Resumes and Cover Letters

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Resumes have many purposes, and they are important to college students and professionals at every point of their journey. First and primarily, resumes promote an applicant’s education, credentials, experience, and skills in order to land an interview and then a job. They also serve as a capture point for all that a student does in college or a professional achieves in a career. For a new student or aspiring professionals, they may function as a sort of planning document or map, presenting experience sections or headings that may benefit from being enlarged with more related experience, needed certifications, beneficial skills, service, or leadership. Resumes are dynamic, “living” documents that change and grow with a person. Students may also have more than one version of their resume, if their goals or options are varied.
SCC offers an extraordinary level of assistance: By working with a career counselor to build, improve, update, or customize a resume, students will gain more than just formatting, editing, or proofreading guidance. In discussion, your career goals and related experiences will be connected in such a way that impacts the order in which content is presented, descriptive headings, and actual language throughout the document. It is a collaborative and educational process and is unlike any other writing project being critiqued by a tutor or evaluated for a grade as independent scholarship. Ultimately, a resume will be judged by an employer in a real-world setting with real-life consequences and rewards.
- Start a draft resume using this Sample Resume, and then set up an appointment at Career Services (339.4352). Don't let a poorly constructed resume with grammatical errors derail your job search. DO NOT USE AN ONLINE TEMPLATE. View a resume-writing tutorial under ONLINE PRESENTATIONS.
- Students can also attend workshops and seminars to gain resume writing and related job search knowledge and skills.
- Here is a short tutorial about writing a letter of application (cover letter).
RESUME SAMPLES AND RESOURCES:
- Resume Writing Presentation
- Sample Resume
- Ten Resume Tips
- RESUME WRITING WITH A CAREER COUNSELOR: A Learning Guide for Programs, Classes, and Individuals
- To receive guidance from SCC's career counselors regarding a strategically-focused, professional resume, preparing for an interview, building a LinkedIn presence, or other aspects of your job search, make an appointment for Individual Career Counseling.
- Participate in an open classroom and get self-paced assistance with writing a resume, interviewing, earning a career readiness certificate, and other career development tasks in the Job and Career Preparation Lab offered by Educational Opportunities.
- Attend the SCC Fall and Spring hiring events/job fairs to meet employers, and keep checking the SCC Job Board for current job listings, and don't hesitate to call Career Services at 828.339.4352 for more information.
USE CAREER CENTER RESOURCES:
- Upload your resume in the SCC Job Board for employers to see, use it to search for local or regional jobs using the advanced search, and create an account in NCWorks Online!
- Attend our Career Fairs and Hiring Events to meet real employers, network, and apply for jobs!