By Tamar Adsedo Sherman
Once you’ve got a basic résumé in order (see July 2007 Working World), you might be tempted to send it out, as is, to every conceivable job listing you find in the newspaper or on the Internet. It’s so easy these days just to click that button on careerbuilder.com or monster.com and respond to all ads for “administrative assistant.” Stop! Don’t do it-not just yet. You need to do a little fine tuning.
When writing your résumé, you played with the design and arrangement of the information you were presenting: a summary of qualifications, highlight skills, work experience, volunteer activities, and education. One résumé does not fit all job listings, however. You need to modify your basic résumé to suit each job for which you apply, paying heed to include the specific phrasing and key words that are used in the job description.
The same rule applies in writing a cover letter to go with your résumé, even if you are submitting the résumé online. Sure, you can just click and send, but you would be doing yourself a disservice. The employer receives hundreds, maybe thousands, of résumés online from other people just like you. To distinguish yourself, take a few minutes to tailor each one.
Find out what you can about the employer. Most businesses have Web sites. Check it out. Determine what kind of operation each one is and modify your résumé accordingly.
Be sure to include a cover letter. You can even do it online. There is that option, which most people ignore because it takes extra time and effort. But that’s precisely why your cover letter will stand out. Find the name of the recruiter to whom you should address your letter by looking on the Web site, calling the company or talking to others to find the correct contact. The extra effort will pay off. Cover letters that begin with phrases like “To Whom it May Concern,” or “Dear Sir or Madam” sound like junk mail, rather than personal correspondence.
The purpose of a cover letter is to arouse the recruiter’s interest in reading your résumé. Be sure to mention what job you are applying for, explain the reason you are applying for that position and why you think you are a perfect fit for the job. Paraphrasing JFK’s inaugural directive, emphasize what you can do for the company, not what the company can do for you. The recruiter does not care what kind of job you are looking for.
Read the qualifications of the job closely. Examine your own qualifications and try to match them. Be specific, but be brief. For instance, if the job listing wants someone with at least one year of office experience, tell the employer in your cover letter. For example, “I worked in the public relations office at Stony Brook May University for two years.”
If it asks for someone who is computer literate, tell them, “I am experienced in Microsoft® Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.” Ability to multi-task? “I can answer phones, work on the computer and interact with customers in person, all at the same time.”
If you worked as a receptionist, detail what you did in that position: “I handled multiple phone lines, took messages, routed calls, set appointments and greeted visitors for three executives in one office.”
Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address in a letterhead format, which you can easily create in any word processing program. If you’ve got a cutesy screen name like “puttybabe,” create a new one for professional purposes. Be sure to proofread the letter to avoid spelling errors and typos. Make sure the job title and employer’s name are correct, too.
End the letter with, “I will call you next week to set up a time for us to meet.” Be sure to follow up with a phone call. Ask if they have received your résumé. That will make the employer look through the stack of résumés to find yours. You got her attention already! Once she finds it, she will at least glance at it before setting it back down on top of the pile.
While you have her on the phone, ask to set up an interview. By waiting for the recruiter to take that first step you risk losing the opportunity to another candidate.
And of course, there is absolutely no reason to allude to your disability at this stage. All that matters is that you can do the job, with accommodation, if need be. But you will deal with that later. Get the interview first.
Tamar Asedo Sherman works as an employment specialist at UCP-Suffolk in Hauppauge, NY. She can be reached at action@unitedspinal.org
