Connecting Your Resume and Cover Letter

It's common knowledge that your resume is important when you're looking for a job. I'm a bit surprised, however, that many of my peers do not place the same level of importance on their cover letter. Although seemingly simple in its nature, the cover letter is extremely important when it comes to a job application. The cover letter provides you with an opportunity to highlight specific information on your resume, mention any pertinent details that are not included on your resume, and to relate to a potential employer on a much deeper level. Think of your cover letter and your resume as a "tag team" of sorts: the cover letter will stun your potential employer while your resume finishes the job.

The largest portion of your cover letter should focus on highlighting relative content located on your resume. Specifically, you'll want to highlight the educational background, training, experience, and personal traits that make you an excellent candidate for the position that you're applying for. Take a good look at the job description if you're having trouble figuring out which skills and background areas to elaborate on. Potential employers will often utilize key words in their job descriptions that can assist you in determining their expectations and the demands of the position. Once you've written the first draft of your cover letter, have an objective party read over it and see how well it fits with the job description. Does the cover letter make a convincing argument in your favor? If so, you're definitely headed in the right direction!

On the same token, you'll want to focus on what makes you the ideal candidate for the position. What sort of educational background do you possess? Did you major in a field that relates to this job position? Were you involved in an internship that gave you some hands on experience in this field? Most importantly, how would your skills benefit the company and this position? Don't just build yourself up as a potential employee- use the cover letter to explain how your skills and experience will relate to the job that you are applying for. This will help a potential employer to understand why you are a good candidate for the position. Make sure that you don't get carried away when discussing your good points, either; a background and/or reference check can easily dispel any tall tales in your cover letter.

Keep your cover letter as professional as possible. Check your cover letter for any grammatical or formatting errors. This may sound like common sense advice, but as someone who used to review applications from potential candidates I can safely say that there are many people who place little or no importance on the subtle arts of writing and grammar. A cover letter that is full of misspelled words and grammatically incorrect sentences is not going to impress a potential employer. If you feel that you are lacking some skill in these fields, try to find a friend or relative who can help you polish your cover letter to perfection. Every little bit counts!

Think of cover letters as an art form- a minimalist painting of sorts. A cover letter functions best when kept simple and straight to the point. If you are unsure of how to format your cover letter, seek advice from someone who has had a good amount of experience in applying for professional jobs. It's also possible to locate a good cover letter template by utilizing one of the popular online search engines. Just remember to use the template as a guideline; do not copy it verbatim. Many employers are familiar with the standard templates that are floating around; they will not be impressed by your lack of creativity in this arena. Feel free to use such guides for assistance with your formatting, but as to the actual content of the cover letter it's generally best to just be yourself. Let your personality and skills shine through and that job is bound to be yours.