When you do not get an opportunity to introduce yourself personally and request an interview, for instance if you are sending your resume via email, you need to have a cover letter enclosed with your resume. If your resume is a fact sheet, the cover letter is your sales pitch to a specific company for a specific job. Again, since only a few candidates are selected for interview after going through hundreds of resumes, your cover letter must be impressive enough to win the chance for an interview for you. This is where the following tips will prove a great help to you, and help you make your resume attractive.
Some Basic Handy Tips on How to Present the Resume
• No grammatical, spelling, or typographical errors (such mistakes are fatal)
• Remember, it should communicate ‘what you can offer’, not ‘what you want’
• Do the basics – write a rough draft in order to refine, order and edit your letter
• Make it Easy to read and to the point
• Adapt a formal tone to promote yourself as a professional.
• Use strong, active verbs to describe what you have accomplished, such as developed, established, collaborated, systematized, trained, designed etc.
• Make sure all the details are up-to-date, especially your contact details.
• Highlight points from your resume that you want to draw attention to.
• Try to downplay the words "I" and "me" and emphasize "you" instead.
• Tailor your cover letter according to a specific company and position, showing how your background and abilities fulfill the needs of a particular company or position.
Structure of The Cover Letter
Here are some structure guidelines for an impressive cover letter:
• The opening Paragraph
o Explain the purpose of the letter in a way that it should build the reader’s interest.
• The body of the letter
o Persuade the reader that you have skills and abilities useful to the company.
o Demonstrate that you can do the job, explaining why you are the ‘best fit’ for the organization, and how your skills and qualifications meet the organization’s needs.
o Show that you are motivated and enthusiastic, and are willing to do the job
• The Closing Paragraph
o Refer to your enclosed resume, application form or other attachments.
o Thank the reader for considering your application.
o End with a statement that you would welcome an interview to discuss your suitability.
o Include your phone number again.
Design and Format
• Type your cover letter on A4 white or off-white paper.
• Leave one inch margin from all sides.
• Double spacing between lines.
• Font size - 12
• Use non-decorative font face, such as Arial, Bookman Old Style etc
• Use a clean printed copy only. Never use a photocopy.
• Use envelope – DL-size (If your cover letters and attachment do not fit a DL size envelope, you can use an A4 envelope)
• Neatly staple your cover letter.
If you are writing a cover letter for the first time it might be worth your while to visit online job sites that provide tutorials for job seekers on how to write a cover letters properly. Writing a cover letter does require some tact and preparation. Other good resources are publications that can be found in book stores.
Your cover letter is as significant as is your resume. The way you write and present it tells the prospective employer a lot about you. Therefore, follow the above tips in order to maximize the likelihood of your success and getting interview calls.
