Cover Letter and Resume

Assignment 1: Resume Rubric

A Excellent

(Above and beyond

expectations)

B Well Done

(Meets expectations

and is excellent or

almost excellent in one or two

areas)

C Satisfactory

(Meets expectations)

D Needs Work

(Almost meets expectations)

F Failing (Below

Expectations)

4 3 2 1 0 Audience (X2) • The resume anticipates and fulfills the reader’s needs (contains the information the

audience needs to make a decision or take an action) • The resume is tailored to a specific audience and is not overly generic

Context and Purpose (x2) • The resume (in terms of language and design) is suited to someone who is skimming, in a

hurry, or “choosing their own adventure” in how they read the resume • The resume seems to be persuasive in that it seems the writer will be a good fit for the job

or organization (the resume is not treated as informative, but persuasive)

Design • Excellent match of design elements to document genre • Effective use of design principles (white space, alignment, etc.) • The resume is a usable, accessible document that follows best practices identified by our

readings and class discussions • The resume’s design follows the recommendations of the Ladders Eye Tracking study and

accounts for how recruiters read resumes

Style and Editing • Clear and succinct prose • Word choices are concrete and specific • The resume makes good use of keywords and strong action verbs • Gender- and culture-appropriate language • No grammatical, mechanical, or typographical errors • Keywords are utilized and are logical • Errors do not affect usability

Structure and Organization • Follows structural conventions for the genre • Arranges parts logically • The organization of information meets the reading needs of our users and users do not

have to “hunt” for important information

Critical Thinking • Decisions are made based on research/evidence and insight • Claims are substantiated with evidence and/or examples (details used to support fit) • Keywords are utilized and make sense (avoids “Keyword stuffing”) • Content and design decisions seem to take into account insights from readings and class

discussions

Student Ownership • The assignment is unique and not simply a generic template • If a template is used, the writer made logical modifications to increase usability and

accessibility • The document seems unique to the writer and also tailored well to the specific rhetorical

situation • The assignment goes beyond minimal expectations • If necessary, the writer took risks

Assignment Completion • Fulfills assignment precisely and fully • Includes all parts of the assignment

Total

40-34 30-24 20-14 10-5 4 or less