Resume and Cover Letter

This is your first impression! Introduce yourself. 

• Who are you?
• What is your passion? 

Catch the reader's attention with a quote from a boss, client, etc. about your abilities, a statistic that shows your abilities... etc. 

 

The employer gave you a job description that outlines their needs in that position. Write your experiences, in relation to their needs.

• How do you meet their needs?
• Why should they hire you?
• What do you offer that they would benefit from?
• How do your experiences meet the job requirements?

Your cover letter in general should be 1 page or less. Remember this is your introduction, you want to provide enough information to convey your interest and qualifications but not overwhelm a hiring manager with pages and pages of information.  A good general rule is to write no less than 1/2 a page and no more than 1 page. 

There are some exceptions to this like Federal cover letters which tend to be longer due to other requirements, always read the job description. 

 This is a business letter hence, the language that you use is important.

Stay away from slang and always spell out acronyms at least once before using it in a sentence. 

• Check your grammar!
• Read your documents. 

You can always go to the UAF Writing Center for a grammar and language check

Need a step by step guide? Download our template:  Download the Cover Letter Template

These sites have great articles and examples for you to follow: 

• Cover Letter Writing Guide 

• Resume Template (be sure to make a copy) 
• Font should not be smaller than 10pt. 
• Make sure to choose a professional looking font like Garamond, Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, etc. 
• Use no more than 2 types of font
• No photos
• If you use color, use it minimally. Limit yourself to 1-2 colors
• Use bold and italics to differentiate jobs, workplaces, or sections of your resume
• Use bullet points to highlight job accomplishments
• Make sure your contact information is professional
• Prioritize content
• Resume Writing Guide
• Resume Checklist
• Resume Trends to Ignore
• Best Resume Writing Tips
• How to Write a Resume for Veterans

• An objective tells the employer want you want, while a summary or profile summarizes your relevant skills and shows how you can help the employer. There may be times when either is appropriate but, it is always good to show how you specifically meet the employers needs! 
  Objective: Looking for an exciting and challenging job that will allow me to showcase my communication skills. 
  Summary/Profile: Enthusiastic and proactive communication student with 3 years of marketing, design, and communication skills. Expert problem solver, detail oriented, and goal driven.
• How to Write a Powerful Resume Summary

• Generally, an undergraduate or recent graduate student’s resume should be 1 page
• When an individual has 5-10 years of experience then their resume can be 2 pages.

HOWEVER, length can also be determined by relevancy.  If you can fill 2 pages with relevant information (connecting to the job description) 2 pages may be appropriate.

• Keep High School Education on your resume until you have gained another degree: i.e.. an associates, bachelors etc.
• Include your current degree on your resume with your start date and expected graduation date listed. *You can write the date alone or add “Expected Graduation Date: (Date).”

• Underneath each job list relevant (to the job description)  experiences that you have had in other positions.
• Use action verbs to start each statement. Be consistent in your tenses. Another option is to place words like Successfully in front of the action verbs.
• Instead of posting duties, post accomplishments which show what you did and the result. Accomplishments are quantifiable.  
  Duty: Planned Events as needed.
  Accomplishment: Planned and presented 3 events for Senator Dan Sullivan which included writing speeches and coordinating with various businesses and organizations.
• Quantify when possible: Designed and Implemented a business plan that increased productivity by 35%
• Resume Action Verb List
• Top Skills to Place on Your Resume
• Military Crosswalk Search