Key Factors to Give the Best Shape to Your Resume & Cover
Letter, Part 2
(What Resume Format To
Use....and More!)
7 Resume
Writing Companies Wrote Resumes For ONE Client - See Who Did
The Best Job!
Introduction
Before you start writing your first paragraph, you may want
to know who you are writing to. In writing a resume, you did
not have to do this as there was no need to address anyone
in particular in creating that document. Personalizing your
cover letter though makes it more appealing. So, use the
name of the company’s hiring personnel and use it in your
greeting.
Good Introduction Sample
“Dear (name of contact)” is a much better way to start your
letter.
Bad Introduction Samples
“To whom it may concern” is not desirable. If you want to
annoy a hiring manager, then use this one.
“Dear Sir” or Dear Madame” sound so ancient. No one uses
this introduction now.
Introduce Yourself
The first paragraph of you cover letter is where you
introduce yourself and convey the reason why you are
applying for the job position. This part should also be used
in explaining how you have learned of the job posting. A
brief statement about your interest in the position is a
good addition. A short presentation of some interesting
information may also be included here. You may want to
present a glimpse of your college degree, expertise/area of
study and career goals.
Highlight Your Skills, Educational Attainment and
Professional Experiences
The second paragraph of your cover letter should be
effectively used to highlight your skills, educational
attainment and work history. If you are a fresh college
graduate or someone who lacks employment history or career
accomplishment, you may want to put emphasis on your college
and internship achievements, as well as special skills that
are relevant to the job you are targeting. If you have a lot
of contents to include, a third paragraph may be necessary.
Be sure though that you are highlighting only the
information that have relevance to the company, its goals
and the job they are trying to fill.
Closing Paragraph
Your closing paragraph should have a call-to-action factor.
It should draw the reader’s attention to the fact that you
are highly qualified for the job. Being a bit bold on this
part is a good thing. Include a sentence about following up
on a specific date, that usually does the trick. Lastly, let
them know that you are grateful for the chance to be
considered for the job position.
Special Tips in Formatting Your Cover Letter
There are special formatting techniques in writing a resume,
the same is applicable for cover letter writing.
• Use 12-point font. Lower than 12 points is not good for
the eyes.
• Use a professional font style and avoid using the fancy
ones. If it is possible, match the font styles being used by
the employers.
• Keep the alignment uniform throughout the letter.
Left-alignment is recommended.
• Use keywords to satisfy the ATS – this stands for
Applicant Tracking Systems that are currently being used by
companies in filtering job applicants.
By formatting your cover letter properly, you are presenting
yourself as a true professional. Hiring managers and
recruiters are very meticulous with cover letter formats as
they want to determine who, among the applicants, really
deserves to be interviewed and must be considered for the
job.
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Click Here To Return To The Main Resume Writing Tips Topic List
These 7 Resume Writing Sites All Wrote Resumes For The Same
Client:
-
- "The ONLY company who contacted the client with specific questions before writing their resume! The resume looks fantastic, reads excellently, and STANDS OUT!”
-
2
- "A very good job all around. Well-written. Attractive & simple.”
-
3
- "Good email communication. So-so resume. Impersonal.”
-
4
- "Resume had typos, misspellings, and was overly simplistic.”
-
5
- "One of the most plain and uninspiring of the group.”
-
6
- "A decent look but bland wording and nothing makes it stand out.”
-
7
- "Just sentences plainly written and some grey shading."