Indiana University South Bend

Résumés

• The résumé is a personal marketing tool that outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see at a glance how you can contribute to the workplace.
• The most effective résumés are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the employer’s stated requirements for the position.
• While you may have all the requirements for the position, your résumé may be overlooked if it does not clearly identify these requirements.
• The more you know about the duties and skills required for the job, and organize your résumé around these requirements, the more effective the résumé.

Cover Letters

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is an introduction of your interests, skills and abilities to an employer based upon their company’s employment needs. A cover letter also lets the employer know what position you are applying for and how you are qualified for the position.

Cover letters serve many purposes including highlighting your relevant skills and experience, indicating information your résumé cannot portray (career changes, gaps in employment history, etc.), functioning as the “job objective” on your résumé, and providing the employer a snapshot of your personality.

Cover letters should accompany every résumé that is sent for a position or possible positions. Even when a cover letter is not specifically asked for, send one anyway. In fact, few employers will seriously consider a résumé that is not accompanied by a cover letter; therefore, an effective cover letter must be incorporated into your job search strategy to increase your chances of being invited for an interview.

Résumés and
Cover Letters

Specific. Career.

Résumé Writing

• Types
  
• Do's & Don'ts
  
• Myths
• 5 Steps to a Winning Résumé
• Action Verbs
• Additional Tips
  

Cover Letter Writing

• Basic Structure
  
• Types
  
• Tips
• Handling Salary Requirements

• Résumés and
  Cover Letters Home