Resumes and CVs

Résumés and CVs

Résumés and cover letters are key elements in executing an effective opportunity search. Whether you are looking for a part-time job, internship, volunteer experience, graduate school acceptance, or full-time work, you will most likely need to create and maintain strong professional documents in order to apply.

Résumés are professional documents that introduce an employer to your skills, experiences, and professional history. Cover letters, on the other hand, provide an introduction to employers regarding your interest in a position—or in being considered for potential positions—and your perceived fit with a job and organization.

Employers often review résumés and cover letters in less than one minute. You may have the best personality in the world or possess exemplary professional skills, but if you can’t sell yourself on paper, you’ll never get the opportunity to show an employer why they should hire you.

Your résumé:

• is a marketing tool used to briefly highlight your educational background, experience, and skills.
• must be well written, concise and organized to be effective.

There are several types of résumés: Chronological, Functional, or Combination. There is no one correct way to write a résumé. It depends on your unique education, experiences, and skills.

The Office of Career and Professional Development has both online tools and in-person assistance that can help you to develop your professional documents. See below to get started!

Getting Feedback on Your Documents

Once you have a draft, a second set of eyes is one of the best ways to strengthen it. You have two great options—and they work even better together.