Resumes and job seekers

[Rider]

Originally Posted by CrazyKell

Rider, would you get rid of the quotes in the column and make it a bit smaller....or get rid of the column all together?

Get rid of it all together. I want to see facts not other peoples opinions.

[fasternyou929]

I prefer the first one, it looks clean compared to the rest. The others are too busy and someone scanning a couple hundred resumes might overlook some of the keywords you need them to see. However, I would write less of a paragraph describing professional experience (keeping it to 2-3 lines max) and keep the focus on accomplishments and skills.

[Homeslice]

I don't agree with listing "accomplishments" unless there is a hard number associated with them. Take the first resume for example, the first paragraph is all fluff, no hard numbers. Anyone can claim they have a "proven record."

[CrazyKell]

Fair enough but the content of these resumes means nothing. I'm only asking about the visual styling as I will be changing the contents and headings. I just want to know which is most appealing visually.

[Homeslice]

First one is the cleanest and easiest to machine-scan. Second one looks dumb with those blue bars -- looks like an ad, not a resume. Third one is fine if you can pull it off, with quotes from people who were actually in charge.

[CrazyKell]

Alright, so I went with #1 (Carol Philips) and I think I'm doing okay.

How do I convey that I really want to work for that company? This is what I struggle with in my cover letter.

The company is amazing and has a lot of the core values that I want in a company. I truly feel it would be a great fit and even though I don't necessarily have all the technical background, I have the desire and ability to learn rapidly.....and I want them to see that.

So any tips for that?

[Cutty72]

Dear sir,
I would really like to work for your company. I see that you adhere to many of the core values I believe are important in a successful business.
I would be open for many various positions in your company, to prove to you that I am a good fit. Also, I am willing and eager to learn new things and conquer anything that may stand in my way.
Please give me an opportunity to show you my talents in any position you so choose.
Below is an example of some of my best positions.

[fasternyou929]

Originally Posted by CrazyKell

Alright, so I went with #1 (Carol Philips) and I think I'm doing okay.

How do I convey that I really want to work for that company? This is what I struggle with in my cover letter.

The company is amazing and has a lot of the core values that I want in a company. I truly feel it would be a great fit and even though I don't necessarily have all the technical background, I have the desire and ability to learn rapidly.....and I want them to see that.

So any tips for that?

Cover letters can be a lot of things - cheesy, humorous, insightful, a sales pitch, or any combination of things. Draw some parallels between the companies values and your own and share a personal story or two that make the connections for them.

What core values of this company appeal to you and why? How do your personal values align with the company's? Those questions should help get you started.

Have you switched jobs before? I know you've switched locations by moving overseas and you handled that well. Use that as an example if you can and really sell yourself as being able to adapt quickly. If you have any examples of how you solved problems that are out of your area of expertise, use them too! Make it clear to them even if you don't know how to solve a problem or answer a question off the top of your head, you're ambitious enough to do a little research to come to a conclusion/provide an answer.

Got your message earlier and will reply later tonight or tomorrow, got a little swallowed up at work today. Good luck!

[Rider]

As far as cover letters go we never see them. HR never sends them along to us so I doubt they are useful. It just seems like unnecessary fluff. You should have everything already covered in your resume. I've never sent a cover letter with my resume and have never had trouble finding jobs.

[fasternyou929]

Originally Posted by Rider

As far as cover letters go we never see them. HR never sends them along to us so I doubt they are useful. It just seems like unnecessary fluff. You should have everything already covered in your resume. I've never sent a cover letter with my resume and have never had trouble finding jobs.

Then again, some companies look for cover letters and view a submittal sans cover letter as a half-hearted attempt. Probably not one of the qualities they're looking for in a new employee.

Cover letters are particularly useful in a case, like Kel's, where she may not have all the experience they have listed in the job posting. It gives her a chance to get out of the fact-only bullets found in resumes and highlight her values and personality to them.

I have an interview tomorrow because the hiring manager liked my cover letter. While I don't believe they are always necessary or read, I do believe they're worth the time for a job you really want (like Kel does this one).