Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips
Providing daily suggestions for making your resume, cover letter, and other career-marketing communications as effective as they can be.
|
Cover Letters Should Be Actual Letters
A cover letter is supposed to be brief, readable, and professional. A fax cover sheet or a handwritten note should preferably never be used, especially when you want an employer to view you as a serious potential employee. The ideal cover letter is four to five paragraphs long, with each paragraph consisting of maybe three or four sentences. Keep in mind, too, that “less is more.” Your letter should preferably be no more than one page in length. Write clearly and concisely, and... |
|
Most Employers Prefer Resumes in .doc File Format
Close to two-thirds (62.7 percent) of employer respondents in the 2010 Orange County Resume Survey* said that when receiving resumes electronically (the most common delivery mode these days), they prefer them as a Word .doc. More than a third (36.1 percent) surveyed prefer PDF files, while 1.2 percent favor Rich Text (.rtf). Text-only (.txt) and online resumes in .html format received no support in the survey. Although a Wod .doc is usually a safe bet, it’s wise to check the employer’s... |
|
Don't Use a Form Letter as a Cover Letter
You can find many books, websites, and other guides with hundreds of sample cover letters. Use them as a starting point to help you get ideas for format and content, but don’t copy them. Write your cover letter in your own words so it has your voice and style. Take the time to research the company and convey your own enthusiasm for the job. A bland, generic cover letter says that you didn’t care enough about the position or the employer to expend any effort creating a specific... |
|
More than Half of Surveyed Employers Don't Care What Kind of Paper Your Resume Is On
More than half (53.6 percent) of surveyed employers in the 2010 Orange County Resume Survey* said they have no preference for the type of paper resume are printed on when they are sent by postal mail, hand-delivered, or brought to an interview. Almost a third (31 percent) preferred white paper of the type found in most printers and copy machines. Almost 11 percent preferred heavy gray or cream paper. Paper choice is thus one less decision job-seekers need to struggle with, this survey suggests.... |
|
Resumes Need a Clear Strategic Target
In the Research Study: How Does Your Résumé Compare? Competitive Career Intelligence for 6-Figure Canadians*, 29 percent of résumés assessed did not present a clear strategic target. WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT: Prospective employers are looking for an ideal match between an applicant and an opening within their organization. Therefore, the recipient of the résumé needs to know what position the candidate is seeking. WHAT TO AVOID: General résumés tend to be ineffective. If the reader... |
|
Use Direct-Mail Campaign When Considering Relocation
When you’re planning to relocate, submitting your resume with a cover letter to various companies in hopes of establishing a relationship and inquiring about employment opportunities is a great idea. A cover letter is an extremely important part of your direct-mail campaign, but also be sure you’ve devised an overall strategy about relocating. Research companies in the new location, decide which ones to target, and identify key people to contact. Our Quintessential Careers Directory... |
|
Survey Says: No Employer Consensus on Resume Length
Results from the 2010 Orange County Resume Survey* recently revealed that more than a third (37.6 percent) of employers believe resume length should be determined by the level of the position applied for. Just over 30 percent prefer a one-page resume; almost 19 percent prefer a two-page resume; and 8.2 percent have no preference. Many job-seekers feel constrained by a mythical “one-page” rule. These results suggest the constraint is unjustified. *The 2010 Orange County Resume Survey... |
|
Cover Letter Helps Set You Apart from Other Applicants
A resume by itself can be limiting; but when paired with a cover letter, both documents serve as a highly effective tag team. Consider this: An employer has a large number of applicants to review, yet he or she can take only seconds to consider each candidate. By knowing what is useful to the employer and calling attention to that in your cover letter, for example, you help quickly answer the question, “Why should I hire this person?” Focus the letter not only on your skill set,... |
|
Learn the Three Essential Elements of Self-Marketing
“Self-marketing success requires three essential elements,” said Susan Guarneri, the “Career Assessment Goddess,” in the Q&A interview she did with Quint Careers: understanding who your target audience is and their needs, having a credible and compelling message that your target audience values, and capturing that target audience’s attention. Resumes have been the primary tool for self-marketing in the past. Whether they will continue to serve that function... |
|
Your Cover Letter Gives Employer Snapshot of You as a Potential Employee
The importance of first impressions is clear when it comes to cover letters. In just a few paragraphs, you’ll present your communication skills, your attention to detail, your interest in the company, and let’s not forget your qualifications that are perfect for the job. A cover letter is also a great place to shine a bit of your personality too. Not sure what details to snapshot in your cover letter? Start by making a list of the top 10-20 components of your professional value... |
|
Cover Letter Should Tell How You Stand Out
A paragraph in your cover letter should describe who you are and what makes you stand out writes Deborah Brown-Volkman, president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a career, life, and mentor coaching company. “Include your strengths and what you are passionate about in your career.” Brown-Volkman advises that you think of this paragraph as completing the sentence, “Here’s why I am a good candidate…” |
|
Don't Overdo Acronyms and Industry Jargon on Resume
Hiring decision-makers surveyed for the book, Top Notch Executive Resumes identified this as one of their Top 30 Executive Resume Pet Peeves: Resume contains inexplicable acronyms and industry-specific jargon. Here’s an example of a head-spinning array of acronyms and jargon from one resume reviewed for this book. The reader can figure out many of them, but it would so much easier if they were spelled out; Manage the Asia Pacific WCS IT Outsourcing Transition & Transformation... |
|
In Cover Letter, Learn How to Portray Transferable Skills
Understanding how to portray your skills as transferable is one of the most important concepts you can master in writing a cover letter. Learn why and how to do it in resumes and cover letters in our article, Strategic Portrayal of Transferable Skills is a Vital Job Search Technique. |
|
More Ways Your Resume Can Convince Employers to Take the Next Step
Dr. John Sullivan, who has “worked with major corporations on the design of their hiring and resume screening processes” observes that “nearly all applicants fail to adequately highlight themselves in a way that increases their chances of being selected for further evaluation. Thus, he came up with “30 ‘Power Factors’ to Bolster the Content of Your Resume.” This blog has excerpted those 30 factors over the last couple of weeks. Now we excerpt Sullivan’s... |
|
Always Introduce Your Resume With a Cover Letter
Although not stated in an ad or mentioned in conversation, an employer likely wishes to see a cover letter accompanying your resume. True, not all employers share the same views on cover letters and therefore can’t all be put in the same barrel of opinion. But, there’s a certain degree of risk when the employer expects a cover letter but doesn’t receive one. Let’s face it, the cover letter serves as a chance for you to sell yourself further— even if only a tiny... |
|
Content-Bolstering Power Factors for Your Resume, Part 5
Dr. John Sullivan, who has “worked with major corporations on the design of their hiring and resume screening processes” observes that “nearly all applicants fail to adequately highlight themselves in a way that increases their chances of being selected for further evaluation. Thus, he came up with “30 ‘Power Factors’ to Bolster the Content of Your Resume.” Here are the final six: Global perspective — almost every employee is expected to have a... |
|
Use Business-Letter Format Atop Your Cover Letter
Listing addresses correctly will show the letter recipient that you are a professional — accurately include spelling of names, the inclusion of the recipient’s position title, and full company address. For example: —————————————————————————————- July 2, 2010 John McNeil, Director of Operations S3 Plastics... |
|
Content-Bolstering Power Factors for Your Resume, Part 4
Dr. John Sullivan, who has “worked with major corporations on the design of their hiring and resume screening processes” observes that “nearly all applicants fail to adequately highlight themselves in a way that increases their chances of being selected for further evaluation. Thus, he came up with “30 ‘Power Factors’ to Bolster the Content of Your Resume.” Here are the next six; the final six will appear in a later entry: Planning/Forecasting —... |
|
Try Kicking Off Resume with Branding Statement
A current trend in resumes is to use a branding statement, sometimes in combination with a headline. A “headline” atop your resume usually identifies the position or type of job you seek. A branding statement is a punchy “ad-like” statement that tells immediately what you can bring to an employer. A branding statement defines who you are, your promise of value, and why you should be sought out. Your branding statement should encapsulate your reputation, showcase what... |
|
Provide Example Accomplishments in Cover Letter
One paragraph in your cover letter should discuss your accomplishments or highlights that you want to showcase or have the employer locate quickly, writes Deborah Brown-Volkman, president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a career, life, and mentor coaching company. “Bullets work well in making your accomplishments easy to read.” Brown-Volkman suggests thinking of this paragraph as filling in the details of this sentence: “Here are relevant examples of what I have done that match... |