Resume Writing Guide
Featured Resume Writing Article
For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Writing Resume Cover Letters
from: EmploymentPulse.comOnce you have the perfect resume completed, the next step is the often dreaded covering letter. Writing resume cover letters is often a challenge as it is hard to determine what should be in the letter, what is already included in the resume and what terms, words and phrases are essential to grab the reader's attention.
There are several key components to writing resume covering letters that are essential to drawing the reader in to reading the full resume. The top tips for writing resume cover letters are:
- Indicate to the reader that you are applying for a specific job or position. Don't assume that the human resource interviewer or employer will automatically know why you are sending in a resume. Clearly state what position you are applying for in the same terms used in the advertisement or job posting. You may even have to indicate the location if there are multiple listings for a variety of locations.
- If you are writing resume covering letters and submitting resumes to inquire about possible future positions, indicate this as well. If you are asking about the possibility of employment in general, be sure to specify what areas, departments or sections of the company you are interested in.
- Indicated on the resume covering letter where you found out about the position or job posting. This could be from an online career site, general listing on the internet, through a professional publication, in the newspaper or through the company website itself. If you were referred through a current manager or employee you can also indicate their name.
- Highlight your educational background and work experience in a very short and succinct paragraph. This should be written to pique the reader's attention so they follow through and review the entire resume.
- Use a typical, non-decorative font of 10-14 sizing, with good use of white space on the page. Writing resume cover letters should closely follow the rules of writing resumes; avoid crowding, use of graphics or fonts that are difficult to easily read.
- Personalize each covering letter to meet the specific information for the job; don't use a general covering letter for all applications.
Writing resume covering letters does require some time and thought. It is always a good idea to have someone else read through the letter for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, sentence structure and for an overall comment about the letter. It is also important to never staple the covering letter to the resume, simply attach with a paper clip for ease of reading for the employer.
Writing St Resumefreshman College Student News