Chapter 2 - What Did I Do at That Employer? (Cover Letters and Resumes)

Cover letters and resumes are the very first impression that a future employer gets of your qualifications. Unfortunately, most people are not professional resume writers and become scattered and disorganized when it comes time to document all their experience and qualifications. What should you say about yourself? What format is most effective? What is a cover letter for?

When is a cover letter needed? Most job search literature has one answer. Always. It is often suggested that a cover letter, written in a standard business format, stating the job you are seeking and why your resume should be considered, should always accompany your resume. This is a lovely idea, but….

More often than not, when a resume and cover letter are submitted electronically (which is the most common and preferred way), not only is the cover letter not read, it is often not even opened. If you are applying to an advertised job opening, the recruiter or HR professional that is screening through the ad responses are simply scanning your resume for key words. If they took the time to read each cover letter, no job openings would ever be filled. If your resume does not win you an interview for that particular position, it is usually bridged into a searchable database, and the cover letter that you so diligently created and submitted with your resume gets “filed.”

So, let’s rewrite the rules of cover letters. When is a cover letter needed? Always! Now that you are thoroughly confused, let me explain. If you submit a resume, to anyone, regarding any type of position, without some sort of introduction to yourself, you are playing roulette with your resume. Maybe it will land on the right hiring authorities desk and be considered for the appropriate position, and maybe not. The trick is creating the most effective introduction for each specific situation.

Situation 1: Advertised Job Opening – The traditional response to an advertised job opening is to send your resume and cover letter to the contact information provided. In such a case, be sure that you read and understand any and all requirements or requests stated in the ad. If the ad asks that you mail your resume in, then it would be appropriate to submit your resume with a general business formatted cover letter, via MAIL, not e-mail. If the ad asks that you provide salary requirements and history, be sure that you include that information. If you are able to respond via e-mail, be sure to introduce yourself in the text of the e-mail. An attached cover letter may not get opened. Keep the introduction short and sweet. Include the title of the position you are applying for and any applicable reference number, and briefly describe your qualifications using the key words that were in the advertisement. This should be enough to get your resume reviewed, and it is your resume that will get you an interview.


Situation 2: Consideration for Future Openings – This is for the more passive job seeker. You are currently in a satisfying position, but you are intrigued with an up and coming employer, and you want to introduce yourself. First, you need to know who to introduce yourself to. Learn about the organizational structure, which department you see yourself fitting into and who is the most influential person in that department (the most influential person is not always going to be the hiring authority) and then properly introduce yourself. Ideally, introduce yourself briefly at a public gathering and pay tribute to the employer’s accomplishments. Then follow up with a letter stating your interest in being a part of the organization and highlighting what you can contribute to the team, as well as your resume. If you choose to do this electronically, be sure the cover letter is in the text of the e-mail. It is more likely to be read if they don’t have to go through the trouble of opening a document.

If you do not have an opportunity to personally introduce yourself, send a complimentary letter expressing your interest in joining the organization and highlighting what you can contribute, but exclude your resume. This will increase the chance of your letter being read, because your chosen audience will not have the preconceived notion that your letter should be directed to the recruiting department. This also gives you the opportunity to follow up in the near future with your resume. This strategy could be successful for the more active job seeker that is very patient.

Situation 3: Personally Created Position – This is for the entrepreneur spirit, the person who has done their research and targeted the employers they want to work for. It doesn’t matter whether or not the employer has a job opening; this candidate has already created the job opening. People are hired to fill in gaps and resolve issues, specifically in areas that will ultimately result in added revenues. It doesn’t matter if your chosen employer is currently downsizing. If you have a service to offer that will generate more revenue than your salary, you will get the job. First, however, you must get noticed. Again, this means targeting the most influential person within the organization. (Remember, the most influential person is not always going to be the hiring authority.) To get their attention you must be armed with a very intriguing and detailed mini-business plan for the created position, complete with numbers and dollar signs. This is far from a traditional cover letter.

To recap, every resume should have some sort of introduction, some more complex, some simply stating the position you wish to be considered for. But, NEVER send a generic cover letter to “whom it may concern” restating what is obvious on the resume, unless you want to be considered for a job in spam.

Now that we have covered cover letters, it’s time to tackle the, oh so intimidating resume. Just saying resume often conjures up fear and anxiety. Why? You are to create a document that briefly explains all your best attributes and strongest skills, in an easy to read format that will stand out among a pile of other resumes. This can be so overwhelming that people often are more than willing to pay the going rate of up to $500 to have a “professional resume writer” create their personal resume. But, does that resume truly represent who you are?

Creating a resume is intimidating because of our fear of rejection. However, it is a representation of who you are, and you want to be hired in an organization that appreciates the skills and abilities you have. A professional resume writer can ensure proper grammar and spelling and an easy to read format, but they don’t necessarily know your chosen industry and your strengths and talents that need to be highlighted. Also, unless you are paying the writer to be on stand by, the created resume won’t always be the best representation for each job. Sometimes revisions need to be made so that certain relevant skills stand out that are more appropriate for a specific job. Finally, if you invest your time to personally create your resume, you will be better prepared during the interview. So, let’s break the resume down into small pieces, and create a personal winning document.

The very first step is deciding what a resume should say. Consider this the rough draft of the resume. Sit down at your computer or with pen and paper and just start writing. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, format, and time frames, just write. Imagine that you are defending each position you had, going through everything you ever did for each employer. Don’t just list the typical job description, list when you went above and beyond the call of duty, when did you save the day, what skills did you learn and how did you learn them, what leadership roles did you have, how did your position make or save the employer money.

You have that written, your not feeling so intimidated anymore. Didn’t know you had so much talent, did you? Well, now we need to organize all that information. Reading through your rough draft will give you an idea of why you’ve been hired and what made you successful at your previous jobs. Either technical, management, sales, or service skills will dominate your achievements. Which ever it may be will become the theme of the resume. Meaning, each sentence describing your experience will also highlight your dominant achievement.

Be sure you are backing everything up with concrete examples: how long or what percentage of the time you provided a service or used a certain technology, or the amount of money, data, or customers you worked with each day. Also be sure to clearly explain the result of your efforts. Did you save an employer money, make them money, or make a process more efficient?

Now that you know what you want to say, we need to put everything in an easy to read format.

There are three typical types of resumes: Chronological, Functional, and a combination of the two.

The Chronological Resume is the straight forward, easiest to read format. In a Chronological Resume your positions are listed in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent employer. Beside each employer is the month and year that you were employed. It is very important not to leave out the month, though many people do. If the date reads 2000-2001, the recruiter or hiring authority is left to wonder, “Was that December 2000 – January 2001, or January 2000 – January 2001?”
Each position clearly explains the products/services the employer provided, your role(s) within the employer and major accomplishments. This can be achieved with bulleted sentences or in paragraph form. Be sure however to bold key words, but don’t go overboard. You want keywords to stand out, not blend in with a sea full of bolded words.
People with many years experience or who have held multiple jobs will struggle keeping their resume a reasonable length. Consider how far back in time you feel obligated to list employment on your resume. Do you really need to list the support job you had 20 years ago when you are applying for the Senior Management role? Maybe, but most likely not. Do not leave gaps in your employment, however. If that support job was during a transition 2 years ago, list it.

The Functional Resume is often suggested when you would prefer to highlight your skills rather than your employment history. Many people who have been contracting or have had a run of bad luck with job stability prefer the functional resume. The format is to discuss your experience, accomplishments, and skills in a couple of specific paragraphs with no set time line or direct reference to the employer. The problem with the Functional Resume is that recruiters and hiring authorities are often skeptical of them. “Where did all that experience come from?”

The Combination Resume combines the functional and the chronological resume. The Combination Resume highlights your experience, accomplishments and skills first, then lists the employers in reverse chronological order. This format is often difficult to follow and is still open to skepticism and questions.

Other sections that are included on a resume are Education/Certifications, Objectives, and Other Activities.

“Education and Certifications” are important to some employers, but not to all employers. It should be one of the last things listed on your resume unless you are a recent graduate. The employer who seeks out candidates with certain degrees and certifications will take the time to read your resume further to find out if you have them, AFTER they are impressed with your experience.

The “Objective” of the resume is often the very first section. It is meant to introduce the resume to the chosen audience and ideally to set the tone for the rest of the resume. Therefore, a poorly written objective is detrimental. If you are seeking a position similar to those you’ve held in the past, and you have written a clear and effective resume, an objective is not often needed. However, if you choose to include an objective, it should be no more than two or three sentences, stating briefly the type of position you are looking for and a few key points of why you are qualified for such a position.

“Other Activities” is a section that explains who you are outside of work. This section can include organizations you belong to, other leadership roles you have been in, and overall other interests. This section is not required on a resume. However, if you do decide to include it, be sure to keep it brief and not to divulge information that is too personal such as political or religious beliefs, age, or marital status.

There are a few rules that are common to all resumes. The absolute “Do’s and Don’ts.”

Presentation. Remember the resume is a representation of you. You wouldn’t go to an interview not dressed properly and neither should your resume. This doesn’t mean dressing your resume up with logos, graphics, or cool fonts, unless you are seeking a career as an artistic designer. Instead, keep the resume conservative and professional. Also, do not include a picture of yourself. Many employers have a policy of not considering any resume with an attached photo for fear of a possible discrimination issue. Use a sharp-looking font such as Times Romans, Arial, or Helvetica. Be sure that your key words stand out at a first glance. Your choice of paper, if mailing, does not have to be resume paper. In fact, standard white or cream color paper of a decent weight is your best choice because it can be easily scanned into the employer’s database.

Format. The format is decided on after the content is written. As you read through your initial rough draft, it should become obvious which format should allow the information to be easily digested.

There are a few guidelines to formatting:

· You are not writing a book. Be sure that if you choose to write paragraphs, they are short and the key words stand out. Bullets are a good way to list your experience and achievements in an easy to read format. Each bullet should highlight only 2-3 sentences, so be sure that you are able to express your background briefly and effectively. When using a combination of bullets and paragraphs, you risk confusing your audience. Remember, your resume is initially scanned for key words; the reader needs to be directed to the areas that should be scanned first.

· Don’t overdo bold and italic type. Bold and italic are used to direct the reader’s eye to a specific section. Over use of either will defeat that purpose. Also, be sure your font is no smaller than 10 point.

· Don’t try to cram everything on a few pages. It’s true that resumes that are longer than two-three pages are considered a book. That is because there is too much content to go through. Cramming the content on fewer pages does not reduce the clutter. If you find you have excessive information, rewrite the content until you have said everything you want to say using fewer words.

Spelling and Grammar. Should seem obvious that there should be no spelling or grammar errors on a resume, but….

A common example is a candidate applying for a management position and on their resume they say the have been a manger. You, as the author of the resume, are usually too focused on content and formatting to notice spelling and grammar errors, even if you are looking for them. Be sure to have a couple of your friends proof read your resume before you send it out.

Short Tenures and Employment Gaps. One red flag that has injured many job seekers is short tenures at their positions. Usually there are very good reasons, but often the candidate does not get a chance to explain those reasons. If the job was a short-term contract, or you were laid off, list it near the date of employment. If you have been a contractor for a while and you are now seeking a permanent position, explain why, either in your introduction or objective. Be sure that you can express that you truly do want a permanent job and you are not considering contract. An employer does not want to risk the cost of hiring you just to have you take a higher paying contract job 6 months down the road. The same is true of employment gaps. Don’t leave your audience wondering; briefly explain on you resume why there is an employment gap (went back to school, cared for a family member, illness). You do not need to give personal details, just eliminate questions.

Incorrect Information. We're not suggesting that you would outright lie on your resume. However there is data that says around 80% of the resumes have at least one piece of incorrect information. This can damage your credibility in very severe ways.

There was a candidate that had completed a very long and intense interview process for a job he truly wanted. Everything had gone great and he was told that HR was putting an offer together. A few days passed and the employer called to say he would not be getting the job offer after all. Why? They had stumbled across a previous resume of his, from a few years
back, that was not consistent with the current information he was providing. These stories are very common, so be sure your resume is an absolute accurate representation of you.

Inflated Titles. You truly may have been President of Marketing at the company you and your buddy started, but consider the interpretation of that title when you are applying for the copywriter position. Be sure your titles represent where you are on your career ladder. Also, the title on your resume should be consistent with the title your previous employer has listed. It would be awful if you thought you were a Project Manager, but when references were checked, your previous employer has you listed as a Jr. Associate.

References. You do not need to provide references with your resume. Many people opt to reserve their references until they are in the interviewing process. Whenever you decide to provide references, be sure you choose a good representation of supervisors, peers, and personal acquaintances. Ask your chosen references permission before listing them, and be sure you have a good idea of what they are going to say about you. References should never be listed on the actual resume, but on a separate sheet of paper. Also, even if you chose to submit your references with the resume, be sure to bring multiple copies with you to the interview.

Letters of Recommendation. Letters of recommendation are a very effective and a very under utilized form of reference. You can provide copies of your letters of recommendation with a resume or during the interview process. A former employer or client usually writes a letter of recommendation. It formally expresses your strengths and talents and recommends you for the position that you are seeking. It shows that your previous employer or client thought well enough of you to take the time to write a complimentary letter on your behalf. Because they are not often used, they do spark interest in the employer, recruiter, or HR representative. Also, even if you chose to submit your letters of recommendation with the resume, be sure to bring multiple copies with you to the interview.