“Your focus should be in promoting team RESULTS and not the individual achievements of your players. This is the time to be selfish and not a team-player.”

TSR Staff

We have had the opportunity to review the resumes of college coaches. The pattern we noticed is that most coaches over-emphasize the individual achievements of their players. There is little focus on how the coach themselves contributed to the player achievements.

The proper way to structure a Coach Resume is by documenting TEAM RESULTS over individual player accomplishments. For example, this is how I would write a portion of Ken Norton, Jr.’s resume (former linebackers coach for USC  now with the Seattle Seahawks).

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Assistant Coach (Linebackers)

- Responsibilities included the teaching of defensive pass-coverage schemes in preparation for upcoming opponents.

- Coordinated daily practice sessions to mimic game-day scenarios.

- Evaluated the weekly performance of all players. Made personnel adjustments as necessary based on these evaluations.

RESULTS:     2007 Football Season

                             Point Allowed (Ranked 3rd nationally).

                             Pass Defense (Ranked 2nd nationally).

                             Accolades (Three 1st Team All-American honorees, “Butkus” award recipient)                                                  

This is just a preliminary example as how a coach should structure his resume. You will notice we mentioned nothing about Brian Cushing, Ray Maualuga, or Clay Matthews, Jr or their personal achievements (All former USC linebackers). What we did was document the accomplishments of the defense as a whole which illustrates the abilities of the coaching staff. Player accomplishments should be used by the player individually and not the coach.

DISCLAIMER: The above description of the “Linebacker Coach” position is preliminary. We will always contact the customer when clarification of previous employment experiences is warranted.

A Cover Letter should not repeat the same information listed on the Resume/CV.

- TSR Staff

One of the biggest and “most popular” mistakes job seekers make in the Cover Letter is to recite that already expressed on the Resume/CV. This is not a productive technique for a job candidate. To a prospective employer, the Cover Letter should illustrate how one would create added VALUE to the company if given the position.

First, tailor the Cover Letter for a “specific” job position (Never use a “standard format” or template where you only switch names, dates and addresses). A good Cover Letter will make an applicants skills and the job description parallel to one another. This is the VALUE element.

The employer should see an instant contribution from the applicant after reading the Cover Letter. There must be an immediate connection between the following: applicant, specific job position, employer.

TIP: The Cover Letter should not address an applicants desire for change in environment or need for added experience. Both will come across to an employer as being self-centered.