Chapter 11 on Résumés covered three standard forms of résumés – reverse chronological, functional, and combination. It offered tips and strategies for utilizing these three formats for the best results. While the reverse chronological is the most common type of résumés, the chapter also mentions its particular function when someone has more work experience to showcase and puts the emphasis of the résumé on this section. The functional résumé is geared toward skills, abilities, and accomplishments for someone who maybe hasn’t had as much working experience but has qualities that would really highlight why they are still right for the job. Lastly, the combination of the chronological and functional résumé allows for both working experience and skills to stand out as they are incorporated into each. As always, some formatting rules must be considered, such as not exceeding two pages, easy readability, bulleted lists, and concise writing.
Author: eohara (Page 22 of 28)
After a peer review session in class, I will revise a few sentences that will benefit from re-working for better flow and some precision to the wording. I also received some helpful information on the readability of my paragraphs, and I will play around with the structure/format of one that is too short to stand alone. Having three different sets of eyes and perspectives on my cover letter was very helpful in catching things I have missed as I have been working with this one document for a week and can go into auto-pilot. I found some examples of formatting from my peers that I will use for parts of my cover letter, which is a nice way to share ideas. My group did a great job of highlighting all the positives of the cover letter and then working into helpful criticism and suggestions, which I know as a writer on the receiving end is super considerate, and that is always a great common practice.
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to express my interest in becoming a camp counselor and joining the Camp Seaside team. After reading your advertisement in the Portland Press Herald, I was eager to bring my enthusiasm to this essential community-serving position.
Currently enrolled at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, I am pursuing a major in English and Political Science as well as a minor in Writing. Exploring a range of studies has been an excellent chance to take control of my learning, engage in organizational and time management skills, and get involved in extracurricular activities. Starting a club, for instance, has bolstered my communication and leadership skills in a hands-on setting.
Throughout my four years of high school, babysitting for one family allowed for a special opportunity to expand my abilities working with children of different ages. When I began working, the two siblings were 4 and 7 years old, then 8 and 11 at the end of my time with them. As a camp counselor for Camp Seaside, these years of practical learning, from managing their daily activities to resolving conflicts, will be a great asset – allowing campers to have the best and most positive experience possible.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my application, and I look forward to assisting you further throughout this process. I have provided my personal phone number and email address below; please feel free to reach out at your convenience.
Yours Sincerely,
Elia O’Hara
(207) 412-8185
Specific skills and qualities, the employer is looking for:
- Support key advocacy priorities and our responses to important current events as they arise by, for example, completing research, drafting communications and documents, organizing programs and events, and more
- Provide insight on team program plans to advance civil rights, and civil liberties across Maine
- Engage with the public as representatives of the ACLU of Maine at outdoor community events such as “Juneteenth Ain’t Enough” and Portland Pride.
- Take initiative by identifying additional projects of interest to work on
- Work collaboratively and respectfully with a diverse team of colleagues
- Complete other tasks as assigned
- Dedicated to defending and advancing civil liberties, civil rights, and social justice
- Demonstrates commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
- Willing to approach work with a growth mindset
- Driven to work both independently and as part of a team to complete projects on a timely schedule
- Ready to work in a fast-paced environment, incorporate constructive feedback, and learn-by-doing
My educational, experience, skills, and qualities that might be relevant:
- Currently enrolled at the University of New England, Majoring in English and Political Science and minoring in Writing
- Dean’s List academic year 3 semesters
- 2022 Alumni College Essay Scholarship recipient | Essay on reproductive health and the law
- President of the Arts and Humanities Club
- Member of the College of Arts and Science Dean’s Student Leadership Advisory Council 2022-present
- Writing Fellow at the University of New England – paid peer writing tutor
- Member of Generation Action, a club of Planned Parenthood
- Organized local protest for reproductive rights summer of 2022
- Summer internship at Hale & Hamlin – a local law firm in Ellsworth, Maine
- Internship with Local representative Sarah Pebworth
- Research contributor for the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics on their Resolution for the support of the Equal Rights Amendment
Match and Rank the two lists:
- Support key advocacy priorities and our responses to important current events as they arise by, for example, completing research, drafting communications and documents, organizing programs and events, and more → My major and minor align well with the responsibilities needed for these requirements. Also, my interest in writing about and taking action when current events I am passionate about arise, such as essays, research, and community events
- Driven to work both independently and as part of a team to complete projects on a timely schedule / Work collaboratively and respectfully with a diverse team of colleagues / Take initiative by identifying additional projects of interest to work on → Seen through my initiative in starting clubs, joining clubs of interest to me, good academic standing showcases my ability to take control of my success in my educational pursuits
- Ready to work in a fast-paced environment, incorporate constructive feedback, and learn-by-doing → My previous internship at a law office helps with my experiential learning in an atmosphere of deadlines, independent work, and problem-solving
- Demonstrates commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging → My passion for highlighting areas where social justice intersects with academic work allows me to bring these crucial topics surrounding equality and a sense of justice to my student career.
- Provide insight on team program plans to advance civil rights and civil liberties across Maine / Engage with the public as representatives of the ACLU of Maine at outdoor community events such as “Juneteenth Ain’t Enough” and Portland Pride. → I only have one example of engaging with a larger-scale event like a protest.
Quote: “There is, in the first place, no doubt that when a father has the custody of his children, he is not to be deprived of it except under particular circumstances; and those do not occur in this case; for although misconduct is imputed to Mr. Greenhill, there is nothing proved against him which has ever been held sufficient ground for removing children from their father” ( Rex v. Greenhill 927).
Comment: After reading the caselaw of Rex v. Greenhill as they moved through the situation regarding Mr. Greenhill, his allegations of adulty, and the acts of Mrs. Greenhill resolved that she could not apply for habeas corpus to take the children out of the father’s custody. It is also interesting to note that the legal experience of married women means that they are one person; therefore, a wife could not make any motions in the legal system without her husband’s involvement. However, in the Custody of Infants Act, the motion now allows, if the mother has not committed adultery, “That after passing this act it shall be lawful for the Lord Chancellor…upon hearing the petition of the mother of any infant or infants being in the sole custody of control of the father…and if such infant or infants shall be within the age of seven years”(Custody of Infants, 1839) that she could obtain custody of her children. Looking back to Brontë’s novel, it reaffirms the need for this reform as all the previous case law does not see a man committing adultery as a reason for loss of custody. Still, if the mother has allegations of infidelity, her ability to even petition is lost. The novel deals with these ideas surrounding the double standard of women and men when it comes to extramarital affairs, and this seems to continue to be an issue in the legal system as well.
Question:
After the 1839 Custody of Infants Act, I wonder what the reality of this reform looked like, as it is the Judges in Equity that can make the order for the petition, was there still a fairly hefty fee? If the mother had to be of a certain virtue, could there be instances where she would be wrongly accused and lose that option to petition? Again, as we see in the novel, the reality of women and the law do not always correlate in ways that are advantageous to women. There are still the norms and social implications that dictate the actions a woman might take, even if the law was on her side, so to speak; there must have been a time of catching up socially to when she would be accepted for making that decision.
February 10, 2023
Dear Ms. Hooke,
I am writing to express my interest in joining the Maine ACLU team as a summer intern for 2023. After reading your advertisement on the ACLU of Maine website, I was eager to bring my enthusiasm to advocate for equality, justice, and representation through this essential community-serving position.
I am a second-year student at the University of New England with a double major in English and Political Science and a double minor in Writing and Health, Law, & Policy. My interest in the legal field and writing are propelled through internships at local law firms and with local state representatives. Additionally, I have participated in local initiatives ranging from organizing local protests, conducting research for Maine organizations, and enmeshing my academic writing with topics I am passionate about for scholarship opportunities.
As a summer intern, I can rely on practical experiences such as my role working with a variety of professionals and peers in my position as a writing tutor. I am also the founder and President of the Arts and Humanities club on campus, which allows me to be creative when planning events and practice clear, thoughtful communication to ensure our goals are met.
Having looked up to the ACLU as a pillar of social justice and a human rights champion since I began to pose questions about the world around me, this position would make my years of admiration and desire to do my part a reality.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my application, and I look forward to assisting you further throughout this process. I have provided my phone number and email address below; please feel free to reach out at your convenience.
Yours Sincerely,
Elia O’Hara
(207) 412-8185
Chapter 10 on Cover Letters discusses how to write and understand the tools and techniques behind a stand-out cover letter for job applications. A few items I would point out for readers would be to take the extra time and hone in on those small details because those are what matter in and out of the professional sphere; employers know that. Things such as checking out the website to try and understand the essence of the company and if you think it’s a good fit, making a quick call asking for some names or information about the company, and always paying attention to grammar, spelling, and format. This indicates other themes that resonate with this course as well, such as an overall responsibility for your writing that highlights you, your education, and your character. Despite the cover letter being a business document, adding those key points of personalization will help set you apart. Another crucial element to take into consideration builds upon what the last chapter discussed, the AIDA format. Layering in the Cs of good professional writing, the chapter also highlights how to manipulate that basic formula into personalized and effective information for each job application with ideas such as writing for an audience of a prospective employer who wants to know what you can do for them. It’s also important to remember that the cover letter is not where you delve into specific details of your best and most awe-inspiring accomplishments but a short and persuasive insight into what’s to come.
Quote: “There! you’ll find nothing gone but your money, and the jewels – and a few little trifles I thought it advisable to take into my own possession, lest your mercantile spirit should be tempted to turn them into gold. I’ve left you a few sovereigns in your purse, which I expect to last you through the month – at all events, when you want more you will be so good as to give me an account of how that’s spent…” “And so, he said at length, “you thought to disgrace me, did you, by running away and turning artist, and supporting yourself by the labour of your hands, forsooth? And you thought to rob me of my son too, and bring him up to be a dirty Yankee tradesman, or a low, beggarly painter?” (311)
Comment: As I read this passage and the previous pages setting up this scene where he pokes into her writing and demands her keys to all that she possesses, it reminded me of how disjointed those laws surrounding women’s property are. During the whole of their marriage, he evidently regarded the items she has as her possessions or her property – a page before this excerpt mentioned he stated they were to have “a confiscation of property.” The law explicitly states, “What was her personal property before marriage, such as money in hand, money at the bank, jewels, household goods, clothes, etc., becomes absolutely her husband’s, and he may assign or dispose of them at his pleasure whether he and his wife live together or not”(Bodichon 4). In Bodichons remarks, she characterizes this as women being legally robbed of her property by her husband. Helen’s attitude toward this affair, so unfazed, showcases the familiarity she has with this situation – she has no agency to discourage it or any mode of justice.
Question: Later in the novel, when Huntington is dying, she makes him sign a document/written agreement with a witness before seeing Arthur. I wondered where this falls concerning standard practice – would a written agreement have any validity in the legal world? If so, was this an alternative women could look to if the existing laws did not fit in with their marital circumstances, but, as we have witnessed, it takes the acquiescence of their husband. As for child custody, it mentions in the Bodicon reading that “During the lifetime of a sane father, the mother has no rights over her children…”(Bodichon 5), but would alcoholism have been viewed as means to categorize someone unfit and give the mother more rights?
