WRITING RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS

We offer a variety of services and tools to help you develop the most effective resume you can. In this section you can find handouts, sample resumes, online resume writing software, and even electronic portfolio software that can help you design an effective resume and other job search documents. 

Before writing a resume, your career and job search goals and objectives should be clear. Use our FOCUS 2 online career assessment, exploration, and planning tool to help you explore and clarify your career interests, research employers, and to discover job options related to your degree, skills, and interests. Having clear job search goals and objectives will help you write an effective targeted resume.

What is the purpose of a resume?

Few people are hired from a resume alone. The purpose of your resume is to interest an employer enough to offer you an interview. The resume is your tool for marketing yourself to an employer and so, in order to create an effective resume, it should focus on the needs of the employer. Never underestimate the importance of a good resume. It could mean the difference between getting invited or not invited to an interview and thus getting the job you want. 

What should your resume say about you?

Your resume should state your objective, present information about your work experience, your degree, and your relevant skills and experiences. It presents your qualifications in a format you design to target a specific job or role. 

Need assistance building a resume or would like to have your resume critiqued? 

Our staff will work with you one-on-one to develop a strategic, industry-focused resume that will help set you apart from the competition. Before coming in, you may want to have a look at our sample resumes or check out Optimal Resume, our online resume, cover letter, and portfolio software that can guide you step-by-step through the resume writing process. If you already have a resume, let one of our professional career coaches review it and provide feedback prior to your job search. After your resume is critiqued, upload it on to ECU CareerNET where it can be safely stored and accessed when you apply for positions.

OPTIMAL RESUME

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Our Career Resource Guide provides a plethora of information on what needs to be in a resume, resume do's and don't's, how to target your resume, and more. Clicking on the guide below will allow you to read it in an interactive format, print out pages from it, and download it in PDF format.