UTAH 4-H Career Readiness Workshops - Cover Letter & Resume Development

Sep 16, 2026

UTAH 4-H Career Readiness Workshops guide youth through building effective resume and cover letter documents for employers and scholarship providers. The workshop explains what resumes are, how to collect project and leadership experiences, and how to connect accomplishments to skills and goals. It then trains participants to write a convincing cover letter using a traditional format, address specific requirements, draft targeted paragraphs, and finish with a strong introduction and conclusion. Participants also apply professional language, clear formatting, and peer review tips.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Resume Development

Introduction

Activity One: What is a resume?

Discussion Questions

Cover Letter Development

Activity Two: A Convincing Cover Letter

Discussion Questions

Conclusion

UTAH 4-H Career Readiness Workshops Cover Letter & Resume Development Developed by: Kelsey Romney, 4-H Extension Youth Programs, UT Oakley Perry, 4-H Extension Agent, TN Nicole Reed, 4-H Extension Youth Programs, UT [utah4h.org](utah4h.org) Utah State University is an a!rmative action/equal opportunity institution. Resume Development Introduction Resumes and cover letters are the very ﬁrst thing an employer or scholarship provider/foundation will review to determine if an applicant may be worthy of employment or a scholarship. Learning how to create documents that summarize an individual’s knowledge, skills, experience, and accomplishments is a great way to earn opportunities. Portraying professionalism and infusing personality throughout the documents will give applicants a competitive Supplies • Printed Resume Worksheets (Optional; available in di"erent formats for age appropriateness) • Blank paper for each person • Pen/pencil for each person edge in the application process. An important thing to remember is that the content of resumes and cover letters are unique to the person creating them. Their formatting, however; are a little more standardized. Activity One: What is a resume? Explain to the youth that a resume is a document that summarizes their accomplishments/experience, and highlights the skills and knowledge they have gained in an organized fashion. Writing a resume can be a daunting task, and knowing where to start is often the biggest challenge. Creating resume content for youth who may have not yet had previous employment can also be a di!cult task, but this activity will help young people start to compile their information. Ask youth to write down quick answers to the following questions. Give them about 30 seconds – 1 minute to record their answers, and then ask the group to share a few of their responses between each topic. 1. Write down anything you’ve been involved with outside of school. Be speciﬁc and include how long you’ve participated in the activity. For example: sports, church, 4-H, Boys/Girls Scouts, etc. 2. Explain three experiences you’ve had where you learned a new skill. List where and when they took place. 3. Share a time when you were the leader. This can be a formal role, or just a time that you helped a peer or friend. 4. Write down anything you’ve done to make your community a better place. Discussion Questions 1. What did this activity help you recognize about your experience? Are there any areas where you may be lacking? 2. If you are lacking in some areas, what are things you can do to help you add to those areas? 3. How does compiling a resume help you to set short and long term goals? 4. Does writing down your accomplishments boost your conﬁdence? How will this help you prepare for an interview? [utah4h.org](utah4h.org) Utah State University is an a!rmative action/equal opportunity institution. Cover Letter Development Activity Two: A Convincing Cover Letter Talk with the group about the role of a cover letter – this document is the chance to preface your resume with a narrative. The cover letter should be tailored to the people who are selecting the applicants, and should follow the traditional cover letter format. Cover letters should be professionally personal, and like a resume, they are unique to each individual. To help youth get started writing a competitive cover letter, show them the following sample application requirements: 1. Must have previous experience in (each person may select their own topic from step one of the resume activity) 2. Must have excellent organizational abilities 3. Must be a good team member with exceptional communication skills Explain that the ﬁrst step to writing a cover letter is to understand how to mesh what the opportunity is seeking, with your current skills. Next, ask youth to address how their past experiences have prepared them to meet the requirements by writing down 3 – 5 s

FAQs

What is the purpose of a resume for applicants?

A resume summarizes accomplishments and experience in an organized way while highlighting skills and knowledge gained.

How should youth prepare content for their cover letter?

Youth should connect what the opportunity seeks with their current skills by writing 3–5 sentences for each required point based on past experiences.

What tips help youth write a strong cover letter?

Use professional language, address each objective clearly, follow the correct format and spacing, and have someone else review or edit the writing.

Sep 16, 2026

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