Sample Resume Writing

Beat the Crowd with Winning Resume Cover Letters

Far too many people underestimate the importance of resume cover letters. In a sense, a well written cover letter works like an agent on your behalf. It tosses a sales pitch for you to the employer, explaining why you should be at the top of the list for interview calls. Taking the time to write a cover letter tells the employer you are willing to go above and beyond; not just simply slap a resume in an envelope and mail it.

Not All Resume Cover Letters Are Created Equal

No two resume cover letters should ever be the same; each one should be uniquely tailored to the job for which you are applying. A generic cover letter is insulting to an employer and will quickly find its way into the trashcan. When writing cover letters keep the following tips in mind:

Address resume cover letters to an actual entity, not just a generic "To Whom it May Concern" or "Personnel Director." If you are not sure who to address, find out and then make sure you spell their name correctly. Do not just assume.

State who referred you or how you found out about the job opening. "Linda McCain mentioned that you might be hiring a new computer programmer soon." or "I learned about your opening for a Sales Associate from your posting in the San Francisco Sun and would like to discuss a few ways I can contribute to your team."

Resume cover letters should discuss how you can help the employer, not about why you need the job. The employer has posted a job opening because they need that position filled and they need the best candidate to fill it. Convince them why you are that person.

Make Yourself Stand Out from the Crowd

Demonstrate you know something about who the employer is and what they do. If you don't know anything about the company, find out what products or services the company offers, their competitors; any recent or upcoming changes. Employers will be impressed with your knowledge, especially if their company services a specialty niche that isn't well known.

Do not discuss salary requirements in resume cover letters. If the job posting requests that you respond with salary information, simply state in your cover letter "I would be pleased to discuss my salary history in an interview." Then quickly move on to what you can offer them in terms of your talent and skills.

Give an exact date when you will follow-up to discuss an interview. Don't depend on the employer to follow-up with you.

Keep it Short and to the Point

Do not say 'enclosed please find my resume.' This wastes valuable space in resume cover letters you can devote to highlighting why you are perfect for the job.

State what you need to, but don't draw it out. Keep resume cover letters to one page, preferably about four short paragraphs.

Neatness Counts

Proofread your resume cover letters and then ask someone else to proofread as well. Don't eliminate yourself from the candidates called for an interview because of a simple typo or misspelled word. Don't rely on your computer's spell check. It does not always catch everything.

Make sure your letter is neat. If at all possible, spend a little extra and print it on nice, professional paper. Make sure there are no wrinkles, folds or smudges.

Following a few simple rules can help your resume cover letters stand out from all the rest and get you in the door for an interview and on your way to that great new job!

Roger Clark (BSc) has over 25 years experience in career development & recruitment at a senior level through top management positions he has held with major international companies.

You can visit his "Top Career Resumes" website or News Blog for a wealth of top quality information relating to the employment market.

http://www.top-career-resumes.com

http://www.top-career-resumes.com/resume-cover-letters

MORE ARTICLES:

Useless Resume Objectives
What's wrong with an objective on a resume? The problem with objectives on resumes is that a typical objective is self-centered and self-serving; therefore, it is useless. Instead of an objective, use a power statement.

Writing A Great Resume, Part 2
TIP: Update your resume often. Be sure to add details of any training course, new interests and areas of responsibility.

5 Ways to Drastically Improve Your Resume in 10 Minutes of Less
Follow these quick and easy tips to build yourself a better resume in under 10 minutes flat.* Use strong, action oriented language that describes specific skills or accomplishments.

Why Choose A Professionally Written Resume?
Good question, considering that nowadays you can find many useful resources to help you write your own resume (including many located at http://www.impressive-resumes.

Free Resume Template: The ONLY One Youll Ever Need
WARNING: This article is likely to make you mad.In fact, I'm pretty sure it will.

Fortune Market Media, Inc. Announces the "D" to be Removed From its Stock Symbol and it will Resume Trading Under its Original Symbol FTMM on December
Fortune Market Media Inc. announces that after successfully completing its reorganization of its capital structure and being assigned a transitional Symbol FTMMD on November 13, 2007 by NASDAQ for 20 business days, it will resume trading under it?s original symbol: FTMM on Monday December 10, 2007.

3 Tips For Writing A Great Resume
In most job interview situations, your resume will provide your potential employer with his or her first impression of you. If your resume makes a good first impression, you will move on to the next step in the hiring process. If not, your resume will likely be filed and you will never have the opportunity to progress to an actual interview. For this reason, it is essential that you take the time to create a resume that will make the first impression you need it to make.

Nationally Recognized Nutritional Expert Joel Fuhrman, M.D. Now Ads Talk Radio Show Host to His Resume with his Insightful and Information Rich Show &
Nationally Recognized Nutritional Expert Joel Fuhrman, M.D. now ads talk radio show host to his resume with his insightful and information rich show "Nutritional Wisdom" with Dr. Fuhrman debuting on the VoiceAmericaTM Network**

Write A Great Resume: 10 Strategies That Work
Learning to write an effective resume is a life skill most people cannot afford to ignore According to the U

A Resume for Disaster.. How Not to Land a Work at Home Job
After running a successful telecommuting site for over 8 years and an employment agency before that, I still get that one question over and over. "Why have I not been able to land a work at home job?" My first answer is always the same. "Let's look at your resume."

Good Resume Karma for Hospitality Workers
So, you've done your turn in the trenches. You've been a busperson, head waiter, bartender, host, and what-not. After ten to twenty years, many hospitality workers, feeling burned-out at the late shifts and long hours, yearn to break into the ranks of higher management. Yet they find themselves in a kind of 'glass ceiling' situation. They can't get a recruiter to look twice at their resume, even when the qualifications are more than a match for the job.

How to Create a Great Electronic Resume
After creating the perfect resume, you then need to distribute it. You'll likely be sending some professionally printed hard copies, especially to "A list" companies or organizations you've set your sights on.

Should You Lie On Your Resume?
Warning: Lying on your resume could cost you your job and your freedom.Picture this.

How To Write A Job Winning Resume That Puts Yours On Top
Many people would love to get a better job. And most of these same people have the proper training and skills to achieve this goal.