Check the cover letter

[Admin]

Your resume is one of the most important documents that you will ever have to create in your life and yet, many people spend no more than an hour on it.

Is it actually possible to flawlessly present your entire work history, qualifications and accomplishments in an hour or are you underselling yourself?

You will be giving these few sheets of paper to complete strangers with a hope that they will help you change your life.

You know what you meant in that summary you wrote....but will they be able to comprehend it in the same way? Often, people miss out important aspects of their capabilities because they assume that the person reading the resume will know what they meant. But this is not always the case.

Read your resume critically from a third person's perspective .

You can also consider passing it to friends or relatives and ask them to study it carefully.

This exercise is particularly effective if the person examining the resume doesn't know much about your profession - chances are the recruiter will know just as little. Well, that's usually not true, but it's advisable to be prepared for such a situation.

Unfortunately, those who don't lie in their resumes stand to lose jobs to those who do. That's why most candidates are tempted to give in to such pressure.

However, in such times it's important to remember that a resume is only a marketing tool. It is what you do with the document, rather than what the document can do for you.

You can further split your resume into different sections and analyze each separately .

Remember that recruiters will be focusing on individual parts of your resume more than the resume as a whole.

Dividing your resume into sections will also help you refine all content segments and give it a consistent feel.

Lastly, do a quick check on how good your résumé is by quizzing yourself.

Read your resume as if it weren't your own - can you honestly say that you liked what you read? Is the person described in your resume the kind of person you would hire for the job you are applying for? What did you miss?

Answering these questions sincerely is the first step towards your dream job!

[Admin]

Add the finishing touch to your resume with a cover letter

Once your have finished working on your resume, you need to create a comprehensive cover letter. While a resume will help an employer know you, a cover letter will provide a personal touch that can give you an edge over other applicants.

Second in command

When preparing a cover letter, it's important to remember that resume is the most important part of your application. In fact, most employers will read your resume first, and then, if they are still interested, they will take a look at the cover letter. Therefore, never rely on the cover letter alone.

Get personal

Always address your cover letter to the concerned person in the company. "To Whomsoever It May Concern" will not make any impact on the potential employer.

Find out whom you should send your resume to and direct the letter to them. This gives you a specific contact with whom you can follow-up, and this will also give an impression that you were interested enough to do some research about the company.

What you have to offer their company

You should customize your cover letters for every company that will be receiving it. Remember that it is not enough to simply change names at the top of the letter.

Research the company and address their specific needs; more specifically, concentrate on highlighting the benefits you can offer to the company.

A cover letter is your chance to reiterate the key skills mentioned in your resume and discuss why they make you the best candidate.

The next step

At the end of the letter, do mention that you are actively pursuing a position with that company and not just sending out your resume to a long list of potential employers.

Request them to arrange for an interview and let the contact know that you will be in touch to further discuss your credentials.

Final countdown

Once you are ready to send your resume along with the cover letter, do a final check! A cover letter is an excellent indication of your communication skills.

It is usually not the first thing an employer reads, but it does have the power to make a more personal pitch for your credentials.

Mistakes on a cover letter are as detrimental as they are on a resume. Be sure it's customized for every company that receives it, make it clear that you are active in your job search and edit it just as carefully as your resume.

Remember that a cover letter actually serves as the first "conversation" with a potential employer, giving you a better chance of setting up your second conversation - an interview.