Need help with application materials?
Drop-in with one of our career advisors. We are happy to help!
Alumni: Having trouble accessing these documents? Try logging in via your “...@american.edu” email address if you have one. Don’t have one? Contact siscareer@american.edu with your graduation year and program to gain access!
A resume is a one- (or two-) page summary of your skills, experience, and education. A resume is brief and concise and highlights the information most relevant to the job for which you’re applying.
When writing a resume, you must be thoughtful about the format and the content of your document. Here are some important things to consider.
Consistent format (if you bold your organization names, put all organizations in bold)
No spelling, capitalization errors
Text size: Keep in scale. Works well to have your name at 16-18 pt, and have the body text at 10-12 pt
Margins: ½ inch (“Narrow” in Word) – 1 inch (“Normal”); keep consistent all the way around the page
Length: 1-page is expected for most undergraduates. Graduate students can go to 2 pages IF they have enough relevant experience and it’s written concisely.
Always, tailor your content to the skills the job description is asking for first. Then, highlight experiences where you have shown these 8 skills highly valued by employers
Start each bullet point with an action verb
Make your resume an impact statement: From a recruiter who’s an SIS alum: “I always suggest that candidates make their resume metrics driven with a focus on impact rather than responsibilities so the resume reads as a branding statement focused on accomplishments rather than a list of job duties – i.e., what did you complete in X role and what was the outcome compared to what anyone would have to do in X role.”
AI has a lot of valuable uses in the job search, including exploring career directions, preparing for interviews, and even practicing virtual interviewing online with Big Interview (free to you as an AU student). But resumes need to be personalized to not only the job you’re applying to, but to your experience. Only you can do that well! We do not recommend you use ChatGPT for writing a resume or cover letter.
The purpose of a cover letter is to get you an interview, reflecting different information from your resume. While resumes are used to list all your relevant experiences, cover letters take a different approach. A great cover letter tells a few select stories of you doing the skills they need well, so the employer can picture you in their context.
There are many ways to write a cover letter well. That said, it can be hard to start, so it helps to have a structure you know works. Here’s the structure we recommend everyone learn. Once you’ve learned this “rule,” you can “break it” and write your cover letter in different ways that still accomplish the goals.
Tip: Read your cover letter out loud. This can help you catch awkward phrasing.
AI has a lot of valuable uses in the job search, including exploring career directions and preparing for interviews. But cover letters need to be personalized to not only the job you’re applying to, but to your experience. Only you can do that well! We do not recommend you use ChatGPT for writing a resume or cover letter.
Here are some suggestions:
In general, don’t list family members, or friends who know you only in a social capacity.
Yes! Before including anyone on your list of references for any job, you must ask for permission. Asking permission will also:
Many people will be happy to be a reference, but if any seem hesitant, politely let them off the hook. You want your references to be enthusiastic about you and your abilities! Let each reference know what type of position you’re seeking and what aspects of your background you’re emphasizing, and be sure to provide each of them with the latest copy of your résumé.
If it has been a while since you have connected with your references, take the opportunity to invite them for a cup of coffee and get reacquainted (it can be virtual!). They might even have some helpful suggestions for your job search!
In addition to as a networking tool, LinkedIn is very important as an application tool. When you apply to a job, recruiters typically look you up on LinkedIn. Focus on these key parts of your profile first to represent yourself professionally:
Adding a picture ensures connections that you are a real person. Use a clear, professional photo with a neutral background and without any other people. Dress like you would for a networking event in your field. Your face should fill about 60% of the photo.
Your headline is what defines you. It says who you are, and what makes you someone that someone would want to hire. Customize it to highlight your career aspirations and interests. Remember that searches read keywords from the headline.
Give an overview of yourself in 1-3 paragraphs. There is no one right way to do this, but here are some options to structure it:
I am a bachelor’s graduate from the School of International Service at American University with a primary focus in Justice, Ethics, & Human Rights and a secondary focus in Environmental Sustainability & Global Health. I am currently working in [immigration legal services, focusing on refugees and asylees in the DC Metro Area. I primarily work on applications to USCIS such as adjustment of status, naturalization, family petitions, work authorization, and refugee travel documents. My academic interests include refugee law/ policy and the intersection between migration and climate change, as well as women’s rights and postcolonial studies.
Source: Katharine Waples, BA SIS, 2021
Highlight the relevant jobs, internships, unpaid work, and volunteer experiences where you’ve built your professional skills, using key words from your field. While a resume typically needs to be 1-2 pages, your LinkedIn profile can act as your master resume with more experiences. Copy the bullets directly from the Experience section(s) of your resume. Fill out each section of the “Add experience” form on your LinkedIn profile. If the organization has a presence on LinkedIn, select it in the dropdown menu so the logo shows up.
Including your education history will connect you to alumni, as well as ensure that you appear in searches where you meet educational requirements. Include any relevant details that could differentiate you, like a high GPA (3.0 +), leadership in a student organization, or any honors or awards.
One of the simplest, quickest things you can do to help facilitate your job search is to fill out 2 key areas of your Handshake profile.