Developing a professional resume and cover letter that work

Black Collegian, Oct 2001 by Shakoor, A Tariq

Cover Letter

Let's talk a little bit about the cover letter. When should a cover letter be used and what should the content of the cover letter be? Some experts will tell you that you should never submit a resume without an accompanying cover letter. Cover letters are a very important part of your challenge to communicate with employers and market yourself in an effective manner. My advice is this: if you are really interested in the job, you should take the time to include a well-crafted cover letter. Most employers will be impressed that you have included a cover letter. It will make a statement that this is important to you.

The key to writing a good cover letter is to write it with the needs of the employer in mind. Think about what the job entails and what the employer considers important and take your cues from there. Some tips for writing a cover letter include:

* Develop cover letters that are centered on the needs of the employer and the position.

* Use the same high quality paper you use for your resume.

* Address your letter to a specific person with his/her correct title whenever possible.

* Get to the point early in the letter. Identify where you heard about the position.

* Don't ramble.

* Keep the letter to one page.

* Letters should be tailored to each individual situation. Do not use generic letters that are mass mailed. Employers are aware of generic letters and are not impressed.

* Produce a letter that is error-free and grammatically correct.

* The cover letter should be an embellishment of your resume, not a replication of it.

Take some time to examine the cover letter sample included in this article. Don't attempt to copy the letter. Use the example to practice writing your own letter using a similar format for your content. Remember, a cover letter is an important marketing tool and it should be included whenever you are applying for a career position.

Now that you have all the pieces of the puzzle assembled, your challenge is to put them together in a compelling way. The key to obtaining an interview is to create a professional resume and cover letter that paint a clear picture of your skills, abilities, experience and career focus. If these elements are part of your resume and marketing letters, the job interview should be right around the corner. Good Luck!

A. Tariq Shakoor is the director of the Career Center at Emory University.