McNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY
Many employers will ask you to include a cover letter along with your resume when applying for a job or internship. A cover letter is intended to provide an employer with more information on your specific skills and experience, and what makes you qualified for a job. Rather than repeating the information contained in your resume, think of your cover letter as an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to employers in a more personalized way than a resume allows.
To apply for a job, it’s nearly always necessary to have a resume, whether you’re applying in person or through an online listing. Your resume is a brief overview of your personal information relevant to employers, including your educational background, employment experience, training and qualifications, personal achievements, and other information relevant to the industry or role.
Your resume is your personal advertisement and has the tremendously important job of making a first impression on your behalf. It does not need to tell your life story, but it should make an employer say, “I want to talk to this person!”
On average, prospective employers spend only 6 seconds on a preliminary evaluation of each resume, so when you’re writing your resume, it’s important to focus on both brevity and impact.
A basic, professional resume should have the following information:
All information should be presented in the past tense and should use action verbs. For example: Lead six classmates in group assignment; Reorganized facility records; Supervised one other employee; etc. Unless you have an extensive and relevant work history, your resume should be no more than one page.
These sample resumes are just a starting point for your own resume.
Need more help writing your resume?
Make an appointment with the Career and Student Development Center today!
Ms. Anna Grace Bizzle is an Academic Advisor for the College of Nursing and Health Professions. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Secondary Education from Mississippi State University. Her favorite part of advising at McNeese is being a resource for students as they get used to the expectations of college and helping students pursue their degrees at such a wonderful school.