Review My Resume and cover letter

[cudaken]

 As some of you know old Cuda Ken is out of work again. I would like some people with the proper back gound the review the resume and cover letter's I am sending out. When I say proper back gound I mean people that hire for a living. Please no answer from people that are just want another posting under there belts.

My self, I think one of the problems is the resume stereo types me as a grease monkey and not a manager.

Anyone that has sample resume programs, that would help alot.

This is going to be a copy and paste so spacing may be off.

                                             Cuda Ken

[cudaken]

To; Personnel
From; Kenneth Greenwell
Subject; Career opportunity



        As you will see from my resume my main background for the last 18 years has been in the automotive field. My background also includes retail sales & management, insurance sales as well as restaurant management. The skills I have acquired in the other lines of work made the transition to the automotive field very natural. I have found the basics apply to all fields of management and sales.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
       If you agree with the above then I am a strong candidate to join your team. I have been in management or sales since I was 17 and understand what it takes to get the job done. I am ready and willing to work and most important learn new skills to advance my future and that of your company as well.

                                                        Thank you for your time.
                                                                 Kenneth Greenwell

                                                        _________________________

Home # 618-345-5864
E-mail cudaken3834@aol.com

[cudaken]

To; Personnel
From; Kenneth Greenwell
Subject; Career opportunity



        As you will see from my resume my main background for the last 18 years has been in the automotive field. My background also includes retail sales & management, insurance sales as well as restaurant management. The skills I have acquired in the other lines of work made the transition to the automotive field very natural. I have found the following item’s are the basic to all fields of management and sales.

1.   Manage your time for the best results.
2.   Foresee and avoid problems.
3.   React quickly when problems do arise, and find a solution.
4.   Take responsibility for decisions and learn from mistakes.
5.   Have and use people skills.
6.   Be creative.
7.   Be professional at all times.
8.   Be able to handle stress.
9.   Listen to what is being said and take correct action.
10.   Close                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

   
   If you agree with the list above then I am a strong candidate to join your team. I have been in management or sales since I was 17 and understand what it takes to get the job done. I am ready and willing to work and most important learn new skills to advance my future and that of your company as well.

                                                        Thank you for your time.
                                                                 Kenneth Greenwell

                                                        _________________________

Home # 618-345-5864
E-mail cudaken3834@aol.com

[Ponch ®]

To; Personnel
From; Kenneth *******
Subject: Career opportunity



           As you will see from my resume my main background for the last 18 years has been in the automotive field. My background also includes retail sales & management, insurance sales as well as restaurant management. The skills I have acquired in the other lines of work made the transition to the automotive field very natural. I have found the basics apply to all fields of management and sales.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
          If you agree with the above then I am a strong candidate to join your team. I have been in management or sales since I was 17 and understand what it takes to get the job done. I am ready and willing to work and most important learn new skills to advance my future and that of your company as well.

                                                                                   Thank you for your time.
                                                                                                 Kenneth *******

                                                                                   _________________________

Home # ***-***-****
E-mail cudaken3834@aol.com

The second paragraph could be phrased a little better. Word to the wise....you might want to "******" your personal info while posting the letters here to protect your privacy. We dont really need to know it to peruse your letter/resume

[RD]

To: Personnel
From: Kenneth Greenwell
Subject: Career opportunity



           As you will see from my resume my main background for the last 18 years has been in the automotive field. My background also includes retail sales & management, insurance sales as well as restaurant management. The skills I have acquired in the other lines of work made the transition to the automotive field very natural. I have found the following item’s are the basic to all fields of management and sales.

1.   Manage your time for the best results.
2.   Foresee and avoid problems.
3.   React quickly when problems do arise, and find a solution.
4.   Take responsibility for decisions and learn from mistakes.
5.   Have and use people skills.
6.   Be creative.
7.   Be professional at all times.
8.   Be able to handle stress.
9.   Listen to what is being said and take correct action.
10.   Close                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

    
    If you agree with the list above then I am a strong candidate to join your team. I have been in management or sales since I was 17 and understand what it takes to get the job done. I am ready and willing to work and most important learn new skills to advance my future and that of your company as well.

                                                                                   Thank you for your time.
                                                                                                 Kenneth ########

                                                                                   _________________________

Home # ###-###-####
E-mail cudaken3834@aol.com

bolded areas require colons, not semi-colons.

[Ponch ®]

To; Personnel
From; Kenneth *******
Subject; Career opportunity



           As you will see from my resume my main background for the last 18 years has been in the automotive field. My background also includes retail sales & management, insurance sales as well as restaurant management. The skills I have acquired in the other lines of work made the transition to the automotive field very natural. I have found the following item’s are the basic to all fields of management and sales.

1.   Manage your time for the best results.
2.   Foresee and avoid problems.
3.   React quickly when problems do arise, and find a solution.
4.   Take responsibility for decisions and learn from mistakes.
5.   Have and use people skills.
6.   Be creative.
7.   Be professional at all times.
8.   Be able to handle stress.
9.   Listen to what is being said and take correct action.
10.   Close                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

    
    If you agree with the list above then I am a strong candidate to join your team. I have been in management or sales since I was 17 and understand what it takes to get the job done. I am ready and willing to work and most important learn new skills to advance my future and that of your company as well.

                                                                                   Thank you for your time.
                                                                                                 Kenneth *******

                                                                                   _________________________

Home # ***-***-****
E-mail cudaken3834@aol.com

when you're listing your qualities in your cover letter, you want to put it in paragraph form. If you're gonna enummerate them, you want to put them somewhere in the actual resume.

Caveat Emptor - I havent done a resume in a long time, so I could be wrong - anyone feel free to correct me. I'm just giving you my opinion on what makes sense to me.

[cudaken]

                                                                                                      Kenneth Greenwell
                                                                                                         34 Belair Court
                                                                                                   Maryville, IL 62026                              
Telephone: (618) 345-5864                                       
E-mail: cudaken3834@aol.com

OBJECTIVE             To learn new job skills and use my sale & services experience to our mutual benefit.
           
EXPERIENCE
                                                         E&S Auto Body   8-2002 - 8-2005, Shop Manager
                                                                                       Increased shop sales from $197,000 to $262,000
                                                                                       Raised bottom line profit from â€"$17,000 to $62,000
                                                                                       Trained managers for division

                                                         Midas Auto Services 5-2001 â€" 8-2002, Shop Manager
                                                                                       Handled all customer contacts
                                                                                       Sold all repair orders.
                                                                                       Lowered cost of good’s from 27 to 17.2%
                                                                                       Lowered back out rate from 19 % to 8%
                                                  
                                                         E&S Auto Body   3-1997 - 5-2001, Shop Manager
                                                                                       Highest volume shop in division, 35% increases in sales.
                                                                                       Maintained lowest material and labor cost in division.
                                                                                       Highest net profit in division.
                                                                                       R&D new product line that increased gross $175,000 a year.
                                                                                       Secured contracts with major insurers.
                                                                                       Promoted to Assistant Division Manager.

                                                      Tech Engine LLC 2-1995 â€" 3-1997, Shop Manager
                                                                                       Increased production by 50%
                                                                                       Reduced warranty work by 50%.
                                                                                       Increased add on sales from $150 to $325 per unit.
                                                        Promoted to General Manager
                                                                                       Increased weekly sales from $12,000 to $35,000 a week
                                                                                
                                                        E&S Auto Body 3-1983 â€" 2-1995, Shop Manager
                                                                                       Increased shop gross 200% in 3 year’s #1 in division
                                                        Promoted to Regional Supervisor.
                                                                                       Increased area from 4 shops to 11 (5 new shop openings)
                                                                                       Trained managers in sales 3 promoted to Area Supervisors
                                                                                       Maintained 20% higher gross than rest on division
                                                                                       Maintained labor and material cost below company standards
                                                                                       Conducted sales seminars for division and company

AWARDS Salesman of the Month, Manager of the Month, Manager of the Year, Regional   
                  Supervisor of the Month & Year, Certificates of Excellence and Top Gun Awards

[RD]

I would not actually list my qualities such as that in the cover letter.   The cover letter is just to summarize your resume and show how you would strengthen the company you are trying to be hired onto.   I would not "bullet" your qualities and instead place them in the paragraph with the top 3-4 qualities, the rest you can cover in the interview process.   I would further strengthen in your second paragraph how you will cause the company success.   That is what they want to hear.   

Remember what you type first and last is what they will remember.   The middle area turns into the "grey" area.

edit:

in your resume you need to identify the actual duties and responsibilities.  They would like to see "how many people you supervised as manager", "did you have to counsel and advise subordinates", "what hobbies interests you have" <---- include your family as one!, "an auto-biographical statement in regards to your character and personality".  stuff like that.

[Ponch ®]

Midas Auto Services 5-2001 â€" 8-2002, Shop Manager
                                                           Handled all customer contacts
                                                           Sold all repair orders.
                                                           Lowered cost of goods from 27 to 17.2%
                                                           Lowered back out rate from 19 % to 8%

spellcheck wouldnt catch that....

[RD]

your promotion lines need an indentation.

hope it helps. 

[cudaken]

 As far as my personal information, never been worried bout that. Have nothing to hide and no one wants my credit now When I bought the house 12 years ago my credit was so good they ran it 3 times. Not one late payment in 5 years. Then down sizing hit. Never have got total on my feet again.

Surprised there has been so many hits all ready as well.

                                Cuda Ken

  

[41husk]

I saw nothing in there about your beer drinking abilities.  You should really highlite your strenghts, and beer drinking is one of your strongest assets

[cudaken]

 If anyone wants to take a crack at redoing it feel free. E-mail to me and make Subject Daytona in upper case letter's.

Mojo, never see you on the main page. Still have your Charger?

Firend has told me there are driffrent styles of resumes. I think I be better off with a driffrent style my self that would show all of the back ground I have. Just see E&S to much. Fucker's keep shit canning me then offer me more money to come back. Looks like they may be making a offer again. Fired two managers that where to replaces me in 5 weeks? Shop is down 22% this month and not looking good. Hee, Hee, Hee. told them it was not me.

                           Cuda Ken

[Ponch ®]

Mojo, never see you on the main page. Still have your Charger?

 
                           Cuda Ken

yep...and it's still deader than Cotton Mather......

[41husk]

Ken, if you go back to that company, you need to be kicked in the scrotum with some steel toed boots

[cudaken]

 You going to help me with the house payments then Allen

[bull]

One thing I noticed right off is that you should probably choose between '&' and 'and' because you're using both. Actually, let me rephrase that: jettison the '&' completely unless it's part of a proper name like Cheatum & Steel, otherwise it should be 'and' all the way.

[bluesfool]

Ken,

Since I retired from the military 2 yrs ago, I have been in two different management positions. During this time, it has been my decision on who to interview and who to hire. I also changed jobs again just recently, so I am very familiar with the postion you are in. Over the last 24 months, I have met with job placement people, job assistance people, and read up on writing resumes a considerable amount (not to mention all the resumes I received from people looking for work).

Practically the only question the reader is going to be mentally asking themselves while reading your cover letter is "what can you do for me?". That's the question you have to answer in a way that won't make you sound conceited. A quick review of your experience and qualifications, as you have in the first letter seem fine to me, and the last line of the 2nd para. about advancing the future of the company is definitely a keeper as well. However, don't give the reader a chance to question whether or not they agree with you (the opening line of para. 2)...TELL them you are a strong candidate. They don't know you and they don't know your skills; if you ask them what they think of you, then it's doubtful they will think you are aggressive enough to lead.

Don't make a list of basic mgmt techniques as you did in the second letter. Most managers already know (or at least they THINK they do) what good mgmt skills are, therefore they will tend to just skip over this part, or worse yet, get bored with the letter and just toss it into the circular file. If you like the list and want to keep it, reword it to show you possess these skills. For instance you could say, "I make it a priority to...". Again, don't put "If you agree..."

In the resume objective, don't put "to learn..."; this gives the impression the company will need to spend their valuable time and resources training somebody that is applying for a job they don't know how to do. One thing I learned quickly, is that ALL hiring managers want to find somebody already experienced, even if they are posting an entry level job.  Instead, put something showing you want to share (demonstrate, direct, etc) the knowledge/experience you already have in order to...

The percents and dollar figures you give in your experience description are EXCELLENT items to keep...too many people (myself included) fail(ed) to put something like this in. Numbers grab the readers attention and naturally make the reader more inquisitive. And making the reader more inquisitive is what you are after! This goes a long way in getting called in for an interview

Hopefully I didn't come across wrong with any of my advice...this is just my way of repaying you for the tremendous amount of advice you have given this board. Best of luck in your search!.

[6pkrunner]

Ken - in your cover leter be a little more confident and forward but not agressive. No "If you agree" but more "I will be an asset..."

[41husk]

Ken, I have several dittos from the english department on resume writing, I will bring them buy also if you microsoft office you should have a resume writing templet on there that you just enter info.  The buissness teacher showed me how to get there.  Ithink you just go to menu and then templetes or forms?

[Charger1970]

I noticed two quick spelling errors.

Midas Auto .....Lowered cost of good’s from 27 to 17.2%

E&S Auto Body......Increased shop gross 200% in 3 year’s #1 in division

I think you'd want to have goods and years, no apostrophe.

Good luck Ken, you're getting some good advice. Being unemployed sucks...and not in a good way.