2.2: Creating a Cover Letter and Résumé
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Introduction
Part of an effective career plan is knowing how to prepare an effective cover letter and résumé.
The purpose of a cover letter is two-fold: it announces specifically what job you are applying for, and it provides you the opportunity to make a good first impression. In fact, your cover letter may quite possibly determine whether your résumé is considered or not. Therefore, it is clearly in your best interest to spend time composing and polishing a good cover letter to accompany your résumé.
Once you have hooked a prospective employer with an effective cover letter, you want your résumé to make such a strong positive impression that it cinches an interview. A résumé is much more than a list of your qualifications. This document says a lot about who you are, what you love to do, and how you contribute to the world by using your skills. You can gain a lot from thinking about those things now, even if you don’t plan to apply for a job in the near future.
Start building your résumé now, even if you don’t plan to use one for a while.
You should always have a good electronic version of your cover letter and résumé handy because many companies prefer to receive all materials electronically. Also, many companies are now conducting webcam and video interviews, so it is a good idea to be familiar with that technology as well.
Guidelines for Effective Cover Letters
Use the following guidelines in composing your cover letter:
- Include both a return address (your address) and an inside address (the address of the company to which you are applying) in your document. These should come before your greeting.
- State specifically the position you are applying for and how you learned about that position. For example, was it advertised on the company’s website or in a professional journal?
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In your first sentence, address the person who can hire you and grab that person’s attention. Make a statement that appeals directly to her self-interest. Write something that moves a potential employer to say, “We can’t afford to pass this person up. Call him right away to set up an appointment.”
- To come up with ideas for your opening, complete the following sentence: “The main benefits that I can bring to your organization are ...” Another option: “My work experience ties directly to several points mentioned in your job description. First, ...”
- If someone whom the employer knows told you about this job opening, mention this person in your opening paragraph, especially if he has a positive reputation in the organization.
- Explain briefly why you are an ideal candidate for the job. A good rule of thumb is to hit the highlights of your résumé without going into too much detail.
- Indicate how you can be reached and what your availability is for an interview.
- End on a positive note. Include your handwritten signature above your typed name.
Guidelines for Creating a Résumé
The purpose of a résumé is to educate potential employers about your background, education, and professional experiences.
There is no one right way to write a résumé. When you go to your school’s career planning office, ask to see sample résumés, especially from alumni who got hired. Go online to find even more. You’ll notice many differences in style and format.
The main purpose of a résumé is to get you to the next step in the hiring process. This is usually a job interview. See your résumé as a piece of persuasive writing, not a dry recitation of facts or a laundry list of previous jobs. Neatness, organization, and correct grammar and punctuation are essential. And, they are paths to meeting a larger goal—making a strong impression on someone who has the power to hire you. If your résumé does that, then it works.
People who read your résumé are pressed for time. Assume that they’re reviewing hundreds of them and that they only have 10 seconds to scan yours. With this in mind, make your résumé easy to read. Keep it short—one page. Use every line to document a specific accomplishment. Avoid paragraphs, and go for lists instead.
A résumé should be grammatically correct and well organized; it should include headings so that a potential employer can see at a glance if you are a suitable candidate for the job.
As a general rule, your résumé should contain all or most of the following:
- Your contact information, including your name, home address, telephone number, and email address
- An employment objective stating your career objective
- Your work experience, starting with the most current and working backward
- Your education, including areas of study as well as degrees and certificates
- Examples of your service to your community, including volunteer work and service on governing boards
- Examples of awards and honors you have earned, such as memberships in college honor societies and placement at state and national conferences
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Professional and personal references, including contact information (names, phone numbers, and email addresses)
- If you are in college, getting ready to graduate, or right out of college, consider asking two or three professors if you can list them as references.
- Always ask permission before listing anyone as a reference.
- If you have had a negative experience with a professor or a previous employer, do not ask them to serve as a reference.
During a Job Interview
Plan to arrive early for your interview. While you’re waiting, observe the workplace. Notice what people are saying and doing. See whether you can “read” the company culture by making informal observations.
When you meet the interviewer, do three things right away: smile, make eye contact, and give a firm handshake. Nonverbal communication creates a lasting impression.
After making small talk, the interviewer will start asking questions. Draw on the answers you’ve prepared. At the same time, respond to the exact questions that you’re asked. Speak naturally and avoid the impression that you’re making a speech or avoiding a question.
Stay aware of how much you talk. Avoid answers that are too brief or too long. Respond to each question for a minute or two. If you have more to say, end your answer by saying, “Those are the basics. I can add more if you want.”
A skilled interviewer will allow time for you to ask questions about the company. Use this time to your full advantage.
Some good questions to ask are as follows:
- When does the job begin?
- What is a typical day like?
- What would I work on if I were to get the job?
- What training is offered for this job?
- Are there opportunities to advance?
- Who will supervise me in this job?
- Could I take a tour of the workplace?
Save questions about benefits, salary, and vacation days for the second interview. When you get to that point, you know that the employer is interested in you. You might have leverage to negotiate.
Be sure to find out the next step in the hiring process and when it will take place. Also, ask interviewers for their business cards and how they want you to follow up. Some people are fine with a phone call, , email, or other form of online communication. Others prefer a good, old- fashioned letter.
If you’re truly interested in the job and feel comfortable with the interviewer, ask one more question: “Do you have any concerns about hiring me?” Listen carefully to the reply, and then respond to each concern in a polite way.
After a Job Interview
Congratulate yourself for getting as far in the hiring process as an interview. Write a discovery statement that describes your strengths, along with what you learned about your potential employer. Write an intention statement also about ways to be more effective during your next interview.
Now comes the follow-up. This step can give you the edge that leads to a job offer.
Pull out the business cards from the people who interviewed you. Write them thank-you notes, following each person’s preference for paper-based or online contact. Do this within 2 business days after the interview. If you talked to several people at the same company, then write a different note to each one.
If you get turned down for the job after your interview, don’t take it personally. Every interview is a source of feedback about what works—and what doesn’t work—in contacting employers. Use that feedback to interview more effectively next time.
Also, remember that each person you talked to is now a member of your network. This is true even if you do not get a job offer. Follow up by asking interviewers to keep you in mind for future job openings. Using this approach, you gain from every interview, no matter what the outcome.