Ice Breaker

These questions are often asked at the start of the interview and aim to place the interviewee at ease though it really depends on the interviewer how to kick off the interview. Some interviewers might take the alternative route of putting pressure early on by asking difficult questions so be prepared for everything.

About Your Resume

The resume, being the short document that it is, can raise areas for clarification and elaboration. So be sure to review your resume beforehand and prepare the supplementary information. People love stories, so think of the stories that you can tell surrounding and supporting the details in your resume. Some interviewers can also be unprepared and might not have even glanced at your resume. It is important to bring extra copies of your resume.

About Education

Employers (especially those in more technical industries) would definitely be interested in your educational background. It is a reality that some universities and colleges provide better training in certain fields than others. Some employers also put a premium on grades so you might have to prepare to address questions about the courses you’ve taken and your performance. However, it is also possible that employers look for more well-rounded people that they ask about your extra-curricular activities as well.

About Skills

Some job interviews may focus on skills. These are often considered “technical interviews.” Some interviewers like to throw in some technical questions into the mix just to make sure you are prepared to answer them. Be sure to be up-to-date when it comes to the latest developments in your field and the industry. Knowing jargon (just in case they are used in the questions) helps as well.

About Personality

Some questions are designed to know more about your personality and your habits as a person and as a worker. Savvy employers like to find an applicant that would fit their corporate culture well. It is a reality that some personality types can clash with the organization’s culture. These questions can be derived from popular psychometric tests. Such questions might  also be situational (see below) as well.

About Experience and Accomplishments

A growing number of employers are now more interested in things that you can actually do than things that you claim you can do. Thus, it is more common for them to ask more about your experiences and accomplishments. The key when addressing these questions is to be anecdotal and to make sure that your past actions have quantifiable benefits.

About the Position/Company

Some companies would also like to see if applicants know what they’re actually getting themselves into. Thus, you must research and review about the nature of such a position in the industry and details about the company itself. Reading the company’s literature, studying the company website, and reading articles that mention the company would definitely give you a better picture and allow you to mention more details when answering.

Situational Questions

These questions ask you to do a bit of role-playing. These actually test how you would be reacting given certain situations. What these test usually gauge  are problem solving skills though some situational questions can also be used to .

Challenging

How difficult a question is would vary from person to person due to the individual’s unique set of skills and experiences. These can be on certain deficiencies in skill level and experience or perhaps actual actions that you’ve done in the past (e.g. getting terminated, low grades, gaps in work history, etc…). The key here is to stay on the positive and sharing how you were able to learn from such situations.

Contestable

Questions regarding your personal life, sex, creed, race, and religion are oftentimes classified are supposed to be considered taboo. Savvy interviewers avoid these questions as well but some interviewers attempt to ask these just to see how the applicant would react and not necessarily attempt to get information about these topics.

Closing

Interview closings can be varied. Some lucky applicants may readily be offered the position right there and then. Some would just be asked token questions about references, availability, or a question that would prompt a final pitch.

The typical job interview has four parts:

Ice breaker – This usually involves the introductions and exchange of pleasantries. Interviewer would be dwelling on trivial things like the trip or the weather. Savvy interviewers use this opportunity to place the interviewee at ease.

Q and A - The real meat of the interview. This is where the interviewer fires off a barrage of questions to the interviewee and the interviewee answers. Questions range from general character questions, to work and skill-related questions, to experiences, and even challenging questions designed to catch the interviewee off-guard. More on this is discussed on the common interview questions.

Interviewee’s Questions - The role reversal. This is the part where the interviewer will ask the interviewee, “Do you have any questions?” A part that is typically misused by many applicants by remarking that they have no questions. It’s an opportunity for the applicant to know more about the company and confirm and clarify things about the position.

Closing -  This is simply a wrap-up for the interview. Some interviewers readily debrief the applicant and even offer advice. At times, the interviewer discusses what to expect next. Again, exchange of pleasantries are exchanged. For some lucky applicants, this part can even be a discussion on the offer.

There are some points in the argument against the cover letter. First of all, it seldom is explicitly required these days. Some headhunters I know simply skip cover letters and focus on the details found in the resume. If it’s not going to be read, then why bother with it?

However, there are also strong points in favor of the cover letter. Any document looks professional and polished when there’s a cover letter attached to it. In addition, the resume is a very straightforward document. The cover letter can present your intention with a much more personal, if not human, tone.

There’s no real harm in actually drafting a well-written document. In fact, some of the more savvy hiring managers I know give plus points for applicants who create cover letters. The letter’s taken as a showcase of the applicant’s written communication skill and professionalism.

First, let’s identify the purpose. For all practical purposes, it should be able to do the following:

• Introduce yourself
• Present a summary of your qualifications
• Cite reasons why they should hire you
• Direct them towards your resume
• Prompt them to contact you

As such, we can write the letter with the following format:

• Paragraph 1: Introduction
  • Introduce yourself
  • State the  position to which you’re applying
  • Cite how you came to know about the opening
• Paragraph 2 to 3 Qualifications
  • Why you should be running for the position
  • What makes you qualified
• Paragraph 4: Call to Action/Close
  • Reiterate interest for position
  • Ask them to contact you
  • Provide contact details and convenient times to call
  • Thank the reader

A letter of 300 words can already be considered long so just pick out the best details in your qualifications.

Address the letter to the point person or the head of HR.

Sample Resume Cover Letter

Personal Information

In many a resume have I seen this section dubbed “Personal Information” where it contains details like one’s birthday, blood type, parents’ names and occupations, religion, marital status, and, at times, even vital statistics!

These aren’t really necessary since you’d rather be evaluated based on your credentials and not on these details. The labor code promotes equal opportunities regardless of race and creed.

Some of these information can be provided later on in the hiring process anyway.

Picture

Pictures aren’t really necessary since looks should not have a bearing on your capability to do the job. It’s a sad reality, however, that some people still discriminate based on looks. Placing your picture will only introduce this bias in deliberating your resume.

Now what if you do look good? It can be a double-edge sword. Even if you are above-average looking, there is no guarantee that your good looks will positively affect the person viewing your resume.

Now, some employers require you to submit it together with your resume.  If you are required to attach a photograph, use your best-looking photograph.

Use your graduation photo (if you’re a fresh graduate). If you’ve been a professional for quite some time, have a photograph taken in a studio wearing business attire. Studio photography is quite cheap these days.

Anything Negative

Remember that your resume should present your best self. Avoid placing anything negative about yourself. You can decide which details about your history aren’t savory, leave them out so as to keep the details in your resume 100% positive. You can deal with questions later on in the interview.

Functional Resume

The functional resume or skills resume highlights skills . Fresh graduates and those with minimal work experience but have extensive training can benefit more using a functional resume.

Sample Functional Resume

Chronological Resume

This resume format focuses on work experience and is somehow misnamed since work experience details are presented in reverse-chronological format. Best used by more seasoned professionals

Sample Chronological Resume

Combined Resume

The combined resume mixes the two previous formats. It provides a balanced list of experience and skills and can be fitting for those who are well-rounded professionals. Some fresh graduates who have been achievers while in school can use this format to their advantage.

Sample Combined Resume

Skills

This is a list of the skills relevant to the position for which you are applying. Make it a combination of hard skills and soft skills. Five for hard skills and three for soft skills is a good mix. Make use of industry-specific buzzwords. As for soft skills, key skills include written and oral communication, use of office productivity software, and management or leadership.

Education

Focus on your undergraduate and graduate degrees. For fresh college graduates, focus on the college level. Hyping accomplishments from high school when you don’t have as many for your college years can raise the question, “What happened to you?” in your reader.

Relevant details include:

• Name of School
• Location (City)
• Degree
• Inclusive Years of Attendance
• Awards

Work Experience

List your experiences in reverse chronological format. Relevant details for each employer include:

• Name of Organization
• Industry (if organization is not well-known)
• Position
• Inclusive Years of Employment
• Responsibilities/Accomplishments (written using power words and action-benefit statements)

For some, there may be instances where there are short stays in some positions which can communicate fickleness or lack of commitment. It would be to your best judgment if you would want to exclude these. But, if asked during the interview, be prepared to address them positively regardless of the reason. As for long gaps between employment, they can also communicate a negative image, but if such is the case, be prepared to address this. Just make sure that you highlight other accomplishments and skills in the other portions of the resume.

Licenses and Certifications

This can be a simple listing of the professional licenses (for fields that require licenses) which include the following details:

• Licences
• Licensing Organization (if applicable)
• Date Obtained (month and year)

In some industries like the IT industry, there can be more value in highlighting certifications over educational attainment.

Awards and Accomplishments

For awards, you can simply mention these details.

• Award
• Awarding Body (if applicable)
• Date Awarded (month and year)
• If award is not self-explanatory, a short mention of of why you won the award.

Organizations and Affiliations

For fresh graduates, organization and extracurricular work can stand in for work experience so this section can be treated as such.

• Name of Organization
• Nature of Organization
• Position
• Inclusive Years of Employment
• Responsibilities/Accomplishments (written using power words and action-benefit statements)

For active professionals, this can be simply a list of  the following:

• Organization
• Position
• Inclusive Years of Membership

Interests

At times, it can be permissible to include hobbies and interests but make sure that they are somehow related to the position. For example, an applicant for a copywriter position in advertising may mention photography or graphic design as an interest or hobby. Special interests can communicate versatility.

These can elevate the impact of your work experience and highlights productivity. Keep in mind that in recruitment, organizations are basically answering the “what’s in it for us” question when screening candidates. Results matter!

Your statements should following this formula:

Action (Task/Responsibility) -> Resulting Benefit for Organization/Client/Stakeholder

In combination with power words, action-benefit statements can even turn the more menial of tasks into critical responsibilities. For example, your summer internship at a law firm was basically a gofer job where you simply filed and photocopied papers.

Instead of writing it this way:

Filed and photocopied papers

Writing it this way can create a more positive depiction of your work:

Systematized archive files resulting in easier access of files

It’s even better if you can quantify the result:

Systematized archives resulting in quicker release of requested documents from 2 hours to 5 minutes

Quantifying (or qualifying if it’s hard to place a number on the results) makes the results more tangible and apparent. Here are a few more examples of action-benefit statements:

• Published a trailblazing study that introduced new research methodologies to the program
• Increased product sales by Php 3M
• Launched fund raising campaign that tripled organization funds
• Mentored out-of-school youth resulting in readmission of 5 teens into high school

Compare and contrast these words:

1. hired vs. recruited
2. thought vs. conceptualized
3. arranged vs. organized/systematized
4. shown vs. demonstrated
5. started vs. initiated

You’d notice that the second set of words  bear that extra impact – a degree of emphasis, or even aggressiveness. These are often referred to as power words (with power sharing the same sense as in “power dress”). These words are  ones you’d want found on your resume for it  to stand out.

Here’s a longer list of power words that you may want to use:

• accelerated
• accomplished
• achieved
• adapted
• administered
• allocated
• amended
• analyzed
• applied
• appointed
• approved
• audited
• augmented
• budgeted
• chaired
• communicated
• compiled
• conceptualized
• conducted
• consolidated
• controlled
• converted
• coordinated
• created
• demonstrated
• developed
• documented
• elevated
• established
• evaluated
• executed
• formulated
• generated
• implemented
• intensified
• increased
• initiated
• instituted
• mastered
• monitored
• organized
• overhauled
• preserved
• proposed
• recommended
• rectified
• regulated
• reinforced
• simplified
• streamlined
• strengthened
• structured
• systematized
• terminated
• unified
• utilized

Keep in mind that you should check the appropriateness of the power word with the context. I stumbled upon a resume that tried to use these power words but fail in appropriateness with statements like “intensified club budget.” In this case, what the writer would probably want to communicate is an increase in budget. However, “intensify” might not be the most suitable verb to use, When it comes to budgets, it may be more appropriate to use words such as “increased” or perhaps quantify the increase using words like “doubled” or “tripled.”

Usually, a generic objective goes something like:

To be a part of a company where I can learn new things and improve as a person

Not really helpful. It doesn’t really tell anything about them and what they can offer the company. Mind you that companies are more interested in what talents, skills, and experience you can bring to them, not what they can do for you.

Here’s an example of a specific objective:

A marketing associate position in the consumer goods enterprise where market strategy and qualitative and quantitative market research are  required

It follows this very simple formula:

A [position/job title] in [industry of target company] where [skill 1] and [skill 2] are required

This formula immediately presents you as the best fit for their needs – the specific position they have open, their specific industry, with the key skills that they require.

Goals

In order to accomplish this, your resume must be able to do two things:

• Assert that you are the best candidate for the job
• Provide evidences to your assertion

Target

Now, before you start, analyze the job opening. Job ads and notices outline what the position is about and lists the skills and qualification required.

It is advantageous to make a targeted job hunting campaign. Many fresh graduates (or even seasoned professionals) make the mistake of drafting one generic resume for a slew of companies and positions.

Be more deliberate and draft one resume for one specific opening. This way you can focus on presenting yourself as the best fit for their requirements.

Parts

We can divide the resume in two major parts with each focusing on these two:

1. Heading
2. Assertion
3. Evidences

Heading

The heading contains token information and can be formatted as a letterhead.

• Complete Name
• Mailing Address
• Contact Numbers
• Email

A note on the email. Be sure to use a professional. A combination of your first name or initials with your last name is a safe bet. Do away with the juvenile macdaddy2034@foomail.com.

Assertion

The assertions portion consists of two key sections:

• Objective
• Summary of Qualification

It is a reality that there will be a number of applicants competing for every position. It is common for some companies to have scores, if not hundreds, of applicants. Often, people who do the initial screening only skim and scan resumes spending only less than a minute per resume. Thus, it is critical for this section to list the details that their opening requires.

A clear and accurate objective clinches the reader’s attention. Once you have the reader’s focus, you have to underscore this by presenting a summary of reasons as to why they should consider you. The goal of the resume (that next step in the application process) should be won at this point.

Evidences

Now that you have caught your reader’s attention, your reader would be looking for more details about you. The evidences portion satisfies that need. This is where you provide the necessary details of your professional history to substantiate your assertion.

The important professional details include:

• Education
• Work Experience
• Licenses and Certifications
• Awards and Accomplishments
• Organizations and Affiliations

When highlighting tasks, accomplishments, and responsibilities, use action-benefit statements in combination with power words in order to present your best self.

Formats

As for formats, the most common ones are:

• Functional Resume – Focuses on skills
• Chronological Resume – Actually a misnomer. It focuses on work experience presented in reverse-chronological order
• Combined Resume – Combines the merits of the functional and chronological resume if you want to present a balanced

Here are samples of resume formats.

Summary

In a nutshell, here’s a slideshow I made for a seminar I gave to a group of senior Statistics majors.