Resume and Cover Letter

Preparation Bank of America

Career Services Center University of Delaware

The most important part…

• Make it large

• Use a bold and attention-grabbing,

but still PROFESSIONAL font

Contact and Personal Information

• MUST INCLUDE:

– Phone

(specify cell or home)

– Email

• MAY INCLUDE:

– Permanent Address

– Local/Campus Address

– URL to a Professional

Website or Networking Site

• MAY NOT INCLUDE:

– Birth Date

– Social Security Number

– Citizenship Status

– Age

– Marital status

– Religion

– Photograph

Objective

• OPTIONAL

• Recommended only if you can make it specific

“To obtain the position of Summer Research Intern at

Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals for the Summer of 2012.”

• Generic objectives are NOT recommended.

It is better not to have one at all.

Education Section

Fill in the blanks…

University of Delaware, Newark, DE

Bachelor of ____ in _______________ May ____ Minors: _______________________ Concentrations: ________________ GPA: (optional) /4.0 Major GPA: (if asked for or if better) /4.0 Honors: (Dean’s List, Merit Scholarships, etc.)

What’s The Most Important Part

of The Education Section?

• A lot of people say “University of Delaware”

• Your DEGREE is equally if not MORE important…..

• Try bolding or italicizing it to draw attention

Skills Section

• Should I put this in my skills section?

– YES. As long as it can be backed up by something in

your experiences section later.

• Format ideas…

What are “Skills”? • Technical Skills

– Windows and/or Mac

– Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PP, etc.)

– Field-Specific Programs (Python, MatLab, etc.)

– Lab Equipment/Procedures

• Language Skills

– Basic Knowledge, Conversant, Fluent, or Native

• Certifications/Trainings

– CPR, Lab Safety Training, Human Subjects Training

• Transferrable Skills

– Debate whether to list these or not, up to you

Experiences Section

Multiple ways to lay this out…

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

VOLUNTEER

EXPERIENCE

LEADERSHIP

EXPERIENCE

RELATED EXPERIENCE

WORK EXPERIENCE

More on Each Experience… Position, Institution, City, State, Dates

• For formatting consistency:

• Position=Degree, Company=University

• Date formats:

February 2011 – May 2011 Summers 2009-2011

September 2011 – Present Can use abbrev.s

What About The “Descriptions” Part?

• What did you do?

• How did you do it?

• What were the results?

• Use specific numbers if you can.

EXAMPLES:

“Worked closely with a team of business leaders to save the company $36,000 in excess expenditures.”

“Provided excellent customer service to an average of 600 patrons per week.”

“Shadowed physicians during their daily rounds.”

Other Sections You May

Include… • ACTIVITIES

UD Swim Club, Sept 2009 – Present

Delaware Repertory Dance Company, Feb 2010 - Present

• AWARDS AND HONORS Mock Trial Team, 3rd Place at Nationals, Feb 2011

Merit Scholarship, Sept 2009 – Present

Dean’s List, Fall 2009 and Spring 2010

• Any combination of these sections

References Section?

• NO.

• Your resume is not the place for references.

• You may include a line like:

• If the employer asks for a list of references, include

it as a separate page.

FAQ

• Do I include High School stuff?

– It is acceptable to include high school information until

you are a Junior. After that, keep it only if it is especially

important to you or especially relevant to the job you are

applying for.

• It should be one page right?

– Yes. Make it one page.

• Should I include an “interests” section?

– Usually no. There may be exceptions depending on the

job type and what your goals are.

• Where do I put my Study Abroad info?

– You may include this as a separate line in the Education

section underneath your UD info.

• Should I list relevant courses?

– You may list these in Education if you want to or if the

employer asks. But please only put RELEVANT,

UNIQUE, and APPLICABLE coursework. Do not list

“Introduction to Engineering”.

• Third person right?

– Correct. There should be no first person. The Cover

Letter is the place to recount your experiences in first

person and relate them to the job you are applying for.

Reminders… • Be consistent both in format and in wording.

• No typos or grammar errors.

• No color or distracting boxes and formats.

• Avoid underlining, graphics, icons, shading, and

shadowing.

• Font should be between 10-12 for the body.

• Take advantage of widening the margins if you

need space.

• If you change margins or use different fonts always

save as a PDF and upload that copy.

Cover Letter

• A business letter that accompanies your resume

• Address it to a specific person

• No more than one page

• Don’t be pushy or assuming

Cover Letter • THE MAIN POINT: Elaborate on a few of the

experiences in your resume. Relate what you learned

there to how you are qualified for the job.

• First paragraph: Who are you? Why are you writing?

• Second and Third paragraphs: Elaborate on your

education and one or two experiences.

• Final paragraph: Thank the reader. Give contact

information. Mention that you are hoping for the

opportunity to interview.

Need More Help?

• The Career Center has a Resume/Cover Letter

handout with specific samples.

• Additional on-line assistance is available at

http://www.udel.edu/CSC/resume.html

• Resume critiques are available for free every

weekday from 2-4pm at the career center.

THANKS!

GOOD LUCK!

Thank You!

And Good Luck!