Resumes And Cover Letters With Samples (Page 2 of 27) in pdf

A Resume and Cover Letter—Your Marketing Team

Effective resumes and cover letters are essential partners in your job or internship search. The cover letter

introduces you and your resume to the reader, and the resume gives a more complete overview of your

experience and qualifications. Together, these important marketing tools show where the match is between

you and the position description and determine if you’ll be interviewed.

Your resume and cover letter must be geared to your audience. Before you start writing:

Assess yourself. Know what skills and experience you bring to the table. Come talk!

Research the field so you can use its keywords in your resume and cover letters, important whether

your docs are being scanned by computer or read by a person. Consult our guide, Your Job Search.

Analyze the description of position for which you’re applying. Notice the key skills and competencies the employer

seeks. Identify specific examples in your resume that match these qualifications and stress these in your letter.

Guidelines on cover letter writing begin on page 6.

Getting Started on Your Resume

Whether writing your first resume or updating a previous one, it may help to begin with a master list of all

your jobs, internships, campus and community activities, special courses and projects, schools attended,

interests, travel, and skills. All this will not end up in your final resume, but you want to be sure you don’t leave

out anything important. A professional resume is likely very different from your college application version.

Length

One page is standard for most fields and for most students and recent graduates. This is especially important

for business, technology, or communications firms (advertising or publishing, for example). Employers in many

other fields appreciate a concise and attractive one-page resume.

A longer resume is appropriate for certain applicants and fields. For teaching, a two-page resume is

acceptable if you have significant related experience. For fellowships, grants, or research jobs, you may need a

Curriculum Vitae, or C.V. A resume for federal jobs is often longer than one page. Speak with a career advisor if

you have any questions about what format is appropriate for your needs.

Format

Avoid templates or resume wizards. Your goal is to have your resume stand out in a positive way, and

template resumes often appear identical to those of many other applicants.

Arrange your education and experience in reverse chronological order, present to past. This lets your reader

easily see your current and recent background. You may also use categories relevant to your audience, for

example, Public Relations Experience, Laboratory Experience, and so forth.

Some fields require specialized resume formats. A C.V. may be needed for research, science positions, or

fellowships. For C.V. guidelines, please see Curriculum Vitae for Academic or Research Roles. Acting,

performance, or studio arts majors should consult Resumes for Actors and Artists. Note that many U.S.

employers asking for a C.V. may actually want a resume.

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