Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Write A Resume Cover Letter

Who needs to write a resume cover letter?

Everyone who sends out a resume does! Recruiters and hiring managers often use cover letters as a way to determine their interest in a candidate. If you are sending your resume to a prospective employer, you need to include a separate one-page cover letter. Write a resume cover letter that is tailored to each specific company. Write a resume cover letter and it gives you another chance to emphasize what you have to contribute to the company or organization. Your resume will also answer that question but in a somewhat more rigid format

Write a resume cover letter that:

  • indicates your interest in a particular company or position,
  • summarizes the most important aspects of your education and experience,
  • contact information for the prospective interview is supplied.

Houston Job Search will help you write a resume cover letter and give you more information about effective cover letters.

To write a resume cover letter - pay attention to the following criteria:

  • Not even one spelling or typing error when you write a resume cover letter
  • Write a resume cover letter and address it to the appropriate person making the hiring decision. Be sure the name is spelled correctly and the title is correct. A touch of formality is good too: address the person as "Mr.," "Ms.," "Mrs.," "Miss," "Dr.," or "Professor."
  • Write a resume cover letter in your own words – do not plagiarize. Employers are looking for knowledge, enthusiasm, focus.
  • Being "natural" makes many people nervous when they write a resume cover letter. And then even more nervous because they are trying to avoid spelling errors and grammatical mistakes.
  • When you write a resume cover letter - research the industry and especially the company. You know who they are, understand what they do and they are your choice!
  • Use terms and phrases when you write a resume cover letter that are meaningful to the employer. If you are applying for an advertised position, use the requirements in the ad and put them in BOLD type. For example: the ad says - "2 years' experience processing magnetic media (cartridge, tape, disc); interface with benefit plan design, contracts and claims; and business background with strong analytical & technical skills--dBase, Excel, R&R, SQL."

Make sure when you write a resume cover letter that it contains each of these requirements.

When should you take the time to send correspondence through the regular mail?

  • When sending thank-you letters. You can write a longer letter re-emphasizing relevant points from your interview and restating your qualifications as they relate to the needs discussed during your meeting.
  • If you’re a senior executive. Traditional mailed correspondence is still the recommended approach for senior-level executives, excepting those in high-tech fields.
When the company and industry are low-tech. If e-mail isn’t a well-accepted mode of communication for your prospective employer, you’re better off using traditional methods.

No comments: