Creating a cover letter

Bucketman

So as a sort of an epilog to my thread for trying to find a job, I find myself needing help creating something I've never done before. I need to make a cover letter for my Resume. I have never done this and the whole idea confuses me. Yet my friends tell me that I definately should put one on there as a way to impress people. If anyone has any tips/advice I would greatly appricate it. Thanks.

BlochWave

Here's how this goes: Some HR guy responsible for picking who gets interviewed will have a big stack of resumes with a keep pile and a trash can, and he's gonna go through the stack and spend about 10 seconds on the cover page deciding if he cares enough to read the resume, if so then he's gonna spend 30-45 seconds deciding whether you make the cut or not on the resume yourself.

So the key to both resume and cover letter is to not mince words and BS around. To the point, in as few words as you can use without sounding illiterate. That said, I'd just recommend googling "how to write a cover letter," there are lots of opinions and ways to do it and the best we could do is just regurgitate them here

Also is your signature picture from a certain naughty movie featuring a certain cartoon show's cast? 'cuz I LOL'D at that. And other things >_>

Improvolone

Don't start with, "I'm responding to the add about blah blah blah." Start more along the lines of, "I'll be bringing a doctorate in Microbiology and a resume of projects which were completed under my management."

Flat out tell them why they should want you.

LadyM

The cover letter is a good way to go into more detail about your strengths than you would be able to in the resume. It's also a way to show the HR department that you aren't illiterate and can spell.

ihmmy

basically it's an "I am awesome because... and I would be great for your company because..." letter. It's your hook, it's how you convince them that they want to interview you. Don't lie, but don't be humble either

spacerobot

Here is a link on how to write cover letters, from my schools career development webpage. http://www.career.virginia.edu/students/resources/handouts/coverletters.pdf
I actually have to write a cover letter for my meeting with them tomorrow, and they gave me a huge packet of example cover letters. If I learn anything from that packet i'll try to update this.

edit: I can't give my school credit for that link since it's not theirs. It's still helpful though.

1ddqd

Watching for any advice... I'm unfamiliar with the "bragging" type of cover letter, I thought it was more of just "I want to do this-and-this type of job and I have this-and-this to back me up"