Grading rubrics resume and coverletter

Determining Grades for the Resume and Cover Letter

Since students are always in the process of revising the resume, instructors should direct their comments toward revision. Initial emphasis, especially in comments, should be placed on issues of audience. Problems of error and imperfect proofreading should be emphasized in the grade. However, comments should be directed toward identifying specific patterns of error.

• Students must attach the job advertisement, since without it peers and instructors cannot judge audience expectations.
• The resume should be ordered in a way that best responds to the potential employer's needs
• The cover letter should offer significant details distinguishing the candidate and highlighting aspects of the resume in a way that clearly responds to those needs.
• Instructors should try to require a high level of detail in the cover letter, since most students will write letters that are too short or that lack detail. Each document should be one full (1) page in length.

The resume and cover letter assignment ought to have absolutely no errors of syntax, grammar, consistency, or tense. Errors in consistency (in spacing, parallel form, layout, capitalization, etc.) are especially prevalent. General sloppiness or failure to adhere to generally accepted principles (such as using active verbs) should also be considered.