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Assignment 2: Resume and Cover Letter
and
Assignment 3: LinkedIn Profile
Three of the primary ways that you’ll communicate your expertise to your target audience(s)
consist of (1) your resume, (2) an accompanying cover letter, and (3) your LinkedIn profile. In
that your LinkedIn profile is an online dynamic form of resume, we’ll link the description of
these two assignments together to save you time and effort.
The important thing to remember when developing your resume and your LinkedIn page is that
there is no one particular way to construct either of them. The key is to remember the following:
1. Target your resume and even your LinkedIn page to the type of position that you want to
acquire. (Think about the Product/Audience Match Strategy that you did for Module 3.)
Don’t be so general that a potential employer isn’t really sure what you’re all about.
Even if some of your past jobs are fairly eclectic (diverse), you can still pull together a
theme regarding some aspect of your job duties (e.g., customer service, analytics,
decision making, dedication, etc.).
2. Make both your resume and your LinkedIn page attractive. An employer often takes only
a few moments to examine your resume or your LinkedIn profile, and if those
promotional tools are too cluttered, have tiny font, are inconsistent in the presentation, or
have an otherwise sloppy feel, the employer likely won’t bother to read what’s written.
3. Sell your best skills. Make sure that you’ve presented your best selling points and that
you’ve put across the message about why you’re the right person for the job. Don’t use
generic statements such as “I’m a hard worker” or “I’m good with people.” (People aren’t
going to say the opposite, such as “I’m really a slacker” or “I don’t like people.”)
Instead, focus in on a few key (and potentially unique) skills and provide some quick
evidence regarding how you’ve used these skills to get tangible results. Think about the
Strengths that you detailed in your Raw Materials Assessment and incorporate them if
you can.
4. Pay attention to detail. In that this may be one of the most scrutinized documents in the
hiring process, it is extremely important to make sure that there are no typos, grammatical
errors, misspellings, or inaccuracies. One of the easiest ways for an employer to move
your resume to the “no” pile (or to exit out of your LinkedIn profile) is to notice a few
errors and to make a determination that if you’re sloppy with your resume or LinkedIn
profile, then you’ll be sloppy with the work you would be asked to accomplish.
Prior to completing these two assignments, be sure to read and watch the material noted in
Module 6 (for the resume and cover letter) and Module 7 (for your LinkedIn profile).
Then do the following:
Assignment 2: Resume and Cover Letter
1. Refine your resume so that it’s targeted to a real position or industry. (You can get help
with your resume by working with the staff of either the FIU Career Services
) or the FIU College of Business Career Management Services
(http://business.fiu.edu/careers).
2. Write a sample cover letter that highlights why you would be ideal for the position. In the
cover letter, you need to mention the position and discuss the tasks that would be required
of you in that position. You can address the cover letter to either a real or fabricated
person and organization. Do not address it to “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear
Sir/Madam” or anything else generic.
3. Submit the resume and cover letter together (preferably in one pdf document) to the
Assignment 2 Dropbox on Blackboard by the due date specified in the syllabus.
Assignment 3: LinkedIn Profile
1. Refine your LinkedIn profile using the guidelines mentioned in the assigned videos and
articles.
2. When you’re ready to have your profile evaluated, submit your profile link (URL) to the
Assignment 3 Dropbox on Blackboard. Remember that the link to your profile is found
by clicking first on “View profile” under the “Me” button, and then copying and pasting
the URL that you see in the navigation bar (e.g., the Anthony Miyazaki URL/link is
.
3. IMPORTANT: Be sure to test the link (URL) in your browser when you are NOT logged
into LinkedIn to make sure that it works. To ensure that your instructor can see your
profile, you’ll need to connect with him or her on LinkedIn (at least temporarily). Don’t
forget to activate your URL in the Assignment Dropbox so that clicking on the hyperlink
will move to the webpage. Non-functioning URLs or the inability to access your profile
due to your privacy settings, etc. will result in a LATE penalty if not resolved by the due
date.
For both assignments, be sure to follow the directions and guidelines presented in this document
and to submit the assignments by the due dates specified in the syllabus.
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