Career Services: Cover Letters and Resumes

Resources at Watson Library: 

• 201 killer cover letters. By Sandra Podesta & Andrea Paxton. -- Available through the library catalog as an eBook
• The elements of résumé style: essential rules for writing résumés and cover letters that work. By Scott Bennett. -- Available through the library catalog as an eBook

Resources on the Web: 

Purdue OWL Cover Letter Workshop

CareerOneStop Cover Letters

Resources at Watson Library: 

• The everything resume book: from using social media to choosing the right keywords, all you need to have a resume that stands out from the crowd! By Lin Grensing-Pophal. -- Available through the library catalog as a Book
• Federal resume guidebook: strategies for writing a winning Federal resume. By Kathryn Kraemer Troutman. -- Available through the library catalog as a Book
• Unbeatable résumés: America's top recruiter reveals what really gets you hired. By Tony Beshara; foreword by Phil McGraw. -- Available through the library catalog as a Book

Resources on the Web: 

Perdue OWL Resume Workshop

Resume Guide from CareerOneStop

What should I include in my federal resume?

Most job applications will ask you for references. The idea is for you to provide contact information for people who can speak to your abilities and work ethic. 

You should always ask a person for permission to use them as a reference BEFORE you put their name down - this way, they know to expect a call and have a chance to think about what to say. Someone caught off guard because they had no idea you were using them as a reference may not be able to give you a good reference, and you really don't want that to happen. 

You should also give references a heads-up when you start a new job search - again, so they know to expect calls.  

Previous managers, supervisors, or other people you've worked for are the best sources of references - but if you aren't ready to tell your current job that you're job-searching, don't use a current manager!