Résumé and Cover Letter Guide

people working on printed resume and laptops

The Career Center has developed a complete Résumé Writing Guide to help you get started. Your résumé is the first step of your internship or job search. Your résumé does not get you the job, but hopefully a well-written résumé will get you the interview!

Résumé Guide

Résumé Resources

What is a Résumé?

Résumés are simply what people use to get jobs, right? Wrong! A résumé is a one or two page summary of your education, skills, accomplishments and experience. Your résumé’s purpose is to get your foot in the door. A well-written résumé does its job successfully if it gets you an interview.

To prepare a successful résumé you need to know how to review, summarize, and present your experience and achievements on one page. Unless you have considerable experience, your résumé should be one page only.

Your résumé is your ticket to an interview where you can sell yourself!

How to Prepare an Effective Résumé

Résumé Essentials

Before you write, take the time to do a self-assessment on paper. Outline your skills and abilities, as well as your work experience and extracurricular activities. This will make it easier to prepare a thorough résumé.

The Content of Your Résumé

1. Name, Address (optional), Telephone, Email Address
  - All of your contact information should go at the top of your résumé.
  - Your name can be bold and larger font. Avoid nicknames.
  - Use a permanent physical address.
  - Choose a professional sounding email address that includes your name.
2. Objective (optional)
  An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you are hoping to do.
  - Be specific about the job you want. For example: To obtain an Analyst position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills.
  - Tailor your objective to the employer — objectives may change. Exact job titles may be stated. For Example: To obtain a Research Analyst position.
  - An Objective is always optional. If not specified by the employer, you do not need one.
3. Education
  Undergraduates or new graduates without a lot of work experience should list their educational information at the top of the résumé. Alumni can list it after work experience. Necessary information to include is name of institution, location, type of degree, and major.For Example:
  Hunter College, City University of New York
  Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Expected June 2019
  Minor: Psychology, GPA: 3.34If you have limited work experience relevant to the desired job, you may also include Relevant Coursework in your Education section. Relevant Coursework should also always be listed when applying for an internship.
4. Experience
  Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills and responsibility. Use action words to describe your job duties and connect them with specific outcomes. Include your work experience in reverse chronological order — that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first job. Make sure your job descriptions begin with verbs, in the past tense for past jobs and in the present tense for present employment. Your verbs should take the form of the first person, meaning an imaginary “I” before each action verb (i.e. Maintain or Maintained).For Example:
  
  Insurance Agent | January 2020 - Present
  Smart Way Insurance Brokerage Group New York, NY
  - Assist in the implementation of computer and network system for new location.
  - Report claims to insurance companies and follow up with clients
  - Facilitate in-person and online insurance policy sign-ups for auto, home, and commercial insurance

Keep in mind that employers value all kinds of experience. You can discuss internships and volunteer positions. You don’t need to limit yourself to paid work experience.

Skills
This section is reserved for technical and language skills. List out all of the computer packages and software you have knowledge of using and your skill level in any foreign language (that is not English). You can also include any technical skills specific to a particular industry.

Do not include soft skills, such as communication, detail-oriented, and self-motivated.

Additional Categories (optional)

- - Leadership Experience
  - Extracurricular Activities
  - Volunteer Work
  - Special Research Projects

References
Do not include your reference information on your résumé. You may note at the bottom of your résumé (centered): References Available upon Request.
Always ask people if they are willing to provide a reference for you before you give out their names.

Five Tips for Effective Résumé Writing

Do the basics and pay attention to detail! Proofread for spelling, grammar and tone and be consistent with your formatting.
Construct an effective résumé. Organize your information in a logical fashion and keep descriptions clear and to the point. Be specific. Also, use a simple, easy to read font.
Focus on what you bring to the employer, not what you want from the job.
Highlight your skills by connecting your actions to results.
Be Professional. Have a professional email address and message on your voicemail.

Congratulations! You’ve written your résumé. Now it’s time to have it reviewed by the Career Center to help you perfect it!

Cover Letter Guide

How to Prepare an Effective Cover Letter

Cover Letter Essentials

The goal is to provide information that will make employers want to read your résumé. Your cover letter should communicate enthusiasm for the desired position and be short and to the point!
You should only submit a cover letter if requested to do so by the employer in the job positing.

The Content of Your Cover Letter (Typically Three Paragraphs)

First Paragraph

This is your purpose for writing. It should express your interest in the particular type of job or position. If a reference number is listed for the position, include the number and where you came across the position. (For instance: I am extremely interested in the Part-Time Bookkeeper position, Reference Number 7783, that I found listed in CareerHunter.)

Second Paragraph

The second paragraph contains much more substance. It highlights those positive characteristics that will be of particular interest to the employer. Research the company and review the job description in order to connect your specific experience and qualifications to the skills and capabilities the employer is looking for in a candidate. It can also help to indicate a familiarity and alignment with the company’s mission.

Third Paragraph

This is your closing and states your interest in meeting with the prospective employer to discuss your skills further. Thank the hiring manager for considering your candidacy.

Formatting your Cover Letter

Your cover letter should be formatted as a business document:

Include your name and information at the top of the letter.
Aligned to the left, indicate the date, followed by the hiring manager’s information and the company’s address.
Do not indent paragraphs.
Single space the entire document, with an extra space in between paragraphs.
Keep it to one page.
Include a greeting and closing (e.g. Dear Hiring Manager and Sincerely).

Five Tips for Effective Cover Letter Writing

Do the basics. Proofread for spelling, grammar and writing style and be consistent with your formatting.
Use transition words and phrases (e.g. Additionally and As a result) to create logical
connections between your sentences and paragraphs.
Integrate language from the job posting to make your experience more relevant. Focus on what you bring to the employer, not what you want from the job.
Avoid using negative language (e.g. although, however). Focus on the positive characteristics you can bring to the job.
Avoid redundancy and repetition. Make sure you are saying what you need to say using straightforward and understandable language.

You are probably aware that writing a quality cover letter can be a difficult process! Make sure you do your research, look at plenty of examples, and have your cover letter reviewed by the Career Center!