Simple Ways to Make Your Resume and Cover Letter Stand Out

Finding a job that’s the right fit starts with presenting your best self to employers. Your cover letter and resume are often your first introduction, so creating strong, well-organized materials is an important step toward getting noticed. The Presenting Your Best Self to Employers fact sheet from Choose Work offers helpful guidance. If you are a Social Security disability beneficiary, Ticket to Work service providers can support you throughout the process.

Below are simple ways to strengthen your application — along with how Ticket to Work can help.

Tailor Your Documents for the Job

A generic resume is easy for employers to spot. They want to see that you understand the role and can meet their needs. Instead of submitting the same resume to different employers, make sure each one is customized so that Artificial Intelligence (AI) or a human resources employee can clearly match your skills and experience to the role.

Here are a few tips:

• Use words from the job posting in your resume. This helps both computer systems and hiring staff quickly see that your skills match what the employer is looking for, and it shows that you read the job description.
• Highlight the experience and skills most relevant to the position. Make sure your top skills are easy to find. This includes technical abilities, interpersonal strengths, and any specialized knowledge related to the job. Move the most relevant skills and experience to the top of the resume under your former or current job role. If they stay near the bottom, they might get lost.
• Use your cover letter to tell your story. It’s your chance to show who you are and explain why the job matters to you. Share what excites you about the role, how your experience has prepared you, and what you can bring to the company. Make sure your cover letter clearly shows how your strengths match what the employer is looking for.

Use a Clean and Readable Format

A polished layout makes it easier for hiring managers to quickly scan and understand your background.

You can:

• Use consistent headings and bullet points.
• Choose readable fonts.
• Keep paragraphs short and focused.

Focus on Your Achievements

Simply listing job duties in your resume or cover letter doesn’t show employers what you can accomplish. Highlight measurable results when possible, such as:

• "Increased customer satisfaction by 15%"
• "Managed schedules for a team of 10"
• "Earned certification that improved team efficiency"

If you have any certifications or licenses, be sure to include them. They show your commitment to learning new skills and growing in your career.

Proofread

Typos and grammatical errors can distract from your strengths. Review your documents more than once before you send them off and consider having someone else check them for accuracy and clarity. If you have several different resumes and cover letters, double check the title on each one to make sure you submit them to the correct company.

How a Ticket Program Service Provider Can Help

If you receive Social Security disability benefits and are ages 18 through 64, the Ticket to Work Program offers free employment support. This includes help with:

• Writing and refining resumes and cover letters
• Understanding employer expectations
• Preparing for interviews
• Requesting reasonable accommodations

Employment Networks (ENs) and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies can help you analyze job descriptions and tailor your resume and cover letter to match employer expectations. They can help you identify key skills you may not realize you have — including transferable skills gained through volunteering or past experiences — and can guide you in identifying accomplishments and turning them into strong resume statements.

When you’re ready to submit your application materials, service providers can review them for grammar and typos and suggest formatting improvements that make your resume clear and professional.

Whether you work with an EN or a State VR agency, these professionals can help you present your best self to employers with confidence.

Learn More

Learn more about how Ticket to Work can help you reach your goals! Call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842. For callers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, call 1-866-833-2967 (TTY). Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET; or visit choosework.ssa.gov. You may also email us at TicketToWork@ssa.gov.