March **, ****

To Whom It May Concern:

David J. Mitts, Job Applicant, v. Your company, Future Employer

As a future employee I will organize materials, listen and receive clients experiencing painful circumstances, and file court documents ahead of schedule, and at your company I will continue to meet deadlines when under pressure. Academic accomplishments are often the standard rules by which we are judged for employment, and I have demonstrated a high attention to detail and consistency by receiving each of my degrees. This education guided my successful career as a teacher and in business, but I often regretted the decision not to pursue legal studies. In brief, I am excited to move to a more profitable, sustainable, and engaging career at your company, and the following is a summary of 15 years of education and experience as it relates to the paralegal position.

Past achievement is only a piece of the argument of career success. A high GPA, Business degree, and Master’s each called for a great deal of organization. Using Outlook I prioritized assignments before smartphones existed in order to find the extra time to stay ahead of deadlines. Studying abroad in Japan was a great lesson in humility, socialization, and perseverance because it was difficult at first to admit I needed help. Working with others to learn their language was the most important customer service experience I’ve witnessed, and we had great success working together. Subsequently, teaching to an audience of frequently hostile students has refined these skills, and many experiences in education reminded me of my initial interest in legal studies.

Teachers must complete a wide variety of tasks with very little immediate supervision. Using Microsoft Access and Excel, I was able to create a system to track weekly objectives and print them for classroom display. Parents, administrators, and supervisors were impressed to see the graphs of pre- and post data for students. The Access database was recognized by administrators for keeping accurate records of parental contacts with date, time, and content in case of disputes. As a Special Education teacher, I made sure we were compliant with the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and several other laws. Collaboration was essential for creating an effective Individualized Education Program (IEP), and without careful consideration of students, parents, and their lawyers we would have faced court in the form of a due process hearing. Parents were glad to give their input, and by preparing ahead of time I was able to keep meetings positive, respect everyone’s time, and pass every audit. In retrospect, real estate and business clients also appreciated many of the meeting and communication habits I established as a Special Education teacher.

As REALTORS®, we worked with brokers like paralegals work with lawyers on similar tasks. Collecting legal documents is incredibly difficult and requires a lot of forethought, and Exhibit B shows the results when a married couple sold their home in St. Louis from Maryland without ever returning to sign. We owe our clients a fiduciary responsibility so I was unable to tell buyers that a property was weeks away from foreclosure, but with consistent follow-up and marketing we were able to sell above the client’s confidential bottom line. By following the REALTORS® code of ethics, my broker’s advice, and using vigilance we passed every audit. Reviews are available at Zillow.com with a list of some of my sales, or there’s information available at AddMitts2Sell on Facebook and TUMBLR. In summary, your judgment is requested regarding the issue of my employment at your company, and please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns in addition to these facts and applied experiences.

For your Consideration,

David Mitts

Education: Truman State University, Kirksville, MO

Licensed Missouri REALTOR®, attending paralegal certificate at STLCC (expected December 2017)

Master of Arts in Education: Special Education (graduated December 2008)

Certified in Mild/Moderate Cross Categorical Special Education K-12, Middle School Mathematics 5-9

Additional Provisional Certifications available in Japanese Language K-12, Business K-12

Praxis Scores = 185/200 for middle school math on 1/2011

178/200, 182/200 for special education on 11/2007

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration: Marketing (graduated Summer 2005)

Minor in East Asian Civilizations (semester abroad at Hosei University in Tokyo 2004)

Fluent in Japanese, Basic in Chinese

Cumulative GPA: Undergraduate = 3.51/4.00, Graduate = 3.80/4.00

Career Experience

Special Education/Math Specialist, Construction Careers Center Charter High School, St. Louis, MO

Position: Full-time Construction Math and Algebra teacher for students grade 9-12 that prepared IEPs, served as case manager, and taught homebound for students with emotional difficulties after school.

-Created interactive construction and math lessons to appeal to all learners

-Completed 100% of IEP processes for school, family, and student success

-Prevented all due process hearings by making and recording daily contact with parents

Department Manager of Electronics, Wal-Mart., Bridgeton, MO

Position: Full-time middle manager meant to actively approach, recruit, and train new sale associates

while managing inventory, vendor, and customer relationships.

-Trained associates on securing merchandise and using equipment within policy

-Performed daily audits and orders for high ticket merchandise

-Balanced scheduling conflicts to maintain coverage for customer needs

Teacher, Saint Louis Special School District, Saint Louis, MO

Position: Full-time teacher of behaviorally challenged 6-12 graders that prepared IEPs, insured students’ safety and confidentiality, and adapted math lessons for students with different abilities.

-Insured the safety of students by anticipating needs, planning ahead, and using NCI practices

-Challenged students to learn, succeed, and exceed their expectations

-Planned and implemented math curriculum to meet state and district standards

Test Administrator, Truman State University Assessment and Testing, Kirksville, MO

Position: Supervisor for student workers accounted for personnel, prepared rooms and equipment, and monitored the testing environment.

-Administered tests following various organizations policies and procedures

-Maintained computer systems and servers for testing sessions

-Secured sensitive documents for confidentiality

Professional Development

Ranken STEM Academy = Green Houses and Engineering in Your Classroom, 2 classes = 6 CEU credits

SSD teacher mentoring program Academy One = 147.25 contact hours, 10.75 credits

Jim Shipley& Associates Continuous Classroom Improvement = 50.5 contact hours

SED 693G: Internship in Special Education - Full internship during fall semester at Macon High School

SED 608G: Management of Instruction in Secondary and Elementary

-Fall Pre-Internship in PDS partnership at Kirksville School District R-III

-18 total weeks special education experience: 9 in secondary, 9 in grade 5

Collegiate Honors/Awards

Completed the curriculum to receive an Honors Degree (Undergraduate)

Listed on the Dean’s list (7/9) semesters (Undergraduate)

Who’s Who Among Collegiate Scholars, Boeing Business Scholarship, Edward Jones Scholarship