Get Your Documents Ready

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 12:09:06 -0400

As college students, I’m sure you’ve written your fair amount of essays. I know I sure have. But writing professional documents is a whole different ball game. Sure, a lot of the same skills are needed. Proper grammar is important and effective communication is a must. There are a few key skills, however, that only come with writing and reading hundreds of resumes. We don’t expect you to do that, which is why we’re here to help with all your professional document needs. Write a first draft, then drop by the Career Center (drop-ins weekdays from 2 pm - 4 pm) to get it professionally reviewed.

When you’re writing a resume keep in mind, it must convey a lot of information in one page without looking crowded or disorganized. That's why we suggest ditching the template and doing it by hand. Check out some sample resumes on our website to get an idea of how to format them. You may notice that there are a lot of different types of sections. We want you to include everything that will showcase your hard work the best, but the ones that must be included are Contact Information, Education, Skills, and Experience. When you’re writing your experience section, try to have descriptive bullet points that show the value you brought to the company you worked for. When in doubt, use this simple formula: action verb + what you did, who you did it for/with, and why it mattered. Check out a longer guide here.

Cover letters are job specific. That is, when you’re writing a resume, it can be used to apply for multiple jobs, but a new cover letter should be written for each job you’re applying to. Samples of cover letters can be seen here. Overall, they should be one page long, with three to four paragraphs. The first should describe how you found the position, the second why you want to work for the company, the third why you’d make a good fit and the fourth a salutation, thank you, and reminder of your contact information. As a rule of thumb, you should reduce any negative language (whether it be about you or the company). Check out a more extensive guide and some examples on our website.

Other documents you might be asked for include (but are not limited to) CVs, personal statements, and writing samples. If you have questions about any of these, please feel free to make an appointment with a Career Counselor. Samples of documents can also be found here on our website.

Once you have your documents in order, put them to good use! Check out our workshop on the job search to find the perfect applications, or take a field trip to Northrop Grumman and get a feel for their offices. Check back here next week when we’ll be discussing ways to develop references.