Resume and Cover Letter Tips and Tricks
Both your resume and your cover letter should demonstrate three things:
- That you meet or exceed the requirements listed in the job description
- That you’re interested in the position
- That you're available to accept the position if offered
Additional information beyond this can be counterproductive and distracting. Don’t include.
Resume Writing
Writing a resume is intimidating for everyone! What should I include? What shouldn't I include? What should I highlight? What don't I want them to see? Human Resources managers and Professional Recruiters receive hundreds, sometimes thousands, of resumes for any given position. On average, they'll spend about 10-30 seconds on each, yours included. Organizing information incorrectly could cost you an interview, and is a very common mistake made by job seekers. Below are some tips for writing a catch-their-eye resume that could help launch you into your stellar career.
Objectives, Objectives
Prior to actually writing the resume, determine your objective. Clearly state what kind of a job you want, and then find out what skill set and experience is needed to do well in that job. Then, you can easily structure the content of your resume around that objective. Since you only have a small window of time to get the interest of a hiring manager, take the time to form a clear and obtainable objective.
Beginning the Resume Writing Process
Always keep in mind: your resume is a marketing tool. Use it to get you into the company, in front of the decision maker. Strive to be clear and concise; there’s no need to go into detail about every accomplishment in your resume. Remember, the purpose is to generate enough interest in you to have a potential employer contact you for an interview. Put yourself in the shoes of the resume reader. When looking at the job qualifications needed for the position, what would you be looking for in a candidate?
Resume Writing Tips
- Bulleted Sentences
In the body of your resume, use bullets. Keep sentences short. Resumes are read quickly, so make key phrases stand out. Bulleting information will help the reader view your accomplishments at a glance. Don't concentrate on the specifics as you will go into the details during the interview. - Action Words
Use action words (like prepared, managed, developed, championed, monitored, and presented) to make your resume stand out. These are also helpful because if your resume is scanned electronically, computer programs may pick up the words. Whether scanned by human eyes or a computer program, they are all looking for one thing: action keywords that relate to the position. - %'s, $'s and #'s
Always include %'s, $'s and #'s. Dollar signs/totals, numbers, and percentages stand out in the body of a resume. Review this example of the same job description, written two different ways:
Bland: Account manager for marketing agency
Interesting: Managed 12 strategic accounts billing in excess of $32MM annually - Strengths
Highlight your strengths, and focus on what is most relevant to the potential employer. Strategically place the strongest, most relevant points first where they are more apt to be read. Remember, you only have 10-30 seconds to reel them in. - Match up
Review job postings online and in the newspapers for positions that interest you. Each position should have a brief blurb about the company and the position available. Identify the keywords listed in these ads, and match them to the bullet points in your resume. Chances are that you have included many of these already, but add any you may have missed. - Be positive
Do not include negative, irrelevant points. If current job duties don't largely support your job search objective, be careful of how to word them. Focus on the duties that do support your objective, and don’t include irrelevant personal information like race, weight, and height. - White space
White space is important. Click on various websites, and take note of which ones first catch your attention. Are they the sites that are jammed full of text, or do they have a large amount of unused space ("white space")? This is done on purpose, to grab your attention. So don't worry if you are having a hard time filling the page with text; increase your line spacing to compensate, or increase your font size by half a point (don’t make it too large though). - Formatting Guidelines
Keep it short and simple. The length of your resume should be 1-2 pages of clear and concise text. The font size should be no smaller than 10 point, standard serif or sans serif fonts. (Avoid using intricate fonts that people aren’t used to reading.) - Get Help
Ask a friend or another trusted source for an outside opinion on your resume before applying for a position. It can be difficult for to note all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments being so close to your situation. Having someone subjectively review your resume will give you insight into how others will view it. - Apply, Apply
Start applying – the sky’s the limit. Apply for some jobs that appear to be above your qualifications, apply to positions that are a match, and apply to jobs below your level of experience/expertise. Why? You never know: perhaps a position below your level will be reevaluated once you interview for them. Or maybe once you have your foot in the door you can learn about other opportunities. If nothing else, interviewing more and more will increase your interviewing skills, so that, in time, you'll get that job of your dreams.
Cover Letter Writing
When writing your cover letter it’s important to remember that the reviewer is only interested in the facts. Don’t make your cover letter into a lengthy autobiography. Keep it brief and to the point by following these simple tips:
- Avoid negatives
A cover letter should not explain why you left or are leaving an employer, or the gaps in your employment dates, etc. If you have to talk about them at all, it’s best to do so in person during the interview so that you can explain yourself. - Don’t talk Money
It’s rude and presumptive. Even if the position specifically asks for your salary history, the cover letter is not the place to discuss this. If the job advertisement specifies that resumes without a salary history will not be considered, provide a historical salary range. State that your salary requirements are flexible based on the opportunity the position will provide. - Plan ahead
Spend some time thinking about the layout of your letter, and make sure that it’s easy to scan the letter and has a logical progression. Draft an outline first. - Know your audience
Whoever is reading your cover letter/resume/application most likely reads hundreds (if not thousands) of cover letters and resumes weekly, so make it easy for him/her to find the information you want to highlight. Don’t include lengthy paragraphs that will only frustrate the reader(s). - No repeats
Your cover letter is not a summary of your resume; instead, it's an introduction of yourself, including an argument for why you are the best candidate for the specific position and, ultimately, the company. - Be original: Show, don't tel.
Don’t use platitudes and clichés. Resume reviewers do this for a living and know all the tricks. They know that almost every candidate promises "excellent written and verbal communication skills", and the ability to "think outside the box" and "juggle multiple tasks". Be different and stand out. Demonstrate those “excellent communication skills” by writing an excellent cover letter. - Get Personal
Avoid the "Dear Sir or Madam" salutation and any derivative thereof. Generic form letters insult the reviewer's intelligence and indicate that you are broadcasting your resume to every employer in the area. Make the effort and take the time to learn more about the company, especially if they have a website.