Tips & Tricks for Student Cover Letters and Resumes

Do you ever wonder why you fill out a ton of applications and never get an interview?

On-campus jobs are one of the most beneficial ways to build skills, make connections, and prepare yourself for future opportunities or careers. The way you present yourself through your cover letter and resume will make a big difference to campus employers, no matter your age or grade.

Start With Connections

Before you even apply, start building relationships with your professors. Faculty often recommend students for on-campus jobs because they’ve seen your work and know your habits. Many hiring managers ask faculty for referrals, so getting to know your professors is not only good for your classes, it’s a smart step in your job search.

Tailor Your Documents

One of the biggest mistakes students make is sending the same resume and cover letter to every job. It is important that both your resume and cover letter are tailored to the job you are applying for.

Start by making you, your resume, and cover letter stand out. In most cases, employers read your cover letter first. If they see you connect your skills or interests to the position, they know you took the time to read the post. It might not seem important to you, but employers DO read your cover letter.

It is important to show the employer that you’ve read the job description and that you have the skills and enthusiasm they need. Most campus employers get a lot of resumes; you’ve got to make yours stand out.

Resume Tips

Start by downloading and using our resume template here:

What to include:

1. Header: Your name (use the name you want to be called—e.g., “John Doe” instead of “Johnathan Doe”), phone number, Texas State email, and LinkedIn URL. Yes, everyone applying should have a LinkedIn account.

2. Experience Statement: Don’t lead with education. Begin with a short summary of your skills and strengths. Let’s say you sell jewelry at the local farmer’s marker. You are an entrepreneur! So, your Experience Statement should look like this:

“Entrepreneur, creative thinker, social media marketer, people connector, inventory management, sales, budgeting, high energy, and skilled communicator.”

The Experience Statement is a paragraph that sums up your experience. Use this short intro to highlight areas of expertise and skill.

3. Next, add your experience section: List your work, internships, or volunteer experiences. Volunteer work still counts. Skills are skills. It doesn’t matter if you were paid or not to gain them; you still have them.

When sending a resume to a specific job post, tailor your resume to align with the requirements of the position. Keep in mind, no one is going to hire you to be a college student. Therefore, highlight your work experience over your education. If you only have volunteer experience, no worries. You still gained skills – highlight your skills.

When adding bullet points to your resume, include what you did well in your position. For example, a job as a cashier at a fast-food restaurant. Don't just put fast-food restaurant cashier. Anyone can stand behind a counter, but there is a difference between a good cashier and a bad cashier. Include the skills you did well to really level up your resume.

4. Education: Keep it brief. Employers already know you’re a student; they’re more interested in what you can do. GPA means you are a good student but says nothing about your skills.

Cover Letter Tips

Start by downloading and using our Cover Letter template here:

Your cover letter is your chance to connect your skills to the job. Keep it short and focused:

• Address it to a person if you can.
• Tell your story—why you’re interested in the role and how you’re qualified.
• Avoid repeating your resume. Instead, explain how your experiences make you a good fit.
• Show enthusiasm. Employers want to know you’ll bring energy to their team.

As an example, if you check out the website of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) we have a bi-weekly pop-up. If the CIE is looking for someone to help with setting up the pop-up, whether you are a crafter or a small business owner, this will go a long way in showing you are interested in the CIE and the pop-up events.

To learn more about cover letters and resumes and get hands on help, attend:

• Wednesday, August 27, Cover Letter & Resume Workshop - Quinn Valentine, Director of CIE, 5-6pm

Let Quinn Valentine, Director of the CIE, give you insight to this mystery!

Quinn will teach you step by step on how to build a winning resume that is eye catching to an employer and stands out above the rest. She is an expert in helping you highlight your skills, even when your work experience is limited, and helping you convey your interest in a job. Additionally, she will give tips and tricks on how to write the best cover letter that addresses the needs of the employer and makes you a top choice.

For more information about CIE events and activities, check out our upcoming events.

Follow us on all our socials - LinkedIn and Instagram. To find our events list, visit our linktr.ee for a full list of events.