1 of 31

Job Ready Course

Write Your Resume and Cover Letter

www.fire-up.net

2 of 31

What is a Resume?

www.fire-up.net

3 of 31

What is a Resume?

An account of a person’s motivations, experiences, and transferable skills.

Often includes education, certifications, recognitions, and employment history

Typically submitted to an employer along with a cover letter to apply for a job, internship, or other opportunity.

www.fire-up.net

4 of 31

What do organizations expect to see in a Resume (and cover letter)?

www.fire-up.net

5 of 31

What do organizations expect to see in a Resume (and cover letter)?

  • A good resume and cover letter will convey the candidate’s relevant experience, transferable skills, and cultural fit for an organization.�
  • An organization will parse resumes for their current open positions but also to build a future talent pipeline.

​

www.fire-up.net

6 of 31

When are resumes relevant?

www.fire-up.net

7 of 31

When are resumes relevant?

Throughout your entire professional career:

  • While searching for your first job.
  • During promotional opportunities or career transitions.
  • While changing career paths and exploring new industries.

www.fire-up.net

8 of 31

A resume is your story, so be intentional with it!

​

www.fire-up.net

9 of 31

Main Parts of a Resume

Name and Contact Information

Summary/Objective

Education / Certifications

Experience

Transferable skills

Accomplishments

References

www.fire-up.net

10 of 31

Main Parts of a Resume

  • Primary parts of your resume may change depending on specific employers.

​

  • Level of detail and parts may change depending on resume type and goals.

www.fire-up.net

11 of 31

Different Types of Resumes

​

​

Chronological

Functional

Combination

www.fire-up.net

12 of 31

Chronological Resume

​

​

  • Highlights your professional experience starting with the most recent.

​

  • Good for illustrating continuous and strong work history.

www.fire-up.net

13 of 31

Chronological Resume

​

​

www.fire-up.net

14 of 31

Functional Resume

​

​

  • Focuses on certifications and transferable skills.

​

  • Good for changing careers, new, and limited experience.

www.fire-up.net

15 of 31

Functional Resume

​

​

www.fire-up.net

16 of 31

Combination Resume

​

​

  • Mix of Chronological and Functional.

​

  • Allows top of resume to showcase skills and achievements while still providing your employment history.

​

  • Good for changing careers, new, and limited experience.

www.fire-up.net

17 of 31

Combination Resume

​

​

www.fire-up.net

18 of 31

Different Resume Types

​

Targeted: Customized to highlight experience and skills specific and relevant to the job you are applying to.

Mini-Resume (one-pager): Brief and relevant summary of career highlights and qualifications. Shorter than a Targeted resume.

Expanded: Attempts to cover everything and can be multiple pages.

www.fire-up.net

19 of 31

Specific Resume Types

​

Federal / Government: Preferred for federal or government jobs. Often Chronological and Targeted.

Curriculum Vitae (CV): Long and thorough, similar to Expanded resume. Often used for academic positions, graduate school apps, and in law.

Infographic: Includes graphic designs instead of just text. Can be used for artistic positions such as graphic designers.

www.fire-up.net

20 of 31

Federal/Government Resumes Cont.

​

  • Quals and Requirements: Federal jobs often require that you have experience in a particular type of work for a certain amount of time. Your resume must show how your skills and experiences meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job.

​

  • Detail: Federal resumes require more detailed descriptions of your work experiences, including experience level and complexity of work and may exceed the private sectors commonly recommended one to two pages.

​

  • Uniqueness: Tailor your resume for each federal job you apply for instead of using the same resume. (Targeted)

www.fire-up.net

21 of 31

Federal/Government Resumes Cont.

​

  • Qualifications: Required qualifications in the job announcement must be listed and addressed.

​

  • Experience: Include your level of experience, describe the level of responsibility you had (eg. whether you served as a project manager or a team member). Also Include your amount of experience by using numbers to illustrate the number of people you managed, or the number of years you worked or managed. This must include the start and end dates (month/year) and number of hours worked per week for each work experience. Match your work experiences and accomplishments with language in the job announcement. Your experience needs to address every required qualification.

​

  • Education: Required education qualifications in the job announcement must be listed. Internships and volunteer count.

www.fire-up.net

22 of 31

Good Practices

​

Select the most appropriate resume for the job and/or employer and follow directions if given specific instruction.

Study the job description to use keywords throughout your resume when appropriate. Do not copy verbatim, but be creative in its use.

Ensure proper grammar and uniform formatting (use FireUp Resume Builder).

www.fire-up.net

23 of 31

Good Practices

​

Use action words at the start of your descriptions for work experience. (e.g., built, led, created, etc.).

Use nice paper for hard copy resumes that stands out, but isn’t distracting.

Ensure your resume is saved and convertible to different formats (e.g., PDF).

www.fire-up.net

24 of 31

Good Practices

​

  • Federal / Government Resumes in Fire: Consider including items such as fire assignments, committee involvement, fuels/prevention experience, instructor experience, leadership /supervision, policy invention, independent roles / special assignments, administrative / interdisciplinary, skills, education, and extracurriculars.

​

  • AI-Reviewed Resumes: Place the job description within your resume, but make it transparent and delete all text boxes.

www.fire-up.net

25 of 31

Considerations

​

​

​

Verify that your resume is in the correct format and that its formatting remains intact after uploading or converting it.

​

​

​

Ensure your resume is sent to the appropriate recipient through the specified method, whether by direct email, uploading to a hiring site, or mailing.

www.fire-up.net

26 of 31

Special Items

​

​

​

  • Unsolicited resume drop-offs vs during application periods.

​

  • Ensure you have multiple resume types prepared for different times during the application process or for different periods in your career.

​

  • When should you submit a cover letter?

​

www.fire-up.net

27 of 31

Cover Letter

​

​

​

www.fire-up.net

28 of 31

Cover Letter

​

​

​

A cover letter is a professional document written in paragraph form that accompanies your resume when applying for a job.

​

It serves as your personal introduction to the employer.

​

A well-crafted cover letter should be tailored to the specific role and employer, focusing on why you are the ideal candidate and how you can contribute to their success.

​

​

www.fire-up.net

29 of 31

Tips for Writing a Cover Letter

​

​

​

  • Include contact information�
  • Be concise, short, and to the point�
  • Tailor it to the job�
  • Highlight your qualifications and value�
  • Be enthusiastic and show your motivation�
  • Avoid sounding desperate�
  • Write multiple drafts and find a proofreader

www.fire-up.net

30 of 31

Next Steps

​

​

​

  • Download worksheets & resources from the FireUp courses page

​

  • Register for an upcoming practice workshop to learn more

​

  • Sign up for 1:1 coaching

www.fire-up.net

31 of 31

Thank you!

​

​

Email: hello@fire-up.net

​

www.fire-up.net