A resume and cover letter is your introduction to a potential employer. Your resume is a document that outlines your skills, experience, education, and accomplishments. A cover letter complements your resume by providing detailed information with a personal touch.
How to Write a Resume
Writing a resume is a process and it takes time and skills to get it right. Even then, there are many opinions on how resumes should be formatted. Before you get started on writing your resume, we recommend you review the Resume Preparation Worksheet. The worksheet will help you brainstorm experiences you’d like to highlight. Once completed, review the Resume Guide worksheet on how to format each section of your resume. Power verbs can help you describe your skills and work tasks. There are an array of verbs for different type of skills (problem solving, planning, organizing etc). Knowing how to craft your bullet points is also important and this bullet point guide walks through two different strategies around crafting them.
While a general resume can be helpful to have, tailoring your resume is vital. Visit our Tailoring Your Resume resource for tips on how to do this.
Using AI is also a popular tool in writing resumes. If you use AI, know how to use it ethically and strategically by exploring our AI in Career Exploration guide.
Resume Templates & Examples
We recommend simple and easy to read templates. Try to avoid templates you may find on Word or Canva. If you see a template you like online, create it manually in Word or Google Docs.
Keep in mind that many resumes are reviewed by AI or by people who (on average) spend 5-7 seconds looking at your resume.
How to Write a Cover Letter
A cover letter is a document that introduces yourself to employers, states why you are applying to a specific position, and elaborates on your skills and experiences that make you qualified for the particular job. The cover letter is your opportunity to explain how you will add value to the organization as well as express a bit of your personality. Review the Cover Letter Guide for full details.
Need additional help?
There are two ways to get feedback on your resume from the Strommen Center.
- Send us an email at careers@augsburg.edu with your resume attached and we’ll send you feedback by email within two business days.
- Make an appointment with a peer advisor or staff member through Navigate for an in-person or virtual feedback session.
