I’m sometimes asked if I have sample cover letters and resumes for work-at-home jobs. I do provide samples in my work-at-home job books and products, but I decided to share a version of my cover letter and resume so you can see how I organize it.
When I write a cover letter and resume, my top goal is to focus on the experience I have that directly meets the needs of the employer. Sometimes I leave out old job experiences if I don’t think it’s relevant. Other times I include it, but it appears as a single line with no details about the job duties. The work experience that shows I’m ideal for the job is the focus of my resume.
At the end of the samples below, I provided a link to an article on writing a resume for a work-at-home job and a video tutorial on how to prepare an email-friendly resume (because you never want to send your resume as an attachment or paste from Word).
In the samples below, I offer explanation in red.
Email Subject Line: Application: Shopping/Lifestyle Writer
Leslie Truex, MSW
Address
Phone
Email
Date
Internet Brands (Company)
Shopping/Lifestyle Writers Wanted (Job Title)
Hello, (If you can find a name for the HR person, include it here.)
I’m applying to the position of Shopping/Lifestyle writer for Internet Brands. I recently finished a short term assignment writing articles about anxiety for Internet Brands and would like to continue to write for you.
I’m a freelance writer and the author of The Work-At-Home Success Bible: A Guide for Women, published in 2009 by Adams Media. Additional writing credits include Lenovo’s Business Insights and Guidance, the Houston Chronicle’s online news site, Chron.com, Livestrong.com and AZ Central. I also blog for Working Mother Magazine’s Mom Blog. I’ve written on a variety of topics that include home budgeting, debt, home business, telecommuting, parenting, motherhood, adoption and more.
I have been working online since 1998 and I have experience managing websites and blogs using WordPress, and writing articles and blog content on a regular basis. I know basic photo, video and audio editing software.
I have a BA in Psychology from Willamette University and a masters in Social Work from California State University, Sacramento.
I have included my resume below.
Please let me know if you need further information.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Leslie Truex, MSW
Resume
Leslie Truex, MSW
Address
Phone
Email
2012 Internet Brands – Writer, Short Term Project: Anxiety
2009 to Present – Freelance Writer
• Small Business and careers for Chron.com
• Small business, financial, health, and adoption for eHow.com
• Diet, weight loss and fitness for LIVESTRONG.com
• Fitness articles AZ Central
2009 to Present – Workforce Adjunct Instructor: Piedmont Virginia Community College
• Courses in home-based careers and writing
2009 Author: The Work-At-Home Success Bible (Adams Media)
2002 to Present – Adoption Social Worker: ABC Adoption Services/Carolina Adoption Services (telecommute)
1998 to Present Online Entrepreneur:
• Coaching, writing, blogging and information products relating to home business, telecommuting and marketing.
Education
1990 Masters in Social Work, California State University, Sacramento, CA
1988 BA Psychology, Willamette University, Salem, OR
Skills
Writing
Internet marketing, blogging, email list building and management, social networking, WordPress, basic HTML, basic Photoshop, audio and video, and website management
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In the above resume, I didn’t include my work experience as a social worker for the health department or as an elementary school guidance counselor because it’s not relevant to the job and it’s work I did over ten years ago. However, when I apply to writing jobs related to parenting, children or psychology, I do include my work experience in social work and list my work duties such as counseling, parent eduction, and paraprofessional supervision. The same is true when I apply to health or fitness related writing jobs, in which case I add that I’m an AFAA certified fitness instructor and that I’ve been teaching fitness courses since 2001 (if I’m paid to exercise, I’m more likely to do it!!). This is what I mean by tailoring a resume to the job. Jobs that require health and fitness knowledge are going to focus more on my fitness background. But as you see in the sample above for a lifestyle/shopping writing job, I don’t mention my fitness background except as experience in writing fitness articles.
For tips on creating a work-at-home resume, check out Work-At-Home Resumes.
For information on how to create an email-friendly resume, check out this video tutorial:
