Job Search Resources

Employment Search Tips

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Employment Search Tips

Employment Search Tip #1

Include a Cover Letter when submitting a resume or in an on-line application. This helps you stand out from the competition and allows you to go into more detail about your experience than the resume.

The cover letter consists of four paragraphs and is one page in length:

  1. Paragraph 1: Why you are writing, the position title, and where you heard about the opening. Try to make this paragraph grab the reader’s attention.
  2. Paragraph 2: How your skills, abilities, experience, and education meet the job duties and requirements;
  3. Paragraph 3: Why you want to work for the organization;
  4. Paragraph 4: Next steps you plan to take to follow up.
Employment Search Tip #2
Edit your resume and cover letter for each opening to which you apply. The skills and experience on your resume and in your cover letter should reflect the skills and experience in the job description. Use the words that appear in the job description in both  of your documents–as long as they are descriptive of your skills and experience. For each skill, accomplishment, or experience that you include on your resume be sure to have some examples which illustrate the point.
Employment Search Tip #3

Combine your cover letter and resume into a single document when using an email attachment. And also paste the contents of both documents into the body of the email that you send.

Combining them as one attachment ensures that the entire submission will be printed out and or viewed by the recipient. If you have two separate attachments the recipient may inadvertently only open and look at one of them.

Pasting the information into the text of the email ensures that the recipient has your information even if they are unable to open or read your attachment.

For a job you are really excited about send the cover letter and resume via snail mail–through the USPS. This will help you stand out from the competition.

Employment Search Tip #4

Unemployed?Enhance your job search by improving your hard and soft skills. Take a class to keep your skills current or add new marketable skills. Volunteer in an organization and in a role that you will enjoy and that will enhance your marketability. Show employers that you are serious about getting back to work.