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Cover Letters / Resumes for a Digital WorldKevin Brett, April 1, 2013

The Way It Used to BeThe Way It Used to Be

• “…If you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.” – President Barack Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Address

This Was the PlanThis Was the Plan

• Go to college

• Get your degree

• Land that first job

• Build a career

• Retire happy

That Was Then; This is NowThat Was Then; This is Now

• “Millions of young Americans have graduated from college … ready to use their gifts and get moving in life. Half of them can’t find the work they studied for, or any work at all.” – Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin

Is Education Worth It?Is Education Worth It?

• “If you think education is expensive; try the cost of ignorance.” – Former Harvard President Derek Bok

50 Percent Hiring Rate50 Percent Hiring Rate

• Record Unemployed/Underemployed with Some College/Graduates

• 50 Percent Are Landing Jobs

• How Can You Win in a 50 Percent World?

The Answer: Differentiation

• Professional

• Experienced

• Team Player

• Good Fit

• Prepared

• Confident

What Is Your Personal ROI?What Is Your Personal ROI?

• Why You?

• Why Not Someone Else?

• Or No One at All?

• What is Your Value?

• What is Your Return on Investment?

Competing in a Digital WorldCompeting in a Digital World

• Attention Spans are Shorter Than Ever• Competition is Tougher Than Ever• You Have One Chance to Make a First Impression• You Have to Use All of Your Weapons• You Have to Get the Attention of Eyeballs (and search

engines)• Digital is eternal

Your CompetitionYour Competition

• The Net Generation (1977-1997)

• 81.1 million Americans (Ages 14-34)

• 27 percent of US Population

• Does Not Include Competition from China, Japan, India, Taiwan etc.

• Also called Millennials or Generation Y

Basic Rules of the GameBasic Rules of the Game• Cover Letters and Resumes are Vital

• Get to the Point

• Think Search Engine Terms (SEO) (SEM)

• Write to the Hiring Manager / Not a Machine

• Go Beyond the Job Boards

• Google Yourself; They will

• What is Cool Today May be Career-Limiting Tomorrow

Seemed Like a Good Idea…Seemed Like a Good Idea…At The TimeAt The Time

““It’s All About Sharing”It’s All About Sharing”

“Some day that party picture is going to bite them when they seek a senior corporate job or public office. I think they should wake up now, and become aware of the extent to which they’re sharing parts of themselves that one day they may wish they had kept private.”

– Don Tapscott, Author of “Grown Up Digital”

The Two Job MarketsThe Two Job Markets

Advertised Job Market• 20% of the jobs

• 95% of the applicants

• 44.7 million to 68.4 million employed or unemployed job seekers

• 3-5 million advertised jobs

Hidden Job Market• 80% of the jobs

• 5% of the applicants

• 2.3 million to 3.6 million employed or unemployed job seekers

• 25-30 million unadvertised jobs

Source: Dennis Thompson, “Four Degrees to Your Dream

Job”

Your Plan of AttackYour Plan of Attack

• Research Your Target Employer• Network, Network, Network• Know Why You Want the Job• Know The Value You Bring to the Job• Talk in their Language• Copy and Paste Your Cover Letter into

Your E-Mail• Embrace Social Media: Walk the Walk

Winning SEO Words & PhrasesWinning SEO Words & Phrases

• Message Development• Social Media• Employee Communications• Search Engine Optimization• Crisis Communications• Investor Relations• Media Relations• Analyst Relations• Media Training• Multimedia Skills• Presentation Skills

Your Tweet-Style Cover LetterYour Tweet-Style Cover Letter

• No More Than Three or Four Copied-and-Pasted Paragraphs (Single Space, Flush Left)

• First paragraph: What are you applying for

• Second paragraph: What distinct value-add you bring to the job

• Third paragraph: Why you want to work for them

• Fourth paragraph: Thank you; Looking forward to hearing from you

Preparing Your ResumePreparing Your Resume• Tell the Truth• Double Check and then Double Check Again• Don’t Rely on Spell Checkers (e.g. “pubic” as

opposed to “public”)• Lead Paragraphs with Verbs of Action• Put Yourself in the Shoes of the Reader• Professional First; Education Second• High School is Irrelevant• Perception is Everything (e.g., frat or sorority)• No Hard and Fast Rules

The HeaderThe Header

Kevin M. Brett

 

My Address

Eugene, Oregon 97405

408-892-3402 (mobile)

kmbrett@comcast.net

http://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbrett

http://almostdailybrett.wordpress.com

Your ProfileYour Profile

Example: Results-oriented aspiring public relations/marketing professional, looking to leverage Allen Hall public relations experience and University of Oregon bachelor’s degree, to immediately add value for a public relations agency or corporation. 

Experience First/Education SecondExperience First/Education Second

• Jobs, Positions, Locations, Dates in Reverse Chronological Order

• Try to Avoid “Gaps” in Experience• Quantify Accomplishments (e.g., prepared and

posted 181 blogs)• Follow with education • Add relevant skills (e.g., Microsoft Suite, Final

Cut Pro, WordPress, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit)

Your Winning Strategy

• Address the Return on Investment (ROI) question

• Think of colleges and universities as professional schools

• Skills for the digital world: computation/social media

• Competition is permanent.• Degree from a U.S. university or college is

not a panacea

When Can You Start?When Can You Start?

• You Proved Your Personal ROI

• You Went Directly to the Hiring Manager

• You Are a Professional; Not a Student

• You Proved Your Value-Add Immediately

• You Demonstrated Your Digital Media Skills

• You Are a Team Player

• You Are a Winner