The 411 on Resumes & Cover Letters
As a hiring manager, I cannot stress enough the importance of well written resumes and cover letters. Yes – I definitely mean cover letters, too!
There are some people who believe cover letters are a waste of time. However, I am definitely not one of them! In fact, I read cover letters before I even look at a candidate’s resume. I think they provide extremely telling information about a candidate’s background and interest in my organization that resumes simply can’t.
That being said, the following are some tips that I’d like to share:
Let’s start with cover letters.
Some basic tips:
You’re striving for readability so make sure the font size and style are adequate. Neither extremely huge or super tiny. Make sure your cover letter looks like a letter. If possible, address your cover letter to an actual person.
The content:
Remember your cover letter is about what you can do for the company and why you would be a good fit. Please do not write about your life story or how your life will change if you get the job. Research the company’s Web site and come up with transferable skills. Your cover letter needs to stand out from the crowd.
Central theme: Demonstrate in a concise and engaging manner why a hiring manager should consider you. Brevity is essential! I cannot stress this enough. I see many applications where candidates ramble on and on about themselves. It is important to remember it is critical to get to the point or else you will have lost your audience. With digital technologies and information overload affecting many, this tip is pivotal to grasp!
Now, moving on to resumes:
Although we all agree resumes don’t nearly reflect your overall skills and personality, they still need to be pretty darn good! To help, think of resumes as your sales-rep-on paper. Thus, it needs to be as persuasive and engaging as possible in order to “WOW” your reader.
- Do not include an objective statement. At this point in your career, they are either too broad or too narrow. Plus, they are about you whereas your application materials should be about the company.
- “Experience” should follow your Education section. Use the word “experience” because positions (volunteer work, completing a class project, taking leadership role in a campus organization, starting your own business, etc.) can be included on your resume that would not be considered “work experience” but still count as “experience.”
- Under each position, include up to three bullets. Begin each bullet with an action verb, such as “increased” or “enhanced.” (A great list of action verbs can be found at http://www.quintcareers.com/action_alpha.html.)
Good luck to you all!
Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.
