Want to Start a Successful Career? The Two Most Important Documents You Will Ever Write

Starting a successful career doesn’t come easy by any means these days.  Due to the current economic recession, finding lucrative jobs is like finding a needle in a haystack.  Fortunately, there are things that can be done to help this, and it all starts with the basics.  These basics are the resume and the cover letter.  These documents alone can open the door to an interview, which can help lead to a promising career. 

                Your resume is a key tool in helping you market yourself to an employer.  Your resume should be attention-grabbing, and “good enough” is not likely to be good enough in a competitive job market.  The main purpose of the resume is to convince an employer that you might be a good candidate for the job and to entice the employer to give you a closer look through an interview.  Crafting your resume is important to present you in the best possible light.  As you start forming your resume, you have to keep in mind that the typical employer will not read it word for word, but rather just skim the document.  It is extremely important to tailor your resume to each job and organization, for each job and organization has different wants and needs.   Understanding the basics of the resume is vital, meaning that it should be one page in length, no special fonts or colors, and should really highlight your experience and qualifications.  Once the basics are complete, it is important to focus on other traits that can make your resume “stand out” above the rest of the pack. 

                Researching your future employer is very important for your resume because it needs to be tailored to the specific job or organization you are applying for.  Using the job description as the primary basis for the resume can help, but also look over the organization’s website to better understand what is needed for the position.  Include words and phrases that will reflect those of the job description and company information.  You also need to think carefully about your qualifications and how they meet the needs of a specific job and organization.  Make note of examples that can demonstrate specific skills so that you can use those in your cover letters, which will be discussed later. 

                When it comes to resumes, style and substance is important to grabbing the reader’s attention.  Presentation and form can speak volumes to potential employers.  If it is disorganized or sloppy, it will show that not much care was put into constructing resume, and would mostly likely be dismissed from the rest of the candidates.  There are some variations, but the typical new grad resume follows the basic format: objective, education, contact information, experience, activities, and awards or honors if you have them.  Breaking your resume into experiences that are related to the job will help being chosen above the other candidates, and be sure to include examples. 

                The cover letter is also an important tool that should be used to enhance your candidacy.  Regardless of whether it is required, it should be included because it’s one more opportunity to get an employer’s attention.  The cover letter should be concise; approximately four paragraphs, and should be designed to get the reader to consider your resume.  Much like the resume, the cover letter should be tailored to the specific job or organization you are applying to.  It is extremely important to include examples that demonstrate specific skills important to the job.  You want to be precise, but you also want to save the elaboration for the interview. 

                The cover letter should follow a certain outline, much like the resume.  It is important to explain your purpose, identify the position you are interested in, and how you learned about the job.  Outlining your best traits or strongest qualifications for the job is vital, and make sure it is close to the job you are applying for.  Reiterating your resume in your cover letter is not the right direction, but strengthening the connection between your qualifications and experiences is the right path.  At the end, it is important to give the information necessary if he/she would like to follow up with you in advance. 

                Constructing your resume and cover letter are the first steps toward working for an employer.  Even if you think it is perfect, have it critiqued by some friends or teachers.  It is possible you could get insight that will help you strengthen and police your documents.  Make the first step count with a resume and cover letter that captures the employer’s attention and gets you the interview. Your successful career awaits you!