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Resumes & Cover Letters

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Your resume and cover letter are powerful ways to tell your story to an employer.

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Personnel manager reviewing an applicant's materials. Credit: @ prostock-studio / Freepik

More About Resumes

To apply for internships, jobs, and other opportunities, your one-page resume should connect your past experience with the employer’s needs and demonstrate why you’re qualified for an opportunity. Follow these steps to create or tailor your resume:

  • Decide what you want the employer to know about you and your experience.
  • Organize your information under descriptive headings that summarize your relevant experience for the employer.
  • Describe each experience, focusing on directly-related skills that demonstrate you are a good match for the position.
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Check out our resume resources.

Knight Management Center, Stanford Graduate School of Business, opening day. Credit Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service

Editable Resume Templates

Create a resume by starting with one of our editable resume templates.

 Shriram Center for Bioengineering & Chemical Engineering. Credit:  Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service

Stanford Career Education’s Handshake Resources

Learn more about writing a resume and cover letter from Stanford Career Education’s Handshake resources.

  • Note: Search for “resume."
Close-up of an individual providing a resume to another. Credit: @ Drazen Zigic / Freepik

Cover Letters

The purpose of a cover letter is to illustrate your future potential with an organization. It is a one-page document that is tailored for one role and one organization that uses examples from your past experience to demonstrate why you’re qualified for this target role. A compelling cover letter includes four sections:

  • An introduction and why you’re interested in the role
  • Why you’re qualified for the role (with examples)
  • How your experience aligns with the organization
  • Summary and thank you
 Li Ka Shing Learning and Knowledge Center in autumn. Credit:  Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service

Cover Letter Examples for Students and Recent Graduates

Find cover letter examples and templates in Cover Letter Examples for Students and Recent Graduates.

School of Law. Credit: Andrew Brodhead / newslibrary@stanford.edu

11 Essential Cover Letter Tips

Discover the 11 Essential Cover Letter Tips.