Resume/Cover Letter Review

[somebody1]

Hi, i need somebody who knows what they are doing to review my resume and make it better, here is a link to my resume because the formatting got messed up when i pasted, i took out personal details

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...0/Resume-1.jpg

I dont have alot of professional work experience, im trying to get a job as a graphic designer, 2d/3d artist or something related, but im willing to do pretty much any entry level job that i can do

NAME

ADDRESS – STATE ZIP - PHONE – EMAIL

OBJECTIVE

To work a position as an artist, involving the responsibility of working as a team member to benefit the
company and constantly expand my skills in different fields of expertise

EDUCATION

COLLEGE, ADDRESS
MAJOR

ADVANCED SKILLS

3DS Max, Maya, Z Brush, AutoCAD - High and low poly 3D modeling, Texturing,
Rigging/Skinning, Animation, Lighting

Photoshop- Image Editing, Graphic Design

Adobe After Effects - Video Editing

Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel - Professionally written documents, and presentations

COURSE WORK

Worked with a team to create different environments, characters, animations, and assets for a game
engine, finished before the deadline, and demonstrated strong communication, and leadership skills

Achieved proficient skills in figure drawing and architectural drawing

Created various graphics for logos, posters, and brochures with Photoshop, and edited or enhanced
images

Created different websites in Dreamweaver and achieved a basic understanding of web design

Edited videos, created special effects, and achieved an adequate understanding of After Effects

Work History

Company, Address……………………………………………………...Date
Job Title
Duties

Company Address……………………………………………………….Date
Job Title
Duties

Company Address……………………………………………..............Date
Job Title
Duties

Company Address……………………………………………………….Date
Job Title
Duties


Cover Letter


Name
Address
State Zip
Phone
Email

Date

Job Title
Company Name
Company Address
State Zip

I learned of this position through whatever.com. I graduated from Whatever College with a Bachelor’s degree in Whatever. My main skills are with 2D and 3D art, but I also have experience in other areas.
I am interested in this job because it sounds related to my skills. I am always looking forward to working hard and reaching new goals.

Sincerely,
Name

[CleeIB]

Hi somebody1,

Your resume looks mostly good. Here are my recommendations

1. In OBJECTIVE, delete unnecessary "a position" and "the responsibility of". Specify the different fields of expertise instead of leaving them vague and general.

2. Delete unnecessary commas in "documents and presentations" and "communications and leadership skills".

3. Shorten "proficient skills" to proficiency.

4. Change "adequate" to "basic". "Adequate" is a weak word.

5. If you are not submitting a portfolio alongside your resume, you will want to include something about "Portfolio of graphic and web design available upon request". Even better, if you already have a portfolio URL, provide it. In graphic design, you'll be hired not only on your experience and education, but on how good your portfolio is. So you want to make it easy for people to see it.

I will comment on your cover letter in a followup post here.

Good luck!

[CleeIB]

somebody1, your cover letter is a bit weak. You need to grab the reader's attention and make him/her get to know you a little bit. Right now you just sound like you want to get out of there. So your cover letter needs to be a little longer.

Here's a basic structure for a cover letter you can follow:

Greeting (Dear ____)

Introduction - Give the reader a picture of yourself. This is what you have so far.

Show why you are a good fit for the position

Show why the employer is a good fit for you

Closing (Sincerely, etc.)

The "Show why" parts show that you've done research and are genuinely interested in the position, and that you're not just some job applicant spraying out generic applications.

Also, here are some suggestions for your text so far:

Keep in mind "show, don't tell". So don't just say you have skills with 2D and 3D art - say what skills they are. You have experience in other areas - which areas? "I am interested in this job because it sounds related to my skills" is weak. The "Show why" parts mentioned above will take care of that. "I am always looking forward to working hard and reaching new goals" - what goals? Be specific. Vagueness does you no good in the job application process.

Good luck!

[somebody1]

Ok i made the changes you said, here it is

Resume:

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...sume_pic-1.jpg



Cover Letter

Name
Address
State Zip
Phone
Email

Date

Job Title
Company Name
Company Address
State Zip

Dear Mr./Ms. Last name

I learned of this position through whatever.com. I graduated from Whatever College with a Bachelor’s degree in whatever.
My main skills are in 2D and 3D art, which include 3D modeling, texturing, animation, page layout, and logo design. I am also proficient in other areas, such as presentations with Power Point, spreadsheets with Microsoft Excel, and retouching with Photoshop.
I have a strong passion for my career and I believe with my experience this is a good opportunity for me to benefit myself and the company.

Sincerely,
Name

[somebody1]

Hi i made more changes i'd like more review/advice please

Cover Letter

Name
Address
State Zip
Phone
Email

Date

Job Title
Company Name
Company Address
State Zip

Dear Mr./Ms. Last name

I am writing to express my interest in the “whatever” position with this company, which indicated requirements that are related to my field of expertise. I graduated from "Whatever" College with a Bachelor’s degree in "Whatever". I am a very dedicated, team oriented person with excellent communication and organizational skills, and I am accustomed to working in fast paced environments while successfully meeting deadlines.

My main skills are in 2D and 3D art, which include 3D modeling, texturing, animation, page layout, and logo design. I am also proficient in other areas, such as presentations with Power Point, spreadsheets with Microsoft Excel, and Retouching with Photoshop.

I have a strong passion for art and I believe with my diverse experience I could be a valuable benefit to the company, while achieving a good start for my career. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the ways of which I could help the growth of your company.

Sincerely,
Name

[CleeIB]

Hi somebody1,

The changes to your resume and cover letter look good!

My only further suggestions are regarding your cover letter.

1. "which indicated requirements that are related to my field of expertise" is unnecessary. One wouldn't apply for a job unless one's experience related to the requirements.

2. Again, "show, don't tell". Don't just say you are a dedicated, team-oriented person - show how you are. You needn't go into great detail; that's what your resume is for. But even a little context will make you seem a lot more "real" to an employer than the 1000th person claiming they are hard-working, passionate, etc.

For example: "Through course work involving group projects, which I frequently lead, I have much experience with teamwork and hard deadlines".

See how this shows, not just tells? Make sure your cover letter shows, not tells, and it will be stronger.

Good luck!