Resume & Cover Letters
A resume with a cover letter is the first opportunity to make a good impression on prospective employers. Learn how to relate your skills and experience to those noted in the job posting, pique the interest of the employer, and answer the question that ultimately matters: will this candidate add value to our organization?
Developing a Resume
STEP 1: Conduct a Self-Assessment
- A self-assessment requires you to think about your skills and experience. Supervising, programming, writing, and drawing are examples of skills that may have been acquired through your education, work experience (paid or non-paid) and involvement in student organizations. Write down your skills.
- Next, list your most recent college(s) attended. If you are a freshman, you can incorporate your high school information. Include your degrees and/or certificates.
- List your work experience along with job duties. Your skills, education, and experience can now be used to write your resume.
STEP 2: Choose a Style
- The two most commonly used resumes are the chronological and combination/functional.
- Chronological Resume: This style places emphasis on work history. Education and work experience sections are presented with the most recent or current education/experience listed first. It works well for those with a solid work history.
- Combination/Functional: The combination/functional resume is designed for the person who has acquired a great deal of experience. This style focuses on the skills and experiences you have acquired and not on the work history. Thus, the work history is listed at the end of the resume.
STEP 3: Organize
Now that you’ve conducted a self-assessment and selected a resume style, you can begin to organize your findings. Start with your contact information at the top of the paper and end with extracurricular activities or other information at the bottom.
- Formatting. Use 8 1/2″ x 11″ laser bond paper, preferably in white, with 1-inch margins all around the edges. The font size should range from 10 to 12 point in such type as Arial, Courier, Helvetica, and Times. Keep the resume to one page for entry-level positions. Run the spell check after your resume is complete, but don’t rely on this tool alone.
- Contact/Heading Information. Include your name, address, phone number and email address at the top of your paper. Make sure to have a professional sounding email address.
- Objective. Your objective should be the specific position for which you are applying. (Example: Entry-level position as an Accountant.) If you do not have a specific position, are applying online or attending a job fair, create an objective that reflects your interests as best as you can.
- Education. List your most recent education first. Also, identify your expected or earned degree and date of graduation and a minor if you have one. Include your GPA is optional. If you attended a community college and earned a degree or certificate, include this information.
- Experience. You can include paid and unpaid work experience in this section. Each listed experience should include five components: 1) your job title; 2) the dates you were employed; 3) the name of the employer; 4) city and state location of the employer, and 5) job duties. Use action words to identify your job duties. An example might be “prepared various documents using Microsoft Word,” “trained new employees.”
- Skills (e.g., computer, language). The ability to speak more than one language and experience with computer software applications or special equipment can be listed in this section. You should use terms like “conversational”, “fluent”, or “proficient” to identify levels of competency. Keep in mind that information on your resume should be honest.
- Honors and Awards, Hobbies, Publications, Research, or Activities and Leadership. This section is optional. However, such information can enhance your marketability. Membership in an on- or off-campus organization and holding an office such as president or secretary can be listed under activities and leadership.
Developing a Cover Letter
The cover letter gives you an opportunity to discuss topics which you feel will be of particular interest to the prospective employer. Use 8 1/2″ x 11″ laser bond paper, preferably in white, with 1-inch margins all around the edges. The font size should range from 11 to 12 point in such type as Arial, Courier, Helvetica, and Times. Whenever possible, address your letter to a specific person.
1st PARAGRAPH
- Introduce yourself and name the position for which you are applying and how you learned of the opening or organization.
2nd PARAGRAPH
- Tell why you are interested in the organization or position.
- Discuss qualifications that would be of greatest interest to the employer, using positive statements about skills and abilities.
- Indicate any related experience, educational background, or specialized training that might increase your employability.
3rd PARAGRAPH
- Reiterate your interest and be positive in your attitude.
- Close by making a request for an interview and provide your phone number.