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Pick me, pick me: Get the lowdown on writing resumes and cover letters
The nation is seeing a rise in job losses, college graduates are wrapping up their last “student” summer and some workers just need a change. That adds up to a tough job market.
Across the country, about 1.04 million people were laid off in July – the highest number since 2004. And Virginia's unemployment rate rose from 3.1 percent in June 2007 to about 4.2 percent in June 2008.
For all the job applicants out there, the first chance at being seen is the resume and cover letter. In order to help the jobless -- or those who are over their current job -- we spoke with a local recruiter and staff at the Loudoun County Workforce Resource Center to get some tips and do's and don'ts for resume and cover letter writing.
Resume
- Do's
Have your resume online and tailor it to the position you are applying for. Recruiters are looking to compare apples to apples.
One format is not better than another. Just make sure the information is clear and easy to understand. Chronological resumes are the most traditional resume format. Functional resumes are more frequently used by those who want to emphasize a particular skill set or who want to disguise gaps in employment.
Use bullet points. Keep it succinct and to the point. Be careful not to be too fancy, because in an electronic document, code might not transfer.
With bolding, underlining, italics and colored lettering, be consistent. The rule of thumb here is to chose one typeface and stick with it. Using the “bold” feature to highlight a job title or business name is fine. However, stay clear of using italics, script or underlining words.
The two-page rule no longer applies. If you have a lot of experience, show it. Each resume has about 10 seconds to make an impression on an employer, so make sure you get the pertinent information at the top.
At a minimum, get the basic information in. The resume should have an objective statement or summary of qualifications, professional experience and a listing of relevant educational or training accomplishments.
If you have a gap in employment, explain the gap. Tell the employer what you were doing during the time but don't give too much personal information away. A simple answer is all that is needed.
If you have a security clearances or certifications, include them. Include all clearances, certifications and memberships that are relevant.
Never too old for school. Always include your educational background, no matter how long you have been out of school.
- Don'ts
Don't lie. Wordsmithing is one thing, but never put something on your resume that isn't true. It will always come back to the employer.
Don't misspell anything. Typos are unacceptable. E-mail has made the process of sending resumes a lot more informal, but be extra careful. There is no reason not to have a perfect resume with spell check available.
Don't include personal information. Marital status, children, age, Social Security number, race and disability are not bits of information an employer needs to know about an applicant.
Don't use the rainbow for inspiration. Colors look best in the rainbow, on clothing and in marketing documents. Just stick with black ink and white paper when it comes to resumes and cover letters.
Don't get too creative. Less is more here. Simplified resumes make it easier to read and scan into the employer’s database. Your best bet is to avoid using horizontal or vertical lines, graphics or shading.
Don't be the only eyes on your cover letter and resume. It’s a good idea to have your resume critiqued by an employment counselor or other knowledgeable person before you put it to use. At the very least, have a friend proofread it. The more people who see it, the more likely you are to catch misspellings, wrong word usage and awkward phrases.
Cover letter
The style can vary. Cover letter formats vary depending on the nature of the communication, such as responding to a specific advertisement, “cold calling” a potential employer, following up with a networking contact, etc. Play it safe and keep to a formal style, leaning a little toward the light side.
One or two paragraphs tops. Some recruiters look at the cover letter last, saying that checking the resume for minimum requirements are more important. cover letter is a good opportunity to show your knowledge of the business and why you are a good candidate. A cover letter should be kept to one page and be readable in 30 seconds or less.
When looking for a job, treat it as a job. Keep track of where you apply. There is nothing worse than having to ask the person calling you back about your application which company they are calling from or to remind you of the position.
If it is easy to find out, personally address the cover letter. And spell the name correctly. If the information is not readily available, just address it “Dear hiring manager,” “Dear Sir or Madam,” or even “To whom it may concern.” The semantics aren't important.
If examples of work are acceptable online, send them via the Web instead of mailing in a hard copy. With technology today, it is easier for the employer to get examples of your work instantly and in an easy-to-read format.
A follow-up is always a good idea. In the closing paragraph of your cover letter, it’s acceptable to state that you will contact the employer in a week to see if an interview can be arranged.
Avoid using “I” statements. And always use action verbs to describe your work experience.
Don't stalk the recruiter. Don't ever do this. A good timeline is to wait one to two weeks before following up to make sure they received your information. Then wait. they want to get in touch with you, they will.
Tracey Luellen, recruiter for Telos Corp., and Shelly Dugan at the Loudoun County Workforce Resource Center contributed to this article.
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