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Today, most employers initially screen employees based on two documents: the resume and the cover letter. There are certain pitfalls that may cause a detail-oriented recruiter to immediately reject a candidate based on his/her cover letter:

-Typos or misspelled words (this can be particularly offensive if the recruiter's name or company name are misspelled!)
-Grammatical errors
-Unspecific, generic content which does not relate to the specific job opening
-A casual or informal tone
-Poor formatting

What should a strong cover letter accomplish? A strong cover letter helps to complete your resume and fill in gaps. It tells the reader something new. It draws connections between your previous jobs, and raises themes that may be of value to the company to which you are applying.

For instance, if you are applying for a position as a sales clerk, you might show how all of your previous roles have helped you develop an ability to work with all types of people, manage many tasks, or effectively market a product. If you are applying to be a consultant at a top organizational consulting firm, you might show how your previous work helped you hone analytical, qualitative skills, as well as the ability to partner with team members at all levels. A common structure for cover letters is as follows:

-Brief Introduction explaining who you are and what role you are applying for
-1-2 paragraphs fleshing out your most important career experience (and the experience that relates most to this particular job)
-Closing paragraph that emphasizes why this company is right for you, and also why you are right for this company

We hope this helps you to think about how to draft your first cover letter, or revise your current one. As always, email us with any questions you may have!

All the best,
Paul
Ivy Eyes Editing
http://www.ivyeyesediting.com

Hello.
If I send a CV via email, do I need a cover letter?

Thanks for another great question.

Today, most companies request both a CV and resume--but you should double-check which documents they request before you submit your materials.

In some ways, the email which attaches your CV and resumes has become a new document in its own right! This email should be polite, formal, and crisp. Think of it is a very streamlined version of your cover letter, and treat it with the same attention to detail. This initial email may impact whether a recruiter chooses to look at your CV or resume at all.

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

All the best to you,

Paul
Ivy Eyes Editing
www.ivyeyesediting.com

IvyEyesEditing wrote:Today, most companies request both a CV and resume--but you should double-check which documents they request before you submit your materials.

I used to think that CV and resume is the same thing. What is the difference? Also, should a CV/resume be a Word processed or better to convert it into PDF?

Hello,

Let's eliminate the term CV to avoid confusion. To clarify, for most positions (in the US and around the world) you will need to submit the following documents:

-A resume
-A cover letter
-an email introducing yourself and attaching both documents

You may submit your documents in Word or pdf format--either format is acceptable to most employers. However, the most important thing is to keep in mind your employer's specific requests.

All best,

Paul
Ivy Eyes Editing
www.ivyeyesediting.com