When starting to look for your next internship, job, or other experiential opportunity, it is important to be prepared and equip yourself with the right materials. Stand out with a professional resume and well written cover letter, and impress employers with your strong interviewing skills. Learning how to network is also a tool that will play a significant role in your job search and will open doors and create opportunities.
A resume serves one purpose—to get you an interview. Most recruiters only spend 30-60 seconds reviewing your resume, so a good resume will say a lot with only a few words. Your resume should represent your skills and your career potential, but it should also convey your personality and tell your professional story.
Curriculum Vitae (CV): A CV is used by students seeking fellowships, grants, postdoctoral positions, and teaching/research positions in postsecondary institutions or high-level research positions in industry.
LinkedIn is a way to network with employers, mentors, professors, alumni, peers, or other people in your industry.
Digital Portfolios are a way for students to showcase their digital work. ePortfolios can be used as an extension of a resume to market yourself to prospective employers.
A cover letter is a targeted letter that introduces you and your resume to a specific prospective employer. Cover letters are often required by employers as part of a job application along with a resume and sometimes, work samples. Even when not specifically requested by an employer, they are highly recommended.
Introduction: The heading of a cover letter details both your contact information and your employer’s contact information. Start with your contact information, then post the date followed by the employer’s name, title and full address.
Section One: Briefly introduce yourself. If you are writing an application letter, state the specific position you are applying for.
Section Two: The body paragraph is where you describe your qualifications and why you are interested in working at their company.
Section Three: The last paragraph is the part of the cover letter that is most important for conveying your professionalism and show your appreciation for the opportunity.