Resume and Cover Letter Guide

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Resume & Cover Letter Guide

INDEX

1. Career Center Overview for This Guide……………………………………...Pages 1-2

2. Resumes vs. Curriculum Vitae………………………………………………..Pages 3

3. Overview of Resumes………………………………………………………….Pages 3-9

4. Resume Samples……………………………………………………………….Pages 10-13

5. Resume Checklist ……………………………………………………………..Pages 14-17

6. Overview of Cover Letters……………………….……………………………Pages 18-20

7. Cover Letter Sample…………………………………………………………..Page 21

8. Cover Letter Checklist………………………………………………………...Page 22

9. Career Center Contacts……………………………………………………….Page 22

CAREER CENTER OVERVIEW FOR THIS GUIDE

This guide focuses on providing an overview of resume and cover letter tips. Throughout our

overview, we acknowledge the general differences between resumes, which are focused more

on experiences and industry achievements as well as curriculum vitae (CVs), which are

focused more on academic pursuits and research or publications. Please note that exact

content and format of your resume and cover letter will vary by industry, years of experiences,

and purposes for writing. The ultimate goal is for you to be “career ready” by writing precise,

concise, and relevant documents for your field of interest and career pursuits from

networking to job shadowing to internships to employment.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), “career readiness

is a foundation from which to demonstrate requisite core competencies that broadly prepare

the college educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management... Career

readiness is the foundation upon which a successful career is launched” (NACE: “What Is

Career Readiness?”).

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At Suffolk University, we are dedicated to the success of our students and alums, and we 
believe every graduate should engage in the following to be career ready:   
•  Ongoing Career Planning 
•  Articulating Professional Value 
•  Building Social Capital 
•  Social Identity Reflection 
•  Experiential Career Development 
•  Strategic Career Transitions 
 
We acknowledge that the word “professional” or “professionalism” has been used in ways 
that perpetuate systemic bias and inequity. We strive to empower seekers to recognize the 
importance of context and make informed decisions based on their background, goals, and 
priorities. We welcome you to have a conversation with us regarding “professionalism” and to 
access our resources on Equity and Access. 
 
Being career ready requires inquiry and inventory of your goals, interests, priorities, strengths, 
and areas of growth. Being career ready encourages ongoing reflection and exploration. Being 
career ready strategizes your next steps as you learn more about yourself and the organizations 
you aspire to join. Writing detailed and strategic resumes and cover letters are ways you may 
embark on your journey to career readiness!  
For more information, make an appointment with a Career Advisor through the Career 
Center or email [email protected] today! 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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RESUMES VS. CURRICULUM VITAE

Generally, when networking and applying for positions outside of academia, resumes are

customarily used in the United States of America (U.S.); this includes networking,

internships, and formal employment opportunities. However, internationally and even

domestically the terms resume and curriculum vitae or “CV” are often used interchangeably

for shorthand. When determining which you will need for your career interests or

application purposes, review the differences above. Please note that graduate school

applications, including doctoral programs, may be willing to accept both types of documents

and will often be looking for research and publication achievements, so it is important to

prepare a curriculum vitae accordingly.

OVERVIEW OF RESUMES

Your resume should be designed to catch the interest of your readers, distinguish you from

other candidates, and generate an interview. Just as an advertisement cannot say all things to

all audiences, a resume cannot be so general that it is appropriate for all jobs.

It should be focused and targeted to a specific audience whether that be an admissions

committee for a graduate school application, a prospective employer, or even a new

networking lead.

While planning and writing your resume, you will need to research your targeted field and

particular positions of interest, look closely at job descriptions or program missions, and use

Resumes

•Most relevant experiences

•1-2 pages in length

•Focus on industry or job-related skills

•Highlight related work experiences

Curriculum Vitae

•Whole course of your career

•4-10 pages in length

•Focus on academia

•Highlight research, teaching, publications

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keywords and phrases you find to describe your knowledge, experience, and activities. You

should pay special attention to the transferable skills and competencies desired by your field

of interest.

You may find it helpful to have a few versions of your resume that you will use to target

specific employers or types of positions.

General Guidelines

• Focus your resume on quantifiable accomplishments and results.

• Use action verbs to describe your achievements. Read on for samples!

• Keep the resume to 1 page with recent and relevant roles but no more than 2 pages.

• Ensure that it is error free by avoiding grammar, spelling, or formatting mistakes.

• Save as a .pdf to ensure no formatting conversion errors but keep a .doc/.docx version.

Please note that certain employers use Applicant Tracking Systems or Resume Parsers, which

are software that screen candidates based on document content, matching language from a

candidate’s specific skills or achievements to the language of the job description (i.e. KEY

words or themes that repeat throughout).

Some of these systems may require or function more accurately in screening candidates

through a .doc/.docx format. Alternatively, if no preferences exist, .pdfs will ensure there are

no formatting conversion errors when your readers access your resume using different

systems and computers as well as more protection against document alterations.

If explicit instructions have not been provided to you for the employer’s preferred format,

consider including both formats as long as the application fields allow multiple uploads.

However, if you are submitting your resume via email, then you may consider more simply

and securely using a .pdf format.

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Presentation

• Incorporate 0.7 to 1.0 margins on both top/bottom and left/right margins.

• Use different font styles consistently to emphasize different headings vs. subheadings.

• Capitalize formal titles from degrees, employers or institutions, and roles held.

• Ensure consistent spaces between entries and sections; minimize to save space.

• Add month and year ranges for all entries (ex: Sept. 2020-May 2021).

• Use key words and phrases appropriate to your field, including skills and experiences.

Content

• Contact information: identify preferred name, phone number, email, LinkedIn, and

personal webpage address (if available), and physical address (if relevant). Omit

personal details such as date of birth/age, country of origin, social security number for

resumes in the U.S.

• Summary: summarize your qualifications and career goals which may include a

specific job title or target industry in 3-5 lines of text; this may take the place of an

objective statement that targets a specific type of position or exist in addition to it as

long as the content of each is not redundant.

• Education: list most recent or advanced degrees first, including certificate programs,

study abroad, or other trainings.

• Honors: identify any awards or honors, including merit or academic recognitions as

well as scholarships.

• Experience: list in reverse chronological order (i.e. most recent first), include

accomplishments and results, work activities, and responsibilities. Your experiences

may be broken down into multiple sections such as employment, related work

experiences, leadership, community outreach or service, teaching, research, etc.

• Skills: include a separate section highlight technical, software, language, laboratory,

and other industry-specific expertise. You may include these in list format but note

proficiency levels where applicable from beginner to intermediate to advanced to

native or fluent, especially for languages.

• Professional affiliations: note any professional associations related to your major or

employment objective with which you have engaged for networking, continuing

education, or specific career development.

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Please note that even though some samples or resources may suggest including a “References”

section or statement on the resume, you are not required to include one. Typically, employers

and program admissions will ask for references when applicable separately, so you do not

need to occupy space on the resume to acknowledge this.

Creating a Summary Section

A summary consists of two to three sentences detailing what you have to offer an employer or

program in terms of knowledge, skills, and experience. It also conveys what kind of candidate

you are. Here is an example:

SAMPLE 1: Certified paralegal with legal experience ranging from personal injury, immigration law,

criminal law, business litigation, and international arbitration. Experienced legal researcher and

writer with excellent oral and written communication skills. Fluent in French and Spanish.

Summary sections on resumes are a marketing tool that enable you to highlight your most

important qualifications. Summaries are used as the first section of a resume, and they

function as a mini advertisement for the other sections that highlight the specifics of your

different experiences. For those with a diverse background, a summary helps you guide the

reader towards understanding the many parts of your story!

To create your summary, collect job postings to understand what hiring managers find

desirable for the types of positions you seek or will eventually seek. Then review your past

positions and accomplishments and develop a list of your matching qualifications. If you are

targeting 2-3 different types of positions or industries, you can create different resumes with a

targeted summary for each.

Keep your summary brief and avoid listing vague skills or clichés, such as “team player with

excellent communication and interpersonal skills.” Instead, provide facts about your work

history or training that would entice your reader to contact you. Consider including a

bulleted list of 4-6 areas of expertise.

Any claims that you make in the summary section should be supported by examples of

accomplishments in various roles in the rest of the resume; otherwise, they will not be

convincing.

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More sample summary statements include the following:

SAMPLE 2: Healthcare industry professional with product marketing, market research and clinical

management experience. Proven strengths in:

Strategic planning

Project management

New business development

Problem resolution

Analytic assessments

Collaborative teambuilding

SAMPLE 3: Ten years of consultative account management experience in identifying new clients,

analyzing customer needs, proposing business and technology solutions, and negotiating and

overseeing the placement of new products and services.

SAMPLE 4: Creative entrepreneurial executive with comprehensive management experience gained

in both business start-up and Fortune 500 environments. Industries include financial services,

computer sales and product distribution, and telecommunications. Demonstrated success in:

• Creating new business ventures

• Securing venture capital

• Implementing and managing sales and marketing strategies

• Managing large departments

Action Words

Lead with active verbs to describe your experiences and accomplishments. The following is a

brief list of verbs you may use to guide your resume descriptions. Such active verbs often not

only mark technical achievements, but also your interpersonal, organizational, and

leaderships skills.

• accentuated

• accomplished

• accelerated

• achieved

• acquired

• adapted

• addressed

• adjusted

• administered

• advanced

• advised

• aligned

• altered

• analyzed

• anchored

• anticipated

• applied

• arranged

• articulated

• assembled

• assisted

• audited

• balanced

• brainstormed

• briefed

• budgeted

• built

• calculated

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• cataloged

• centralized

• coached

• collaborated

• collected

• compared

• compiled

• composed

• computed

• condensed

• conducted

• consolidated

• constructed

• contracted

• converted

• coordinated

• crafted

• created

• critiqued

• cultivated

• decreased

• demonstrated

• designed

• determined

• developed

• devised

• differentiated

• directed

• discovered

• displayed

• documented

• doubled

• drafted

• edited

• eliminated

• encouraged

• enforced

• engineered

• enhanced

• established

• evaluated

• exceeded

• expanded

• explained

• forecasted

• formed

• founded

• generated

• guided

• hired

• implemented

• improved

• informed

• insured

• interpreted

• interviewed

• launched

• led

• leveraged

• maintained

• managed

• marketed

• mastered

• measured

Bullet-Point Description Statements

Accomplishment statements go beyond just describing your experience or what you did in a

job or internship. Accomplishment statements show your effectiveness and success as a

candidate who solves problems (P) using specific actions (A) that lead to results (R). When

writing accomplishment statements, use the PAR system:

Problem

•Identify the problem

encountered (e.g.,

process, procedure,

personnel, etc.)

Action

•Note specific action(s)

taken to addres or

resolve the problem

Results

•Highlight what results

you achieved through

your taken actions to

fix the problem

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Read below for more specific examples that may come up in your resume – how they may

have been framed more simply versus more strategically upon PAR revisions!

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RESUME SAMPLES

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RESUME CHECKLIST

Formatting & Mechanics

☐ Resume is 1 page without appearing too dense (or 2 pages depending on experience and

industry; check with a Career Advisor if not sure whether this applies to you); margins are no

smaller than .5 inches.

☐ Font size is 10-12 point and is uniform throughout the resume. Recommended font styles

include Garamond, Arial, Calibri, Georgia, Times, and Helvetica.

☐ Use of bold, italics, underlining, and capitalization is consistent per purpose (e.g.

showcasing role titles in bold as a subheading) enhancing appearance and readability.

☐ Each education and experience entry is consistently formatted and includes: school and

name of degree for education, employer and job title for experience, locations (city,

state/country) as well as date ranges (typical month and year) for all entries.

☐ List degrees and experiences in reverse chronology (current to oldest) in each section.

☐ The document has been reviewed at least once or twice for typos, accuracy, and formatting.

Contact Information

☐ Resume includes accurate phone number, email address (school or personal – whichever

you plan to check most frequently for your career pursuits), physical address (city, state and

zip code – especially if you will be relocating while applying), and LinkedIn page.

☐ Links for a personal website or professional website are included if relevant to the industry.

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Summary or Profile Statement

☐ Statement communicates your interests and major qualifications to the employer.

☐ Significant 2-3 skills and/or experiences for the role are highlighted in the statement.

☐ Statement is concise – no more than 3-4 sentences.

Education

☐ Education is generally the first section or the next section to appear on the resume after

your summary or objective statement.

☐ Any honors/awards may be included (e.g. Dean’s List, scholarships, GPA over 3.0, etc.).

☐ Each educational institution attended after high school is listed. Freshmen and

sophomores may include high school; juniors and seniors typically do not but certain private

or specialized high schools (IB, international) are an exception.

☐ Study abroad is listed (institution, country, courses, and dates of study) if applicable.

☐ Degree titles are written formally avoiding abbreviations and including major(s) and/or

minor(s).

☐ Specific coursework is optional and/or can be a separate section. Only list selected courses

relevant to a position sought.

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Experience

☐ Can be divided into different types (e.g. employment, leadership, community outreach,

experiential learning, research, even career-related shadowing or assisting for those pursuing

healthcare, etc.) to best highlight your skills and achievements.

☐ Include paid, volunteer, intern, and course-based experiences related to position sought.

☐ Each entry must include 4 items: employer/organization name, job title/role, location (i.e.,

city, state or country), and date range.

☐ Select and integrate a consistent bullet point style to lead your description of role

accomplishments and skills; aim for 3-5 bullet points depending on the relevance of the job.

☐ Start descriptions with a variety of active verbs: present tense for current work; past tense

for completed work.

☐ Emphasize quantifiable achievements as much as possible (e.g. percentages of growth or

increases in sales or operations; increases in Social Media followers for new branding

initiatives; numbers of procedures shadowed or assisted, etc.). Remember that your readers

have not lived your experiences, so don’t take what you may think of as “smaller” details for

granted! If you are struggling to note achievements through your experience, then highlight

interpersonal skills in this section (e.g., how you established teamwork, communication,

organization, work ethic, etc.)

Skills

☐ Skills are identified by category such as technical, software programs, language, laboratory,

and/or industry specific such as research or clinical, etc.

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☐ Proficiency level is included for languages (e.g. native, fluent, advanced, intermediate,

proficient, beginner). Be sure you accurately express your proficiency level for interview

follow up.

☐ Remember to refer to your resume skills as you develop reflections in your cover letter

and/or during the interview process with specific situations and experiences. These will serve

as your road map for later highlights of your experiences and qualifications.

Additional Reminders

☐ Make sure date ranges for activities and other involvements have been listed for all entries.

☐ Document does not include use of personal pronouns (e.g., I, me, we) or subject

statements such as “I …” Narrative language such as this will be integrated in the cover letter

instead!

☐ Remember to review your document for spelling, typos, and other mechanics.

☐ A list of references should NOT be included in the resume, nor should a reference

statement. You may create a separate document for this using the same formatting and layout

of your resume (contact information header, heading and subheading styles, fonts, etc.) to

provide to employers when asked.

☐ Save multiple formats of your resume, including .doc/docx/.pdf and upload the

appropriate format based on the application instructions. If explicit instructions have not

been provided to you for the employer’s preferred format, consider including both formats as

long as the application fields allow multiple uploads.

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OVERVIEW OF COVER LETTERS

The primary purpose of a cover letter is to indicate your interest in a particular position or

employer and to highlight the skills, knowledge, and qualities in your background which

relate to your pursuits. While a resume is a technical overview of your achievements, a cover

letter is a narrative approach to provide meaning to your distinct experiences in pursuit of

your next goal. For some applications, employers may not require cover letters or even

provide an additional upload option separate from the resume. There are other times when it

might be best to have your cover letter in the body of an email to an employer with your

resume as an attached .pdf. When in doubt but an opportunity presents itself to add an additional

document to your candidate profile, you should include a cover letter.

Presentation

The structure of the cover letter should represent a 1-page business letter, including a header,

recipient, 3-4 paragraphs of content, and a sign-off salutation.

Your Header

•

Can be the same header you use for your contact information in your resume

•

You should put the date on the letter along the left margin

Employer Information

•

Hiring Manager’s name if known

•

Hiring Manager’s title if known

•

Company name if known

•

Full street address of company if known

•

All information should be aligned along the left margin in letter format.

Salutations

• Open your letter with “Dear…”

• Close your letter with “Best/Regards/Sincerely…”

• Sign off with your name and/or relevant titles or degrees: i.e. “Anastasia Sivak, MSW”

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Content

The cover letter is an opportunity to promote your skills, the relevant achievements you have

had thus far, and the way that you will give back to your prospective community. Consider a

4-paragraph structure where you introduce yourself and why you are writing; describe your

qualifications dynamically and concisely, quantifying accomplishments as much as possible;

identify what you value about the pursuit at hand; and close with your gratitude for the

opportunity. It is important to not only capture your story and your interests, but also reflect

from the perspective of the employer: focusing on how your skills and expertise would be

value added to their community.

Remember, as you determine your highlights, the employer has your resume as a companion

document to look at for other information about you. Avoid discussing points that are not

connected to the most important needs of the employer and do not list your achievements in

resume format, simply copied and pasted into the letter. This will read redundantly! To begin

strategically:

1) Read through the description and list the major needs or requirements indicated.

2) Prioritize your list according to what you perceive is most important to the employer;

the more a skill or qualification is repeated in a description, the more likely it is a

priority for the employer!

3) Address the top 3-5 needs in the letter, in order of importance, by relaying how or why

you meet each need through connecting your relevant skills, experience, or

accomplishments.

First Paragraph: The Introduction

•

Introduce yourself and identify why or for what role you are writing.

•

State how you learned about the position.

•

Identify why you are interested in the position or employer.

•

Indicate what qualifies you for the position as a preview of the next paragraphs by

listing 2-3 key skills or qualifications you possess relevant for the role.

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Second Paragraph: The Evidence

•

Choose 1-2 experiences, courses, or projects that support your strength for the role and

connect reflections of those individually with the needs of the employer based on the

job description.

•

Provide specific examples of how you have fulfilled similar requirements or

responsibilities in the past, highlighting your results and achievements and making

your skills transferrable this way.

Third Paragraph: The Connection

•

Identify specifically what you know about the employer (their mission, brand, values,

etc.) and how that excites you given your experiences and interests.

•

Make explicit how you will support, enhance, and/or innovate within such a setting.

Final Paragraph: The Wrap-Up

•

Reiterate your interest in the position.

•

Note your preferred method of follow up (email, phone, etc.).

•

Thank the employer for their time and consideration.

Process

As you write the cover letter, be sure to build in time for review. It is important to draft the

content in at least two stages: first where you focus on content first to make sure nothing

relevant has been missed and second where you focus on ensuring appropriate formatting and

mechanics – no typos!

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COVER LETTER SAMPLE

Introduction

Evidence

Connection

Wrap up

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COVER LETTER CHECKLIST

Formatting & Mechanics

☐ The final cover letter reads at 1 page, 3-4 paragraphs and includes your contact information

header for brand consistency with your resume.

☐ The letter is addressed to the correct person with their correct title. If there is no person

listed, you may use a general term such as “Dear Hiring Manager.”

☐ It does not repeat everything listed on your resume but focuses on what is most relevant.

☐ The letter is personalized to the employer and the specific job with concrete examples of

how you can fulfill the most important needs for the role in formal letter format.

☐ The letter includes why you are sincerely interested in the job or employer and how you

heard about the position.

☐ There are no spelling or grammatical errors or typos.

☐ Electronic versions are saved and delivered as .pdf or .doc/.docx depending on the

application requirements and online application system compatibility.

CAREER CENTER CONTACTS

Department Line: 617-573-8480

Department Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.suffolk.edu/career-center

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suffolk_careers/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sucareers/