How to Create a Great Resume

Cover Letter

Make sure your cover letter states the following:

• An expression of interest in the job you're applying for, by stating the title of the position and the posting number if applicable. 
• Your qualification for the job in one sentence: "I have 5 years experience working as an air traffic controller at XYZ airport." 
• Your availability for the job, as in "immediately," or "after (date)." 
• IF the job pays significantly LESS than what you're making now, state that you are able to work for that kind of pay.
• START your cover letter by thanking the reader. They may have read countless cover letters by the time they get to yours, make a good first impression - because you never get a second chance to.
• END your cover letter by requesting an interview. Don't just say, "I look forward to the opportunity," say "I request to interview for this position at your convenience." It's a bold move Cotton, and sometimes it pays off.

Resume

Your resume should not include the phrase "objective statement" or any mention of your objectives. The company is hiring a person because they need a position filled, they're not interested in what you have in mind.

Instead include a 3-5 sentence Professional Summary, using the language of the job posting, explain your qualifications. 

Ten years experience as an FAA certified class 2 air traffic controller, with over five years working at a high-volume international airport. Expert user of OBOE, ACOD, EBE and SACOM software and traditional tracking systems.

Include other information pertinent to the position such as "National Director for Air Traffic Controller's Professional Association, Certified Air Traffic Controller Trainer (expiration date)." 

Finish this off with some dazzling bullshit about how you uphold team goals, communication and ethics to create a winning team.

How to get a Part Time Job

The method:

1. Figure out what kind of part-time jobs you are willing to accept. Try to break it down into 3 categories, such as: restaurant worker/bartender, 2nd shift office job, or laborer. The reason for this is that you will want to tailor your resume and approach differently for each type of job you consider. An office worker resume doesn't work well if you are going for a bartender job or driving a taxi.
2. From your 3 categories, craft 3 resumes that are tailored towards that type of work. Also, prepare 3 wardrobes in preparation for interviews. For an office job you might want a suit, for a bartender/restaurant job, maybe black pants and a black dress shirt or white shirt/khaki pants. If laboring, just dress neat but not over-dressed. (clean jeans, nice long-sleeve with no graphics)
3. Your approach for these 3 categories will be different as well. Use Craigslist, Monster, and other online resources to find leads, but don't underestimate the value of just showing up at a restaurant or business dressed well and with resume in hand. Just ask for the manager or owner, give them your resume and tell them straight-up what you are looking for. This open approach has worked well for me. For office jobs you'll want to go thru the proper channels by properly applying and sending in a resume before showing up.
4. After all that, the rest is just passing an interview. If being over-qualified has been a problem in the past, just tune yourself to focus on expressing your skills and how you can get the job done. Also put a big focus on your reliability. One of the problem with part-timers, especially students, is that they often have weird hours or show up late or other problems. You need to convince your employer that while your school work is a priority for you, it will in no way interfere with your ability to be on-time and do your work.

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