A resume and cover letter are the basic parts of every job application. To get approval from a hiring manager, you need to stand out as a professional. If you switch jobs frequently, you might feel a lack of energy to summarize the work experience again. However, you should treat this process as a potential interview, where you get a chance to create a positive first impression on your employer.

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Step 1. Write a Bot-Beating Resume

If you’re looking to land an interview, your resume should surpass an applicant tracking system (ATS). Even though many companies have started to eliminate machine evaluation from their hiring process, if there are lots of candidates, HR will scan them first.

To deal with resume-scanning software, you need to follow several tips:

• Choose the file type – experts say you have to submit a resume as a PDF to maintain the formatting integrity; however, in the past few years, it’s not obligatory. Unless a job description says they accept PDF files, go with the Word document to hang onto creative formatting freedom;
• Avoid attaching important information in the header or footer – you don’t know how ATS software will scan your documents: maybe, it will miss some sections. Therefore, better to consume more space in the body of a resume, but you will make necessary information visually appealing;
• Use the keywords – to win in the applicant tracking process and show how many skills you have for the position. To get this done, browse for a few similar job descriptions and find the words that match your resume; try to use them naturally to keep the reading flow at a good level;
• Take care of design – don’t think that being scanned by ATS bots, your resume has to look like a plain page with words. If you do an Internet search, you’ll find plenty of templates to make your resume more attractive.

Step 2. Narrate a Competitive Cover Letter

Most people ignore the recommendation to upload a cover letter. The truth is, apart from the resume, a good cover letter can help you get hired. If you’re new to this, no worries – just find yourself a certified cover letter service to get professional career advice like Skillhub.com.

Here’s a list of sections you don’t want to miss in a cover letter:

• Contact information – even if you included this part in a resume. Different people may review your job application, and who knows, maybe the first thing to capture their eye would be a cover letter?
• Greeting – show respect to the Human Resources Team; search the company’s website to find the responsible hiring or operations manager and greet them properly;
• Motivation – explain why you decided to apply for the job; it’s also the part to show how well you know the company and its products;
• Qualification – the main body of your cover letter; pick the top accomplishments to make you stand out and list the experiences related to the job description;
• Closing – thank the hiring manager for spending time to consider you, and mention that you’ve attached a resume and a portfolio link for their convenience. Don’t forget to say you’ll be happy to hear feedback and point HR to the contact information.

Remember that a cover letter should be customized: if a resume can stay the same for different companies, the cover letter is always one and only. A cover letter intends to prove that you can bring value to this specific company. Always proofread it for grammar mistakes; if possible, get a third-party opinion from your friend or a colleague.

Step 3. Consider the DON’Ts of Writing a Cover Letter

As it can be seen, the main parts of any job application are the resume, cover letter, and portfolio. The resume is more of a formal document listing your work experience in chronological order; the portfolio is optional and depends directly on the position. Besides, you can refer to top-resume-reviews.com to get qualified help if needed.

The cover letter is the most creative part; there are lots of requirements about what parts you should include in a cover letter. However, this overloaded information may be confusing, so let’s do the opposite and state what shouldn’t be in a cover letter:

• Don’t make it too long – one page is okay;
• Don’t make long opuses telling about your previous experience – the hiring team doesn’t need a novel, they need solid achievements;
• Don’t follow a template blindly – you can use an example from the internet to help you organize your thoughts; on the other hand, the cover letter should reflect your personality and be interesting;
• Don’t repeat the resume – expand the list of your functions in a cover letter; tell something you didn’t mention before;
• Don’t sound bad about your former boss or a colleague – that’s just inappropriate and can eliminate all the good things said earlier.

To Wrap Up

Now, we hope that you’ll be more confident preparing a job application. We know it’s hard; it needs time and patience, but it’s definitely a rewarding process. Try to put yourself in the employer’s shoes to understand how critical it is to hire the right person; take more time to prepare your resume and a cover letter.

Remember that people will see your profile for the first time, so pick the information wisely and don’t miss the important details!