Resume, References, & Cover Letter Guide

• Your name: Should be larger and bolder than the rest of your resume.
• Current or permanent address.
• Cell phone number.
• Email address: Now is the time to create and use a new email address outside of "@mcdaniel.edu." Use your email provider of choice (such as Gmail) to create a professional email address to use for job applications. YOURNAME@gmail.com is the best way to go.
• Webpage address (if relevant): This can be your personal website, your LinkedIn profile, or a link to your online portfolio.

Required:

• Name of degree-granting institutions with most recent first.
• Degree received (such as Bachelor or Arts) and major.
• Graduation date with month and year (or dates of attendance if a degree was not completed).
• Overseas academic experience (such as study abroad, dates, name of specific program/university abroad).

Optional:

• Minors, specializations, or focus areas.
• Honors and GPA (only if it enhances your resume).
• Relevant courses (a maximum of five with specific course name (Professional Communication) and not course code (ENG 2212).
• Senior capstone project title and description.
• If seeking particular certification after graduation, consider including relevant information. For example, if CPA-bound, include “total credits: 150.”

A summary of experience and accomplishments including jobs and internships. List the most recent first and include:

• Position title.
• Name of company or organization.
• Location of company or organization (city and state).
• Dates worked (month and year).
• Descriptions of skills utilized, responsibilities, and accomplishments using action verbs. Use present tense for current positions only.
• Believable, verifiable, and quantifiable accomplishments. For example, “Managed $100,000 budget.”

Click here to learn more about writing accomplishment statements. 

This section should include campus involvement, volunteer work, and athletics. Follow a similar format as the work experience section of your resume in this section.

Headers can include:

• Skills: Use the section for hard skills such as computer programs/software, technical skills, etc.
• Languages: Highlight any foreign language skills and differentiate if you have a basic understanding, are conversant, or are fluent.
• Interests: This information primarily serves as a conversation starter between you and an employer. List no more than three interests (such as finance, marketing, and travel).

• Ensure fonts are large enough that they can be read and margins are between 0.5 and 1.0 inches.
• Save completed resumes as a PDF to ensure formatting is maintained when submitting electronically.

It's always best to defer to what an individual job or internship application is requesting. In some instances, an employer may specify they do not want cover letters with applications. If one is requested with your application, do not skip it. If it is unclear whether it's required and may be optional, it may still be a good idea to include a cover letter to help your application stand out.

Each should be one page long. Include only the most relevant information for the job you are applying for. Going over one page might be a sign that you're including too much. McDaniel's CEO can help you get a second perspective on what to include and how to fit it into your resume and cover letters.

We recommend you skip the objective statement. Objective statements briefly describe your intent in applying to a position. Most hiring managers find them redundant. If this information is needed, describe it in your cover letter.

In some ways, a resume and CV are very similar documents since they include relevant information about you and your background. However, a CV (curriculum vitae) is often longer than one page and includes more information about academic pursuits like research, publications, presentations, etc. Most people don't need to create CVs, but you may need to do so if you are applying to graduate school or applying for work in academia (such as a adjunct professor).  

The format of your cover letter will resemble a formal letter, with a greeting at the top and your name signing off at the end. You can also include the name and address of the employer and your own name and address at the top. The letter should be addressed to a specific individual who is hiring, whose name may be included in the job posting. For examples, you can find our Resume, References, and Cover Letter Guidelines on the CEO portal page or contact McDaniel's CEO for a copy.

Usually three. If one of your references is not responding, you may need to supply another. 

If you have an in-person interview, it can be a good practice to bring paper copies of your materials to share with interviewers. At the very least, you'll have a copy of your own resume and cover letter in front of you to easily reference as you talk. Even if the interviewers have their own, it shows you are prepared and anticipating what might be needed. Usually you will know how many people will be interviewing you beforehand, but bringing extra copies will cover you if more individuals than expected are present.