Resume Cover Letter Template | Fillable PDF | Word | RTF
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The resume and cover letter are usually your very first communications with a potential employer, so it is critical to present a great first impression with these documents. Using resume and cover letter templates will go a long way toward making these documents professional and sophisticated.
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1. Resume
Any resume must include your contact information at the top: your name, address, phone number, and email address. There are numerous different heading styles you can use to present this information, but it’s best to keep the design simple, unless perhaps the resume is for a graphic design or other artistic position.
Any resume will also require experience and education sections. The experience section will be divided according to the different positions you’ve held. Each entry will include the employer’s name, city/state, dates worked, your job title, and then a concise, two- to three-sentence explanation of your responsibilities and achievements.
The education section will include an entry for each of your degrees. These will include the full name of the college, the name and major of the degree you obtained, your date of graduation, and any awards and honors you received and extracurricular activities you participated in.
Most resumes should also include a skills section in which you can use bullet points to list specific skills you have that relate to the position, such as advanced Microsoft Word formatting skills or skills in a specific computer language. Make sure any skills you list are not general skills that most applicants would be expected to know.
You may also include an objective section at the top of your resume, but this is not required, and most of the information that you would include here (your career goals and why you are a great fit for the job) could be included in a cover letter, leaving this section unnecessary.
For additional formatting recommendations like bolding, spacing, and alignment, consult the template below.
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2. Cover Letter
Your cover letter should follow a business letter format. At the top aligned to the left, you will include your personal contact information, then skip a line and write the date, and then skip another line and write the contact information for the employer you’re writing to.
Next, you will include a salutation to address the reader and begin the body of the letter. Your introduction should be a concise two- to three-sentence statement about how you’d make a great fit for the position and why you are attracted to it.
For the next one or two paragraphs, describe in detail and with examples how your skills fulfill the requirements of the position. Make sure this section goes into more detail than the job descriptions on your resume.
Finally, end your letter by restating your enthusiasm for the position and stating that you’d like to discuss the position in person. Then underneath this write “Sincerely,” or “Best regards,” followed by your name.
Here are templates for a resume and cover letter to help you get started:
Resume Template
Name
Street address • city, state zip code • phone number • email address
Experience
Company name, City, state
Dates worked (month/year – month/year)
Job title:
Description of job responsibilities
Company name, City, state
Dates worked (month/year – month/year)
Job title:
Description of job responsibilities
Company name, City, state
Dates worked (month/year – month/year)
Job title:
Description of job responsibilities
Skills
List relevant skills in bullet points
Education
University name, city, state
Type of degree obtained, [cum laude or other honors, if received], date obtained
Awards, honors, extracurricular activities
Cover Letter Template
Your Name
Street Address
City, State Zip Code
Phone Number
Date
Individual’s Name
Job Title
Name of Organization
Street Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. ________________________________:
First paragraph: [Condense how your experience qualifies you for the position, briefly state why you want to work in this particular position.]
Second (and perhaps third) paragraph: [Go into specific experience that shows you are a great fit for the employer’s needs.]
Third (or fourth) paragraph: [Express interest in discussing the position in person, and thank the reader for his or her consideration.]
Sincerely,
(Your signature)
Your typed name
Sources
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