Free Career and Job Search Advice

wetmosaic · Newbie Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

I'm in the job market for a position as an Administrative Assistant, preferably Executive level. I've been sending out my resume and cover letter for 2 months now, but so far have had NO responses at all. I don't have a degree (I'm a current student), but I do have credit hours equivalent to an Associate's Degree and commensurate experience, and make sure to put this on my cover letters. I've had a few friends look at it for opinion's sake, and been told that I come across as *over* qualified. I can't believe that to be the case if I'm not getting any phone calls at all. What's wrong with it? What am I doing (or not doing) that's screening me out? Help, please?

Cover letter example:
*********************

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am responding to your advertised position for an Office Manager, and am very interested in speaking with you about the position. I am confident that my flexibility and superior multi-tasking skills are just what you require. As an administrative professional with years of working in an office environment, I pride myself on my ability to provide excellent support and creative solutions, and feel that my credentials both meet and exceed your needs.

Your Requirements:
1. An Associate’s Degree and 2 years of administrative support experience.
2. Proficiency with MS Office Suite and an ability to type 45 wpm.
3. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, and function in a sometimes high-stress environment while accurately handling multiple tasks simultaneously.

My Qualifications:
1. A current student with credit hours equivalent to an Associate’s Degree in Psychology (working toward a Bachelor’s), 4+ years experience in an administrative support position and another 9 years in positions that use skills directly applicable to your requirements.
2. Accurate typing skills up to 70 wpm, and over 10 years of experience using MS Office. This includes 3 years of proven experience using the associated programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) to develop solutions for Executive-level staff, as well as training and supporting 75+ employees in the use of these programs.
3. Successful management and prioritization of a diverse, 65+ person work center in support of fast-paced, high-priority military flight operations, including the handling of classified materials and high-cost equipment.

A review of my resume can give you a better idea of my qualifications for this position, but it cannot fully convey the level of resourcefulness and professionalism that I can offer. Please contact me so that we can discuss how my contributions can benefit you.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXX
_____________________________________________________

Example of resume:
******************

Summary of Experience
Highly skilled and well-organized office professional with years of experience providing top notch administrative solutions; expert-level proficiency with multiple software programs (including MS Office up to the current 2007 version) and familiarity with web development; a polished, professional demeanor and outstanding communication skills; proven organizational and project management skills and a demonstrated ability to handle stressful situations with aplomb. Seeking a position providing administrative support where my diverse experience, technical savvy and can-do attitude will be used to their utmost benefit for staff and clients.

Employment History
Sales Assistant
Genesis Wealth Management
Chicago, IL
2/2008 – Present
Currently provide administrative support for executive and sales staff:
 Receptionist and office support duties, including direct support of the CFO and CEO; answering telephones, typing, filing, faxing and coordinating mailings; Internet research as required.
 Editing/processing paperwork received for new and existing accounts, and performing follow-up as necessary; ensuring all documentation is complete, in order, and meets compliance regulations.
 Schedule meetings and appointments; greet clients and make sure they’re comfortable.
 Perform personal errands and shopping for executive staff when requested.
 Keep office space orderly, and ensure supplies and kitchen are stocked, plants watered, etc.

Aviation Electronics Technician (ATO) and Electronics Warfare Operator (EWOP)
United States Navy
Oak Harbor, WA
3/2002 – 12/2007
Maintained and repaired electronic communications systems and in-flight navigation and detection systems on aircraft:
 Quality Assurance Representative; recognized expert charged with verifying the process and final product of avionics maintenance and repair.
 Shift Supervisor; managed a diverse, 65-person work center to maintain operational status of 8 EP-3E and P-3C aircraft.
 Personally supervised a 3-month maintenance deployment; excelled as the single point of contact for all maintenance correspondence, documentation and classified materials.
 Personally trained hundreds of personnel both in group and/or one-on-one sessions via hands-on demonstration and PowerPoint presentation; created clear and concise training documentation, monitored trainee performance, evaluated progress and advised accordingly.
 Provided administrative support to work center and managerial personnel; answered phones, wrote weekly progress reports and documented thousands of hours of technical maintenance.
 Tested, repaired and performed troubleshooting procedures on aircraft instruments and systems (communications, navigational and mission-related systems) using a variety of diagnostic equipment and electrical system diagrams; performed extensive wire and connector repair on advanced electrical aircraft systems.
 Performed extensive hardware and software installations for mission-related secure systems in an avionics environment.
 Utilized a daily report system to track and document work center productivity and individual job progress.

Information Technology Software Coordinator
Ultra Care Home Medical, Inc.
Melrose Park, IL
3/1999 - 2/2002
Provided a central point of contact for 75+ users to address hardware and software-related issues and concerns:
 Performed software and hardware installation and troubleshooting throughout the organization in an MS Windows environment with NT and UNIX servers. Duties included the performance of regular software updates, hardware replacements, server backups, user profile administration, research and implementation of new software and training of relevant staff on any new programs.
 Provided daily support of software on an individual user basis for general and executive-level staff; MS Windows, Office, image editing software (for the marketing dept), internet-related and industry specific software (both UNIX and Windows based).
 Designed, directed and implemented effective training of all staff in basic and advanced use of office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook); created clear and informative instructional documentation and PowerPoint presentations to support training efforts.
 Consulted with marketing in the development of creative projects to provide accurate and attractive reporting data and documentation on demand; worked with marketing and sales staff on a daily basis to provide custom-built reports and graphs, and to support their interaction with our database systems.
 Single-handedly designed and maintained the company Intranet site through the use of HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and original graphics and layout (used HomeSite), and updated Intranet content on a timely basis: articles, calendars, seasonal content, announcements, etc.
 Maintained the company's externally created Internet/e-commerce site as directed by management and marketing, including the development of new graphics and the updating of product line information.

Data Processing Clerk
Allied Valve, Industries
Chicago, IL
8/1997 - 2/1999
Provided administrative support for sales and managerial staff:
 Administrative support duties, including direct assistance to the President and CEO; answering telephones, typing, filing, faxing and acting as a backup for the receptionist.
 Processed work order paperwork; entered client information and order specifications into the company database and delivered work orders to the factory floor for completion.
 Produced custom, electronic data-entry forms for the customer service department as a time saving strategy.
 Researched, evaluated, and supervised the implementation of new software and hardware for a digital record-keeping system.
 Developed a system for digitally archiving company documentation to CD-ROM and cataloguing this information for easy reference; created clear instructional documentation both for end users and other professionals.
 Aided in the development of, and conversion to, an Oracle 8 database, including data conversion scripts and the development of interactive forms.

Community Development Aid
Southside Health Consortium
Chicago/IL
5/1995 - 8/1997
Coordinated the Consortium's youth organization, the Greater Roseland Area Youth (GRAY) Council:
 Provided administrative support for the youth council; typing, filing, preparing mailings, etc.
 Scheduled and coordinated youth meetings; reserved locations, prepared documentation, and ordered supplies and refreshments.
 Acted as Editor-In-Chief of the council’s quarterly newsletter; prepared layout, collected and wrote articles, ordered printing and coordinated distribution.
 Worked with local businesses and schools to fund and plan the youth organization's successful Anti-Violence and Health & Resource fair that reached over 500 young people annually.
 Designed eye-catching literature and conference-related materials (t-shirts, pens, posters and flyers), and worked diligently to promote the event and acquire sponsorship.

Education
Prairie State College
Chicago Heights, IL
Current student in pursuit of degree.

Oakton Community College
Des Plaines, IL

Chicago State University
Chicago, IL

lexa10881 · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:11 am Post subject:

I see nothing wrong with your resume or your cover letter, honestly.

Some employers, what it comes down to...is that they simply want that degree and there is no way to argue the point that you know as much or more. You may try to finish the degree if you are close, but that is your decision and only you can choose that. Another thing is what types of places and jobs have you been applying for? I would try to broaden your scope and go beyond what you have been applying to and see if this gives you any results. Keep your job search going, no matter what you decide about school.

www.cvtips.com/jt

wetmosaic · Newbie Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Thanks for the reply!!
I've applied to a lot of different kinds of places, everything from corporate environments to small schools; as long as I thought I was qualified and could justify my experience to do the job, I applied. Not every place required a degree, either. Some of them just want a high school diploma. For the ones that want a degree, nearly all of them specify in their listings that commensurate experience can be used in place of that.
It's not like any of them ever call or write back and say, "This is why we didn't choose you." I wish they did, because to not get any replies at all is really freaking me out a bit, especially when noone I show my resume to can find anything seriously wrong with it.

Pauloz · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:20 am Post subject:

wetmosaic

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but I think your friends have a point.

I can see quite a few problems. Not in the content, but in the way it's organized. That's a very strong CV, and I have no doubt you could do the work of an office manager in that example, but I think it would confuse the people reading it.

lexa is right about those who want a degree, but my advice, with or without a degree, is keep it simple.

If you'd included "and some minor surgical procedures" with any job about half way through that CV, I wouldn't have been at all surprised.

With any application, it has to relate to the job you're applying for.

This is a bit too much extra info, and some of it is off topic.

Stick to the materials that relate directly to the job, and add the rest afterwards.

For example: In point 3 of your qualifications, and your Navy work you indicate a lot of management capability. I was interested enough to go looking for it, but the people who read applications aren't necessarily motivated beyond looking for basics.

The rest of it doesn't really relate to what an Office Manager does, and your real abilities are sandwiched in between your studies, administrative assistant and typing. Studies should come later, and admin asst. and typing aren't manager materials.

Organize it so your initial material indicates "Office Manager". You've got plenty of stuff to work with. Then include training skills, computer literacy, etc.

You could sink a ship with the rest of the CV, but it has to be in a logical sequence related to the position, targeting it. You can stick in your current work as a "This is what I'm doing at the moment" thing on your CV.

Another point: More isn't always better. Some applications are read by machines, not people, and they work on keywords, not content. Job ads usually contain the keywords as characteristics of the position or duties, "action adjectives", etc.

The Sales Assistant role is if anything a bit out of character. It's a disconnect/ non-sequiteur from the Navy job. You'll need to clarify how, with your prior experience, you happen to be doing that, instead of management.

The Navy job is the clincher for management. Top level, demanding, stuff.

But it doesn't click with Sales Assistant. You need to tell the tale of how you went from that, to this, and now you want to go back to that, in terms of management.

Really, all you need to do is move things around a bit so your strong points for a job are obvious. Everything else can be included in the resume, so your nuts and bolts skills are also obvious.

(Speaking of which, you've got two typing speeds there. Stick to the one with the current certificate, and do the skills as a separate entry on My Qualifications.Typing and computer literacy aren't the same thing, even allowing for some relationship with data entry. Might be better to do Summary of Experience in point form. As sentences, uses a bit too much space.)

In an management job you'd use all that to demonstrate lots of hands-on experience and knowing the systems. What you're saying is that you can handle the people doing jobs like that, and even train them.

Just put everything in context with the positions you want.

C_Vaughan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject:

I tend to agree with Paul's assessment.

~C. Vaughan

Join our Newsletter
CopyRight © 1999-2008 cvtips.com This material cannot be published under any form or condition.