From writing a cover letter to picking the right words on your resume, your ability to present yourself on paper can help you get your perfect job. Your cover letter is often a prospective employer’s first impression of your professional experience.
While a resume builder can help you format your document, some work better than others depending on your industry. If you need help figuring out the difference between a resume and a CV, check out these tips on crafting your professional profile.
The cover letter for resume and application submissions is your introduction to the company. It is a letter that talks about your motivation to get the job you are applying for.
There are different types of letters you can write prospective employers:
- An application letter is one that responds to a job opening.
- A prospecting letter asks if there are positions available.
- A networking letter requests help and resources in finding a job.
But a cover letter for job application is more than a couple of sentences about why you want the position. It can also show how you are a great candidate through a summary of your work life.
While your resume will have details about your job experiences, your cover letter can elaborate in a way that other formats typically do not permit. For example, your work history has brief descriptions of positions you held, but your covering letter can be a story.
You can add information about your experiences, skills, and even interests that are not on your resume. To write a good letter, make sure to:
- Explain why you are qualified for the job. This is your sales pitch for why they should hire you.
- Make a good impression by checking for typos, misspellings and other clerical errors.
- Show connections between your experience and education with the specific roles of the position.
- Add your personality.
- Be specific to the job.
You may get away with using the same resume for multiple jobs. However, when writing a cover letter, it should reference the specific job and company. This means you should write (or alter) a new letter for each job application.
