Resumes & Cover Letters

Resume Basics

Resumes highlight and capture your experience(s), education, and skill(s). Your resume acts as a first impression piece, allowing you to introduce your qualifications to the employer, and it is an important component in landing the interview.

Tips

  • Remember the following words when constructing your resume: concise, consistent and relevant. 
  • Recommended length of resumes is 1-2 pages. For most undergraduate students, we recommend one page of content. Two pages is acceptable in Education, Government, Healthcare, and Nonprofit industries, and for experienced individuals.
  • Avoid use of templates to optimize the space on your page. It is easier to start with a blank Word document, where you can add the content first, and then go back to adjust formatting and visual appeal. Reminder: Font can be as small as 10 point and margins as small as .5.
  • Use simple font styles, i.e., Cambria, Times New Roman, Garamond, Arial, and Calibri
  • Please do not use headshots or professional photos on your resume, as your resume acts as an objective document. Headshots and professional photos are more fitting on platforms such as LinkedIn and Handshake.

Resume 101

Resume Outline

List of Strong Action Verbs

Cover Letter Basics

The purpose of a cover letter is to convey motivation and passion for a position of interest. It is an opportunity for you to elaborate on your experiences and skills, as mentioned in your resume. While your resume acts as the objective piece, your cover letter can be subjective, with use of personal pronouns. Be sure to update and personalize your cover letter for each role you are applying to and remember to utilize positive and confident language.

Tips

  • Use the same font style as your resume for means of consistency.
  • Include up to one page of content using block style (e.g., no paragraph indents, left aligned on page).
  • Address the letter to a specific person in the organization or utilize "Dear Hiring Manager.” Please avoid use of “To Whom It May Concern.”
  • Attach the cover letter and resume as separate documents when emailing your documents and write a brief message referencing your attached materials

Cover Letter Outline

Samples

Resumes:

Cover Letter:

Document Feedback

Once you have created and/or updated your document to align with best practices, we recommend having it review by the office. First impressions matter, so it is important to put your best foot forward!

Resume Review Options: 

  • Get instant feedback through AI Resume Review on Big Interview
  • Schedule an appointment via Handshake
  • Come by Drop-In Hours – no appointment needed. Hours vary by semester, click here for the current schedule.

Cover Letter Review Options: 

  • Schedule an appointment, through Handshake account, to meet with a staff or student staff member.
  • Come by Drop-In Hours – no appointment needed
  • Email your cover letter to cdc@wcupa.edu (note that emailing is not an option for resumes) and include the position description for the opportunity to which you are specifically writing your cover letter.

Handshake Process

Document Upload

Students and alumni can upload necessary documents to their Handshake account by selecting their profile in the upper right-hand corner and clicking ‘Documents’. Here you will be able to add Resumes, Cover Letters, Transcripts, or Other Documents that may be requested by an employer for an application. We encourage you to upload files in PDF format.

Documents uploaded to Handshake will NOT be automatically reviewed in the system.  Please see 'Document Feedback' section above for details on how to get your document(s) reviewed.