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Did you know most employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes before a human ever sees them? Increase your chances of making it past the first cut by using our ATS-friendly resume templates.

Need help tailoring your resume? for keyword optimization tools.

Resume Templates

• Accounting and Financial Services (PDF)
• Artistic and Creative (PDF)
• Counseling, Therapy, and Support and Community Services (PDF)
• Data Science and Analytics (PDF)
• Education and Academia (PDF)
• Government, Policy, Legal, and Advocacy (PDF)
• Healthcare Services (Clinical)
• Healthcare Services (Non-Clinical) (PDF)
• IT Systems Support and Cybersecurity (PDF)
• Management: Operations, Project Management, Human Resources, and Hospitality (PDF)
• Marketing, Social Media, PR, and Account Management (PDF)
• Product Management, UX-UI Research and Design, and Technology Consulting (PDF)
• Scientific Research (PDF)
• Software Engineering, Web Development, and Game Design (PDF)

A strong cover letter can help you stand out from the competition. Use it to showcase your passion, highlight your knowledge of the company and role, and explain why you’re a great fit.

Choose the template that best matches your background and tailor it for each job you apply to.

Cover Letter Templates

• Cover Letter Template I : Focusing on Academic and Professional Experience (PDF)
• Cover Letter Template II: Focusing on Skills and Strengths (PDF)
• Cover Letter Template III: Focusing on Interest and Passion (PDF)
• Cover Letter Template IV: For Education Academia (PDF)
• Cover Letter Template V: For Healthcare Services (PDF)

Before you can convince an employer that you’re the right fit for the job, you need to understand what you bring to the table. Here’s how to get started:

Research Potential Employers

Understanding the company shows initiative and helps you tailor your approach. Focus on:

• Their products or services
• Company size and locations
• Annual sales and recent developments
• Organizational structure and philosophy
• Competition in the industry
• Training programs and growth opportunities

Tip: Come prepared with thoughtful questions based on your research.

Identify and Highlight Your Skills

Take time to reflect on your:

• Key skills and strengths
• Relevant experiences (academic, professional, or volunteer)
• Past accomplishments and achievements

Align your skills with the job description to show why you’re a strong candidate.

Perfect Your 30-Second Pitch

Many interviews start with: “Tell me about yourself.”

Be ready with a brief, focused summary—your 30-Second Pitch—that covers:

• The Present: Your name, education, and current role (with a focus on how it connects to the job you’re applying for)
• The Past: Relevant academic, professional, or volunteer experiences
• The Future: Your career goals and how they align with the role

Tip: Practice this pitch so it feels natural and confident.

Did you know that up to 80% of job openings aren’t publicly posted? That’s why networking is often the key to landing your next opportunity.

is your go-to platform for:

• Accessing career path insights
• Connecting with the 91��Ƶ alumni network
• Exploring a comprehensive job board featuring alumni-friendly opportunities

You’ll not only find job listings—you’ll also see which 91��Ƶ alumni can help offer insights, advice, or even a competitive edge in your job search.

Wondering Why Not Handshake?

If you used Handshake as a student, you’re already familiar with how helpful it is for internships and entry-level roles. But as an experienced alum, your career needs have evolved.

Setter Connect is built with alumni like you in mind—offering tools and connections geared toward mid-career professionals, industry changers, and those seeking new leadership roles.

While Handshake remains great for students and recent grads, Setter Connect focuses on professional networking and alumni-driven opportunities.

With over 133 million users in the U.S. alone, LinkedIn is the leading professional networking platform. In fact, 93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates, and 87% say it’s their top tool for evaluating applicants.

If you’re looking to grow your network, showcase your skills, and advance your career, LinkedIn is the place to be.

Learn more about the exciting possibilities and benefits of making a career change.

Jim graduated a little over a year ago. He didn’t start his job search right away, and now is a bit worried. He sends out 100 applications a week on different popular job boards like Indeed and Monster. For every 200 resumes he sends out, he gets a handful of inquiries about positions he does not want.

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Jim's Action Plan

When Jim sees a position on a popular, generic job board, so do thousands of other candidates.

• Is his resume and cover letter targeted and selling him for the job he wants, in a format that will pass the applicant tracking system?
• Is he sending it to industry specific job boards and working through professional organizations to find the right leads?
• Has he built a professional network and is he leveraging it to find individuals who can get him a call from that employer? Is he being specific in how he asks for help from that network, with clarity about the jobs he is looking for based on research?

Janae has over ten years’ experience working in finance working her way up and “doing it all,” but she is now feeling burned out. Janae wants a job that she feels is more exciting and creative. Everyone says her resume looks great, after all, she worked her way up from an Associate to an AVP! But when she applies for positions at her current level in her desired field, no one responds. When her personal connections help her get an interview, it doesn’t lead to a second one, and no offer is made.

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Things Janae Should Consider

As a career changer, Janae must sell her transferable skills and 91��Ƶ degree to employers. Her search will be different than others in a few important ways:

• Is her resume filled with accomplishments and skills from her old field, with strengths that would apply to the new field sprinkled in as an afterthought?
• Many people who do well in one career and are migrating to another find it hard to let go of duties/accomplishments that are valuable in their old career but don’t translate into the new one. They oversell their old job and do not look for the common ground that they can showcase on their resume and in interviews.
• Does Janae feel so burned out from her old job that she discusses it in a negative light? Is she sharing why she is right for the new position more than she is saying she doesn’t want her old position and wants a new one. Is she telling her potential employer what she can do for THEM?

Jose didn’t love his position working in insurance for the past 25 years, but he was good at his job and worked really hard, sacrificing a lot of his personal time to be a success. His company announced layoffs and Jose was on the list. It has been 30 years since Jose graduated and almost as long since he interviewed. He feels like his world is upside down and his bills have not gone away. His company gave him a small severance package, but it will run out soon. He is applying to jobs and is told he is either overqualified or is offered a job at a much lower salary, which can be demoralizing.

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Things Jose Should Consider

Losing a job is one of the most stressful periods in a person’s life.

• How is Jose coming across to employers when he shares information about his situation?
• Has he spent time researching positions related to his former role to utilize the seniority he has built in the field and broadening his search?
• Is he leveraging his personal and professional network? What does his online presence look like?