A great resume and cover letter are a person’s keys to their dream career. Employers have to sort through hundreds and sometimes thousands of applications to determine who to hire. Having a resume that not only stands out among a slew of other resumes also trying to catch an employer’s eye but also presents the applicant is the most beneficial way possible. Many people can find designing and writing resumes and cover letters tricky, not sure what information to include, what tone of voice in which to write, or what design would have the best chance of catching an employer’s attention. By understanding what important features can catch an employer’s eye, job applicants will benefit in several ways. Taking the guesswork out of putting together a resume will save a person large amounts of time when applying for jobs, allowing them to apply for more jobs in a shorter amount of time. When a person learns about proper resume and cover letter construction, they will be able to design templates for different types of applications, saving them even more time. Job hunting can be an intimidating and patience-testing experience, but job applicants can make this process far easier by knowing what to pay attention to when writing the applications. Here are some useful areas of focus to think about when writing a resume or cover letter.
Type of Application
The information a resume and cover letter will present to an employer will depend on what type of job is being applied for. Many people, unfortunately, think that a single resume or cover letter template will do for all kinds of applications. Think about it like this: if a job requires a person to have strong design sensibilities or have an ability to create compelling content, an employer will look at not only the actual information contained within the resume or cover letter but also at its ability to communicate this information convincingly. A savvy job applicant will be able to identify what type of skills a particular job requires and tailor their application to both communicate past job experience and demonstrate an awareness of what a job requires. Many employers will be impressed that an applicant has taken the time to construct their resume according to what the actual jobs call for. For example, if a person is applying for a technical type job that does not require much creative work, the tone and appearance of their application should be made to accentuate the information more than the design. A good solution for this would be to select a minimalistic resume design that allows the employer to easily browse the information on the resume.
Language
Another important aspect of a job application that will depend on the type of job being applied for is what tone and language one should use in their resume and cover letter. Just like design, the language an applicant puts on their resume or cover letter should both clearly and effectively communicate the important information an employer needs to know, as well as demonstrate proficiency at the type of rhetoric that would likely be used at that workplace. Potential employers will be impressed with an applicant who has taken the time to craft their application specifically to match their type of workplace and will give the applicant a much higher chance of getting hired. If you have found a job through immigration advertising then making sure your resume and cover letter are specifically designed for your dream job is essential for your success.
White Space
When putting together a resume or cover letter, many people are tempted to squeeze as much information as possible onto the page to give an employer the most complete picture possible of themselves. But in doing so they often leave themselves with a jumbled, busy looking resume and cover letter. Such results are not ideal, as too much information can overwhelm a reader and make them tune out of what they are reading. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to avoid committing this error. When putting together a resume, try dividing the content on the page by what type of information it is, e.g., contact info, relevant skills, education. Then ensure that each section is adequately spaced-out from surrounding sections, making sure that there is plenty of white space between not only each section but also each line of information. If you are using a word processor to create your resume, use at least 1.5 point spacing when creating a resume. A resume with a properly spaced-out section will look professional and be easy to read.
Be Positive!
It can be difficult for many people to transfer their real-world experiences into words on a resume or cover letter. People may not know what information could be relevant and should be included or may be unsure of how to put a positive spin on what they are writing. These are common struggles when creating job applications that many people face, but thankfully there are simple strategies that can help people write effective resumes and cover letters without stress. A good way to think about writing one’s experiences on a job application is to explain them in three parts. Think of a challenge that a previous job posed and why it was difficult to overcome. Speak about what steps were taken to solve the challenge, making sure you detail your specific involvement in the solution process. Finally, explain the benefit that solving the problem had for the workplace or company. This simple three-part structure is a useful method for clearly and concisely explaining one’s relevant experience on a resume or cover letter. If you heard about an opportunity through permanent labor certification ads or immigration labor advertising, then ensure that your resume is constructed in a way that will give you the best shot at landing your dream career.
