should resume and cover letter be capitalized

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Here’s What You Should—and Shouldn’t—Capitalize on Your Resume

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By Leto Papadopolous

As a career coach, I’ve worked alongside recruiters and heard their complaints as they review resumes. I remember one squinting at the screen as she tried to read a resume with tiny  font , and another telling me she doesn’t even consider a candidate if she sees typos in a  resume  or  cover letter .

And I’ve reviewed thousands of resumes myself over the years and seen clients make large and small mistakes that can hurt their chances at landing an interview. One thing I frequently notice and fix while editing resumes is words that are capitalized even though they really should be lowercase. For example, I’ll see clients share names of departments they’ve collaborated with or various job titles within their  resume bullets , all capitalized. It’s just not necessary! Sometimes candidates are trying to indicate that something is important or they simply don’t know the rules around capitalization on a resume. But they don’t need nearly as many capital letters on their resumes as they think—and neither do you.

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How to Correctly Capitalize Your Resume

Resume capitalization can appear daunting at first, but following these simple grammar rules can help give your resume a polished, professional edge

9 months ago   •   3 min read

Your resume is the first impression you make to an employer, and you want to ensure that first impression is the best it can be!

Using appropriate grammar and capitalization rules will make your resume easier to read and showcase professionalism and attention to detail. But how do you know what needs capitalization and what doesn’t? Here are some tips for what words need resume capitalization and where on your resume these titles are important.

Capitalization rules may seem confusing at first, but learn a few basics, and your resume will be ready to go in no time.

Why does resume capitalization matter in 2024?

The vast majority of companies in 2024 are using AI-powered software to scan resumes and filter out those that don’t meet predetermined criteria. These ATS systems recognize standard grammar rules, including proper capitalization, meaning a well formatted resume will be more likely to make it into the hands of a recruiter and help you beat the ATS .

A great way to check if your resume is ATS ready is to use our Resume Scanner , which will score your resume on key ATS criteria and pinpoint any areas for improvement.

General resume capitalization rules

Proper capitalization will enhance readability and help your resume stand out in the right way.

Follow general grammar guidelines, which means always capitalizing:

• The first word in a sentence
• The first word in a list of bullet points
• Abbreviations and acronyms, such as IT, UBC or B.A
• Names and proper nouns

Never use all caps, as this looks unprofessional, and avoid typos by using software such as Grammarly to spell and grammar check your resume.

In the rest of this article, we will discuss capitalization rules for specific titles and qualifications. Don’t worry if this appears confusing. If in doubt, just stay consistent and use the same capitalization throughout your resume.

Job title capitalization

Capitalize specific job titles , such as Software Developer or Practice Educator, when used in your work experience section and if they appear before someone’s name.

For example:

Medical Assistant at ABC Hospital, 2020-2022 Vice President of Communications Richard Smith

General job titles should not be capitalized when used in a sentence, such as when describing your work experience or in your resume summary. For example:

Worked as a customer service representative for…

Gained valuable experience as a marketing intern while…

Capitalization of degree names and fields of study

Generally speaking, degree names and fields of study should be capitalized in the education section of your resume but not in your resume summary .

In your education section, use capitalization for:

• Degree names: Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science
• Degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
• Majors and minors : Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing
• All proper nouns: English, French, Spanish
• All abbreviations or acronyms: UBC, MIT, BA, PhD, NASA

Do not use capitalization in your summary unless the word is a proper noun, such as names, places, or people. For example, you would not need to capitalize the word biology, child psychology, or bachelor’s degree, as these are not proper nouns, but you would capitalize French or Roman studies.

Capitalization of other certificates and awards

Much like degrees, certificates and awards should be capitalized in your education section, including the names of awarding bodies, fields of study, and acronyms. For example:

Google Career Certificate in Data Analysis, 2024

Primary Care Paramedic Certificate, JIBC, 2022

When to capitalize a team name

A team name can be capitalized if it includes a proper noun, such as Tim Hortons Green Team, or has a specific/unique title within the organization. In this instance, the team name becomes a proper noun, and capitalization is therefore acceptable. Capitalization is not required when referring to a general team, such as a customer service or analytics team.

When to capitalize an industry name

Industries should be capitalized if they are proper nouns, abbreviations, or acronyms. For example, you would capitalize IT as an abbreviation for information technology but would not need to capitalize information technology if written longhand.

Capitalization in resume headers

There is no right or wrong way to capitalize your resume headers and titles . Just make sure to be consistent throughout. You can either use title case (capitalize every word in the heading, except short conjunctions like and, or, if, so, etc.) or sentence case (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns). You can use capitalization programs to help capitalize your headings.

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Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

Tips for Correct Capitalization on your Resume and Cover Letter

Imagine if You received a Cover Letter written like This. Reading this is like riding a Roller Coaster. By the time you get to the End of the Letter, you would be thinking Twice about bringing that person in for an Interview.

There are rules for capitalization . Resumes and cover letters that follow the rules correctly are easier to read and allow the reader to focus on the candidate’s experiences and qualifications, not their understanding of grammar or punctuation. The basic capitalization rules are:

• Capitalize the first word of a sentence . Even short sentences. When writing in bullet points, such as in a resume, capitalize the first word of each bullet point.
• Capitalize proper nouns – names of people, cities, places where you have specific references. If you worked at the White House, capitalize it. If you live in a white house, leave it lowercase.
• Capitalize the first and last words – and any significant words in between – for titles of books, movies, magazine articles (oh, and blogs too!).
• Always capitalize the pronoun I .

These rules are easy to apply to general writing, but writing about work experience, job titles and company names is a little trickier.

• Company names – these fall under the proper noun rule above and should be capitalized. If you have any doubts, check the company’s website to see how they refer to themselves online, in press releases, etc.

• Specific: “As the Director of Human Resources for ABC Company…”
• General: “I am seeking a director of human resources position…”
• Example: “Implemented Career Builder software across a global organization…” where Career Builder is the name of the software.
• Example: “Implemented talent management software…”where the reference is to a type of software and not a specific product.

And it goes without saying, NEVER WRITE IN ALL CAPS, which is commonly interpreted by most people these days as SHOUTING.

I am a strong advocate for proofreading . Two good proofreading reminders to ensure you are following the rules of capitalization correctly are 1) make sure the first letter of every sentence or bullet point is capitalized, and 2) review any capitalized letters that fall in the middle of a sentence. If they are not for a proper noun, chances are they do not need to be capitalized!

More capitalization rules can be found on the following grammar sites. Happy writing! The Guide to Grammar and Writing , sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation (Hartford, CT). Your Dictionary Grammar: 10 Rules of Capitalization

Heather Nelson is a partner with PeopleResults , a consultancy that guides organizations and individuals to “start the wave” of change. Heather and the team have advised major clients including PepsiCo, McKesson, Microsoft, Frito-Lay, Hitachi Consulting and many others on how to realize results through people. Contact her at [email protected] .

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Resume Capitalization Rules and Guidelines

When applying for a job, you want to make sure that your resume looks the best that it can. A resume showcases all of your accomplishments, from your educational attainments to your related experiences. You want to put these accomplishments in the best light possible and one way to do so is to make sure that your resume has proper capitalization.

Your resume is the first impression you make on a new employer and so adherence to proper grammar conventions is a must. Your future employer could make the decision between you and another candidate solely based on grammar alone if all other parts of the applications are similar. While there are a lot of grammar rules that go into resumes, today we will focus only on resume capitalization rules.

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There are a lot of rules that you should take into consideration when creating resumes. But capitalization rules are one of the most important things to consider since employers often scan a resume in under six seconds to determine whether they should read further.

Not only is capitalization one of the first things that your employee might see, but it’s also important to highlight the important parts of your resume such as your previous jobs and education. Hence, capitalization rules are very important so that you can show that you pay attention to details to your future employer. In this article, we will highlight some common resume capitalization rules. Please be mindful of these rules because they could make or break your next job application.

If you want to quickly and easily capitalize parts of your resume, you can use our free title capitalization tool here .

Table of Contents

Job Title Capitalization

Job titles are one of the most complicated resume capitalization rules. In most cases, people tend to capitalize their job titles since these are hard-earned titles . However, you shouldn’t necessarily capitalize job titles all of the time. There are instances when you have to capitalize job titles, but there are also times when you do not. Take a look at some of these resume capitalization rules under job titles.

• You should capitalize specific job titles. However, do not capitalize a job title if it is used as a general job description. For instance:

Specific job title: “As the Program Chair of the Department of Management…”

General job title: “I am seeking a position as a program chair …”

2. Capitalize a job title if it precedes the name of the person . For instance:

“ Chief Executive Officer Mark Thomas.”

“ Vice President Henry Griffin.”

3. Capitalize a job title if it is used as a heading in the resume . For instance:

“Chief Operating Officer (2015-2016)”

“Branch Manager (2010-present)”

4. Do not capitalize a job title when it is used to describe the person. For instance:

“Mark Thomas, the chief executive officer of…”

“the vice president of administration, Henry Griffin…”

5. Do not capitalize job titles if you place them as part of a summary of jobs.

“In my fifteen years as an employee, I worked as a professional teacher, a college professor, a clinical instructor, and a clinical nurse.”

• Are Executive Titles and Job Titles Capitalized?
• Are Job Titles Capitalized?

Capitalizing Work Experience

Usually, you do not capitalize the descriptions of your work experiences . In most situations, you would only state the nature of your previous related work. However, you should note that there are always exemptions to the rule. You should capitalize parts of your work experiences if they include a proper noun – such as product or company names, acronyms, or initials. You should also capitalize the first word in the sentence. Let’s see how these resume capitalization rules are applied by studying the example below.

Example: “Developed a new content management system (CMS) for the Seattle Public Library.”

In the prior sentence, “CMS” is capitalized because it is an acronym and “Seattle Public Library” is capitalized because it is a proper noun.

Capitalizing Degree Programs

One of the resume capitalization rules that you should pay special attention to is the capitalization of degree programs. Here are the rules to remember.

1. You should capitalize the name of the degree program if it is a proper noun or refers to a specific subject that you studied. Usually, these proper nouns are languages. For instance:

• Bachelor of Arts in English
• Bachelor of Arts in French

2. Do not capitalize the majors, programs, academic disciplines, and courses of study. For instance:

• D. in marine biology
• S. in environmental and natural resources

3. Here’s where it gets a little tricky. You can capitalize the degree on your resume as long as you list it as your degree. For instance:

• Harvard University – BA in History, summa cum laude (2010-2014)
• University of Virginia – BS in Computer Science, cum laude (2015-2019)

4. Capitalize academic degrees only when the full name of the degree is used. For instance:

• Bachelor of Science
• Master of Arts

5. Capitalize the abbreviations of academic degrees. Depending on the style preferred, you may or may not put a period in between these abbreviations. For instance.

• MA in education
• D. in environmental sustainability

6. Do not capitalize if the program is used as a general reference. For instance:

• I have a master’s degree in education major in mathematics.
• I have a master’s degree in biology, a master’s degree in physics, and a doctorate degree in science education.
• Is Associate's Degree Capitalized?
• Is Master's Degree Capitalized?
• Is Bachelor's Degree Capitalized?
• Is University Capitalized?

Capitalizing Offices and Departments

You have to capitalize the name of the offices or establishments only when you use the official name. For instance:

• Department of Arts, Sciences, and Teaching Education
• Basic Education Department
• Institute of Culinary Arts

You should take note that there are some departments or offices which contain proper nouns. Hence, they should always be capitalized. Be cautious with these resume capitalization rules because some people tend to overlook this.

• Timber Lane Elementary School
• Seattle Department of Transportation

Other Resume Capitalization Rules

Aside from those which we have mentioned above, there are other resume capitalization rules that you should always remember.

• A common convention in any formal writing, the first word of each sentence should be capitalized. Even when writing in bullet points, you should still capitalize the first word of each point. Even short sentences.
• Always capitalize the names of companies. Some of these company names tend to be a little tricky, so you should have ample idea of the correct capitalization. If in doubt, better double-check the name online.
• Always capitalize proper nouns . Of course, this is a basic rule of English title capitalization.
• Never write in all caps. It’s a common rule in all forms of writing. Some consider it as shouting, so you better be careful.

Resume Grammar

While not the primary topic of this article, you want to make sure that you use proper grammar on your resume. A simple typo could make your resume go straight to the trash can.

We highly recommend using Grammarly . You can either use their site to check your resume or they have plugins for Microsoft Word and Google Chrome .

Click here to get get a 10% discount on Grammarly Premium so that you make sure your resume has perfect grammar.

Resume capitalization rules can get a little tricky, especially if you lack the knowledge on which words to capitalize. Therefore, you need to understand these rules very well so you could create the perfect resume to impress your future employer. As they say, practice makes perfect. Keep on practicing as you improve. And also, good luck job hunting!

And remember, if you want to easily capitalize your resume job titles and other headers, try out our free title capitalization tool .

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Chief Executive Officer should always be capitalised. Imho.

I find the interchanging of ‘capitalize on’ and ‘capitalize’ to be confusing, as the distinction between the two isn’t clearly stated. It may be a clever and colourful use of the English language, but without explaining the difference it could lead to misunderstanding.

“In most cases, people would tend to capitalize on their job titles since these are hard-earned titles. However, you shouldn’t necessarily capitalize job titles all of the time. There are instances when you have to capitalize on job titles, but there are also times when you do not.”

The use of ‘capitalize on’ means to get an advantage from a situation, whereas ‘capitalize’ in this context means to write the first letter of the word as a capital.

In your linked article ‘Should Job Titles Be Capitalized’ (by clicking ‘capitalize on their job titles’ above), your fifth bullet point appears to use ‘capitalise on’ incorrectly instead of using ‘capitalise’.

“5. Do not capitalize on job titles if you place them as part of a summary of jobs.”

In reality, we are all capitalizing on our previous job titles in order to get the job, but that doesn’t mean that we should necessarily capitalize the titles when we write them!

Apologies for my inconsistent spelling of ‘capitalize’. I’m British, so I’m used to spelling it with an ‘s’ as opposed to a ‘z’.

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When to Capitalize Job Titles in Writing

4-minute read

• 19th July 2021

Should it be “President Biden” or “president Biden”? Is the “social worker” coming to the meeting, or should it be “Social Worker”? To learn when to capitalize job titles in business writing (or any other document), read our guide below.

When Capitalization is Key

Typically, job titles that come before names are capitalized (unless there is punctuation separating the title from the name). In these cases, the job title functions as part of a proper noun formed by the title and name:

President Biden has won the election. 

Head of Sales Mark Smith will be interviewing for the position. 

But beware of commas! As you can see, the job title below is not capitalized as we’re using it generically, not as a proper name:

The graphic designer , Sohaila Hussein, is very good at her job. 

We’ll look at this and other exceptions again later in the post.

Capitalization in Other Contexts

Other situations in which you may need to capitalize job titles include:

• To show respect to a person in a high-status role or position, especially if you are using their job title to stand in for their name.

The Queen will be opening this leisure center. 

Have you written to the President yet? 

• In emails or letter signature lines.

Yours faithfully, Sarah Brown, Assistant Principal

Melanie Ferrer, Speech and Language Therapist

• In headings, such as section headings in a resume.

May 2019–July 2020 , Customer Services Assistant

• In the vocative case (i.e., when using a job title to address someone directly).

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Is it serious, Doctor ?

• If a job title appears in the proper name for a building or department.

Office of the Vice Chancellor

Finally, if you’re an employee, make sure to check your organization’s style guide (if they have one) for specific details on capitalizing titles within the company. For example, some companies prefer to capitalize job roles as a matter of respect. And if your boss prefers to see their title capitalized in official documents, it is usually wise to follow their example even if it means bending the standard rules!

When Capitalization is Not Correct

When job titles are used descriptively or generically within a sentence, they are not usually capitalized. This applies to formal writing, job descriptions, cover letters and resumes, and pretty much any other form of writing you can imagine. For example:

Our chief editor , Simon Crystal, has an office on the second floor.

Mrs. Osborne, our assistant chef , makes the most delicious lasagna.

The receptionists at this company leave a lot to be desired.

During my time as a sales manager , I was responsible for 15 employees.

I would make an excellent staff nurse as I have great interpersonal skills.

In other words, when a job description is used in a sentence and does not stand in for (or form part of) a proper name, your default should be to use lowercase letters at the start of each word. However, as above, you may want to check your employer’s style guide for advice on capitalizing specific job titles.

Summary: To Capitalize or Not to Capitalize?

In summary, the rules for capitalizing job titles are:

• Job titles are normally capitalized when they stand in for (or are part of) a proper name, especially when the title precedes a person’s name.
• Job titles are also commonly capitalized to show respect for high-status individuals, when using a title to address someone directly, or when they appear in headings and signature lines. 
• When used generically or descriptively, job titles are not usually capitalized.

We hope this post has clarified how to capitalize job titles in writing. But if you’d like an expert to help you perfect your writing, why not try our proofreading service ?

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Here’s What You Should—and Shouldn’t—Capitalize on Your Resume

Posted on June 04, 2022 by Jeff Rothman, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Grammatical mistakes on your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile can hurt your chances of landing a new job.

Grammatical mistakes on your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile can hurt your chances of landing a new job. When you’re in a job search, it’s important to make sure your career branding is picture perfect! As a recruiter turned career coach, I’ve spent 30 years looking at resumes and can tell you that misuse of capitalization is rampant. That’s why I was happy to share below an excerpt from an article by Leto Papadopoulossee. She is a career coach and talent management professional who draws on her corporate and consulting experience.

Comprehensive guide to capitalization on your resume to help you figure out what to do about:

1. Bullets The first word of a bullet or sentence should always be capitalized. This might seem obvious, but don’t overlook it! Starting a sentence with a lowercase letter looks unprofessional.

2. Proper Nouns and Formal Names These are nouns that represent a specific person, place, or thing and should be capitalized. This is important! Proper nouns and names account for most of the capitalization on your resume. For example: George Washington Fifth Avenue Museum of Modern Art Europe Swahili

3. Company Names and Software Tools As proper nouns, the names of companies and software tools typically get a capital letter, unless they’re written in all lowercase letters or all caps by the company itself. Usually, companies only use this kind of unorthodox styling for logos, but occasionally it carries over into regular text.

Do you use Microsoft Excel? Adobe Photoshop? Make sure they’re capitalized, whether they appear within a bullet or are listed in a skills section. I always look up the name of a software program to see how the company writes it, and then follow that. Make sure you also pay attention to caps in the middle of a name, or lowercase letters at the start, like: JavaScript iPhone

4. Cities and States Always capitalize cities and states when you list your location in your contact info and the location of a company or school. Make sure to also abbreviate states. For company info, for example, you might write: Acme Industries | Seattle, WA

5. Roles, Departments, and Teams These should be lowercase in most places on your resume, including within your resume summary (if you’re using one) as well as your bullets or other descriptions of work experience, education, volunteer work, and more. So you’d write:

Scheduled social media content as a marketing coordinator with Acme Industries. The only exceptions are when you name your role at the start of a job entry and if you’re putting a title at the top as a resume headline. For example:

Acme Industries, Marketing Coordinator (January 2014–July 2017)

The same goes for departments and teams. If you’re listing out departments you worked with, you don’t need to capitalize those. That’s probably one of the things I fix most frequently. So you’d write:

Collaborated with engineering, marketing, and sales to make product improvements that incorporated customer feedback. Rather than:

Collaborated with Engineering, Marketing, and Sales to make product improvements that incorporated customer feedback.

6. General Industry Sectors Do you work in the pharmaceutical industry? Keep it lowercase when you’re writing about industry experience. So at the start of a resume summary, you might say:

Project manager with experience in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology industries.

Rather than:

Project manager with experience in the Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, and Biotechnology industries.

7. Time Words Seasons are not proper nouns so they should not be capitalized unless they are at the beginning of a sentence or you’re listing a season as your dates of employment (e.g., for an internship). But you should always capitalize days of the week and months, since they’re proper nouns.

Here are two ways to list dates of employment at the top of a job or internship entry:

September 2019–present

Summer 2020

But if you’re referencing a project you completed in the spring of 2021, resist the temptation to write “Spring 2021.”

Completed a major software implementation over the course of spring 2021.

8. Education and Institutions Always capitalize the name of a university or learning institution. For example, no matter where on your resume you mention it, you’d capitalize the first letter of each word in, say, Harvard University, Michigan State University, or University of California, Irvine.

But if you’re using the word “university” in a sentence by itself, it shouldn’t be capitalized. For example:

Oversaw outreach to 30+ university partners to build a robust internship program.

9. Degrees and Fields At the start of your education entries, capitalize the degree you earned (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science). But like the name of a role, you don’t need to capitalize degrees if you’re mentioning them within a bullet or elsewhere (e.g., bachelor’s degree). You can also always use the abbreviated version, which gets the appropriate capital letters no matter where it appears (e.g., MA, JD, PhD).

Similar rules apply to subjects and fields as to roles and degrees: When listing your education entries, you should capitalize the subject or field you studied. Here are a couple of examples:

New York University MA, English Literature

University of Texas Bachelor of Science, Sociology

However, if you choose to list completed coursework with your degree or otherwise mention subjects you studied or researched, the fields wouldn’t be capitalized—unless they include a proper noun or name of a language or country:

Completed coursework in comparative literature, American studies, French, and history.

10. Initialisms and Acronyms If you use an initialism (pronounced as letters) or acronym (pronounced as a word), make sure you spell it out first, and then add the shortened version in all caps in parentheses to ensure you get through an applicant tracking system (ATS). Here are a couple of examples:

Acted as subject matter expert (SME) in a complex software implementation. Used search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve website visibility and increase traffic to the site. Even if an initialism or acronym is widely recognized—most people would immediately know what NASA refers to, for instance—there’s still a chance an ATS won’t recognize it. Spell it out first and then you can use the abbreviation from then on.

11. All Caps The only other times I’d suggest using all caps on a resume, besides abbreviations, is for your name at the very top of the page and for section headings. It’s a personal preference, but I like the look and it helps those sections stand out. For example, you might make your section headings:

EXPERIENCE vs. Experience

EDUCATION vs. Education

SKILLS vs. Skills

Grammatical errors and small inconsistencies can be deal breakers for some resume reviewers. Over-capitalization might not be the biggest offender, but let’s make sure it doesn’t exclude you from being considered for potential jobs.

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How to Know when to Capitalize Job Titles

Last Updated: September 25, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Katherine Kirkinis, Ed.M., MA . Katherine Kirkinis is a Career Coach and Psychotherapist who has served as a career expert for Forbes, Medium, Best Life, and Working Mother Magazine, and as a diversity and inclusion expert for ATTN and Quartz. She specializes in working with issues of career, identity, and indecision. She has doctoral-level training in career counseling and career assessment and has worked with hundreds of clients to make career decisions through career assessments. She is pursuing a doctoral degree at The University of Albany, SUNY where her work focuses on diversity and inclusion, racism in the workplace, and racial identity. She is a published author and has been featured in academic journals as well as popular media outlets. Her research has been presented at 10+ national APA conferences since 2013. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 210,517 times.

The rules of grammar are always tricky to master, especially since there are so many of them, and they all seem to come with plenty of exceptions. Like the rest of English grammar, the rules for capitalizing job titles can often be confusing. However, most of the time, there’s no call for uppercase. If you take a little time to learn the few cases in which capitalization applies, you can be confident that you can write any job title correctly.

Understanding Which Job Titles to Capitalize

• However, a title that refers to an official, one-of-a-kind position, like the “Queen of England,” should be capitalized.

• Note that this rule only holds true for titles that have been officially conferred or awarded. For instance, you would capitalize, “Professor Anita Brown,” “Judge Regina Blake,” and “President Flora Barnum,” but you would not capitalize titles like “artist,” “race car driver,” or “musician,” as in, “This song is performed by musician Louis Armstrong.”
• Another way to determine if a job immediately preceding a person’s name should be capitalized is to consider if it’s a title or a description. That is, “Director of Marketing Joanna Russell” is correct if that’s Joanna’s official title. If you’re only describing her position, you wouldn’t capitalize her job: “marketing chief Joanna Russell.” [4] X Research source

• For example: “Can you make it to my graduation, Dad?” or “With all due respect, General, I disagree,” or “I saw the Queen of England ride by today.”
• This rule also holds true for terms of respect, like “Your Honor” or “Your Highness”.

• For instance, “Georgina Bourassa, the Barnaby G. Gray Professor of Circuses, taught for five years.”

• For example, “associate director of research and development for the cancer unit at Pharmacon” should be: “Associate Director of Research and Development for the Cancer Unit at Pharmacon.”
• Networks (like ESPN) and journalism outlets (such as CNN) are great resources for determining which words should or should not be capitalized in a title.

Knowing When to Keep Titles in Lowercase

• For instance, “Janice Buckley is a microbiologist,” or “Here are some tips from painter John Green.” In both cases, these job titles are being used to describe a profession rather than an official title, so they shouldn’t be capitalized.

• For example, “John, who is a salesperson, works at the dealership,” or “The clerk helped us with the documents.”

• For example: “Jesse Roberts, editor in chief at Grammar Central, hates typos,” or “Helena Briggs, social worker with the NHS, is handling the case.”

Capitalizing Titles in Job Application Materials

• When you are applying for a specific position, many people are inclined to put that job title in uppercase in their cover letters: “I am writing to apply for the Assistant Professor of American Literature post at Bard College.” If you do, be sure that you capitalize the other specific job titles included in your letter.
• The best way to help you decide which way to go is to look at the company’s job listing and website to see if they capitalize specific job titles that appear within sentences or not. If they do, then you should, too.
• Either way, remember that you should never capitalize general job titles in a sentence, such as, “I have more than twenty years of experiences as a director of human resources,” or “I am looking for a position as a campaign manager in the nonprofit sector.”

Expert Q&A

• When in doubt, don’t capitalize titles. It’s usually not needed, and most style guidelines lean toward capitalizing less. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• The conventions for capitalization may change depending on your geographic location or even your industry. For instance, there are differences between the U.S. and U.K. as well as between biologists and journalists. Be sure that you’re aware of which conventions to go by when you’re writing something for a specific audience. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you’re writing something for work, check to see if there is a company or organizational style guide that you can use as a reference to look up their preferences as to capitalization. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Katherine Kirkinis, Ed.M., MA. Career Coach & Psychotherapist. Expert Interview. 14 October 2020.
• ↑ https://www.cu.edu/university-relations/capitalization
• ↑ https://www.grammarbook.com/blog/capitalization/capitalization-with-job-titles/
• ↑ http://www.dailywritingtips.com/avoid-capital-offenses-when-using-job-titles/
• ↑ http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/capitalization/capitalization-of-job-titles.html
• ↑ http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/capital_letters_title_case.htm
• ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-rules-capitalization-resumes-jim-giacomo-giammatteo

About This Article

If you're not sure when to capitalize a job title, always capitalize a title that comes immediately before a name, such as "Dr Smith" or "Reverend James." Additionally, you should capitalize your job title at the end of an email, such as by writing "John Smith, Editor-in-Chief." However, you shouldn't capitalize a profession rather than a specific title, like "Here are some tips from painter John Green." You should also avoid capitalizing titles that appear on their own, like "the clerk helped us." For tips on when to capitalize job titles in your resume or job application, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Is Cover Letter Capitalized? (Career Advice)

I’ve always found that a well-written cover letter can make all the difference in getting an interview. It’s your opportunity to introduce yourself to someone and tell them why you’re looking for the job, so it needs to be just as strong as anything else you’re writing or sending out. 

And some things can help make a cover letter stand out from all of the other ones floating around out there:

Table of Contents

Cover Letter Capitalization Rules

A cover letter is a formal business document, so there are some rules surrounding how you should format it. It’s one of those documents where capitalization matters! So what are the guidelines for capitalizing words? Here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know about cover letter capitalization:

The opening lines of your cover letter can make or break your chances of getting the job. Start strong by using our tips on how to begin writing a cover letter that will grab the hiring manager’s attention and keep them interested throughout.

When Do You Capitalize?

Generally, capitalization is used to show importance or respect.

Capitalizing someone’s title shows that you hold them in high regards, such as when you refer to a doctor as “Dr.” or use the full title of their job.

Capitalizing someone’s name indicates that they are an important person in your life and you want them to know it, like when you write a letter or email to your boss and address it “Dear Mr./Ms. Smith.”

Capitalizing the first word in a sentence also serves as an indication of importance; however, this rule only applies when using formal writing styles (e.g., APA).

Do Cover Letters Count As Business Writing?

A cover letter is a document that accompanies your resume, which is typically aimed at getting you an interview. It introduces you to the person reading it, summarizes your qualifications and experience, and briefly explains why you’re interested in the position. 

The purpose of a cover letter is to act as a bridge between you and employers by showcasing your personality and showing why they should hire you over other applicants.

Cover letters can be formal or informal. You can even write them like an email if it makes sense for what you’re applying for just make sure to proofread thoroughly first! 

Cover letters are generally single-spaced but always double-spaced from the rest of your writing; if there’s room on the page, feel free to use it up!

The best way not to get a job is by sending out multiple resumes without corresponding cover letters or essays about yourself or why exactly this job would be perfect for someone like them (you). 

Be confident in yourself; don’t sell yourself short because if someone doesn’t want something badly enough then chances are they won’t work hard enough either way so there isn’t much difference between working hard at something else versus working hard at something else 

While also having fun doing so-especially when both options have similar rewards available once completed successfully (which again might not happen anyways).”

Writing a cover letter may seem like a daunting task, but our comprehensive guide on all you need to know about cover letters will walk you through the process step-by-step and help you create a compelling and professional letter that will impress any employer.

Is The Word Capitalize Capitalized In A Sentence?

Capitalize the first letter of the first word in a sentence.

Capitalize the first letter of the first word of titles, such as president or governor.

Capitalize the first word following a colon if it begins a complete sentence (example: He was a very successful pilot: he had flown thousands of hours). Otherwise, don’t capitalize it (example: We have many children enrolled at our school: one is an exchange student from Japan).

Never capitalize words like this, which are not proper nouns just common phrases that happen to begin with capitalized words (for example, in my opinion, and by my calculations).

Should I Capitalize on Cover Letter?

“Should I capitalize cover letter?” is one of the most common questions we get regarding cover letters.

While you might think that capitalizing on a cover letter is unnecessary, or even a sign that you are inexperienced, it has some important uses in your document. Here’s why:

Capitalization is used to emphasize words and phrases in sentences. This can be done by highlighting those words with upper case letters or bolding them. Capital letters can also be used to show the start of a sentence and proper nouns (names).

Should A Cover Letter Be Capitalized?

A cover letter is a formal letter, so it should be capitalized. It’s written in the third person and addressed to a specific person (the hiring manager). Cover letters are also written using business letter format and are typically written in a formal tone.

To make sure you’re using the proper capitalization rules for your cover letter, check out this article on Capitalization Rules for Cover Letters:

Is It Always Necessary To Capitalize “I” In A Written Letter?

There are a few rules you should follow when it comes to capitalizing “I” in your written letter.

When you are the subject of a sentence, then the word “I” is capitalized. The following examples illustrate this rule:

• I am celebrating my birthday next week.
• I finished writing my paper last night.

If however, the word “I” is used as an object or predicate (in other words, if it follows another noun or verb), then it should not be capitalized:

My mom bought me some new shoes for my birthday present!

I went to school yesterday evening but didn’t have time to finish my homework assignment because I was busy watching TV shows after dinner with my family members who were visiting us from our out-of-town vacation this weekend!

Wondering if writing a cover letter is really worth your time and effort? The answer is yes! Our article on how important is a cover letter when applying for a job provides compelling evidence to show that a well-crafted cover letter can greatly increase your chances of getting hired.

Should You Capitalize On A Resume?

The answer depends on your personal preference, but you should capitalize on a resume when you are using someone’s name. For example, if you are writing about John Smith and John is his first name, then it would be appropriate to capitalize the “J” in John.

When addressing people in general such as “I am happy to meet you” or “I appreciate your time” capitalize the first letters of each word except prepositions like “of” or articles such as “the” and “a.”

Is ‘and’ Capitalized After A Colon?

Most of the time, you won’t need to capitalize “and” after a colon.

The word “and” is not capitalized in the middle of a sentence. For example, this is correct:

You are required to submit your resume and cover letter with your application.

But sometimes you might see this instead:

You are required to submit your resume AND Cover Letter with your application.

This second option is considered incorrect because it uses two colons in one sentence (the first for the title, then another right after it) and omits conjunction between them (“and”).

Where Is Capitalization Used In Business Documents?

• The first letter of the first word of a sentence: The yellow marker was on the desk.
• Proper nouns: John Smith, Texas A&M University, Microsoft Corporation
• Titles: Dr., Mr., Mrs., Ms., Professor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lead Engineer (LE)
• Names of companies: Microsoft Corporation; Texas A&M University; Apple Inc.; General Motors Company (GM); Amazon Studios LLC
• Names of people: John Smith; Jane Doe; Mark Zuckerberg; Martin Luther King Jr.; Barack Obama
• Names of products/services that are well-known brand names or trademarks (often plural): Coca-Cola®, Google® Search Engine

What Words Should Be Capitalized In A Title?

When you’re writing a letter, the first word in the title should be capitalized. That’s because titles are not just names: they’re descriptions that tell you something about what to expect from your reader or recipient. Here’s an example of how to capitalize titles:

“Dear Mr. Smith” is a salutation; “Hello There, My Wonderful Friend” is a complimentary close; “I Can’t Believe You’re Going To Miss The Last Game,” says that there will be one more game after this one (and it would be great if he could come). 

If it were written as “I Can’t Believe You’re Going To Miss the Last game,” then this would only mean that there were two games total and now he wouldn’t get to see either of them!

When it comes to writing a cover letter, it’s important to strike the right tone and maintain a professional demeanor throughout. Our article on is cover letter a formal letter will help you understand the appropriate level of formality to use in your letter, ensuring that you make the best impression possible on potential employers.

Are Degrees Capitalized In Resumes?

The degree you have earned is capitalized on your resume, as per AP style. If the degree name is written in full, it should go in parentheses after the person’s name and follow by a comma:

Jane Smith (MBA)

If the degree name uses initials instead of words, then each letter of that abbreviation should be capitalized and put in quotation marks. These are not included in parentheses:

“John Doe” (BIC)

How Do You Write A Letter To A Company When Requesting Something?

A cover letter is not necessary when contacting employers by email. If you are emailing your resume and other documents, it’s fine to send them without including a cover letter.

Do not use the word “cover” in your subject line. The subject of an email should be straightforward so both recipients know what they are looking at: “My Resume for Position with Your Company” for example. A good subject line puts the reader in the right frame of mind before even opening the email itself!

What kinds of information should be included in a resume? Your objective or summary statement should reflect what you want out of life and why this career path is important to achieving those goals (and not just because it pays well). 

It’s also helpful if candidates include some details about their work experience on resumes so recruiters can figure out how long they’ve been doing certain tasks; this helps determine whether or not they’re ready to move on within an organization if hired!

Are you on the fence about whether or not to include a cover letter with your job application? Our article on how effective is a cover letter explains why a strong cover letter can make all the difference in landing your dream job, and provides tips on how to create a letter that will showcase your skills and experience in the best possible light.

Capitalization is all about respect and formality. When writing business letters or emails, capitalization is a way to show respect for the people you’re communicating with. 

While there are some exceptions in which capitalization isn’t necessary (such as when addressing people by name), it’s still important to know when you should use capitals in your documents so that they look professional.

Further Reading

Do You Capitalize Job Titles in a Cover Letter? – This Indeed article explains whether or not to capitalize job titles in a cover letter, and provides tips for formatting your cover letter properly.

Should You Capitalize Job Titles on a Resume? – This Indeed article provides advice on when to capitalize job titles on a resume, and offers examples of correct capitalization.

Should You Capitalize Job Titles? – This article on Fairygodboss offers tips on how to capitalize job titles correctly, and explains why proper capitalization is important for a professional appearance.

Should I capitalize job titles in a cover letter?

Yes, job titles should be capitalized in a cover letter. This is considered standard business writing etiquette and shows respect for the recipient.

Do I need to capitalize job titles on my resume?

Yes, job titles should be capitalized on a resume. This helps to make the document easier to read and shows attention to detail.

When should I not capitalize a job title?

Job titles should not be capitalized when used generically. For example, if you are referring to a profession in general, such as “accountant,” it should not be capitalized.

Can I use lowercase letters for job titles on my resume or cover letter?

No, job titles should always be capitalized in business writing. Using lowercase letters can make you appear unprofessional and careless.

Is it okay to use abbreviations for job titles in business writing?

It depends on the context. In most cases, it is best to spell out the job title in full to avoid confusion. However, if the abbreviation is well-known and widely accepted in your industry, it may be okay to use it.

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.

Do You Capitalize Your Job Titles? [4 Helpful Examples]

Job titles are an important part of the professional landscape. When searching for a new position, the job title is top of mind for potential candidates, and also what recruiters or hiring managers focus on when creating a job description. Job titles stand out, but should job titles be capitalized? It depends on how you plan to use them.

What are the rules for job title capitalization?

The rules for job title capitalization depend on various factors, including the context in which the title is used and the writing style being employed. While some employers may have specific style guides, it is important to follow these general guidelines:

• Capitalize before a name: If the job title is being used to address someone directly and it is an esteemed title, capitalize it when it appears before their name. However, if the job title is simply describing someone’s position without directly addressing them, use a lowercase letter.
• Capitalize with your signature: In direct mail or email signatures, capitalize your job title along with your name. This conveys professionalism and lends authority to your correspondence.
• Capitalize in headings on your resume: When listing job titles on your resume, capitalize them in the headings to highlight the importance of your previous and current roles.
• Optional capitalization in cover letters : While capitalizing job titles in cover letters is not strictly necessary, it can be beneficial to do so. It is advisable to review the job listing or application instructions for any specific capitalization guidelines or exceptions that the employer may have.
• Maintain consistency: It is crucial to be consistent in your capitalization choices throughout your document. Use title case for capitalization and carefully proofread to ensure the proper application of capital letters.

Are job titles capitalized?

Writing in a professional setting may call for capitalizing job titles. Depending on the type of communication piece you are writing, you will want to follow a style guide. Popular online grammar tool, Grammarly says:

“The capitalization rules for titles of books, movies, and other works vary a little between style guides.”

The most popular style guides are:

• AP — Associated Press
• APA — American Psychological Association
• The Chicago Manual of Style
• MLA — Modern Language Association
• The Oxford Guide to Style

Larger companies even have their own style guide to create a unified vision and brand. But across the board, the consensus for when to capitalize job titles is when the job title comes before a name or to remain professional when addressing a business colleague. According to Indeed,

“There are certain instances in which a job title should be capitalized. This can be on resumes, cover letters, emails or other professional documents.”

Job titles appear in both written documents or digitally on places like a Linkedin profile or job posting. Here are some examples of when to capitalize job titles.

When should a job title be lowercase rather than uppercase?

A job title should be lowercase when you are simply describing someone’s job title without directly addressing them. For example, you could say, “Dr. Freeman is a great physician.” Additionally, when a job title appears a few words after a name, it is often in lowercase. This is because it is describing a general job title rather than directly addressing people.

Should you use uppercase letters for the first letter of a job title when mentioning someone’s name and title together?

Yes, when mentioning someone’s name and title together, you can use uppercase letters for the first letter of each. For instance, you may write your name on your business card as “Director of Operations Jake Lawson.”

Should you capitalize a job title if it’s in front of someone’s name?

Yes, if someone has an esteemed title, their official title can be capitalized if it appears before their name. For example, you could address an email to “Professor Patel.”

Do you capitalize job titles in a job description?

Yes (mostly). After perusing 50+ job titles and JDs, we found that job titles are always capitalized in these instances.

In job ads, write job titles with capital letters to make them stand out. Recruiters and hiring managers put effort into creating these titles and descriptions. When you write the job title in big letters next to the company logo, it catches your attention on a job website.

All of these open positions were listed on Linkedin within the last 2 weeks. Note the capitalization of the titles.

Capitalizing Job Titles in an Email Signature

Your email signature lets people know who you are and what your role is in an organization. When including your signature in an email, do job titles get capitalized?

The answer is yes. Here are a couple of examples:

Regards, Sally Simpson, Director of Human Resources

Cheers,  CEO, Your Top Company Donald Davids

Even if your job title is on the more creative side…your title is Collector of Business Cards (Business Development Rep), you still want to capitalize your job title when it is deemed appropriate. Check out  100+ Creative & Funny Job Titles [by Department & Position]  for some interesting job title ideas.

Should Job Titles be Capitalized In a Cover Letter?

It is common practice to capitalize a job title when referring to a specific role in a cover letter. For example:

I am applying for the position of Brand Manager at…

I am writing this letter in reference to the Social Media Manager position at Company XYZ…

When to Capitalize Job Titles in a Resume

When creating your resume or CV, use capital letters for job titles to make them stand out. Job titles are like headers, separating different sections. This makes it easy for the reader to see your work experience. In the main part of your resume, use regular lowercase letters to talk about your past roles. You will see both instances in the sample resume template from The Balance below:

Do you capitalize job titles in a sentence?

Do you capitalize job titles in sentences? Yes, but if you are talking about the job in general, like ‘teacher’ or ‘doctor,’ use lowercase letters. Here is an example of when not to capitalize from wikiHow:

“Don’t capitalize unofficial titles or common nouns. When the job title refers to a profession or class of jobs rather than to a specific or official title, do not put it in uppercase. For instance, “Janice Buckley is a microbiologist,” or “Here are some tips from painter John Green.” In both cases, these job titles are being used to describe a profession rather than an official title, so they shouldn’t be capitalized.”

If you are not directly speaking about the job title, there is no need to use capital letters. The Fairygodboss’s article on cleaning up your resume talks about when to capitalize job titles in a cover letter. She says,

“…if your cover letter doesn’t explicitly state the role you’re applying for (and it doesn’t have to, that could be in the email subject line) and you just mention joining the team, you won’t have to capitalize that (example: “I’m excited to discuss how I’d contribute to the sales team,” not “I’m excited to discuss how I’d contribute to the Sales Team”).”

What words don’t you capitalize in a title?

Now that we’ve covered when to capitalize job titles, and when not to…here are some words you don’t need to capitalize in job titles any time.

• “of” — for example: VP of Marketing
• “the” or “to” — e.g., Assistant to the President
• “in” — for example: Director of Sales in Tech Markets

I recommend you make them lower-case to provide contrast to your more important words “Marketing,” “President,” “Sales.”

Thank you, experts on Capitalizing Job Titles!

• Taylor Houston’s article on  What’s Your Style?: Style Guides and How to Use Them
• Indeed’s article on  When Should You Capitalize Job Titles? (With Tips and Examples)
• The Fairygodboss’s article on  It’s Time to Clean Up Your Resume — Here’s How to Know if You’re Capitalizing Titles Wrong
• The Balance Careers’  Sample Cover Letter and Resume for a Recruiting Manager
• Linkedin’s  Job Listings Page
• Asana’s  Talent Acquisition Partner Job Listing
• Canva’s  Global Director of Talent Acquisition Job Listing
• ChemoCentryx’s  Talent Acquisition Associate Job Listing
• TikTok’s  Talent Acquisition Lead Job Listing
• Autodesk’s  Director, Talent Acquisition Programs Job Listing
• Marina Lukyanchuk’s blog on  Capitalization Rules
• Alexander Petermans’ article on  How to Know when to Capitalize Job Titles
• Mignon Fogarty’s article on  Capitalizing Job Titles

Why I wrote this?

My Ongig team and I share this research on job titles because it’s related to our mission: to transform job descriptions. Check out  Ongig.com  to learn more.

June 10, 2020 by Heather Barbour in Job Titles

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Do You Capitalize Your Major in a Cover Letter?

Understanding the rules of capitalization in a cover letter, specifically when mentioning your major, is crucial for making a strong first impression on potential employers. Proper capitalization not only showcases your professionalism but also demonstrates your attention to detail. However, there is often confusion and misconceptions surrounding the capitalization of majors in cover letters. This article aims to provide clear guidelines on capitalizing your major in a cover letter, using real-life examples and expert opinions to help you make the best impression possible. We will cover topics such as general capitalization rules, capitalizing proper nouns in majors, and common mistakes to avoid.

General Capitalization Rules

Before diving into the specific rules for capitalizing your major in a cover letter, it's essential to have a basic understanding of general capitalization rules. These include:

• Capitalizing proper nouns : Proper nouns, such as names of people, places, and organizations, should always be capitalized. For example, "John Smith" and "Harvard University" are both proper nouns and should be capitalized.
• Capitalizing names of specific degrees : When mentioning a specific degree, such as "Bachelor of Arts in English," the degree name should be capitalized. This is because it is considered a proper noun.
• Capitalizing job titles and company names : Job titles and company names should be capitalized when they are used as proper nouns. For example, "Marketing Manager" and "Google" are both proper nouns and should be capitalized.
• The difference between capitalizing general terms and specific terms : General terms, such as "marketing" or "engineering," do not need to be capitalized, while specific terms, such as "Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering," should be capitalized.
• The importance of consistency in capitalization throughout a cover letter : It's crucial to maintain consistency in your capitalization throughout your cover letter. Inconsistency can create confusion and make your cover letter appear unprofessional.

Capitalizing Your Major in a Cover Letter

Knowing when and how to capitalize your major in a cover letter is key to maintaining professionalism and making a strong first impression. Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Capitalizing specific degrees and fields of study containing proper nouns : If your major is part of a specific degree name or contains a proper noun, it should be capitalized. For example, "Bachelor of Science in Computer Science" or "Master of Arts in English Literature" should be capitalized.
• Not capitalizing general terms and non-specific fields of study : If your major is a general term or does not contain a proper noun, it does not need to be capitalized. For example, "biology" or "marketing" would not be capitalized.
• Examples of capitalized and non-capitalized majors : Here are some examples to help illustrate the difference between capitalized and non-capitalized majors:

Capitalized: Bachelor of Arts in History, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Non-capitalized: psychology, mathematics

• Common mistakes to avoid when capitalizing majors in a cover letter : Some common mistakes include over-capitalizing general terms, inconsistency in capitalization, and failing to capitalize proper nouns. To avoid these mistakes, review your cover letter carefully and seek feedback from others.
• Customizing capitalization rules for various majors and industries : Keep in mind that different industries may have different expectations when it comes to capitalization. Research your specific field and adapt your capitalization rules accordingly.

Proper Nouns in Majors

Proper nouns in majors should be capitalized, as they follow the general capitalization rules for proper nouns. Here are some tips for identifying and capitalizing proper nouns in majors:

• Identifying proper nouns in majors : Proper nouns in majors often include names of specific degrees, languages, or locations. For example, "Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering" or "Master of Arts in French" both contain proper nouns and should be capitalized.
• Examples of majors with proper nouns : Some examples of majors with proper nouns include:

English Literature, Asian Studies, European History

• The correct way to capitalize majors with proper nouns : When capitalizing majors with proper nouns, ensure that the proper noun is capitalized and the rest of the major name follows standard capitalization rules. For example, "Bachelor of Arts in Spanish" is correctly capitalized.
• The impact of not capitalizing proper nouns in majors : Failing to capitalize proper nouns in majors can make your cover letter appear unprofessional and may leave a negative impression on potential employers.
• Ensuring consistency in capitalizing proper nouns throughout a cover letter : To maintain professionalism and make the best impression, be consistent in capitalizing proper nouns in your cover letter. Double-check your capitalization and ask for feedback from others to ensure accuracy.

Capitalization of Course Names

Course names should be capitalized in a cover letter, as they are considered proper nouns. This is because course names typically refer to a specific and unique course offered by an institution. Here are some guidelines and examples for capitalizing course names in a cover letter:

• The difference between course names and majors : While a major refers to a broad field of study or the primary focus of an undergraduate degree, a course name refers to a specific class or subject within that field. For example, a student majoring in English Literature may take a course called "Shakespearean Tragedies."
• Examples of capitalized and non-capitalized course names : Here are some examples to help illustrate the difference between capitalized and non-capitalized course names:

Capitalized: Introduction to Microeconomics, Organic Chemistry I, World History Since 1500 Non-capitalized: biology lab, calculus tutorial

• The importance of correctly capitalizing course names in a cover letter : Properly capitalizing course names in your cover letter demonstrates your attention to detail and professionalism. It also helps potential employers understand the specific courses you have taken as part of your education.
• Tips for maintaining consistency in capitalizing course names : To ensure consistency in capitalizing course names, double-check your cover letter for any instances where you mention a specific course. If you're unsure whether a course name should be capitalized, consult the course catalog from your educational institution or seek feedback from others.
• Common mistakes to avoid when capitalizing course names in a cover letter : Some common mistakes include failing to capitalize specific course names or inconsistently capitalizing course names throughout your cover letter. To avoid these mistakes, review your cover letter carefully and seek feedback from mentors or peers.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Being aware of common mistakes in capitalizing majors and course names in cover letters can help you avoid them and maintain a professional appearance. Here are some common mistakes and tips for avoiding them:

• Inconsistency in capitalization : Ensure that your capitalization is consistent throughout your cover letter. Double-check your capitalization of majors, course names, job titles, and company names to ensure accuracy.
• Over-capitalizing general terms and fields of study : Remember that general terms and non-specific fields of study do not need to be capitalized. Review your cover letter to ensure that you are only capitalizing specific degrees, proper nouns, and course names.
• Failing to capitalize proper nouns : Ensure that you capitalize all proper nouns in your cover letter, including specific degrees, course names, and names of educational institutions.
• Inaccurate capitalization of course names : Double-check your cover letter for any instances where you mention specific courses, and ensure that you have correctly capitalized these course names. Consult your educational institution's course catalog or seek feedback from others if you're unsure about capitalization.
• Tips for proofreading and ensuring correct capitalization in your cover letter : Take the time to carefully proofread your cover letter for capitalization errors. Reading your cover letter aloud can help you identify inconsistencies or mistakes. Additionally, seeking feedback from mentors, peers, or professional proofreaders can help ensure that your cover letter is polished and professional.

Properly capitalizing your major in a cover letter is crucial for making a strong first impression and showcasing your professionalism. By understanding the rules of capitalization for majors, course names, and other elements in a cover letter, you can ensure that your document is polished and accurately represents your education and experience. To recap, here are the key points covered in this article:

• The importance of understanding capitalization rules for majors in a cover letter.
• General capitalization rules, including capitalizing proper nouns, specific degrees, job titles, and company names.
• Capitalizing your major in a cover letter, including when to capitalize specific degrees and fields of study containing proper nouns, and when not to capitalize general terms and non-specific fields of study.
• Properly capitalizing course names in a cover letter, as they are considered proper nouns.
• Common mistakes to avoid when capitalizing majors and course names in a cover letter, and tips for proofreading and ensuring correct capitalization.

Remember to practice correct capitalization in your cover letters, and seek feedback from mentors or peers to ensure that your document is polished and professional. With attention to detail and a thorough understanding of capitalization rules, you can make a strong first impression on potential employers and increase your chances of success in your job search. Best of luck in your job search, and may you find the perfect opportunity that aligns with your skills, education, and passions.

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We Asked ChatGPT to Write Resumes and Cover Letters. Here’s What It Got Right (and Wrong)

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We Asked ChatGPT to Write Resumes and Cover Letters. Here’s What It Got Right (and Wrong) was originally published on Forage .

You’ve probably heard the buzz about ChatGPT and all the wild conversations and creations it’s producing. While it’s a fun diversion in the middle of an otherwise dull day, are there any practical applications for ChatGPT — like having it write your cover letter and resume?

We wanted to know what AI-generated cover letters and resumes would look like. While they were well-written, what ChatGPT generates for you is likely not enough to help you land a job interview.

What Is This ChatGPT Everyone Is Talking About?

The chatbot making a splash (and headlines) is ChatGPT , and it’s poised to be a massive step forward in artificial intelligence (AI).

It uses natural language processing , making it easier to ask questions and receive relatively life-like responses. For example, you can ask ChatGPT, “Why do you think the sky is blue?” and it will attempt to reasonably answer your question as a friend might. This is different from other chatbots or search engines, where you might have to phrase the question “just so” to get an answer.

In addition to asking ChatGPT questions, you can also ask it to perform writing tasks for you. And what ChatGPT has produced is, well, stunning.

Some examples:

• A letter disputing a health insurance denial
• A movie script
• Original poetry
• Writing programming scripts

What’s more, you can ask ChatGPT to redo and potentially improve the answer by asking it to “try again” using the same inputs. 

Our ChatGPT Experiment: Resumes and Cover Letters

Because ChatGPT is incredibly sophisticated, we wondered if it could be leveraged to save time during a job search. What would it produce if we asked it to write a few resumes and cover letters for us?

AI-Generated Resume Examples

We started with some resumes.

The deckhand on a pirate ship:

An entry-level software programmer:

Entry-level financial analyst:

What’s interesting about these AI-generated resumes is that they are relatively unique to the prompt. For example, only one entry-level resume includes a GPA .

>>MORE: How to Write a Resume

However, these resumes also include things that are no longer necessary . For example, they have a street address, and the lead deckhand resume includes a references section.

AI-Generated Cover Letter Examples

We gave ChatGPT multiple cover letter prompts to test its abilities. These are some of the best examples:

An entry-level investment banking job:

An accounting internship:

When you have no work experience: 

Lead deckhand on a pirate ship:

It’s fair to say that these are well-written cover letters. They follow general cover letter conventions, are polite, and explain why the writer is applying to the role. It also mentions a few skills that might be necessary for success in the role, despite us not mentioning any skills as part of the prompt.

What ChatGPT Got Wrong

While the resumes and cover letters ChatGPT generated aren’t half bad, they are exactly the kind of resumes and cover letters you would not want to submit as your application.

Let’s look at the lead deckhand cover letter, specifically the two middle paragraphs.

The second paragraph talks about the writer’s “several years of experience including time spent as a deckhand in leadership roles.” The third paragraph also mentions, “I have demonstrated strong leadership skills.”

While the writer should mention their leadership skills, especially because moving to lead deckhand is probably a step up the career ladder, there is no mention of how the writer used their leadership skills.

It’s the same on the pirate deckhand’s resume. It lists specific skills, like sword fighting, raiding, and treasure hunting, but nowhere does it say how the deckhand used those skills or why it matters to the captain or the rest of the crew.

This is precisely what recruiters say job seekers should avoid. Saying you possess leadership skills is fine, but unless you explain how you used them, the phrase is meaningless. You have to include an example of your leadership skills as a quantifiable result that made a positive impact on the team.

For example, in the second paragraph of the cover letter, you could say:

I have several years of experience working on ships, including time spent as a deckhand and in leadership roles. For example, I was once asked to lead a raid on a village that was rumored to have an extensive gold reserve. I selected a team of eight deckhands, created the raiding plan, and successfully led my crew in under the cover of darkness. Not only were none of my crewmates killed, captured, or seriously injured, we also recovered nearly 10,000 gold pieces.

The rewrite is a clear and compelling example of how you use your leadership skills and, more importantly, what the positive impact was for the entire crew.

>>MORE: How to Use the STAR Method for Interview Questions

What ChatGPT Got Really Wrong

Of course, part of the problem with the deckhand cover letter prompt is that it wasn’t specific. We simply asked it to write a cover letter. That’s a pretty generic ask, which is probably why we got a generic response.

For the next test, we asked ChatGPT to write a cover letter for a job opening at Forage and included some text from the posting that describes some of the experience our team is looking for. Here’s the prompt:

And here’s what ChatGPT generated:

Once again, the cover letter is decent overall. However, it parroted back what we pasted in the input section without any explanation or context.

For example, the second paragraph talks about the writer’s ability to conduct pre-call planning (a keyword from the job description). While ChatGPT attempts to explain why pre-call planning is important, the explanation isn’t specific. It won’t help this job applicant stand out from the others because it doesn’t include any particulars about how this writer conducts pre-call planning.

It’s a similar problem with the third and fourth paragraphs. The cover letter mentions specific skills from the posting but doesn’t explain how the writer uses them or include an example of when they used their skills to “grow my sales pipeline.”

Instead, you want to explain how you conduct pre-call planning or how you used your skills to grow your sales pipeline:

One of my key strengths is my ability to conduct pre-call planning. In addition to researching my prospects and gaining a deep understanding of the challenges they face, I research their competition, too. This helps me better personalize my pitch and position my company as a supportive solution to beating the competition.

>>MORE: Resume Keywords: What They Are and How to Use Them

The fifth paragraph also parrots keywords to the point it’s practically plagiarizing the job posting: “I have a consistent track record of achieving measurable inside sales goals in a sales environment where accurate entry and management of lead data in a CRM system is required.” Worse, the cover letter includes no examples of the measurable inside sales goals the writer achieved.

We found other problems with the resumes and cover letters Chat GPT generated.

First, ChatGPT doesn’t seem to self-edit what it produces. For example, under the Awards section of the software engineer’s resume, one award was formated with a dash, the other with a comma. While that may be the appropriate way to format these awards, it demonstrates that the program can be inconsistent.

Second, it appears that ChatGPT was making things up to fill in gaps from the broad prompts we provided. The cover letter for the accounting internship says that the writer is proficient in QuickBooks, even though we did not include that information in the prompt. It’s possible that because the prompt was vague, ChatGPT pulled that information in as an example of what to include in your cover letter, but again, it is something to be aware of.

Should You Use ChatGPT for Your Cover Letter and Resume? 

To be fair, this is a beta version, and ChatGPT says some results may be inaccurate. As we experimented, we found that the more specific the prompt, the more specific the output. When we asked ChatGPT to write a cover letter that included “the fact that I increased my high-confidence pipeline by 20% YOY,” it produced a slightly better cover letter:

That said, while it’s fun to ask ChatGPT to create a cover letter and resume so you can pursue the pirate life, should you use AI for your cover letter and resume?

As the results show, what ChatGPT produces is often generic and broad, which is unlikely to get you an interview. And copying and pasting parts of the job description isn’t helpful because ChatGPT parrots back the keywords without explaining why or how you do those things.

That said, if you’re having trouble getting started, are struggling with writer’s block, or can’t seem to find the right words, ChatGPT can be helpful in getting you a draft to work with. It generates clear outlines that give you an excellent starting point for creating application materials. But you can’t rely on it to generate the perfect application. If you use ChatGPT to generate a cover letter or resume for you, make sure you personalize it with specific details about how you use your skills on the job and proofread it carefully to ensure everything is accurate before hitting submit.

Want to learn how to write a resume without AI? Consider enrolling in Forage’s free Resume Writing Class.

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The post We Asked ChatGPT to Write Resumes and Cover Letters. Here’s What It Got Right (and Wrong) appeared first on Forage .