For this assignment, you will draft one résumé and one cover letter (which the textbook calls a “cover message”). Before starting this assignment, please read Chapter 15 of Business Communication. You may also want to re-read the assigned chapters from Week 1 before beginning this assignment. Your résumé and cover letter should apply all the paragraphing and writing techniques that you have learned from the Evergreen and Business Communication textbooks from the prior weeks (except the materials relating to outlining, negative messages, and short workplace messages).

You first need to find a job posting for a law enforcement position. (I intentionally listed a broad category for you all.) You may select any job opening that interests you.

You then need to create a personal résumé and cover letter that directly respond to the job posting. For example, if the job posting requires “the ability to work well on teams,” then your résumé or cover letter (or both) need to demonstrate how you satisfy the requirement. To further illustrate, if the job opening requires “leadership experience,” then highlight that experience on your application materials.

As to your résumé, you should write a chronological or functional one based on the considerations discussed in section 15-4 of Business Communication. (Most of you should select a chronological résumé, which is often the “safer” choice.) Organize your résumé with effective categories and use descriptive headings. Your résumé should have a main heading at the top and should describe your education, work experience (and/or employment history), and skills. Although personal interests and career objective sections are optional, you need to include a summary of qualifications near the top of your résumé (only two or three bulleted statements are required). Use action verbs to start the bullet points when describing your experience, job duties, and accomplishments. Do not exceed one and a half pages for your résumé.

Your cover letter should introduce your résumé, highlight your strengths in terms of benefits to the employer, and request an interview. Specifically, the first full paragraph of your letter should introduce its purpose and identify the position being applied for. The next paragraphs (the message body) should “sell” your experience, skills, and abilities, as well as focus on the employer’s needs. The closing paragraph should seek an interview and motivate action. Remember to include a formal signature line. Do not exceed one page for your letter.

Your résumé and cover letter are worth 35 points collectively. Each document will be worth roughly half of those points.

As to formatting your cover letter, please follow these requirements:

● Set all four margins at 1.00”;

● Single space the sentences within each paragraph but double space

between paragraphs (like this memo);

● Use 12-point type font; and

● Do not right justify the margins.