Posts Tagged ‘Writing Resume’
Resume cover letter get it right
When you are applying for a job you should always include a resume cover letter along with your resume. The cover letter serves a very important purpose in that it introduces you as well as your resume for your future (hopefully) employer’s consideration. Crafting a good resume cover letter can be just as important as making a good resume because it gives you the opportunity not only to introduce yourself but also to provide some additional information to the potential employer that does not really belong on a resume.
A resume cover letter lets you state more than what you can put in your objective statement on the resume. It lets you expound on why you are perfect for this job and why they MUST call you for an interview. There are some guidelines when writing a resume cover letter. You won’t want to ramble on and on, so consider a few of these suggestions.
To begin your resume cover letter, refer to how you found out about the job you are applying for. If you saw an ad in the newspaper, be sure to underline the name of the newspaper (grammatical rules count!) Tell the employer that you are enclosing your resume for their consideration (even though it is a given!) and then go on to make additional statements about yourself.
Now, my problem with the resume cover letter is that I make mine way too long. I have a lot to say, and I’m a writer (obviously) so I tend to ramble in my resume cover letters. DO NOT DO THIS! The purpose of a resume cover letter is simply to introduce yourself and to let the prospective employer know that you are totally interested in this job and you are so qualified it isn’t even funny!
In a nutshell, be brief in your resume cover letter. State where you saw the ad, give a little information about yourself and what the employer can expect to find in your resume. The resume cover letter is sort of an extended version of the objective statement you made on your resume. You will, however, want to make it creative as well. Get their attention and then compel them to look at your resume as they realize that they want to meet you for a personal interview.
The most important part about the resume cover letter is to end it with several ways to get in touch with you. I like to use a simple statement like “I can be reached or a message may be left at (555) 555-5555”. Then I sit back and wait for my phone call for the interview!
Autobiographical sketch resume
There really is no such thing as an autobiographical sketch resume per se. While a resume is a brief sketch of your employment and education history, you won’t want to include any personal information on your resume which is why some companies ask you to provide a written autobiographical sketch along with your resume when applying for a job. Although they are two different documents, the two collectively together are referred to as a single document called an autobiographical sketch resume.
An autobiographical sketch resume is often used to determine the way you write and organize information and ideas. Prospective employers are looking for words that flow, ideas that lead smoothly from one to the other, and good use of the English language. You need to include a lot of information in your autobiographical sketch resume.
First, know that prospective employers are not necessarily looking for personal information in an autobiographical sketch resume. If you want to offer up that information yourself, you can certainly do that, but, most likely what they want to know about is how you got into the field you are working in or the reasons why you want to work in another field. They may also be wondering your thought processes regarding the philosophy of the business world or the career you want to get into.
Some things to include in your autobiographical sketch resume would be past work experience, why you decided to work in that field, thought processes about work assignments, any new projects and feelings about how you were going to complete those projects, and interactions with co-workers. You will want the whole thing to be a page or less and you will also want it to be extremely positive. Focus on the good stuff, stay away from the bad stuff.
When writing an autobiographical sketch resume, be professional and use good prose. Make sure the words flow smoothly. You may want to read it to someone else to get their opinion of what you have created. Then, you can make any changes you think you need to make to improve it. This is how your potential boss will get an introduction to you, so you will want it to be a great example of who you are and what you are capable of.
Writing an autobiographical sketch resume is not difficult, but it must be done in a way so that you will represent yourself in the most positive light that will compel your prospective employer to call you for an interview. After that, you can dazzle them in person and show them that what you wrote in your autobiographical sketch resume really was true after all!