Career Development

Resumes & Cover Letters

Students and alumni pursuing internships, full-time jobs, and graduate school will find that there are a number of documents required throughout the process. The Career Guide is an excellent resource to get you started, providing tips and samples for the various documents you will need to create throughout your search, including resumes, cover letters, reference sheets, and thank you notes. 

Schedule an appointment with a Career Coach for help with building and tailoring your documents. 

SAMPLE RESUMES BY CAREER CLUSTER

Below, you will find sample resumes organized by career cluster. Please use these samples as a guide for brainstorming what types of experiences you might include on your own document. Keep in mind that major does not always equal career, and some of these resumes are great examples of that! By looking at the samples, you should be able to figure out what types of opportunities the author is using their document for.  

  • Elena Xavier | Majors: Criminal Justice and Psychology | School Year: Junior 
  • Howard High School | Major: Political Science | School Year: Freshman 

DOWNLOAD A RESUME STYLE GUIDE TO GET STARTED! 

Check out the resume style guides below and pick one to download and begin filling in to get started on your resume. Use the Career Guide for guidance on your content. Each one of these formats has been proven to be effective with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which are software applications that the majority of employers use to screen resumes. 

Is your current resume ATS-friendly? Consult the Resume Checklist to find out! 

SAMPLE CVs

What's the difference between a resume and a CV? A CV is typically a longer document, as it presents the full history of your academic credentials, including things like publications, presentations, and conferences. CVs are commonly used in academia. By comparison, the resume presents a more concise picture of your skills and qualifications for a specific position, so it tends to be a shorter document. See a couple of sample CVs below! 

COVER LETTERS

For information on what to include in your cover letter, check out page 10 of the Career Guide to get started. See below for a few sample cover letters to demonstrate how to effectively tailor your letter to the position you are applying for and for suggestions on how to organize your document.  

  • Blue Blob | Major: Exploratory | School Year: Freshman
  • Zach Musketeer | Major: English | School Year: Sophomore 
  • Paige Muskie | Major: Graphic Design | School Year: Recent Graduate
  • Elena Xavier | Majors: Psychology and Criminal Justice | School Year: Junior 

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