With summer right around the corner, many of us are applying for internships and new employment opportunities hoping to land our dream job. However, the thought of competing against possibly hundreds of other applicants can be quite intimidating and stressful. Set yourself apart from the crowd with a stellar, impressive resume and land the internship or job you’ve always dreamed of!
The first step to creating a standout resume is creating a cover letter. Never heard of such a thing? If so, you are not alone. Many college students have no idea what a cover letter entails, let alone to include one when submitting a resume. Seeing as many students do not include a cover letter, this will be sure to set you apart from the crowd. A cover letter is a basic overview, listing the skills you posses that will be beneficial to the company you are applying to and informs the company why you are interested in working there. Also, there should be a heading at the top of your cover letter that includes your full name, home address, email address and phone number. A heading will help the company easily located your name and contact information. A cover letter should always be addressed to whoever will be interviewing you, but no first names should be used! Always begin your letter with “Dear Mr. or Ms. So-and-so, it sounds much more professional. Be sure to sign your cover letter as well, with pen and in formal cursive.
In your actual resume, it is important to continue with the same font and heading you used in your cover letter. This provides uniformity throughout and gives a more professional look. Many will say the more information, the better when it comes to resumes, but the opposite is true. Companies do not have hours upon hours to go over your resume, so just include the really significant highlights, such as education, leadership roles, previous job experience relating to the position you are applying for, and a couple of activities you are involved in. Keep all job experience and activities you have been involved in within a two year period. Most likely, the person reviewing your resume does not care that you participated in girl scouts 15 years ago. Also, be sure to keep your resume one page long. Anything longer is too lengthy and rather unnecessary.
Finally, it is vital to include a follow up after sending your cover letter and resume. A thank you letter will set you far above any regular applicant and is the most sincere form of respect and gratitude. Regardless of whether you are offered the job or not, thanking the employee who reviewed your resume is essential. This person could possibly benefit your career sometime in the future and you do not want to burn any bridges along the way. Keep the letter brief, thanking the person for taking the time to review your resume and consider you for the position. This is a level of professionalism any company will surely be impressed with.
Applying for a new internship or job can feel overwhelming at first, but you do not want to miss out on a great opportunity because of an undeveloped resume. With these simple tricks, you’re sure to stand out among the midst of typical, college applicants.