Résumé and Cover Letter Templates

Struggling with your résumé or cover letters? Women For Hire provides chronological and functional résumé examples as well as cover letter templates that can help you build your résumé and your career.

You've worked hard to decide what you want and you have worked hard to get the experience you need to land a great job. But no one will ever know how wonderful you are unless you have a phenomenal resume. It is often the first point of contact with a potential employer. Will Rogers summed it up best when he said, "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression." A strong resume can make yours a lasting one.

Before you decide what to wear to the big interview or what to say to the recruiter, before you even step out the door, make sure you get your foot IN the door with a top-notch resume. You won't land a job based solely on your resume, but if it's smart and well-written it can lead to a world of opportunities. A sloppy, poorly written document will end up in the circular file, along with your career prospects. Your resume is an advertisement: the product for sale is you. It's the marketing tool you use to pique the interest of a recruiter. You've got to make them want to take a closer look.

First things first: never lie no matter what. Everything on that resume is verifiable by a potential employer. They can confirm your education, previous employment, association memberships and more. Honesty is not just the best policy; it's the ONLY policy when it comes to resumes. Stretching the truth on your resume will almost always haunt you.

Not only do some companies conduct background checks on many prospective employees, but also in some industries you never know who knows who. Meaning the person you are about to present with a phony resume may very well be friends with your former employer. Since you never know whom you may encounter, it is safest not to lie. Background checks may include verification of your previous job titles, dates of employment, day-to-day responsibilities and education history. If you are two credits shy of a bachelor's degree, do not check the BA box on an application. In some cases, even that small stretch will prevent you from ever being employed by that company.

You don't have to shy away from boasting about significant responsibilities and successful contributions. For example, if you are confident that your individual efforts on a team project helped save your previous employer money or generated profits, you may say that you 'spearheaded' or 'led' this particular effort. Just be prepared to justify the credit you are taking should an interviewer choose to focus on it.

By the way, there is no rule that says someone else can't prepare your resume. If you are really unsure of your writing skills, go ahead and talk to an expert for one on one advice. Learn more about Women For Hire's Career Coaching services HERE.