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.
Key takeaways
A resume is more than a list of past jobs. It’s a strategic marketing tool designed to show employers why you’re the right fit and help you secure an interview.
A strong resume highlights your most relevant skills, accomplishments, and experience in a concise, tailored format that quickly communicates your value.
You’ll also learn how resumes are used in the hiring process, what employers look for, and how to present achievements in a way that stands out beyond basic job duties.
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. In fact, over 70% of hiring managers still consider cover letters an important factor in their evaluation process, even when submitting one is optional.
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.
Key takeaways
A cover letter helps employers understand the person behind the resume by connecting your skills, experience, and achievements directly to the role you’re applying for.
A strong cover letter goes beyond repeating your resume—it highlights your most relevant qualifications, shows enthusiasm for the position, and explains why you’re a strong fit for the company.
When tailored effectively, it strengthens your application, adds personality to your professional background, and helps you stand out in a competitive hiring process.
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
June 3, 2026
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. Approximately 75% of resumes are filtered out by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) before reaching human reviewers, and many recruiters prefer chronological formats because they make employment history easier to evaluate.
When at all possible, the safest choice is a traditional, reverse-chronological format like this resume template document. Or, start with one of Quillbot’s professional resume templates and customize each section based on your skills and career goals.
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!
Key takeaways
A functional resume emphasizes your skills, strengths, and transferable abilities over a detailed work history, making it a smart choice for career changers, entry-level applicants, or anyone with employment gaps.
Instead of focusing on job titles and dates, this format organizes experience into skill-based categories that showcase what you can do and how you add value.
You’ll also learn when a functional resume works best, how to structure it effectively, and how to balance skills with enough work history to stay ATS-friendly and appealing to recruiters.
Published on
February 20, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
May 26, 2026
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 resume templates make it easy to use the concise and reader-friendly format that recruiters prefer.
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
June 9, 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 communicate your qualifications to recruiters and hiring managers while also making it easier for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to identify your relevant skills and experience. In fact, nearly 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS software to screen applicants before a recruiter reviews their resume.
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.
Published on
February 18, 2025
by
Nicole Routh, M.Ed.
Revised on
April 16, 2026
Starting a cover letter involves two main steps:
A professional greeting to the hiring manager or recruiting team
An introduction paragraph that says what you’re applying for, why the company appeals to you, what your overall background is, and why you’re the best fit
The beginning of a cover letter is often the most important part of a job application. When a cover letter is necessary, it might be the recruiter’s first impression of your personality and background.
No matter what type of job you’re seeking, the following tips and examples will help you write a cover letter introduction that makes a stellar first impression. To craft all the pieces of your cover letter quickly and easily, try out Quillbot’s free cover letter generator.
How to start a cover letter example Dear Annabelle Jones,
I was thrilled to see the Assistant Property Manager position advertised on Indeed. Maxell Rental Properties’ reputation for exceptional service and innovative multi-family housing strongly aligns with my values and professional goals. For over 7 years, I’ve efficiently managed luxury and affordable rental properties throughout the Springfield community. With my knack for tenant relations and expertise in leasing strategies, I’m confident that I will enhance Maxwell’s ongoing success.
