Resumes and Cover Letters

Think about order

• While your “Education” section should be at the top, you can change the order of your other sections
• Within each section, be sure to order your experiences in reverse chronological order

Proofread

• Your resume is a sample of your work – make sure to proofread so that you can highlight your attention to detail

Represent yourself honestly

• Always share your experiences in an appropriate and accurate way

While everyone’s resume will be unique to them, most students will have the following sections on their resume:

• Header
• Education
• Skills & Strengths

Some other possible resume sections include:

• Project Experience
• Work Experience
• Relevant Experience
• Leadership Experience
• Volunteer Experience
• Extracurricular Experience
• Honors and Awards

As previously mentioned, creating a targeted or tailored resume can benefit a job seeker by ensuring they have communicated their skills and experiences in a way that aligns with what an organization’s job description. Tailoring a resume is one way to make sure that the applicant tracking system scanning the resume is able to determine that the candidate is qualified for the position; it also makes it easier for the person reading the resume to understand exactly how the job seeker’s experiences fulfull the employer’s requirements.

Tailor your resume by:

• Identifying keywords from the job description and use them to describe your experiences
• Reflecting on which of your qualifications align with this position and make sure to include them on your resume

Want to learn more about applicant tracking systems? Check out page 26 in The Mines Strategy for more information. 

 This is your introduction paragraph. You want to include your major/degree and institution, the position you are applying to, and why you are interested in the company or role. When you talk about why you are interested, it should be about them and their company. You will have plenty of time in the rest of the cover letter to talk about you and your skill sets.

The second paragraph if your opportunity to highlight skills and abilities for the role. You want to be specific, selective, and focus these to the job description. It should not be a restatement of your entire resume, but some key highlights that will make them want to view your resume.

You can do this paragraph in two formats: either as a written paragraph or bullet points. How do you decide? Generally, when you use a bullet point format, each bullet point is a separate statement, skill or experience. If the skills you want to highlight are interconnected, you might choose to use a paragraph format. For example, maybe your cornerstone project is the best example of you using the skills necessary for the role. In a paragraph you would write about that experience, highlighting each piece that connects to the role.

Think of this paragraph as the “what else?” paragraph. This is an optional paragraph that is an opportunity to share one more things about your experiences and skills for the role.

Maybe you’ve been highly involved on-campus and they are looking for demonstrated leadership. Or, you have a special certification that is a preferred qualification for the role. This can be anything you believe the employer needs to know about you that could help you stand out for the position.

You always want to have a nice wrap up to your cover letter. You want to thank them for their time and express your excitement to speak more about the position. Conclude your cover letter as you would any letter or email – with a ‘Sincerely’ (or similar sign-off) and your signature.