The job market is incredibly competitive, but writing and submitting a perfectly written resume and cover letter will pay dividends. Once you understand how to write both, you can—and should—tailor each to the position and the company in question. Whether you’re looking for a serving job or for work at a law firm, the perfect resume, and cover letter can play a big role in furthering your professional career. Here are our professional resume writing tips and a few ways to improve your cover letter.
Helpful Professional Resume Writing Tips
- Compile all of your personal and employment information before you start.
- Use important adjectives and verbs that relate your previous experience to the tasks you’d perform in your new position.
- The objective part of the resume is your eye-catcher. You need to make a statement and paint an attractive picture of yourself. Make it quick, witty, and personalized.
Important Aspects to Include in Your Resume:
Heading
- Contact information—include your LinkedIn URL
Objective
- This is a brief overview of your qualifications
- Use keywords and action verbs
Education
- If you’ve been out of school for a while, you can just list your degree without going into any real detail about it
- If you recently graduated, make sure to provide details about your degree and any relevant coursework
Experience
- Work history is the most important aspect of your resume
- Include company names, the dates you worked, your job title, and a few bullets that showcase your successes
Volunteer Work
- If you just graduated, have taken a significant amount of time away from work, or had a long period of unemployment, volunteer work is imperative
- If you don’t have any volunteer work, that’s OK—just leave this section off your resume
Awards and Accomplishments
- If you have them, boast them—timidity is a no-go for resume writing
Skills
- A few bullets listing specific skills that you’ve developed or that you’ve learned
Helpful Professional Cover Letter Writing Tips
- Tell a story! Many people think that a cover letter needs to contain the facts that they couldn’t fit into the resume. This is a big misconception. Your opening paragraph is a great place to tell a quick story that relates to why you’re a good fit for the position.
- Don’t repeat your resume. Instead, delve into the important meanings and details behind the bullet points.
- Get to the point (why you’re a good fit), and get to it quickly and concisely. Know your attributes and how those mesh with the role you’re after.
Important Aspects to Include in Your Cover Letter
Heading
- This needs to include your name, address, phone number, and email address
Opening Paragraph
- You should begin with a great hook that really describes who you are and what you bring to the table
Second Paragraph
- Sell yourself by detailing how your experiences, skills, and abilities will fit the company and the role you seek
- Include words and phrases from the job posting within your writing
Third Paragraph
- Explain how your unique story fits with what the company’s wants; this is a great opportunity to use action verbs
Conclusion
- Seal the deal with a concise sentence about how you’re the perfect fit
- Thank them for taking the time to read your cover letter, and let them know you look forward to hearing from them
We hope you find these resume and cover letter tips helpful. Writing different resumes and cover letters may not be easy, but—with time and effort—you can craft a pair of documents that will set you apart from the crowd.
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