Candice Arnold explores what to do--and not to do--with your cover letter in this article. I commented that a cover letter is important to convey aspects that a resume doesn't.
So what should your cover letter say that your resume can't?
1. It can explain your lack of experience. I wouldn't write out why you don't have experience...that's implied merely by saying you're a recent college grad. But the cover letter can counter that (and should) by saying something to the effect that even though you are a recent graduate, you have an array of skills [list the skills] that can be applied to the job. And toss in that you're a quick learner.
2. It can relay your skill set. While a resume says what you've done (and you can still get some skills in an objective if you're creative), the cover letter is where you can really sing. Are you great with customer service? A stellar presenter? A strong writer? Say these things in the cover letter, and be sure to use some adjectives to beef up things a little. For example, if you're good at public speaking, call yourself a "dynamic presenter." Adept at keeping details in order? You're a "meticulous, detail-focused leader," then. That sort of thing.
3. It can show your biggest accomplishments. If a hiring manager doesn't look at your resume, or wants an abbreviated version of it and looks to the cover letter for that, make sure add some highlights as bullet points in the cover letter. (If you invented a new method for filing at your temp job, that's still an accomplishment!) Don't just say who you are and what you can offer--try to show them some results, too. As a recent grad, you will have to dig deep and look at past experiences, which is why jobs and internships are the perfect thing to count on when you start your career hunt.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
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4 comments:
The trouble with cover letters is that there is no standard for how they are received. I've heard from hiring managers/art directors directly that of them put the entire emphasis on the c.letter, while others will admit they literaly don't give them a single glance.
I think the reality something in between; I'd like to imagine that most hiring managers check to make sure a cover letter exists in the first place (to show you've taken the time) and check to see that there are no glaring errors or red flags (to check your attention to detail). The rest is just background noise cluttering up the resume
Hi Kristen,
Your link doesn't go to an article about resumes or cover letters. It just goes to the CollegeRecruiter.com Career Counselors Blog. Do you have a title for the article?
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