Writing Cover Letters

Cover letters are sales letters; their sole purpose is for you to market yourself. Cover letters should have an immediate connection that distinguishes you from others; therefore it is a critical part of the resume package you submit to a prospective employer when conducting a direct job search. An effective cover letter should add to your resume. Both the cover letter and resume should contribute to your professional image and be an expression of your written communication and organizational skills. Since the cover letter is what introduces you to a potential employer it should always accompany a resume.

A cover letter usually takes on of two forms:
1. an application letter, a direct response by the applicant to a specific publicized opening or
2. a letter of inquiry, an attempt to determine any openings which currently exist or which may exist in the future.

A good cover letter should communicate personal warmth and bring the resume to life. By motivating the potential employer to carefully read your cover letter, you are halfway toward your goal of convincing the employer to invite you for an interview.

Cover Letter Format

The opening paragraph needs to attract attention and make employers want to read on. You also need to indicate the position you are applying for.

Over the next two paragraphs, emphasize your educational background, work experience and group activities that have prepared you for this position and relate to the job for which you are applying. Do not repeat what is on the resume.

The last paragraph should express a desire for future communication and pave the way for an interview. Be sure your letter draws a connection between the requirements of the current job opening and the skills you can bring to it.

In one of the paragraphs above, you will need to refer the reader to your resume, whether it is enclosed (if letter format), attached or copied and pasted in (if by e-mail).

The Cover Letter (3:33)
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Writing Resumes

Your resume should be brief but complete and provide a prospective employer with information on what you have done, what you can do, what you know, and what kind of position you would like. The BCC has made resume writing very easy for you through the availability of resume writing seminars, resume advising sessions, and the resume drop-off service (returned within 24 hours).

The two most common forms of resumes are the chronological and the functional resumes. The same basic information is included in each resume, but it is presented and organized differently.

The vast majority of resumes an employer receives are chronological resumes. The chronological style resume highlights typical progression in a relatively small number of organizations for similar type positions. Educational background and work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order (most recent to least recent). This style is usually preferred by employers because it allows easy review of work history and accomplishments.

A functional resume categorizes the information by the skills one possesses (organizational skills, communication skills, research skills, etc.). This resume style emphasizes growth and development of the skills identified. Experiences not particularly relevant to your career goals can be downplayed and others emphasized. This format is used mainly when changing careers. However, employers often watch that you don’t bury or hide work experience.

You must create a Default Resume. Your Default Resume is included in the BCC’s Web Resume Book for employers and is the primary resume for all BuckyNet applications.

You can also store Targeted Resumes on BuckyNet. Targeted Resumes are customized for certain positions or industries by changing such things as your career objective, responsibilities in your work experience that are more applicable to the position you are seeking, or highlighting other relevant positions worked.

BuckyNet allows you to choose whether to use your Default Resume or one of your Targeted Resumes when Preselecting companies for on-campus recruiting or submitting resumes for job postings.

You may want to include an objective to address your specific career goals. If you have questions on whether or not to include an objective on your resume, see a BCC advisor.

Make Your Resume POP (3:47)
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