Resumes & Cover Letters

The way you format your resume is extremely important as a lot of companies utilize an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to sort through all of the resumes they receive.

Font

Use easy to read fonts like Arial, Calibri, Garamond and Times New Roman. 

Font Size

Your font size should be anywhere from 10pt-12pt depending on the specific font utilized. Headers (e.g. Education, Professional Experience, Skills) should be 12pt and the body 10pt-11pt. 

Margins 

Margins should be between .5-1” all the way around.

Pages

Your resume should be 1 page, unless you have over 10 years of experience then you can utilize 2 pages maximum.

Your resume content allows you to showcase your experience and transferrable skills to an employer, encouraging them to bring you in for an interview.

Bullet Points

Always utilize bullet point statements on your resume. You want to start your bullet point statements with action verbs such as analyze facilitate and manage. Do not utilize “I” statements anywhere on your resume. 

Bullet Points Content

Create bullet point statements that highlight your transferrable skills and experiences to the positions you are applying to. Customization is key when creating your resume for a particular position. You want to add details to your bullet point statements including numbers, programs, populations, and more so the employer has a clear picture of your past experience. 

Bullet Points Formula

A bullet point formula to utilize is start with an action verb (create, design, analyze) then say what you did and how or why you did it. The bullet point formula gives the employer a clear overview of your accomplishment. 

• Facilitate tracking and measurement of effectiveness of marketing strategies through assessment initiative including customer input survey analysis of 450+ users.

Current graduate business students, for sample resumes for every program please go to GBCS Career Resources Canvas on your Single Sign On.  Then go to the Resume & Cover Letter Module and click on Sample Resumes.  

Optimize Your Resume with Jobscan!

Jobscan is your go-to tool for creating resumes that stand out to employers. Here’s how Jobscan can help you:

• ATS Optimization: Analyze your resume to ensure it aligns with applicant tracking systems (ATS).
• Job Description Matching: Tailor your resume by comparing it to specific job descriptions.
• Actionable Feedback: Receive clear suggestions to improve your resume and increase your chances of getting noticed.

As a CSULB student, you can access Jobscan through CareerLINK. Log in today to take advantage of this powerful tool, and don’t forget to watch our tutorial videos below to learn how to use Jobscan effectively!   

Utilize the below template as a guide for creating your customized cover letter for each company. 

Introduction

• Why are you writing?
• What are your qualifications for the position?
• Why are you interested in the position or organization?
  • This is a great opportunity to showcase you have done your research about company.

Middle (1-3 paragraphs)

• Highlight a skill or experience that is highlighted in the job description.
• Give an example of the skill or experience from your previous work, academic or volunteer experience.
• Connect how the skill or experience will help the employer.
  • Be sure to refer back to the job description to create a connection.

Closing

• Thank the organization for their time and consideration
• Request a further action indicating you would like to meet with the organization to further discuss your skills and experiences. 
• Provide your contact information such as phone and email

Like your resume, your cover letter should follow certain guidelines to increase readability and flow. 

Formatting
Your cover letter should be no more than 1 page and be sure to utilize the header from your resume (e.g. name, address, email) for your cover letter to create consistency amongst the documents.

Content
Pay attention to spelling and grammar and do not start every sentence with “I.”  You want to read your cover letter out loud before submitting it

Current graduate business students, for sample cover letters for every program please go to GBCS Career Resources Canvas on your Single Sign On.  Then go to the Resume & Cover Letter Module and click on Sample Cover Letters.