cal poly resume examples

• About Cal Poly
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Facts and Figures
• President and Leadership
• Rankings and Awards
• Academic Calendar
• Academic Advising and Services
• Centers and Institutes
• Internships and Co-ops
• Study Abroad
• Student Life
• Athletics and Recreation
• Clubs and Organizations
• Health, Wellbeing and Safety
• Housing and Dining
• Tuition and Financial Aid
• Financial Aid
• Student Accounts
• University Divisions
• Mustang Athletics
• Mission, Vision, and Principles
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Accreditation
• News and Features
• Undergraduate Programs
• Concentrations
• Graduate Programs
• Student Services
• Clubs and Events
• Philanthropy
• Corporate Sponsors
• Academic Advising
• Career Advising
• Career Mentoring

Resume Examples & Templates

• Career Paths
• Peer Mentoring
• Multicultural Business Program
• Student Ambassadors
• Transfer Students
• Business Council
• Policies and Forms

Please note: Google Docs must be downloaded and saved separately before editing.

• Resume Example
• Google Doc. Templates
• Word Templates
• Find a Major
• Tuition and Aid
• Departments
• History and Traditions
• Cal Poly Events
• Cal Poly News
• Cal Poly Magazine

Orfalea College of Business

[email protected] 111-111-1111

• alumni & friends
• parents & families
• Directories
• Academic Departments
• Staff & Faculty
• Campus Info
• Calendars & Events
• College Portrait
• Facility Rental
• Account Center
• Reset HSU Password
• Course Info
• Class Schedule
• Registration
• Student Services
• Associated Students
• Financial Aid
• Tuition & Fee Payment
• Through Student Center
• Electronic Payments
• More Information

Explore, Experience, Achieve

Find us in the  Lower Library 27 - Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm 

Call Academic Advising at 707.826.5225 and Career at 707.826.3341

• Major/Career Exploration
• Jobs/Internships
• Academic Resources
• Graduate School
• DACA Undocumented
• Undeclared Resources

Resumes, CVs, & Cover Letters

Check out the Résumé Guide  (pdf) to find out what should be included on a résumé.

When creating a resume, consider mentioning your ability to work remotely:

Technology Skills:

• Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher
• Remote communication tools: Email, Phone, Videoconferencing (Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams)
• File sharing and collaboration: Google Drive, Canvas, Dropbox
• Adapts quickly to new and changing technology

Résumé Examples

The examples provide different formats and styles to select from. Check all of the résumé examples for formatting and layout ideas that fit your education and experience. (All examples are in PDF. Go to Adobe Acrobat to download Acrobat Reader.)

Part-Time Jobs

• Example 1 – Local Part-time Job; Working with Children (pdf)
• Example 2 –   Local Part-time Job; Food Industry/Retail (pdf)

College of Professional Studies Examples

• Example 1 – Business (pdf)
• Example 2 - Accounting (pdf)
• Example 3 - Kinesiology (pdf)
• Example 4 - Recreation Administration (pdf)
• Example 5 - Liberal Studies, Elementary Education (pdf)
• Example 6 - Economics (pdf)
• Example 7 - Teaching (pdf)
• Social Work BSW Field Experience Resume  (docx)
• Social Work MSW Field Experience Resume  (docx)

College of Natural Resources & Sciences Examples

• Example 1 – Engineering (pdf)
• Example 2 - Wildlife (pdf) (This is a good reference for most majors)
• Example 3 - Environmental Science and Management
• Example 4 - Federal Resume (pdf)
• Example 5 - Limited Experience Resume/Science 100 (pdf)
• Special Qualifications List

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Examples

• Example 1 - Social Science (pdf)
• Example 2 - Art (pdf)
• Example 3 - Environmental Studies (pdf)

Curriculum Vitae

• Tips for writing your curriculum vitae
• Resume and CV Categories
• Example 1 – CV Sample (pdf)
• Example 2 - Wildlife CV  (pdf)
• Example 3 – CV Template (pdf)
• Example 4 - CV Sample (pdf)

Cover Letters

• Cover Letter Template 

Resume Tools

• Action Words
• Résumés, CVs, & Cover Letters
• Interviewing Tips
• Job and Internship Boards
• Salary Planning & Negotiation
• Fraudulent Job Postings
• Updating Legal (Primary) Name and Pronouns
• Campus Student Support Services
• Humboldt Catalog
• First Year Advising Syllabus
• Second Year Advising Syllabus
• Paths to Success
• Peace Corps

Application Guide for First-Year

We have compiled this information to guide you through each section of the  Cal State Apply  application.  Within the application, you can also navigate to the blue question circle in the upper right corner for more detailed instructions.  Additional resources are also available directly through Cal State Apply.

Getting Started

Gather materials.

• Transcript(s) from all high schools and colleges (if applicable) that you've attended.
• 12th grade fall and spring course schedules to include in-progress and planned course work. Do not include planned summer courses. They will not be considered on your application.
• Do not send official transcripts unless we request them.

Browser Preferences

Use Google Chrome or Firefox to complete your application. Internet Explorer or Safari are not recommended for Cal State Apply. You must disable your pop-up blocker.

Creating Your Account

• Sign in or create an account. Please do not use a school-based email address under Contact Information .
• In Complete Your Profile , choose “First Bachelor’s Degree,” and then “graduating high school senior or equivalent.” Next, indicate whether or not you have college course work to enter. From there, complete the remaining questions and click Save.
• Scroll down to find "Cal Poly Undergraduate."
• Search for "Cal Poly" (do not search for "San Luis Obispo").
• Click on Filter and choose Cal Poly San Luis Obispo under the Campus selection. 

Program Selection

• All Cal Poly applicants must select a major. Undeclared is not an option for our campus.
• You will be evaluated against other first-year applicants applying to the same major.
• You may select an alternate major, but very few applicants are offered admissions based on their alternate major selection.

Review Your Program Selections

Review your answers, then click on Continue to my Application .

Personal Information

Complete all sections using your full legal name as it will appear on your test scores, transcripts and government issued documents.

Academic History

High schools attended.

• Students whose California based high school is listed with CaliforniaColleges.edu , can import their high school information and course work data directly into the Cal State Apply Application. You must first create an account and register with CaliforniaColleges.edu . Once you have an account, click the “Connect” button and follow the prompts.
• Once your accounts are connected, click “Import” to bring over your data. Once imported, you will receive a success message on the screen. It will be your responsibility to double-check all of the course work and ensure that all grades are entered, all A-G designations are assigned, and accurate course categories are applied.
• If you do not use CaliforniaColleges.edu, you will need to enter all high schools attended manually. 
• Enter any online or distance education providers, if applicable.
• If you were home-schooled, navigate to the Home School tab to enter your curriculum provider.
• Double-check your selection for the diploma Date Received/Expected question to make sure you selected the correct year.
• If your school operates on two different term types such as semester and trimester, enter the school twice under each term type. This will ensure that you get the proper credit for your course work.

Seventh and/or Eighth Grade Course Work

• You can only enter one year of credit per course, even in your middle school split the course into two years (ex., Algebra 1A in seventh and Algebra 1B in eighth). In this case, enter the course work in either the seventh or eighth grade section. 
• Don't enter your middle school as an additional school attended. Instead, choose it as the first high school attended in ninth grade for that academic year. 

Ninth through 11th Grade Course Work

• Remember to list your courses and grades as they appear on your high school transcript and make sure you select the correct course type. If you are not sure which A-G area your course falls under, you can look it up on the UC Doorways A-G course list . If you have taken AP, IB, or Honors courses, select the appropriate option from the dropdown menu of course type. For all other courses, select “None.”

12th Grade Course Work

• Enter all 12th grade course work as either “In Progress” or “Planned” to get credit for those semesters. Dropping Spring course work you report on your application could have an impact on your admissions status.

Failing Grades/Repeating Classes

• Enter all failing grades for courses unless you have successfully repeated the same exact course at the same institution and your transcript reflects this accordingly. In this scenario, you will only report the passing grade. If you are currently retaking a failed course with an in-progress or planned course, you must report the failing grade.

Summer Classes with Two Grades

• Did you take an A–G course over the Summer? Click on "Add Summer Courses" and enter your coursework. If you received one grade, enter that grade in Summer 1 and enter "No Course" in Summer 2. 

Schools with Trimester Systems

• If your school operates on a true trimester system where you receive three grades per course, select trimester as your term type. If your school operates on a trimester system where you only get two grades per course, you will select semester as your term type.

Elective Requirements

• If you do not have two semesters of Electives, you may fulfill the one year requirement by entering one semester of US Government and one semester of Economics (if 4 semesters of Social Science have already been completed). If you do not have US Government and Economics, you may report a course entitled “Elective Credit” with two grades of Pass. Please call our office directly if you have questions or concerns about meeting the area G requirement.

College Course Entry

• If you are using college classes toward your A-G Course work, make sure you add the college to your application. You should enter the course into the College Coursework page. Do not add a second grade if you only took one semester. The system will know to give you one year's worth of credit as long as you enter it properly and assign the appropriate A-G designation on the A-G matching tile.
• Non A-G college courses can be entered on the college coursework page. Do not enter the course on both the High School Coursework and College Coursework pages, as this is considered double-reporting.

Test Scores

• The California State University (CSU) system has permanently suspended the use of ACT/SAT tests in the admissions process. Standardized test scores will only be used for Math and English placement purposes, if you are admitted. 
• College Board institution codes for Cal Poly SLO: (ACT: 0188) (SAT: 4038) (AP: 4038).

Supporting Information

This section covers work experience and extra-curricular activities, as well as the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).

Your work experience can be paid or not. You may also enter internships or volunteer programs in this section. There is no area on the application to give details regarding these activities. It is simply quantified into hours per week, with an indication of leadership roles and major relatedness. Cal Poly reserves the right to request additional documentation to verify your responses if needed.

The EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) provides admission, academic and financial support services to historically underserved students throughout California. Applicants to the program need to fill out all four sections by the EOP Application Deadline. Non-EOP applicants will need to decline the option on the first tile and click on Save to continue. Learn more about EOP .

Program Materials

After selecting your program, followed by the Questions tab:

• Read and click on the Licensure or Credential Acknowledgment. 
• Select "First-Year (Graduating High School)" as Applicant Level.
• Respond to the questions and acknowledgements displayed.
• Save and continue.

You must pay the campus application fee at the time you submit, unless you qualify for an application fee waiver. The application will notify you automatically whether or not you qualify for a fee waiver at the time of submittal. The limit is four fee waivers for California State Universities. After you have used your four fee waivers, you must pay the campus application fee. If you do not currently own a credit card, the system will accept a pre-paid credit card.

• Faculty & Staff
• Parents & Families
• Still Exploring
• Agriculture, Animal Health, Food, & Plant Science
• Apparel Merchandising & Management
• Architecture, Planning, & Design
• Arts, Media & Communication
• Computing, Data & Cybersecurity
• Education & Social Impact
• Government, Public Administration & Policy
• Healthcare & Wellness
• Hospitality Management
• Law & Public Safety
• Management, HR, Marketing, Finance & Accounting
• African American / Black Students
• Asian, Pacific Islander, & Desi American
• DACA & Undocumented
• First Generation
• Hispanic / Latinx
• International
• Native & Indigenous Peoples
• Project Rebound
• Renaissance Scholars
• Students With Disabilities
• Veterans & Military Affiliated
• NACE Competencies
• Writing Resumes & Cover Letters
• Interviewing
• Build Your Network / LinkedIn
• Graduate School
• Digital Career Resources
• Assessments
• Handshake 101
• Internships
• On-Campus Employment
• Career Events & Recruitment
• Job Offers & Salary Negotiation
• Mission & Vision
• Meet the Staff
• Office of Academic Innovation

Writing Resume & Cover Letters

• Share This: Share Writing Resume & Cover Letters on Facebook Share Writing Resume & Cover Letters on LinkedIn Share Writing Resume & Cover Letters on X

These are tools for marketing you! Learn more about the essentials and strategies to help you stand out.

• Skip to Content
• Current Students
• Prospective Students
• Business Community
• Faculty & Staff
• Your Events

Career Services

Embrace your unlimited possibilities.

• Career Counseling
• Graduate Status Report
• Clothing Closet
• Diversity Resources
• Explore Majors & Careers
• Graduate School
• Interviewing
• Job & Internship Search
• Online Resources
• Resumes & Letters
• Take An Assessment
• MustangJobs
• Industry Spotlight
• Recruit Here
• Partner With Us

Cover Letter Guidelines

Career Services' Cover Letter Handout (pdf)

When sending a resume to an employer, either to apply for a job or to inquire about positions, enclose a cover letter as your introduction. A cover letter is used to state why you are writing, what interests you about the employer or the position, and what skills and background might fit the company's needs.  Letters are typed and mailed or e-mailed, along with the resume.

Sample Cover Letter

Your Address City, State Zip code Date

Name of Person Organization Name Address City, State Zip code

Dear Mr./Ms. (Insert Name) The first paragraph should indicate what position you are interested in and how you heard about it. Use the names of contact persons, if appropriate, or references to your sources of information. (Sample entry follows)

Arthur Jones, Professor of Electrical Engineering at Cal Poly and formerly a senior design engineer at LSI Logic, suggested that I contact you concerning a summer internship in your division. I have heard about the very positive working environment at LSI and your progressive approach to meeting the needs of your client community. Joining such a forward thinking company this summer would be very exciting.

The second paragraph should relate your experience, skills and background for the position. Highlight the specific skills and competencies that could be useful to the company. (Sample entry follows) As a junior Electrical Engineering student at Cal Poly, with an emphasis in analog design, I have completed courses in Electric Circuit Analysis, Electronic Devices and Manufacturing and Integrated Electronic Circuits. Teamwork skills have been developed through class projects, and leadership through serving as President of Tenaya Residence Hall. This past spring I completed a design project working with CBDS which was a valuable experience.

The third paragraph should indicate your plans for follow-up contact and that your resume is enclosed. (Sample entry follows) Although the enclosed resume provides a good summary of my background and experience, I would like to arrange to meet with you to discuss any positions you may have available and my qualifications for them. I will call your office next week to schedule an appointment. Thank you for your time.

(Sign name)

Your Name (typed)

Related Content