writing your resume & cover letter

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RESUME SECTIONS

PROFILE/BIO

  • Be concise and accurate (keep under 3 sentences).
  • Write a concise summary or objective statement that highlights your key skills, experiences, and career goals. Tailor it to the specific job you're applying for.
  • If applicable, clearly note the role you are applying for/have most experience in (e.g. Product Designer, Design-focused Software Engineer, Social Media Manager, etc.).

SOCIALS

  • Email, phone number, linked-in profile, personal website or any other social media handle that maybe be relevant to the position/company you’re applying to.

EXPERIENCE

  • Example of the framework: Company Name, Your Role, Key Highlights — Date on the right.
  • Put your latest experience first.
  • Concisely write your responsibilities and accomplishments in an easy to skim bullets or short paragraphs. Start each sentence with a strong action verb that supports the skills you are highlighting (e.g., Lead, Managed, Created, Conducted, Developed).
  • Avoid listing your duties. Prioritize highlighting the successes and initiatives you have taken.
  • Where possible, quantify your results in past experiences to show your impact in your role.
  • Possible framework: results or what you achieved + compared to before or why your efforts were necessary + the actions you took or skill(s) you applied.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

  • If applies, list volunteer experience or projects you are proud of.

SKILLS

  • Skills, languages, software, tools.
  • Make sure the skills you display relate to the requirements of the job.
  • If applicable, include soft skills that showcase Emotional Intelligence.

EDUCATION CERTIFICATIONS and AWARDS

  • Do not disregard the value of this section. It gives insight into things you care for and are interested in — which could weigh in on your alignment with the company culture or colleagues.

Resume Design

  • Use clear, bold headings; include enough white space to improve readability; be selective with the experiences you include.

SEE EXAMPLES HERE

COVER LETTER + Passing the interview — the key here is research.

  1. Start by thoroughly reading the job description. Dissect the ask, and understand what is required from the job. Then, highlight the skills and qualifications that the company is seeking in a new hire on your resume.
  2. Research the company that you are applying to, with a particular focus on understanding their mission, vision, and values. You can usually find this information by looking at their website, LinkedIn and Glassdoor profiles, other social media accounts, and press releases or media mentions.
  3. Research the team you would be working with or the person interviewing you.

COVER LETTER TEMPLATE

Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],

As a [relevant experience/role], I have [number of years] experience working or studying in [relevant field of experience].

In my current/previous role at [Company Name], I have developed strong [relevant skills] through [accomplishment or project]. Additionally, I have experience in [related experience or skill] and [related experience or skill]. As a result of my time spent at [Company Name], I was able to [how company was impacted by the value you brought].

I am particularly drawn to [Company Name]'s mission and values, and I am excited about the opportunity to work with such a talented team. I am impressed by [specific aspect of the company or project the team you want to work with is working on], and I believe that my skills and experience make me a strong fit for the team.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing my qualifications further and learning more about this opportunity.

Sincerely / Kind Regards / Best,

[Your Name]

COVER LETTER EXAMPLES

See specialty Cover Letter examples here.

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ID tip: If you're really interested in working for a specific company, consider writing a proposal that highlights gaps in their operations and suggests ways to fill them. You differentiate yourself by giving more than what you are asked for and showing you’ve done due diligence in understanding the company and its competitive advantages. Alternatively, you can hire someone online to tailor your resume or portfolio to fit the ATS guidelines, which most recruiters use nowadays to find the best candidates.

*ATS (Applicant Tracking System) guidelines for CVs (resumes) generally refer to the best practices and formatting recommendations to optimize your CV for electronic scanning and parsing by these systems.