Frequently Asked Questions About Resumes, Cover Letters & CVs

LiveCareer’s certified resume and cover letter writers, recruitment specialists and career advice experts can help you land the desired job. You can find thousands of recruiter-approved resume and cover letter examples and a wide selection of resume and cover letter templates on our website. We offer individualized resume reviews, professional resume and cover letter writing services, advice articles, and access to our award-winning Resume Builder.

With Full Access, LiveCareer helps you achieve everything you need to apply for a job successfully.

• Access your resumes and cover letters from anywhere, anytime.
• Use our job boards to explore opportunities by location, company or industry, and apply with only one click.
• You can download or print unlimited resumes and cover letters as Word documents or PDFs, recruiters’ two most requested file formats.
• Pick from dozens of resumes and cover letter templates designed with many industries in mind.
• Instantly check your resume for spelling errors and other common issues.
• Get ready for interviews with practice questions, etiquette tips and more.
• Find up-to-date salary information for job titles in any area or industry.

Our team of professional resume writers is here to help! It only takes three simple steps to sign up:

• Sign in to your LiveCareer account.
• Select “Resumes” or “Cover Letters” along the top navigation bar.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page, then click “Find out more” under the right-hand “Resume and Cover Letter Writing” option.

Yes, LiveCareer’s team of Certified Professional Resume Writers write all the resume and cover letter information on the site.

If you want to leave a review about your experience with LiveCareer’s services, you can post your feedback to our Trustpilot page. Remember that we do not offer any incentives or compensation for leaving positive reviews, so if you suspect you’ve found evidence of this behavior, please alert our content moderation team via customerservice@livecareer.com.

A resume template is a pre-designed outline that makes building a resume easier by:

• Pre-establishing a resume’s overall layout and look.
• Ensuring your career details and qualifications are structured in an easily understandable, recruiter-friendly way.
• Guaranteeing your resume appears polished.
• Offering an expert-approved blueprint for an effective resume.

Click on any resume template on our site that best suits your desired job, and immediately access our Resume Builder for section-by-section guidance on writing your resume. We’ll provide expert recommendations for your resume’s content that you can add to your resume sections with a click and supply you with keyword suggestions and other helpful resume-writing tips. You can save your progress at any time, and it’s easy to edit your resume before finalizing and downloading the finished document.

Yes. Our resume and cover letter templates were professionally designed with recruiters and hiring managers in mind. They all include the required sections and have polished professional designs.

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are software employers use to scan applicants’ resumes and cover letters to determine if the candidate meets the basic job requirements. ATS are programmed to monitor keywords such as key skills, education level and any other qualifications the employer deems relevant. Based on how many of these keyword requirements you meet, the ATS will give your resume a score that dictates whether a recruiter will evaluate your job application.

Yes, with any of LiveCareer’s resume templates, you can craft an ATS-friendly resume that passes its scan. Our recruiter-approved, expertly designed templates guarantee that your information is laid out strategically, that headers and footers are used correctly, that you have no inappropriate fonts and that your resume’s margins are clear and adequately sized.

LiveCareer’s resume examples are expertly crafted tools designed to help job seekers understand how to structure and tailor their resumes for specific roles. Each resume example is a template filled with relevant skills, experience and achievements that our professional writers have researched thoroughly, giving you clear guidance on what employers look for in various industries. Use these resume examples as references to create a strong, tailored resume that highlights your qualifications and stands out to hiring managers.

Use our resume examples by clicking the “Edit this template” button. When you do, a window with your chosen resume example will open in our Resume Builder. All you’ll have to do then is include details about your contact information, employment history and unique data about your professional experience, such as skills, quantifiable achievements, certifications, etc.

The three main resume formats are functional, chronological, and combination. The chronological resume format is the most common and best suits job seekers with over a decade of work experience. The functional resume format, sometimes called the “skills-based” resume, emphasizes the candidate’s skills over their work history, making it ideal for less experienced job seekers. As you might guess, the combination resume format combines aspects of the chronological and functional formats to provide a well-structured resume for mid-level job seekers.

Your experience level, the length and consistency of your employment history, skill set and career goals should dictate your resume format choice. You can learn more about each format in our Resume Formats guide, which includes a checklist to help you decide on the right one.

When it comes to resume length, in almost every case, resumes should be one page long, two pages long at most. Most job seekers should only use a single page, but applicants with a decade of experience or more may be better suited by the room two pages allow. Well-written resumes are typically short and clearly and accurately communicate an applicant’s qualifications.

For the best odds of success, job seekers should write a different resume for each job they apply for. You should customize your resume’s content to reflect the unique requirements of each role because no two jobs are the same. All employers have unique needs, so your resume should appeal to those above all else. Read every job description carefully so you can customize your resume accordingly.

Using LiveCareer’s Resume Builder is the easiest way to customize your resume to match any job. Start fresh by choosing a new resume template and follow our guided process, or simply edit an existing resume saved to your account with unique skills and achievements. Just ensure to rename your resume before submitting it to a new employer.

If you’re not a model or actor, or applying to a company that requests you do so, don’t put a photo of yourself on a resume.

Below are some of the main reasons to avoid this:

• Photos are unnecessary for evaluating your potential. Including a picture won’t boost your chances of being hired. It’ll only waste space that should be reserved for your relevant skills and experience.
• It can be a distraction. Don’t let your photo steal recruiters’ attention away from your qualifications.
• This could lead to discrimination. Employers are more likely to act on racial, gender or age-related prejudices if their first impression of you includes your appearance. Many companies immediately reject resumes with photos to prevent being later accused of discrimination.
• It isn’t ATS-friendly. Applicant tracking software, which many employers use to scan resumes for job-related keywords, can’t read images. If your photo confuses an ATS as it parses your otherwise impressive resume, you’re much more likely to be rejected before a recruiter even knows your name.
• May seem unprofessional. Most hiring managers find including photos on resumes unprofessional, mainly for the above reasons. These employers are unlikely to see you as a serious candidate, leading to your rejection before your candidacy is considered.

Among the many reasons to steer clear of including graphics or fancier fonts on a resume, the main ones are:

• As with your photo or any other image, applicant tracking systems (ATS) cannot scan graphics or intricate fonts on resumes, making them likely to be rejected before reaching the hiring manager.
• Focusing too much on your resume’s visual elements may make you appear desperate, perhaps to draw attention away from other areas lacking on your resume.
• Recruiters might see overly fancy resumes as vain or self-centered.
• Visuals may distract from your actual qualifications. Hiring managers review many resumes; don’t slow them down as they look over yours, or they might give up on reading it altogether.
• Some employers view graphics-heavy resumes as unprofessional. Stylized resumes may be more noticeable, but that doesn’t mean they’re wanted.

Many job seekers make the mistake of filling their resume with basic job duties instead of unique accomplishments. When writing key sections like your work experience or resume summary, focus on sharing any goals you met during past roles instead of job responsibilities anyone in your position could have done.

Here’s an example:

Rather than: “Took vital signs, recorded other health information and carried out procedures including blood drawing and measuring blood pressure, respiration, pulse rate height and weight.”

You might write: “Recorded vital signs by measuring respiration, pulse rate and blood pressure for an average of 50 patients per day while maintaining a 99% positive approval rating from patients.”

See how including numbers or quantifiable achievements makes these tasks your own? Doing so allows recruiters to understand the impact you had on the job.

A sure way to pick the right resume skills is to use the job description as inspiration. Job advertisements will tell you every required skill, so simply note the ones you possess and add those to your resume. Ensure you have a balance between soft skills and hard skills to show that your technical knowledge matches your interpersonal abilities.

A common resume-writing best practice is to include no more than a decade of experience on a resume. Doing so helps you keep your resume on the recommended two-page limit and is a way to guarantee it won’t become outdated. If you have 15 to 20 years of relevant experience that would be beneficial to include, you may do so as long as you keep it concise.

A cover letter template is a professionally formatted and pre-designed tool that aids job seekers in quickly writing a cover letter by doing the following:

• Pre-establishing your cover letter’s overall look and layout.
• Structuring your cover letter’s content in a recruiter-friendly way.
• Guaranteeing your cover letter appears polished.
• Offering an expert-approved blueprint for an effective cover letter.

Once you pick the cover letter template that best suits your style and industry, filling in its contents is the next step. When you click on any of our cover letter templates, we’ll direct you to our Cover Letter Builder, where we’ll guide you through writing each of your letter’s sections. We’ll provide paragraph suggestions and helpful tips tailored to your desired job and experience level. Once you complete your letter, download it in your preferred file format and submit it to your job application.

LiveCareer’s cover letter examples are valuable tools designed to show job seekers how to present their qualifications and enthusiasm in a cover letter for a specific role. Each example includes relevant content tailored to different industries and job titles. By reviewing these examples, you’ll learn how to highlight your experience, skills and achievements compellingly to capture an employer’s attention. Use them as inspiration to craft your personalized cover letter that complements your resume and makes a strong impression.

To use any of our cover letter examples, choose one that aligns with your job title or industry. Read through the example to understand the structure, tone and types of information included. Our Cover Letter Builder will handle the formatting and suggest paragraphs that fit your role and experience level. Personalize your letter by inserting your unique accomplishments and key details.

If you’ve tried to find the hiring manager’s name to no avail, you can address a cover letter with a simple greeting like “Dear Hiring Manager” or “To the HR Department.” These options demonstrate an awareness of who will most likely receive your letter and guarantee it goes to the right person.

Stay away from outdated greetings like “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.” Relying on these greetings communicates a lack of effort in finding your potential hiring manager.

Yes. Unless a job application explicitly tells you not to include one, a cover letter is necessary for showing recruiters all you have to offer and your passion for the job. Paired with a well-written resume, an impressive cover letter is often the deciding factor that lands job seekers an interview. Cover letters help you stand apart from the competition by allowing you to connect personally with employers and offer more context towards your accomplishments.

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Our Resume Builder simplifies putting together a job-winning resume in mere minutes! Here’s how to achieve this:

1. Refer to our resume examples as a guide, and select your favorite resume template.
2. Once in the Builder, answer some basic questions (i.e., “How long have you been working?”).
3. Add content to each section of your resume — we’ll guide you, section by section, and offer pre-written suggestions.
4. Adjust the look and layout of your document to match the job you apply for.
5. Proofread your writing and make any necessary formatting edits to your resume.
6. Save and download your resume in your preferred file format.
7. Submit it to an employer, paired with a cover letter.

LiveCareer’s Resume Builder makes it easy to write a resume in only 15 minutes!

LiveCareer’s Cover Letter Builder will create a personalized application letter in minutes by drawing from a vast database of content tailored to hundreds of job titles. When you enter our Builder, you can start your letter by inputting your desired job title, years of experience and writing style or uploading your resume. The Builder will use the data to generate a cover letter with tailored achievements, skills and statements. All you have to do is edit it with unique details about yourself and download your cover letter in your preferred file format.

We have a free ATS Resume Checker tool to analyze your resume and check for over 30 common errors. Go into our ATS Resume Checker page to upload your resume. Our ATS Checker will score your resume based on the types and amount of errors you have. Based on our recommendations, you can then fix those mistakes to ensure your document will bypass any applicant tracking system.