because Mr. Bradley is seeking a position in his desired field of study but has no practical experience he should have written a resume that is focused on Education. Although Mr. Bradley did list his education above his work experience as Markel suggests, he did not elaborate on it. Markel suggests adding information such as your grade point average, relevant courses, special accomplishments, and honors you have received can help your resume stand out to potential employers. His work experience is chronological as Markel suggests but lacks in its description of duties. Markel’s chapter has a list of strong action verbs that Mr. Bradley could have used in his descriptions that would make his work experience more appealing.
Overall, I did not see any skills, courses, past employment, or keywords that would make this resume stand out from others. I feel since his employment history does not pertain to the job he is seeking, Mr. Bradley might benefit from creating a Skills resume instead. This way he could have emphasized the skills he gained from his past employment that would benefit a potential employer instead of listing job duties that do not pertain to the position he is trying to obtain.
Job-Application Letter:
Mr. Bradley did better in his Job-Application Letter. His first paragraph follows Markel’s sample letter. He states the position he is applying for, asks to be considered and explains why he feels he would be a strong candidate.
Mr. Bradley’s second paragraph starts with a strong topic sentence and explains how his education makes him a strong candidate. He explains relevant course work and even includes an impressive grade. He also explains how he took on a leadership role in that course and it gave him a better grasp of the material, which might give him an advantage over other candidates. It also shows he has the ability to take on leadership roles.
In the third paragraph, Mr. Bradley explains how the skills he has learned at a past job would be relevant to the position he is seeking. He highlights his work ethics and interpersonal skills and explains how these skills got him a promotion. He also states that he was such a valued employee he was kept and promoted to another position within the company when his position was out-sourced to a third party.
Overall, even though it could use more key words and strong action verbs, this letter does what Mr. Bradley’s resume failed to do. It highlights relevant courses in his education and listed skills he has acquired that would make him a strong candidate.