Tips for writing a resume and cover letter

Now that I am a junior in college, I can see that two important documents that every student must have are a resume and cover letter. A resume and cover letter are like your golden ticket to your dream job or internship. I learned that lesson in high school. When I was a senior, I had a hard time finding a summer job. At first, I just completed the required applications but after a week of searching with no interest from employers, I began to hand out my resume with the application even though most of the places I was applying to did not require one. Sure enough, I received a phone call saying I was hired and one of the reasons why was because of my resume.


No matter how outstanding your accomplishments may be no one will ever know about them if you don’t promote them effectively in a cover letter and resume. Even if you are not the most qualified applicant for a job or internship, the simple fact that you have a well written resume and cover letter may make the difference between you getting the job or not.

Below are some basic tips for resumes and cover letters:

• Limit your resume to one or two pages

• Limit the length of your cover letter to one page approximately 3-5 paragraphs

• Include specific examples in your cover letter to illustrate your skills and background

Career Services is the perfect place to go to clean up your resume and cover letter!

• Come to a Resume Writing Clinic to learn the details of building an effective resume

• Call or stop by to make a 30 minute appointment with one of our Career Advisors

• Come to Express lanes for a quick 15 minute review of your resume or cover letter