How to Write a Resume, Cover Letter, and Reference List

Unless you are a word-processing wizard, it can be helpful to start with a template. Unfortunately, many of the resume templates you’ll find are not very helpful. Below is a clean, professional template that highlights what employers want to see. Be sure you know your industry before choosing to make your resume more visually complex.

• SUU resume template - Microsoft Word
• SUU resume template - Google Docs

Note: If you are applying to work as a graphic designer, artist, or marketer, you will need to make the format of your resume show your artistic/design skills.

View a sample of an effective resume

Notes on format

• Use bullet points. Our eyes read in an “E” pattern—if you use paragraphs, it’s likely the employer will miss important content in the middle of a paragraph. 
• Use legible professional fonts such as Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, Century, etc., and keep the same fonts throughout your resume.
• Use 1 inch margins for all four sides. If you go smaller than 1 inch, be careful to compensate for the loss of white space. Never go smaller than ½ inch.
• Be consistent!
  • Use the same fonts throughout your resume.
  • Use exactly the same date format throughout your resume
  • Be precise and consistent with dashes ( en dash for dates, hyphen for specific words). Dashes must always be symmetrical—either a space on both sides, or no space on either side. The only exception is a suspended hyphen.
• Only send PDFs. Why? Word documents and Google Docs may look different on each device; PDFs look the same across all devices. (The one exception is if you’re sending it for feedback and revision.)
• Use a clear filename. For example:
  • tom_johnson_resume.pdf
  • sarah_jones_resume.pdf

Notes on content

• The most important information goes at the top, so list education and employment experience from newest to oldest. When deciding what order to list your sections in, put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager—is your education or your work experience more impressive?
• Be careful not to over-represent or under-represent your skills and accomplishments.
  • Example of over-representing: Single-handedly increased sales by 200% in just two days
    • Why this is wrong: Unless you are the business owner and sole employee, you don’t do anything single-handedly. Additionally, a claim that you increased sales by 200% in two days sounds highly suspicious. Be honest!
    • Better: Increased sales by 20% through direct outreach to 500 prior customers by email and phone
  • Example of under-representing: Assisted manager to close on weekend shifts.
    • Why this is wrong: We’re all assisting someone—you assisted your manager, who assisted the owner, who assisted the regional director, etc. If you did the work, say that you did the work!
    • Better: Secured facility each weekend by ensuring all equipment was powered off and all doors were locked, resulting in a 0% incidence rate.

Give the employer your name and contact information at the top of the page in a clear format. Note that the header on your resume, cover letter, and reference list should be identical.

Name

Your name should be big and bold. If you’d like to be known by a nickname, you can put it in parentheses like this: Victoria (Tori) Johnson.

Contact information

• Email & phone number. You definitely need to include an email address and a phone number so the employer knows how to contact you.

• Address. Only list your mailing address if you have an address near the employer that can show you’re a local. Why? No employer is going to send paper mail to candidates, and if you put your Cedar City address on an application to work in Las Vegas, New York, or Tokyo, it may work against you.

• LinkedIn URL. You could miss out on a great opportunity if you skip this. Why? The first thing an employer will do after they read a good resume is to google you—and you have almost no control over what comes up in a search. But when you provide them your LinkedIn URL, you’re sending them directly to your best online advertisement of yourself. The only time you should skip including a LinkedIn URL is if you need a job right away and don’t have time to polish your LinkedIn profile.
  
  • Note that you should personalize your LinkedIn URL so it’s not just a random string of alphanumeric characters. After all, which would you rather type in?
    • A: linkedin.com/in/janedoe-89856039/
    • B: linkedin.com/in/janedoe

For more tips on LinkedIn, visit LinkedIn for Students.

Example 1:

Example 2:

The summary section is the best chance to seize the employer’s attention by highlighting why you are a good fit for the job. In 4-6 bullet points, briefly summarize your qualifications & attributes as they relate to the specific job you are applying for.

Note: Do not use an objective statement! These are redundant (they already know your objective is to get a job with them) and have been obsolete since at least 2008.

First line: Working title & experience

The first line should give you a working title related to the industry and state how much experience you have in that field.

• First line examples:
  • Claims analyst expert with approximately 2 years of experience
  • Outdoor recreation expert with experience guiding tours, leading nature walks, and educating adults and children 
  • Caring, consistent Social Worker with experience in clinical and community settings

Target the summary to the job you want

If you’re applying for a specific position you saw in a job ad, then target your summary directly to the keywords and qualifications in the job ad. If you’re applying for a job that is not listed (remember that 80% of jobs are unlisted—see the “Research specific jobs” section of this page for details), target your summary to the employer or industry by reading job ads similar to what you want, reading the organization’s about page, and reading LinkedIn profiles of people working in the industry.

See the examples below to get an idea of how to write your summary.

Example 1:

• Claims Analyst expert with approximately 2 years of experience
• Diversified experience with reviewing initial claims for providers, insurance agencies, and long-term care; denied claims; adjudication processes; random file reviews; and audits
• Detail-oriented with a talent for quickly pinpointing and correcting overlooked errors
• Technologically savvy: Claims related software (customer databases, claims processing, claims management programs), G Suite, MS Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Fluent in Spanish and English; skilled interpreter

Example 2:

• Caring, consistent Social Worker with experience in clinical and community settings
• Enjoy observing others to determine how to help meet their needs
• Energetic, patient, and positive, bringing these qualities to interactions by serving and helping clients with a determination to make a difference in their lives
• Adept at fostering positive relationships, and able to handle challenging circumstances in a calm and professional manner

Example 3:

• Highly motivated logistics professional with 3 years of experience in Logistics/Distribution Center Operations management.
• Focused, disciplined, and reliable when working independently or as part of a team.
• Considerable experience living and working with people from diverse cultures and nations.
• Skilled in all aspects of logistics, certified in SAP.

You can list your education section first or your experience section first; put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager and think which would be more impressive for them to see first.

Note that you should NOT put your start date for education. Just list the month and year you graduated or that you expect to graduate. You also don’t need to write “expected graduation date”—if the date is in the future, it’s obvious to the employer that you will graduate at that time.

Format your educational experience as follows, with the degree listed first (not the school first):

Below are two examples using the principles listed above.

Example 1:

Example 2:

Accomplishment statements—why they matter 

The way you talk about your experience on your resume can impress an employer or leave them yawning. Consider the following three statements—if you were an employer looking at a resume, which of these would impress you the most?

• Assisted with marketing events

• Marketed 3 campus-wide events to 11,000 students

• Increased awareness of global soccer culture by marketing 3 campus-wide events to 11,000+ students

Statement 1 just lists a task and doesn’t show why that task was important. Statement 3 focuses on results! By doing so, Statement 3 clearly shows the next employer that this individual has valuable experience and gets great results.

Accomplishment statements—how to write them (the PARQ rule)

Statements that impress employers use four elements, known as the PARQ rule:

1. Power verb
   • Start each bullet with a strong verb. See the power verbs section below for a list of strong power verbs by category.
2. Action
   • Tell what you did to get the great results.
3. Result
   • Show how you made a difference, and who you helped. This is the most important component! Generally, for each accomplishment, you can either focus on how you made a difference for your clients/customers or for your team/organization.
4. Quantify
   • Whenever possible, quantify your work with numbers

Looking back at our example statement:

• Increased awareness of global soccer culture by marketing 3 campus-wide events to 11,000+ students

We can see that this statement contains each of these elements:

• Power verb: Increased
• Action: Marketed 3 campus-wide events
• Result: Increased awareness of global soccer culture
• Quantify: 11,000+ students

If you’re having trouble writing an accomplishment statement using the PARQ rule, it may be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• How would I tell my friends or parents the story of the work I did?
• Who did I help?
• How did I make a difference?

What to include

Volunteer/unpaid work is still experience! The employer doesn’t care whether you got paid in dollars or in warm fuzzies; they care that you can work with a team and get great results. Moreover, adding volunteer/unpaid experiences can help show that:

• You weren’t unemployed. During the “gap” between paid positions, you were actually busy digging wells in Zimbabwe, building orphanages in Mexico, teaching English in China, etc. That’s impressive, so share it!
• You are super involved. While you were a full-time student, you were also Secretary of the Southern Utah Polynesian Club (where you helped organize the Polynesian Cultural Showcase attended by over 500 community members), and taught Sunday School lessons to 15 children each week. When an employer sees that you did more than just study, they know they can expect you to be involved in their organization, not just show up for a paycheck.

Here are some examples of things you should include: Sports team captain, club treasurer, missionary, community event organizer, Sunday school teacher, tech support for your uncle’s business, soup kitchen volunteer. Note that if you’re concerned about discrimination, you can list church service under other names, like volunteer teacher, humanitarian volunteer, etc.

Experience format

The format for each of your experiences (paid or unpaid/volunteer) is very similar to your education experience, except that you will list your start and end dates. Note that “Current” is NOT a date! If you’re still doing the job, write “Present”.

Format your work (paid or unpaid/volunteer) experience as follows, with the position title first (not the company first):

Below are two examples using the principles listed above.

Example 1:

Example 2:

Limit your resume sections to the header, summary, education, and experience—unless there is something you need to include that won’t logically fit anywhere else, and you’re confident that adding a section will help get you an interview. This might include special training, memberships, languages, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, etc. (note that volunteer work should normally go under the “Experience” section).

Here are power verbs listed by category, credit to Wake Forest University.

Management/Leadership Skills

Communication/People Skills

Research Skills

Technical Skills

Teaching Skills

Financial/Data Skills

Creative Skills 

Helping Skills

Organization/Detail Skills

Miscellaneous

Below is a clean, professional template that highlights what employers want to see, and that matches the SUU resume template.

• SUU cover letter template - Microsoft Word
• SUU cover letter template - Google Docs

Note: The header and fonts on your cover letter, resume, and reference list should match exactly.

Below is a sample of an effective cover letter.

When there is no space to upload a cover letter, you can combine your resume, cover letter, and reference list into one PDF, but they should still be formatted as three different pages.

Notes on format

• Match the format of your header and fonts to your resume. See the resume section for more details.
• Only send PDFs. Why? Word documents and Google Docs may look different on each device; PDFs look the same across all devices. (The one exception is if you’re sending it for feedback and revision.)
• Use a clear filename. For example:
  • tom_johnson_cover_letter.pdf
  • sarah_jones_cover_letter.pdf

• Below the header, list today’s date.
• Leave a space, then list the full name, position, and address of the person who will make the hiring decision.
  • Can’t find their name? First try searching their website or calling their HR department. If you still can’t find it, you can use “Hiring Manager” or “Selection Committee”.
• Leave a space, then write Dear Mr. / Ms. / Mrs. / Dr. Lastname (or Position Title):
  • Never use “To Whom It May Concern”. If you weren’t able to find their last name or position title through an internet search or by calling their HR department, it is acceptable to use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Selection Committee”.

First paragraph

Explain why you are writing. State the exact position you are applying for and how you found out about it. Find company-specific information and relate it to your interests.

Example

At a community gathering two weeks ago, I spoke with Bob Anderson, a Director at Monticello Insurance Solutions. After discussing my diverse experience as a Claims Analyst, he encouraged me to apply for the open position as a Claims Analyst Supervisor. Based on your reputation of providing excellent customer service and a family-friendly work environment, I am excited to apply for this position, and feel that I would be a great fit for your team.

Second paragraph

Explain the reasons why you are a unique and strong candidate for the position. Use the qualifications and duties sections of the job ad as your guide to target your information. Remember, the employer will look at your resume next, so do not just repeat what they will see in your resume. Keep this section concise (same for the entire letter—do not exceed one page total) while highlighting your skills, experiences, characteristics, and/or accomplishments which make you a great candidate for the job.

Example

I have two years of experience as a Claims Analyst, progressing from Summer Intern to Claims Analyst I during this time. My experience is diversified, allowing me the capability to work in various types of insurance and claims processes including claims analysis, fraud, risk management, training and development, claims management, claims auditing, field auditing, and many more. The quality of my work is evident by my appointment as mentor/trainer to others in my unit within one year of becoming a Claims Analyst I. I pride myself in quality work and leadership as evidenced by my 100% on-time reporting and compliancy rating.

Final paragraph

Ask for an interview, say thank you, and let them know when you are available.

Example 1

Thank you for taking the time to consider my resume. I am readily available for an interview and look forward to hearing from you.

Example 2

I hope that you will carefully consider my enclosed resume as I am excited about the potential to bring my enthusiasm for claims to a quality team like Monticello Insurance Solutions. Thank you for considering me for this position. I am readily available for an interview and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Leave a space below the final paragraph, then type “Sincerely,” and leave a space big enough to write your signature. Below the signature space, type your full name (the same way you listed it in the header).

Since this is a formal letter, it will look totally bizarre and unprofessional if you don’t sign it. There are many ways to get a signature on your cover letter, including:

• Print the letter, use an ink pen to sign it, then scan the whole document as a PDF
• Use a digital device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) to write your signature
• Scan an ink signature, then add it to the document as an image
• Sign a blank paper, take a photo, add it to the document and adjust the brightness and contrast

Below is a clean, professional template that highlights what employers want to see, and that matches the SUU templates for resumes and cover letters.

• SUU reference list template-Microsoft Word
• SUU reference list template - Google Docs

Note: The header and fonts on your cover letter, resume, and reference list should match exactly.

Below is a sample of an effective reference list.

When there is no space to upload a reference list, you can combine your resume, cover letter, and reference list into one PDF, but they should still be formatted as three different pages.

Notes on format

• Match the format of your header and fonts to your resume and cover letter. See the resume section for more details.
• Only send PDFs. Why? Word documents and Google Docs may look different on each device; PDFs look the same across all devices. (The one exception is if you’re sending it for feedback and revision.)
• Use a clear filename. For example:
  • tom_johnson_references.pdf
  • sarah_jones_cover_references.pdf

Always list three references, unless an employer specifies they want more or fewer. Include the following information:

      Firstname Lastname

Position Title
Organization
123 Any St
City, ST 84720
555.555.5555
email@email

Firstname Lastname was my ___ while I worked as ___ for ___ from YYYY to YYYY.

      Example 1:

      Thomas Smith

Executive Manager
Optimum Care Insurance
123 Midvalley St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84044
888.555.9999
ocitsmith@email.com

Thomas Smith is my executive manager in my current position as Claims Analyst I for Optimum Care Insurance from January 2019 to Present.

      Example 2:

Jocelyn Miller
Provider Relations Supervisor
Nightingale Health System
555 East Frontage St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84046
888.555.9999
j.miller@email.com

Jocelyn Miller was my direct supervisor while I worked as an intern for Nightingale Health System from 2017 to 2018.

      Example 3:

      Dr. Erick Whittaker

Business Administration Professor
Southern Utah University
351 West University Blvd.
Cedar City, UT 84720
888.555.9999
erickwhittaker@email.com

Dr. Erick Whittaker is my Business Administration Professor at Southern Utah University from Spring 2018 to Present.