Prepare to Live Your Dream

“PREPARE TO LIVE YOUR DREAM” Resume Writing Contest

Goal: To provide student contestants a practical exercise designed to allow a unique experience of identifying the processes, resources, and considerations for formulating a successful career path.

Methodology: To provide an opportunity for students to use various resources to research their “dream” career. The extension of this research to include identifying educational institutions and programs that provide undergraduate degrees, technical training, grants, social and/or professional affiliations, etc. which would provide a marketable advantage to be highlighted through a successful cover letter/resume for the chosen “dream” career.

Contest Requirements: 1. All student contestants are required to use standard qualifications provided in the case study scenario as the basis of a resume and cover letter to a potential employer of their choice. 2. The potential employer must be a reputable firm and/or organization that can be verified through a website provided in the appropriate space on the contest application form. (See contest application items 8 for details) 3. The proposed “dream” career position, must be a real position in the firm/and or organization of the potential employer (see above). Students must provide the position name, and/or number, and job description along with the contact name used as a source for the position. (See contest application item 9 for details) 4. Student’s are expected to research the firm and position using the internet, interview the person(s) in the position at the selected firm (or a similar position at another firm) and/or the company’s human resource officer (or a human resource officer from another firm). 5. Student must support their qualifications through educational and/or work experience in accordance with the allowable standards provided in the case study 6. Educational institutions must be an accredited 2 and/or 4 year college, university, technical or specialty training institutions which can be verified through a website. Student contestants must provide website addresses in the appropriate space on the contest application form. (See contest application item 10 for details) 7. Students should observe current industry standards to enhance the marketability of their resume through their cover letter, participation in clubs, manner of presentation, and anything else that would set the resume and cover letter apart from the competition. Remember it’s your “dream”, so “dream” BIG!! 8. Student contestants are encouraged to identify and interview various persons about the proposed position and/or resume writing in the completion of this project. However, the students are responsible for being knowledgeable of the information provided in both the resume and cover letter, and may be required to participate in an interview process where they could be required to respond to questions regarding the contents of the cover letter and resume. Parents and adult consultants are encouraged to support student efforts, but are not allowed to research the contents or prepare the student’s cover letter and resume. 9. Student’s must submit the following to considered a successful applicant:  Completed Contest application (included in packet)  A Cover letter  A Resume

10. All contestants must be currently enrolled as an 11th or 12th grade student in a Dayton Public School. “PREPARE TO LIVE YOUR DREAM” Resume Writing Contest Case Study

Congratulations, you are a successful product of the Dayton Public School District, having received your high school diploma between the time periods, May 2011 – May 2012. You’ve researched and decided on a career path and have graduated from an accredited program which meets the following criteria:

 2-4 year degree at an accredited college, university, technical or special education training program of choice  1 year additional course of study through post graduate, technical, or specialty education or/1 year’s experience in a job and firm of your choice (must be additional education or experience contestants can not choose both)

You have responded to an announcement of a position opening for your “dream” job, at a private firm, public sector or non-profit organization. You are submitting your cover letter and resume to Mr. Edward Sweetnich, Vice President of Human Resources. Your cover letter summarizes the following information in no particular order, your career objective, the position you are applying for, how you heard about the position, highlights your relevant education, experiences and other factors that give you a competitive edge for the position. Your resume details your education and relevant experience and any other information which markets your ability to be successful in the position for which you have applied. You have identified and utilized various industry and career marketing resources, as well as experienced professionals, to assist you in the application process. You are submitting the required application (included in contest packet), your resume and cover letter by email to Mr. Sweetnich’s secretary, Terri Allen 937-542-3751 by email at [email protected] or fax at 937-542-3747 and taken the appropriate steps to follow-up to ensure receipt. Receipt of the required materials is required no later than 12:00 midnight, March 31, 2011. Items received after this time will not be reviewed.

A panel of judges representing various careers and industries will review qualifying submissions. Contest Entries will be evaluated on the following criteria:

 Overall professional appearance  Proper use of grammar, spelling, and punctuation  Formatting and graphics  Content and completeness  Proper length and attention to details

Each criterion is worth 10 points. Resumes receiving 40 points or more will qualify for the iPad drawing.

Remember Deadline for submitting your resume is: March 31, 2011

Send questions to [email protected] “PREPARE TO LIVE YOUR DREAM” Resume Writing Contest Application

1. Student Name: Enter official, legal name of student submitting entry

2. Student Address: Enter current street address, city, state, zip code

3. Student Phone/Email: 937- /email Enter student phone number/email

4. Parent’s Name: / Enter name of parent or guardian’s/relationship to student

5. Parent’s Phone: Enter parent’s phone number if different from student

6. Student Grade Level: (check one of the following) Junior Senior

7. Student’s High School: (check one of the following) Belmont Dunbar Gardendale Longfellow Meadowdale Ponitz Stivers Thurgood

The following information pertains to the student’s “Preparing to Live You Dream” contest submission

8. Business name: Website: and website Enter name of company researched for “dream” position/ website for organization listed

9. Position Title:

Enter position title or brief description of career*

10. Educational Institution and website: Enter name of school(s) presented on resume for “dream” position/website for organization listed *Student must attach a copy of the position profile with qualification requirements. Acceptable sources are a job posting from company website, newspaper or industry advertisement, an position profile from an industry career publication, website, human resource department and/or professional headhunting organization.

Is your packet complete? Completed application Cover Letter Resume

See “Resume/Cover Letter Helpful Hints” and “Career Planning Overview” for suggestions and resources to help you with your entry!!!

Remember, there are various resources for resume writing, career planning and job description. Check the internet and other sources for additional information. Resume / Cover Letter Helpful Hints

Why use a resume and a cover letter? The goal of a resume and cover letter is to get the interview. A resume and cover letter do not get you the job! The resume and cover letter process are your first impression to a prospective employer, and therefore need to be well-written, factual and relevant documents.

A resume and cover letter are marketing tools, designed to sell your self to a prospective employer. A resume and cover letter is not for your past, it is to market your self for the next job! You need to answer the four questions an employer has in their mind when reading your resume and cover letter:

(1)Who you are (2) What you want (3) What you’ve done (4)What you are capable of

An employer will generally visually scan your resume and cover letter for 30 seconds. In that time you must attract them to your resume, tell them what you want and, most importantly, what you can do for them.

What type of resume format should I use? While there are several technical terms for the different types of resumes out there, you should use a format that presents your qualifications best. No two people should have similar resumes. There is an individuality that must shine through a resume and cover letter, your voice that speaks to the employer. This is why you should never use a template resume from MS Word or any other resume software program. Resumes should contain all information that is relevant to the job in which you are applying, in order that best sells you to what least sells you. The resume should include the following Sections: (1) Education (2) Internship/Work Experience (3) Volunteer/Campus Activities (4) Awards and Accomplishments (5) Computer Skills (6) Interests/Hobbies

Remember: A resume is set-up to your personal qualifications, so the order of these sections may differ. Example: If your Campus and Volunteer Activities are stronger that your Work Experience, you would change the order on the resume.

How many pages should my resume be? Ideally, a college student or soon-to-be college graduate should try to limit their resume to one (1) page. However, if you have excellent and relevant information that will help you gain the interview, then it is all right to use an additional page. Cover letters should be one (1) page only.

Do I need an objective? If you have a specific job title or career path, then yes, use an objective that is well thought-out, well-written, and specific to the type of position in which you are applying. If you do not have a specific position, then do not use an objective. Avoid boring and generic statements that really don’t say anything.

What is the purpose of a cover letter? While the resume is a formal document, the cover letter is your chance to speak to the employer. The cover letter is not simply a regurgitation of your resume. The cover letter should highlight your experience, skills and personality for the job in which you are applying. A well-written cover letter should force an employer to read your resume the way you want it read. This means you highlight buzzwords, skill sets and personal characteristics that directly impact your ability to perform the job.

What type of information goes in a cover letter? The cover letter consists of five parts: Objective, Professional Skills, Personal Characteristics, Additional Information, Closing

How should I submit my resume and cover letter? In today’s highly fast-paced and technology driven world, the best two ways to submit a resume are through fax and email. Employers want to receive resumes in the quickest and most efficient ways possible.

Fax: Highly accepted as a "proper" way to submit a resume. By faxing the resume, it is instantly in the hands of the desired audience. Always follow up your fax with a phone call. Introduce yourself, ask if they received your resume, and ask for an interview!

E-mail: Quickly becoming the preferred way to submit and receive resumes. E-mail allows the employer instant access from their desktop, the ability to print or save to a database and overall increased efficiency. Always send your resume as an MS Word attachment, unless otherwise directed. The body of your email message should be your cover letter. Overview: | Self Assessment | Career Exploration | Job Search

Self Assessment

Look within yourself to discover your interests, skills, personality traits, and values. Also ask friends, family members, teachers, or mentors if they see the same qualities in you as you see in yourself. Simply ask:

 What do I like to do?  What activities do I find fun, motivating, interesting and enjoyable?  What skills and abilities do I have or want to develop?  What personal style or characteristics do I have that are important to me in the work place?  What purpose or goal do I want to accomplish in my career

Career Exploration

Investigate all the career choices, options, and opportunities available to you. Attend career fairs, visit a career center in your school or community, talk to people in various careers, shadow or spend time with people in careers that interest you. Ask:

 How did you get started in this career?  What is a typical day like?  What type of training or education is required?  What are the starting and average salaries?

Next, set some goals. Research careers that interest you to determine how to prepare for them and how much training and education are required to be successful. After gathering the information, set goals to attain the required training.

Job Search

Once you've decided on a career path and made strides in obtaining the required training and education, you will be prepared to begin searching for a job that suits you. Job searching skills include:

 How to write a resume and cover letter  How to network to find job openings  How to fill out an application  How to interview successfully for a job

Career planning is an ongoing process. Regardless of your age, it is important to assess where you are if you are to meet your goals and turn your dreams into reality. For example, an unemployed and unskilled worker in transition, with little experience in the workforce, has different needs from a young adult student looking to launch a first-time professional or technical career. An older adult with educational credentials and years of experience, but who has been recently affected by an employer's reorganization, faces a different set of issues. Everyone can benefit from the process of self- assessment, exploring career opportunities, and learning effective, assertive job search strategies that produce results.

This is where your career path begins - learning about yourself, exploring careers, and beginning your job search. Remember, career planning can be a life-long process. Few people stay in one job or on one career path throughout their lives, and you may find yourself completing the process more than once along the way. http://www.soicc.state.nc.us/soicc/planning/page2.htm