by Jacqueline Zee, CALS sophomore majoring in Biological Engineering
While we get back into our daily routines here at Cornell, many of us are looking to find an internship or job sometime in the near future. Applying to internships and jobsmeans writing resumes and cover letters. Many of us have a generic resume or cover letter on hand ready to submit. However, you can make these documents much stronger by tailoring them to the job, aligning your interests and experiences with the job’s expectations.
How? With the job description. A typical job description has a quick statement of the company’s mission, the responsibilities of the position, and the qualifications they’re looking for in an applicant. If you’re applying to a position, find the job description and print it out or have it open while you write your resume or cover letter. Read it over once, preferably twice or more, highlighting and underlining important items. Look for keywords that tell you what the expectations and qualifications of the job are. Some common skills or qualities jobs are looking for in an applicant are communication skills, ability to work independently and on a team, an interest in the work being done, technical requirements, etc.
Once you’ve read through the job description, write down five or six of the top skills or qualifications the company is looking for. Start thinking about the experiences and skills you have developed in coursework, activities, and past internships or jobs. Group these experiences with your list of five or six top qualifications. When you write your resume, try to incorporate the keywords found in the job description into the experiences and activities listed on your resume. For your cover letter, you want to show how your experiences have developed some of the skills and qualifications the employer is looking for.
By looking at the job description and integrating it into your resume and cover letter, you show the employer that you know what they’re looking for in an employee and that your experiences make you a strong candidate for the job. If you need any help or want to have your resume or cover letter critiqued, bring a copy of it and the job description to drop-in hours or schedule an appointment with an advisor in CALS Career Services located in the Student Services Office, 140 Roberts Hall.