1 / 11

Cover Letters & Resumes

Cover Letters & Resumes. Computer 2. Purpose of a Cover Letter. It is a short, personalized business letter that you send with your resume; it should complement, not duplicate your resume.

anitra
Download Presentation

Cover Letters & Resumes

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Cover Letters & Resumes Computer 2

  2. Purpose of a Cover Letter • It is a short, personalized business letter that you send with your resume; it should complement, not duplicate your resume. • A well-written letter should capture your reader’s attention, and request an interview opportunity.

  3. Purpose of a Cover Letter • Your cover letter and resume should be sent to the person who is responsible for the hiring decision; if this person’s information is not available then send the letter to the organization’s Human Resources department. • A cover letter is often your earliest written contact with a potential employer, creating a critical first impression.

  4. Purpose of a Cover Letter • Effective cover letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identifies your most relevant skills or experiences. • A cover letter is always included with a resume

  5. Review: Parts of a Business Letter • Return address (sender) • Date • Sending address (recipient) • Greeting/Salutation (Always address letter by reader’s name) (i.e. Dear Mrs. Smith:) • Body (3 short paragraphs) • Closing (w/ space for a signature)

  6. formatting • A cover letter can consist of 1 – 3 paragraphs and explain the following things… • How you found the job posting • Why you are qualified • Why you are seeking the job • Highlight qualifications/accomplishments (w/o being redundant)

  7. formatting • If you decide to separate your thoughts into 3 separate paragraphs, they need to be brief; your CL should NOT be more than 250 words in length. • You also need to stick to traditional fonts when typing your letter (TNR, Calibri, Arial) and NO color.

  8. Paragraph 1 (Opening) • Identify the position you are applying for • Mention by name (if any) the person who suggested you apply • Explain where you saw the job advertised

  9. Paragraph 2 (qualifications) • Present 3-5 of your qualifications that directly relate to the position • Describe what you can do for the employer • Focus on how your strengths benefit the reader/company

  10. Paragraph 3 (conclusion) • Confidently request an interview • If you haven’t referred the reader to your resume, do so in this section • Provide the best time to call or method in which to contact you

  11. Helpful hints • If you don’t hear a response back from the employer, follow up with the hiring manager in a few weeks as to the status of your application • Don’t use generic greetings, such as “Dear Hiring Manager” • Don’t repeat what’s already in your resume • Don’t sound insincere, demanding, or apprehensive

More Related