Resume Writing and Cover Letters
Academic Advising and Career Center • (916) 278-6231
www.csus.edu/careercenter
Purpose of a Resume
 To secure an interview
 Focuses relevant skills and
knowledge for audience
 Acknowledges accomplishments
 Tailored to the position for which
you are applying
 Updated throughout college and
professional career
Styles of Resumes
Chronological
Combination
Resume Categories
 Heading
 Objective (optional)
 Summary of Qualifications (optional)
 Education
 Certifications, licenses
 Work Experience, Professional
Experience
 Related Experience
Additional Resume Categories
 Affiliations
 Community Involvement
 Professional Development Classes
 Publications
 Projects and Research
 Workshops/Seminars Conducted
 Interests (work-related)
 International Experiences
Heading
 Name
 Street address
 City, state, zip
 Email address
 Telephone number with area code
 Centered or right justified
Objective
 List the job title, position, or
department to which you are applying;
company name or industry.
 Objective may be omitted for some
purposes, such as a generalized resume
for a career fair
 Avoid wordy objective statements;
simple is better
Objective Samples
Sample Objective #1:
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a position as a Human Resources Assistant with Allison Health, Inc.
Sample Objective #2:
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a position as a Computer Programmer with proficiency in C/C++ and
assembly language noted for producing clean, readable, and imaginative code
Education
 Degree(s)
 Major(s)
 Concentration(s); Minor(s)
 School(s) where you received a degree
 Graduation date
 Overall and/or Major GPA (optional)
 Expected: graduation date
Education Sample
Education Section Examples #1 and #2:
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
Minor: Spanish
California State University, Sacramento, May 2009
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies
Concentration: Public Relations
Minor: Spanish
California State University, Sacramento, Expected: December 2009
Sub-categories within Education
 These provide an excellent way to
highlight information related to your
school accomplishments
 The information should relate to the
requirements of the position in
priority order
Samples of Sub-categories within Education
 Achievements
 Credentials
 Language Skills
 Honors
 Awards
 Related Coursework
 Projects
 Class Projects
 Computer Skills
 Certifications
 Licensure
 Scholarships
Sample of Sub-categories within Education
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, Digital Media
Minor: Computer Science
California State University, Sacramento, May 2010
Honors:
Certification:
Language Skills:
Computer Skills:
Golden Key National Honor Society
C++ Programming
Bilingual and biliterate in Spanish
Microsoft Access, PowerPoint, Excel
Showcasing Your Leadership Experiences
 Awards/Achievements
 Campus Activities: Orientation leader, Peer mentor
 University Service
 Recognition: Senior Sales, Manager, Supervisor
 Program or Project Leader
 Publications
 Organizations, Clubs
 Volunteering
Examples of Showcasing Your Leadership Skills
LEADERSHIP PROFILE
• Three year membership in the Honor Society, including acting as Treasurer
and President for one year
• Five years volunteer experience at Loaves and Fishes
• Three years experience as a recreation leader at the Boys and Girls Club of
Sacramento
COMMUNITY INVOLVMENT
Recreation Leader, Boys and Girls Club, Sacramento, CA 2008-2009
Volunteer, Loaves and Fishes, Sacramento, CA 2005-2010
Examples of Showcasing Your Leadership Skills
ACTIVITES
Treasurer, Queer-Straight Alliance, California State University, Sacramento, CA 2010
Member, Art History Club , California State University, Sacramento, CA 2009
WORKSHOPS PRESENTED
Effective Marketing Tactics, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sacramento State, CA 2008
Career Options, Philosophy Club, Sacramento State, CA 2007
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Leadership Conference, California State University, Sacramento, CA, 2011
School Experiences in Resumes
 Technical skills and knowledge,
 Internships and volunteer work
 Projects, group work, assignments
 Senior project and/or other research


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projects/assignments
Lab courses
Soft skills, such as communication,
leadership, organization, and research skills
Student clubs and organizations
Course content skills and knowledge
Community engagement opportunities
Chronological Resumes
Advantages

Known, Conventional

Good for work history that
relates to the position


Emphasis on job titles and
dates
May not highlight most
relevant skills

Reflects gaps in employment
history
Employer can see job
duties for each position

Disadvantages

May not highlight skills and
knowledge from school and
volunteer work
Combination Resumes
Advantages




Includes skills acquired
from school and other
experiences
Emphasizes skills most
relevant to the position
Underplays chronology,
limited experience, “job
hopping”
Helpful to those who have
limited job related
experience, are
transitioning from the
military, or who are
changing careers
Disadvantages


Employers may be unfamiliar
with style or wary that you are
trying to “fix” something
Employer cannot see job
duties from each position
Work Experience in a Chronological Resume
 In reverse chronological order by date
 Job title
 Company/Organization
 Department/Division
 City, State
 Dates of Employment
 Action-verb sentences in priority order
and written to reflect skills/knowledge
relating to the job
Sample of Work Experience in a Chronological
Resume
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Instructor and Networking Assistant
January 2008 - Present
Technology Resource Center, Hansen University, Happy Valley, CA
• Instructed 120 college students in web-designing and multimedia
video production during the summer.
MIS Intern
Sept 2006 - Dec 2008
Globe Central, Inc., San Francisco, CA
• Installed, configured, enhanced, and maintained computer systems
for the Human Resources Department with 50 employees and
workstations.
Skills Section in a Combination Resume
 Three skill categories that relate to the
position or purpose of the resume
 Always include a Work History section
after the Relevant Skills and
Knowledge section
 The Work History section only
includes the Job Title, company or
organization name, City, State, and
date range.
 The date range can be express by year
only or month and year.
Sample of Skills Section in a Combination Resume
RELEVANT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Program Development
• Prepared and taught health education programs to students in
stress management, relaxation and exercise.
• Implemented a smoking education and cessation program in the
residence halls for freshman and sophomore students; 85% of
students attended.
Management and Supervision
• Supervised a staff of up to 15 personal trainers in a center that
specialized in professional and college athletes.
Project Management
• Directed a 15-person team that conducted a nutrition health survey
of 1,000 school age children, ages 9 – 17.
Action-verb Statements
 Describe skills, knowledge and/or




accomplishments that relate to the
position, industry, department, or
company
Begin with past-tense action verbs
Are quantifiable, if possible
Are usually no more than two lines
Are written in priority order in relation
to the skill set required for the position
Action-verb Statements
The following is an example of an action-verb sentence demonstrating the
progression of creating a sentence from a first draft through a more developed and
comprehensive sentence.
Sample Action-verb sentence #1:
 Taught a technical workshop. (First Draft)
 Designed and taught a workshop on web-based video.
 Designed and taught a 10-week training session for 20 Consulting
Department employees on Web-based Video Production.
Activity
 If you were a group of
employers, what would
you look for in a resume?
References
 References are listed on a separate
page with the same heading as your
resume and include your reference
name, business title, business address,
telephone number, and email address
 Printed on the same paper as your
resume
 Same heading as your resume with a
title, for example, REFERENCES or
Professional References
 Personal references are not acceptable.
Cover Letters
 Are an essential part of your application packet
 Must be written for each job for which you are






applying; avoid generic cover letters
Avoid “essays”; keep your letter simple and
pertinent to the job and/or purpose of the
letter
Personalize the letter by including information
about the position/company/organization.
There are many types of business
correspondence, including cover letters
One page. Keep to a minimum sentences that
start with “I”
Sign your letters in black ink. Use 100% cotton
paper or the same resume paper as your
resume
Letters should have plenty of “open space”
This handout is provided by the Academic Advising and Career Center at California State University, Sacramento and is intended for personal non-commercial use. 2013
Cover Letters
Sections:
 Your name and contact information
 Inside Address: Employer’s name and
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

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company address
Salutation
Body
Closing
Enclosure (Resume)
First Paragraph
 Briefly introduce yourself and your interest in the
organization/position
 Mention how you heard about the position, if someone
referred you, or you met the recipient at a previous
event or meeting
Middle Paragraph(s)
 Highlight your background, with
examples, as it relates to the position
or purpose
 Focus on skills and accomplishments
 What attracts you to the company or
organization
 What makes you unique?
Closing Paragraph
 Appreciation for considering your
application
 How to contact applicant
 Thank them for their time and
consideration
Thank you
The Career Center offers drop-in services
where you can obtain assistance with
questions about resumes, cover letters,
interviewing techniques, and other aspects
of your job search. If you need help
beginning to write a resume or if you have
a draft that you would like critiqued, visit
the Career Center in Lassen Hall.
Thank you, The Career Center Staff