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Resumes in Engineering & Computing

The purpose of a resume is to introduce your qualifications and skills to employers. The goal of a resume is to get an interview so that you can further share your qualifications and learn more about the internship or job, as well if that position and company or organization is a good fit for you.

We recommend developing a master draft of your resume, which includes your education and all relevant experiences and skills. You can then make a copy each time you apply to a position and customize your resume for that specific position and employer.

1. Develop a resume draft

• To get started with developing your resume, download��the Resume Checklist which includes recommendations on length of your resume and formatting.
• View the resume models��as a guides in developing your resume.
• For additional tips, we recommend this ��

2. Have your resume critiqued

• Upload a draft of your resume to Quinncia, an AI-powered resume review tool, to gather more feedback.
• Connect with alumni on who are working in the industry that you interested in to review your resume.

3. Your resume is likely good to go! If you need additional help with your resume:

• Meet with an Engineering Peer Career Coach for an individual resume review. Click here to schedule an appointment.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Curriculum Vitae literally means “course of life” and is a detailed document highlighting your professional and academic history. An academic or research curriculum vitae (CV) is a comprehensive document that highlights your academic achievements, research experience, publications, presentations, and professional activities. Unlike a traditional résumé, which is typically one to two pages and emphasizes skills and work history, an academic CV provides a detailed record of your scholarly work and is often several pages long. For engineering and computer science students interested in graduate school, research positions, or academic careers, a strong CV is an essential tool.��

1. Key Differences from a Résumé
While résumés are designed for industry roles and focus on concise highlights, CVs are meant for academic and research settings where depth and detail matter. A CV includes sections such as research experience, teaching experience, publications, conference presentations, fellowships, and technical skills. This longer format allows you to fully document your academic contributions and show how your experiences connect to your research interests and career goals.

2. Essential Components
Most academic CVs begin with your name and contact information, followed by sections tailored to your experiences. Standard sections include education, research experience, teaching experience, publications, conference presentations, honors and awards, grants or fellowships, professional affiliations, and technical skills. For engineering and computer science students, it is particularly valuable to highlight laboratory or project-based research, coding or software expertise, and collaborations with faculty. See our CV examples and templates for more details.��

3. Tailoring for Graduate School and Research Opportunities
When applying to graduate programs, research assistantships, or fellowships, your CV should emphasize research potential and academic preparation. Highlight any undergraduate research projects, capstone or design projects, and collaborations with faculty or labs. Publications or conference presentations—even if co-authored or at the undergraduate level—should be included. If you do not yet have publications, showcasing research posters, technical reports, or significant coursework projects can still demonstrate your academic engagement.

4. Formatting and Style Considerations
Clarity and consistency are critical in a strong academic CV. Use reverse chronological order within sections, ensure consistent formatting for dates and titles, and organize your document so that the most relevant sections appear near the top. Unlike résumés, CVs typically avoid dense bullet points and instead rely on detailed descriptions. As a student, a two- to three-page CV is common, expanding over time as your experiences deepen.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Students often make the mistake of treating an academic CV like a résumé by limiting detail or leaving out critical sections, such as research or teaching. Another pitfall is failing to include conference posters, technical reports, or collaborative projects simply because they are not published papers—these experiences are still valuable to highlight. Avoid overloading with unrelated part-time jobs or non-academic details unless they connect directly to your academic goals.

Faculty in your major, along with Engineering Career Hub and campus Career Services advisors, can help students to develop academic CVs. Whether you are applying for a research assistantship, a fellowship, or a PhD program, you don’t need to navigate the process alone.��

Cover Letters

The purpose of a cover letter is to demonstrate your interest in a position and the company, market yourself as the ideal candidate, explain any red flags that your resume might raise, explain how the achievements listed on your resume make you the perfect fit, and provide space to elaborate on your qualifications. Limit your cover letter to one page. If written well, a cover letter can be a great way to stand out as an applicant.

There are some jobs and internships that specifically require a cover letter, while others specify that including a cover letter is optional. The Engineering Career Hub staff recommend submitting a cover letter when required and when optional. Be aware that a generic cover letter (using the same cover letter to apply to multiple positions) will not help your application and will be easily recognized as generic by a hiring manager.

Here are some resources to help you write an effective cover letter that will get your application noticed:��

1. Develop a cover letter draft

• To get started with developing a cover letter, download��the Cover Letter checklist which includes recommendations on formatting and content
• Use these sample Engineering and Computing-focused cover letters as a model for your own: and
• For additional tips, we recommend this

2. Have your resume critiqued

• Practice customizing your cover letter by choosing an internship or job of interest and creating a specific draft
• Connect with alumni on who are working in the industry that you interested in to review your cover letter.
• Attend employer tabling and information sessions throughout the year and ask company recruiters and hiring managers for feedback on your cover letter.��

3. Your cover letter is likely good to go! If you need additional help:

• Meet with an Engineering Career Hub advisor for an individual cover letter review. Click here to schedule an appointment.