Resume and Cover Letter
General Resume Tips:
- Be concise (1-page max)
- Use active language and “buzz words”
- Consider a non-chronological format
- Use a Professional Summary or Resume Objective
- Proofread, proofread and proofread!
Federal Resume Tips:
- Could be multi-page to include all relevant experience, salary history, and references
- Don’t under-sell yourself on qualifications questions
- Keywords are key (look at job listing for keywords)
- Use the skills translators to highlight military experience related to leadership, training/outreach and communication skills
Examples:
Cover Letter Tips:
Do:
- Make it personal (address letter to a specific person)
- Be specific about why you are applying for the job
- Demonstrate your passion for the agency and/or target population
- Be concise (1-page max)
- Use active verbs to describe professional accomplishments specific to the job (consider bullet 4-5 bullet points)
- Be sure to customize for each position/application
Don’t:
- Be passive or under-sell yourself (avoid “assisted”, “helped”, etc.)
- Be modest–highlight your accomplishments!
- Send a generic cover letter
- Rehash your resume
- Have any typos, misspellings, punctuation errors, etc.
Examples:
Interview Strategies
General Tips:
- Be early and dress professionally (always “over-dress”)
- No cell phones, drinks or other distractions during the interview
- Bring extra copies of your resume
- Over-prepare: Research the agency, position and interviewer
- Think with a vision
- Practice, practice & more practice
- BE AUTHENTIC AND HONEST!
- Be clear on what you bring to the field of victim advocacy
- Prepare questions for the interviewer
- Send thank you note to every individual with whom you met within a day of the interview (be specific!)
Common Mistakes:
- Being unprepared, late or appearing distracted
- Disclosing personal information
- Badmouthing past agencies, positions and/or supervisors
- Failing to show the interviewer how the position fits into your larger career goals
- “Interviewing” the interviewer
- Talking too much
- Expressing political, religious or other personal beliefs
- Asking about salary or benefits during an initial interview
Before the Interview:
- Know Yourself & Be Prepared to Communicate:
- How self-aware are you? Self-awareness key to victim advocacy!
- What brought you to victim advocacy?
- How might your personal biases impact your advocacy?
- How do you communicate with people from different backgrounds?
- What qualities do you believe are essential to victim advocacy?
- What have you learned from past mistakes?
- Be prepared to share examples when you:
- Provided advocacy (have lots of examples ready!)
- Worked with individuals from different backgrounds
- Collaborated with other first responders and/or leaders
- Initiated new programs/outreach/demonstrated leadership
- Had a conflict with a supervisor (and how you resolved it!)
- Had an ethical issue (and how you resolved it!)
Question Examples:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want this position?
- Why do you want to work at this organization?
- What brought you to victim advocacy?
- Why did you choose to work with this target population?
- How has your experience or education prepared you for this position?
- What are your greatest strengths? Weaknesses?
- What is your leadership style?
- Do you prefer to work independently or part of a team?
- What are your career goals? How does this position fit into your career goals?