Preparing Your Curriculum

Vitae (CV), Resume

and Cover Letter

Cover Letter
A cover letter expresses interest and
qualifications for a particular position
Personal but professional
Tailored to position/company
Explains how you fit with organization and
how you will help them
Expands main points from your resume
Sells qualifications to the prospective
employer

Cover Letter

Make sure you know:

General job information
Desired qualifications and skills
Key values and words

Research helps you tailor your cover letter

- Look for mission statements, organization

vision, goals, etc.

Cover Letter example

Dear Ms. Anderson:
After speaking with Emily about her past summer in the internship program, I am very interested in your
Human Resources Summer Internship position. I worked with employee benefits this past summer and
became very interested in the human resources aspect. I have obtained many leadership opportunities
while working as a Business Writing Consultant Assistant Coordinator at Purdues Writing Lab that
would be valuable in a career at (Company Name).
As Business Writing Consultant Assistant Coordinator at Purdues Writing Lab, my primary role is to help
train
new tutors for the Writing Lab. I work directly with the Business Writing Coordinator teaching classes and
participating in mock tutorials to allow students to obtain hands-on experience tutoring business documents.
I
also organize educational workshops to refresh the skills of current Business Writing Consultants.
My position as a Boiler Gold Rush Team Leader also challenged me to use my enthusiastic personality to
motivate incoming freshmen to be involved in campus activities. As a Human Resources Intern at Uline,
I could use all of these leadership skills while learning more about recruiting and hiring practices.
Thank you for considering me for this position. I would love to discuss these and other qualifications with
you. If you have any questions, please call me at 765-450-7583 or e-mail me at slo@purdue.edu.

Your Street Address

Make sure you

address the letter
to a specific
person if possible
(preferably the
interviewer)

City, State, Zip Code

Date
Name of Contact Person
Title
Organization
Street Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Ms., Mr., Dr., (etc):

Purpose

Get the readers attention

Introduce yourself
Explain purpose of letter
Explain why interested in the position or the
company
Culture?
Approach?

Explain how you will help the organization

Extra Tips (Cover Letter)

Unprofessional language
Length
- Letter should only be one page
Strongest and most relevant qualifications should be
highlighted
- Limit to a few qualifications
Easy to read
Explain how you will help organization
Proofread carefully for grammatical and typographical
errors

E- Cover letters for CV

(continued)
Send shorter cover letter when asked to
email them.
Use the middle paragraphs to show a
match between job requirements and
your qualifications.
After your signature, list any other
documentation enclosed in envelope:
abstract, writing sample, proposal, CV,
letters of recommendation, etc. For
emailed letters, list attachments with
name.
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What is the difference between a

curriculum vitae (CV) and a resume?
The primary differences between a Resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV) are
the length, what is included and what each is used for.
A resume is a one or two page summary of your skills, experience and
education. While a resume is brief and concise - no more than a page or two,
a curriculum vitae is a longer (at least two pages) and more detailed
synopsis.
A curriculum vitae includes a summary of your educational and academic
backgrounds as well as teaching and research experience, publications,
presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other details.
In Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, employers may expect to receive
a curriculum vitae.
In the United States, a curriculum vitae is used primarily when applying for
academic, education, scientific or research positions. It is also applicable
when applying for fellowships or grants

What does Curriculum Vitae

mean?
o A personal and professional summary of your
background and qualifications.
o It usually includes information about your
education, career objectives, work experience,
activities, awards or honors, and any other
special skills you might have.
o Essentially, it is your passport to securing a
great job

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What does a Resume Mean?

Resume
A document that highlights experience and training
related to a particular position. Used to locate a
position outside academia. Needed for applying for
non academic jobs.
Limited to two pages (one page is preferable for new
professionals)
Contains primarily relevant information.
Pitched to a particular job

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Basic rules for Resume construction

General advice:
Use techniques to help the reader find
relevant information easilypositioning/key words.
Create a professional product that reflects
your skills and abilities.
Have your CV reviewed by others.
Keep your CV current and ready to share
at all times.
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Must Avoid

1. Spelling Errors, Typos and Poor Grammar

2. Too Duty-Oriented
3. Inaccurate Dates or None at all
4. Inaccurate or Missing Contact Information
5. Formatting
6. Functional Resumes
7. Long Resumes
8. Long Paragraphs
9. Unqualified Candidates
10. Personal Information Unrelated to the Job

CV: Style and Form

Style and form of CV
No limit on number of pages
Each page, following the first page, should be
numbered (3/4, 4/4).
Put your name on each page.
No job objective is necessary.
May include names, addresses and other
identifying information for references at the
bottom of CV.
Use reverse chronological order within categories.
Use formatting techniques such as indenting,
uppercase, bold and italics consistently.
14

CV: Style and Form cont.

Dates: line up in column down left or
right side of page.
Use same font throughoutconservative.
Proofread!
Use high quality, white or off white
paper for your CV.

15

CV: Style and Form cont.

Educational background should have a
prominent place on the CV following
contact information.
Include all degree granting institutions in
reverse chronological order. Include
dissertation, thesis topics and advisors. Entire
committee- optional.
Honors and Awards category may follow
Education or may follow Research.

16

How to write your C.V and Resume

(1)
At the very top of your resume
Put your name, address, email address, and phone
number(s) at the very top of your resume
Jonathon Ray Leeves
ineedajobnow@saclink.edu
2120 Howe Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95828

Home: 916-386-2525
Cell: 916-947-0404

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Objective Statements
(2)
Avoid Being Too General:
A position utilizing all of my skills,
experience and knowledge
Be clear and concise:
A position as a copy editor for (News paper) allowing me to
develop my journalism skills.
To utilize my restaurant service training
as a general manager of Red Lobster

Education
(3)
For recent college graduates and students applying for internships, this is
an important section.
Only include high school if you have not received a higher degree or taken
any college courses.
Until your work experience is more impressive than your education, this
category should be the second section in your resume.
Academic and scientific professionals typically place education before
experience on their CVs.
GPA
-Not necessary but can be helpful
-Only use if equal to or higher than 3.0
-You can highlight your major GPA
Recent graduates or students still in school should include extracurricular
activities, projects, or academic achievements

Education Examples
MA in Communications, May 2004.
California State University Sacramento, Sacramento, CA.
Deans List, GPA: 3.9/4.0

BS in Business, Concentration: Marketing

Expected Graduation: May 2005.
California State University Sacramento, Sacramento, CA.
Major GPA: 3.7/4.0 GPA: 3.2/4.0

Recent graduates may make the Education section the centerpiece of the
resume by including ongoing projects, concentrations and relevant courses

Work Experience & Qualifications

This section should either follow Education or come before, depending
on which section features your strengths more prominently.
The goal for this area is to stand out among the other applicants and
to persuade the employer that you are the ideal candidate for the job.
Include the positions you have held that are related to the job you
are seeking.
These positions may include paid positions, as well
as internships, volunteer jobs, or appointments.
Be creative with this part of the resume by describing and
emphasizing your experiences in the most logical way
possible

Work Experience
What information do I include?
Include company name and location, job title, dates, and
duties performed.
Make this section clear, concise, well-spaced, organized, and
use bullets.
Use action phrases to highlight the responsibilities you
have performed:
-Managed -Initiated
-Planned -Designed
-Oversaw -Followed through with
-Responsible for
-Programmed
-Coordinated -Created

Specialized Skills
This is usually the final section of the resume,
therefore its important to leave a lasting
impression.
Sometimes people place the Skills section
before Work Experience.
Include skills such as computer knowledge,
foreign language expertise, military service,
musical abilities, or anything else that separates
you from the crowd

References
References may or may not be
included in your resume. Keep in
mind, some companies will not read
more than one page. Its acceptable
to just write:
References are Available Upon
Request

Reference Sheet
Include name, address, email address and phone number
of each reference.
Make sure you ask permission from your references before
including their personal information on reference sheet.

Dr. James Mallard Former Physics Instructor

Shasta Hall, Room 5
College of the Siskiyous
Weed, CA., 96094
530-938-4461
Mallard@siskiyous.edu

(CV & Resume) Production and

formatting Considerations

Create different versions of your (CV & Resume)

so you are prepared for sending it in different
forms, as per requests.

Paper
Good quality bond- white or off-white- no
linen threads to impede duplication, scanning
or faxing.
Use bold print and capitalization; avoid
underlining and italics or fancy fonts
because they scan poorly.
Use Times New Roman as your font.

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Caveats

Caveats for (CV & Resume) preparation and

dissemination:
Follow directions!
If you fax or email your (CV & Resume),
follow up with a hard copy of your (CV &
Resume) on good paper. This shows an extra
measure of interest.
For email: carefully label each attachment
Keep extra copies of your (CV & Resume)
with you at all times for networking
possibilities.
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Caveats (continued)
Avoid personal information: date of birth, marital
status, health, children, religion, or a photograph.
Only information directly related to your eligibility for
the position should be included.
Please note that some countries require personal
information on an applicants (CV & Resume).
Include a cover letter or electronic cover note with your
(CV & Resume).
Be accurate; proof read carefully; have at least two people
check over your documents, ie. your advisor; a professor,
etc.
Dont rely exclusively on spell check.

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Suggestions for (CV & Resume)

distribution:
Distribution of (CV & Resume)
Use white or off white paper without linen threads or water
marks
No staples- use paper clips
Mail flat in a 9x12 envelope
Make sure cover letter mentions all enclosures under the
signature
For emailing, make sure cover letter mentions
attachments

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Different Types of Resume Formats?

You will use before you begin the resume
writingprocess. Depending on the type of
job you are applying to, different resume
formats may apply.
The four standard types of resumes include
1) chronological,
2) functional,
3) combination,

Chronological
A chronological resume starts by listing out your
work history, beginning with your most recent
position first and continuing in reverse
chronological order. To supplement each position
listed, key accomplishments and qualifications are
included to give potential employers a sense of
the kind of work you have done in the past and
what you are capable of doing. An Education
section follows, including the schools you
attended and when, degree(s) earned, your
major(s)/minor(s), and any honors or awards
received

Functional
A functional resume focuses more on
the skills you have acquired rather
than a listing of positions you have
held. Functional resumes usually
highlight a few key areas of
experience and list responsibilities
and accomplishments for each
experience area. These skill clusters
should be specific and filled with lots
of context, as well as targeted to the

Combination
A combination resume is a hybrid of
chronological and functional
resumes. Skill clusters with
accomplishments are listed first,
followed by a work history section in
reverse-chronological order. The work
history section need only be your job
titles held, name and location of the
companies, and your dates of
employment