The Robinson Writing Center is currently offering a 3 part workshop on resume and cover letter writing on March 23, March 30, and April 13 from 12-12:50 p.m.

To get a better idea of the services offered during the writing workshop, I went to the resume 101 writing session held on March 23. Amanda Tennant, director of the Robinson Writing Center, gave instructions on how to make a resume look and sound professional. The student consultants available to help were Madison Cavicchia, Autumn Ducksworth, and Alexis Walton. Following the list of resume building tips presented, Tennant gave out a worksheet titled “resume components.”

There is a list of videos to help you prepare for the workshop, but it isn’t a requirement if you plan to attend. Each day has a different set of videos. The first workshop, on March 23, was titled Resume 101: Getting to the Top of the Pile. Tennant only showed the video called resume design principles that gave tips on how to structure your resume while using the name Bruce Wayne to be humorous. These directions and tips go more in depth than a College 101 class.

I learned that indenting and putting words in bold makes a difference when employers are reviewing your experience. We also discussed the use of templates and why they are considered to be overrated. If you choose the wrong template, it is hard to revise the overall content and make it look presentable from a professional standard. Overall, the tips provided throughout this workshop were for students who are just starting their resume or have yet to start one.

The second workshop on March 30 is titled Resume 102: Job Descriptions to Make your Resume Stand Out. It explains the three principles for better descriptions: action-oriented, results-driven, and specific and concise. This workshop is better suited for students who have a rough draft of their resume or for students seeking guidance on how to improve their descriptions.

The final workshop on April 13 is titled Cover Letter Bootcamp: How to Get Started and Get Noticed. This workshop is for students who haven’t started a cover letter and need help making their letter stand out to future employers. This workshop shows how to make your cover letter more persuasive. If you have a draft of your cover letter, this workshop would be a great way to receive feedback on possible revisions needed to make your cover letter noticeable and memorable.

Adam O Donnell, healthcare management major, said, “During the resume workshop, I learned that it’s important to have a clean resume following the three rules they provided. I also learned that objective statements in a resume aren’t as important as one would think. Lastly, I learned that it is important and preferred to have a cover letter for each job you apply to. The student helpers were helpful and answered all the questions I had.”

To register for these workshops go to the WLU Robinson Writing Center website. However, registration is not a requirement and walk-ins are accepted. For more information, you can contact Tennant via email at [email protected].