Published on
March 13, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
April 16, 2026
If you’re wondering “Is a cover letter necessary in 2026?” you’re not alone! This question is widely debated among recruiting experts. The best move is simple: check the job posting or application portal. If a cover letter is requested, include one. If the employer doesn’t specify, submitting one can still give you an edge.
Until recently, a cover letter and a resume were standard protocol for professional job applications. Now, employers don’t always expect or require cover letters, but they usually can’t hurt, even when they’re not required.
The tips and insights below will help you decide when a cover letter is necessary so that the job applications you submit in today’s market have the best possible impact.
When you need a cover letter, use QuillBot’s free cover letter generator to instantly draft a letter that will stand out to prospective employers.
Published on
March 7, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 27, 2025
A double negative is a sentence that uses two negatives—such as “not” and “nobody.”
In formal English grammar, double negatives are incorrect because the two negative words cancel each other’s meaning. For example, “I didn’t talk to nobody” technically means “I talked to at least one person rather than zero people.”
Although you should avoid double negatives in formal situations (e.g., essays, cover letters, or job interviews), double negatives are perfectly fine in creative writing and casual conversation. Double negatives are also common in movies, TV shows, pop songs, poetry, and fiction.
Avoiding double negative mistakes is a two-step process:
Know which English words are negatives.
Use only one negative in each clause or sentence.
Double negative example
The Fall Guyisn’thardly the best movie, but I did enjoy it.
The Fall Guy is hardly the best movie, but I did enjoy it.
The purpose of a resume is to align your skills and experience with requirements for jobs, internships, or other career opportunities.
You submit a resume with a job application to concisely summarize which of your skills, employment history, and education are most relevant to the job requirements. Your goal is to show recruiters that you’re a great match so that they’ll select you for an interview.
Employers request resumes with job applications so that they can efficiently choose which applicants to interview. Your resume helps them evaluate your qualifications and prepare interview questions that are uniquely tailored to your background.
Understanding the purpose of a resume—as outlined below—will help you make a resume that’s relevant and focused.
Published on
March 7, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 18, 2025
The mainpurpose of a cover letter is to showcase your qualifications, personality, and enthusiasm for the role.
When you apply for a job, you submit a 1-page cover letter and your resume to convince recruiters that your skills and background are well-aligned with the job requirements. Employers use cover letters and resumes to decide which candidates they want to interview.
While your resume provides a structured summary of your skills and experience, a cover letter elaborates on your achievements and values in a narrative fashion.
The following tips about the purpose of a cover letter will help you introduce yourself and tell your professional story in a compelling and convincing fashion.
TipIf you need to create a cover letter quickly, use QuillBot’s AI cover letter generator to instantly draft a compelling cover letter that includes all the necessary sections.
Published on
March 6, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 18, 2025
How far back a resume should go depends on your experience level and the job requirements. A resume should go back 10–15 years at most and only include jobs that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
You don’t need to go back 10 years if you’re in the early stages of your career, and you don’t need to include every past job.
In fact, you might only have room for 3–4 past jobs if you want to achieve a concise resume format and a 1–2 page resume length.
No matter how far back your resume goes, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you submit job applications that are polished and error free.
How far back should a resume go exampleYou’re a 35-year-old accountant who is applying for an Accounts Payable Specialist position. You have 10 years of experience, starting with your first job out of college working as a tax preparer. For the last 7 years, you’ve worked on vendor invoices.
The main requirement on the job posting is “5–7 years of accounts payable experience with 2–3 years in a senior-level accounting position,” and the job entails invoicing and paying vendors.
On your resume’s “Employment History” section, you only include jobs from the last 7 years, and you focus each job description on the skills that this particular position requires.
Published on
March 4, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 27, 2025
In English grammar, negatives are words—such as “no,” “not,” and “never”—that show something is untrue, not happening, or of zero quantity. For example, the sentence “Nobody wants this” means “zero people want this.” It’s the opposite of “Everybody wants this” or “Someone wants this.”
Common negatives include “not,” “none,” “nobody,” “nowhere,” and “nothing.” Some qualifiers—such as “barely” and “hardly”—are also negatives.
The main grammar rule for negatives is to only use one per sentence. A double negative is grammatically incorrect because two negatives in the same sentence cancel each other. For example, grammatically, “We never go nowhere” means “We always go somewhere” instead of “We never go anywhere.”
Negative sentences examples Kara has never seen an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
The candidate barely won the election.
Nothing is more important than friends and family.
Published on
February 26, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 18, 2025
A functional resume is an alternative to a traditional resume for students, recent graduates, or job seekers who are new to a profession. Unlike the standard, chronological resume, which focuses on your employment history, functional resumes focus on your skills. That’s why they’re sometimes called “skills-based resumes.”
The functional resume format is sometimes useful for internships, entry-level positions, or career fairs. Even in these situations, though, the functional resume is increasingly rare. When at all possible, the safest choice is a traditional, reverse-chronological format like this resume template.
When the functional resume format is your best option, the tips and examples below will help your functional resume make the best possible impression. For proofreading and polishing resumes, cover letters, and other application materials, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker has got you covered!
Published on
February 20, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
November 18, 2025
In most cases, the ideal resume length is 1–2 pages. The most common resume format includes four main sections—a professional summary, technical skills, work history, and education.
The purpose of a resume is to help recruiters quickly see your most relevant skills and achievements, so only include jobs and skills on your resume that directly relate to the job posting. A concise resume length improves your chances of receiving an interview because it shows your ability to focus on relevant details.
To learn more about how long a resume should be, follow the tips and examples below. QuillBot’s free Paraphraser Android App or Paraphraser iOS App can also help you summarize your skills and experiences in a concise and effective manner.
How long should a resume be exampleYou recently earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, and you’re applying for a teaching job at a Montessori preschool.
For the last 10 years, you’ve worked as a childcare provider and assistant preschool teacher in addition to a retail sales associate and customer service representative.
Your resume is one page and only includes jobs where you worked with children. The education section includes your bachelor’s degree but not your high school diploma. In the education section, you also list courses or school projects related to early childhood and Montessori education.
Published on
February 20, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
March 12, 2026
A resume is a 1–2 page formal document that summarizes your skills, experience, and achievements when you’re applying for a job, internship, or other career opportunity.
Resumes are divided into sections that categorize different aspects of your professional background (e.g., work history, technical skills, and education). Each resume section includes a bold heading and lists of concise phrases.
The purpose of a resume and the concise resume format is to quickly inform job recruiters or other decision makers about your qualifications.
Learning more about what a resume is will help you submit applications that make a positive and memorable impression. QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can also make your resume shine!
Key takeaways
A resume is a concise document—typically 1–2 pages—that summarizes your professional experience, education, and key skills relevant to a job.
It acts as a personal marketing tool, highlighting the qualifications that best match an employer’s needs and helping hiring managers quickly assess your fit for a role.
A well-structured resume focuses on relevant achievements and experience to strengthen your chances of securing an interview.
Published on
February 18, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
April 16, 2026
When you end a cover letter, the goal is to motivate your reader to consider your application and contact you for an interview. To effectively close a cover letter, follow these two steps:
Write a cover letter conclusion that restates the claim, shows your enthusiasm, and offers a call to action (e.g., “I look forward to learning more about the role”).
Sign your cover letter with a complimentary close (e.g., “Sincerely”) and your full name.
How to end a cover letter example If you’re looking for an experienced home health provider with detailed expertise in nutrition and wellness, I’m available for an interview at your earliest convenience. I would be honored to further the success of your program and ensure that Wentzville’s older adults receive the care and compassion they deserve. Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely,
Evelyn Dubois
TipBecause the ideal cover letter length is one single-spaced page, strive for a total of 50–75 words in each conclusion.
