Resumes, Cover Letters, and Personal Statements

Students – Agricultural & Life Sciences

Resumes, Cover Letters, and Personal Statements

Resumes, cover letters, and personal statements are essential tools for showcasing your qualifications and aspirations to potential employers and academic institutions. These documents can greatly influence your opportunities and career trajectory.

CALS Career Services advisors can help you make a strong, professional impression. We offer expert review and editing services to ensure your materials are polished and impactful, giving you the best chance of success.

See our resources below to assist you in your process!

For more guidance regarding application documents, set up an appointment with a CALS Career Advisor on Starfish!

CALS Career Services

career@cals.wisc.edu

Resumes

Look at our resume samples and guide below to get started on creating our editing your personal resume! Please note that all samples are excellent examples for students in any CALS major or discipline! We encourage you to look at all of them.

Have one created and want advice? Set up an appointment on Starfish with one of our advisors.

Resume Guideexpand_more

Use our resume guide to learn about:

  • The main elements of an effective resume
  • The types of experience you can include
  • How to write an effective bullet point
  • Formatting your resume tips & tricks

? Tip from a student: Resumes

A lot of time for internship applications, the resume is the only thing that employers are getting at the first step, which is kinda scary because you don’t know what they are looking for. I took a lot of help from CALS Career Services to format my resume and to explain my experiences in a way that was effective and gives a clear picture of my skills that I have. 

-Rutuja, Genetic and Genomics & Data Science Student

Cover Letters

Cover letters can be intimidating to write. View our guide on how to write them below, and set up an appointment with a career advisor to talk about how craft them today.

Cover Letter Guideexpand_more

Our cover letter guide will teach you how to write and format your cover letter so that it communicates exactly what you want it to for future employers.

Writing Cover Letters – UW Writing Center expand_more

The UW-Madison Writing Center’s Cover Letter Handbook is an excellent website that can assist you in understanding the mechanics of writing a cover letter, as well as view samples of real cover letters that work!

Personal Statements

Applying for graduate school and need to write a personal statement? Not sure where to start, or how to put your ideas down on paper? Check out our personal statement guide below. Consider also scheduling an appointment with a career advisor to have them assist you further.

Personal Statement Guideexpand_more

Learn how to write a great personal statement and what to include.

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