Cover letter

1.Creating a strong resume is a crucial component in any successful job search. Your resume serves as your personal marketing document and your first impression to prospective employers.  To create a strong resume, you must first identify the message you want the reader to receive and determine the skills and qualifications you would like to highlight on your resume. What you highlight, is generally based on the position you would like to apply to.

2.Cover letters are recommended, and in some instances required, for job applications. If you want to stand out from other candidates, you will want to write a unique cover letter for each position you apply to. 

Cover letters allow you to clarify, detail, and expand on your most relevant skills and competencies. In addition, a cover letter allows you to showcase your written communication skills.

It is important that you have a compelling cover letter. To write an impactful cover letter, you need to answer the following questions before you begin composing it. Starting with these questions will help provide a clear and concise message for the person reading your cover letter.

1)  Why are you interested in the position? Consider what makes the position, organization, or company interesting to you.

2)  What three skills or competencies do you possess that match the skills the employer is seeking in a candidate?

 i.  You can find these skills by viewing the job description. These specific skills are the reason every cover letter should be unique for each job for which you apply.

3)  The Cover Letters (Links to an external site.) resource contains step-by step instructions for creating a cover letter including: formatting suggestions, tips regarding how to  highlight your best skills and qualification and how to tailor your letter for specific job you wish to apply to.

4)  First, identify a position on Indeed (Links to an external site.) that interests you as a potential job opportunity. Using the job description, identify three skills or qualifications that match your background and type them out.

5)  Next, using the format suggestions from both the webinar and cover letter sample, 

a.  create a three- to four-sentence paragraph that communicates the three matching skills and/or competencies you would like to highlight for the employer. The goal is to tailor the body of your cover letter to the position you seek.