Cover letters and resumes are not written the same way in all cultures. Employers in the U.S. have very specific expectations. If they don’t find what they are looking for, you likely will not get an interview. Learn how to make your cover letter and resume stand out from the others and land that interview!

1. Laurence José, PhD
Grand Valley State University
Career Documents
Cover Letters and Résumés

2.  Responses to a job ad
 Two facets of the same argument
 Ways to establish a first impression
 Persuasive documents
Definition

3. Identify potential job ads
Analyze the ads
Tailor your application
documents
Submit
Get an interview!
Process
Research each
company

4. Write ads
Publish ads
Eliminate more résumés
Read résumés
Contact you!
Process (from the employers’
perspective)
Read to
eliminate
résumés
Forward résumés
to secondary
audiences

5. Planning effectively
 Research your audience
 Analyze the ad
• Write down keywords and make a list of skills
• Identify what in your experience can serve as
an illustration for the skills required for the job
(evidences)
• Strategize to tailor your documents to the
specific job

6.  “Looking for an individual with excellent
communication skills and customer service
experience. Experience in developing public
relation materials required.”
 Evidences:
o I have maintained a 3.9 GPA while working in the
writing center and participating in several
professional student organizations. I also worked
part-time as a waiter (communication, time
management, customer service).
o I have designed and written newsletters, fliers, and
instructions for different writing and design classes
(public relations, design and writing skills).
Example

7. The cover letter

8. Structure
 Address, date, greeting
 Paragraph 1: Goal of the letter
and general introduction
 Paragraph 2: How and why I am qualified
(argument)
 Paragraph 3: Closing to build goodwill and
persuade the audience to look at the
résumé
 Handwritten signature

9. All cover letters should..
 Tell why you are writing/sending a résumé
and how you learned about the position.
 Draw from specific examples to emphasize
elements of your experience.
 Provide any information required but not
listed in the résumé (like your availabilities).
 Show your enthusiasm for the job.

10. Avoid…
 Impersonal greetings
“ Dear Sir or Madam”/ “To whom It May
Concern”
 Self-serving statements
“Working for your company would allow
me to live in the city of my dreams.”
 Empty claims
“I have all the required skills for the job.”

11. The résumé

12.  Everything MAY count
 Fill at least one page (don’t use a second
page unless you have at least 10 lines)
 Choose an organization and design that
emphasizes your achievements
A few guidelines

13.  Name and Contact Information
 Education
 Experience
Required categories

14.  Career Objective
 Summary of Qualifications
 Relevant Coursework
 Honors and Awards
 Activities
 Skills/Language Proficiencies
 (References)
 Portfolio
Optional categories

15.  Use actions verbs (no narrative style)
 Experiment with layout and fonts
 Use visual design to emphasize the content
 Consider creating a letterhead to use for
your résumé and application letter
 Use headings for reading ease
 Avoid templates
Understanding the genre

16.  Go to the career center & the writing
center
 Talk to your advisor and professors
 Look at examples (in your field)
 Ask other people to read your documents
 Do not provide any personal information
(marital status, age, immigration status,
etc.)
 Write audience-specific documents
 Edit, edit, edit
Reminders