Posted By: Candace Davies On: 10/6/2009 4:18:33 PM In: Job Seeker - Resume When an employer writes an annual review, develops a letter of recommendation for you, or even sends a nice compliment on your work, make sure you file it away for future use. These documents can be powerful tools to help you stand out amongst other candidates applying for the job. From them you are able to extract quotes or testimonials that can be incorporated in your resume and cover letter. When a person in charge of hiring reads these quotes, they are automatically made aware that your skills are concrete and you have in fact been an asset to past companies or organizations.
When an employer writes an annual review, develops a letter of recommendation for you, or even sends a nice compliment on your work, make sure you file it away for future use. These documents can be powerful tools to help you stand out amongst other candidates applying for the job. From them you are able to extract quotes or testimonials that can be incorporated in your resume and cover letter. When a person in charge of hiring reads these quotes, they are automatically made aware that your skills are concrete and you have in fact been an asset to past companies or organizations.
The best spots to place these quotes in a resume are either after your areas of expertise or at the end of the document. You can also put them in other areas of the resume to fill up extra space. Just make sure that you use them sparingly (perhaps one or two per document) and that they do not look awkward or out of place. The testimonial from a past employer or co-worker should be put in quotation marks and italicized, follow by a dash, the person’s name, rank, and place of work (all in regular lettering). To make the lines stand out even further, use light background shading. You do not want the testimonials to detract from your solid credentials and experience, but serve as a nice complement to your resume.
In addition, make certain that the quotes you are using are fairly up-to-date. It is better to use something from the past few years as opposed to 20 years previously. As well, if you have a multitude of different quotes to choose from, find one or two that are the most relevant to the position you are applying for. For example, if you have recently switched careers, going from sales representative to teacher, find a testimonial that portrays leadership and instructional skills. Finally, if more than one individual has provided you with material you can reference, it is better to choose from a person who has a higher position within the organization or directly supervised you. For example, it is more fitting that you use a testimonial from a manager directly above you or a principal instead of a co-worker who simply works in the same position you do.
If you do not have any testimonials, but would like to use a quote, you can always research something online that suits your own personal philosophy. For instance, many teacher resumes include a direct quote from famous theorists or researchers. Think of key names that you hear in the industry i.e. Gardner, Bloom, Canter, etc. for education. To apply these quotes to your resume or cover letter, simply follow the steps outlined above for incorporating testimonials (quotation marks, italicized writing, name of author, and background shading).
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