‘What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Changers’ by Richard Nelson Bolles. This book is updated and revised annually and was first published in 1970! The 2009 version is now available for purchase. If you want to save some money, I recommend buying the previous (2008) version or even a version prior to this. Importantly, this book comes highly recommended by a University Professor who specialises in business and recruitment and lectures throughout Queensland Universities.

‘Knock ‘Em Dead: The Ultimate Job Seeker’s Handbook’ by Martin Yate

‘Career Coward’s Guide to Job Searching: Sensible Strategies for Overcoming Job Search Fears’ by Katy, Piotrowski

‘Ultimate Job Search Book’ by Lynn Williams

‘Tell Your Story, Win the Job: The Best Kept Secret to Job Search Success’ by Fred Coon

‘The Complete Job Search Book for College Students’ by Richard Walsh

Enjoy the reading!

Cheers,

Annie Cerone

• Write a new cover letter for every application. You don’t necessarily need to create a new letter from scratch, what you can do is create a standard template and use this to rewrite/tweak for each new application especially if you’re applying for the same type of positions. However, if you’re applying for completely different jobs, for example a sales position versus an accountant’s role, you would need to create two completely different style cover letters.
• A cover letter should contain a minimum of 3 paragraphs (introduction, body and conclusion); maximum of 5 paragraphs (introduction, 1-3 for the body, and a conclusion).
• Ideally, the cover letter should not be longer than 1 page in length. I have written hundreds of cover letters and only in two instances have I had difficulty reducing two client’s letters to one page. I am a concise writer in general, and in these two instances, I didn’t want to remove any further information from the letters, so I used this very effective technique…I reduced the font size a notch in both cover letters; reducing one from Times New Roman 12pt to 11.5pt and the other down to 11pt. But remember, careful with reducing font size, I wouldn’t go less than 11pt if using Times New Roman font.
• Keep sentences short and to the point, write only pertinent information – do not waffle. Shorter, sharper sentences make for better impact. Also, reduces the loss of concentration on the part of the reader. Remember, short sentences pack a punch.
• Do not state information in the cover letter that can be found in your resume or visa versa; paraphrase the information, don’t just simply copy and paste.
• Add a sentence or two about why this employer and the position is right for you. This will add value, shows you are interested, and that you’ve done a little research into the company. Research the company’s mission statement and goals and incorporate a point or two (paraphrased of course) that tie in with your value system.
• State your achievements, skills and attributes that set you apart from all other applicants. Remember, the cover letter is a key selling tool. Do not shy away from expressing confidence in yourself. Lacking in confidence and not being able to express it (in written form or verbally) is a key leading contribution to the rejection of applicants.
• You can use bullet points, but not excessively when listing skills, attributes, and so forth.
• Double check for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
• Never ever criticise your current or previous employer(s).
• Provide all your contact details including e-mail and available contact times.
• Consistency is paramount across the board; ensure you use the same font when developing your resume as that used in the cover letter.

If you have any specific questions relating to cover letter creation that you would like answered, or require further clarification on any of the above points, please do not hesitate to post a comment. Alternatively, go back to my Contacts webpage and send me an email.

Remember, I’m here to help market you!
Cheers,
Annie Cerone

• Strictly no more than 5 pages in length – 3 to 4 pages are ideal. It’s not unusual for job applications to state the page length. It’s very important you follow their guidelines and give them exactly what they ask for. They’re testing you here to determine that you can follow (written) directions.
• Use a professional looking and easy reading font. For example, Times New Roman, Garamond, Georgia, Arial Narrow. Choose the font that you prefer the most – this is subjective of course.
• Ensure that the font size is not too small. Small font is a very big negative and if our resume is too difficult to read (because of small font size), you most likely will not be considered and your application will be rejected immediately. A while back, one of my clients emailed me her resume for feedback. It was in Times New Roman 6pt!
• Think in terms of QUALITY not quantity when developing your resume. The onus is not on page length, but with the content itself; it’s the specific information you provide that highlights your qualifications, achievements, experience and KSAOs (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics). Importantly, it must be written concisely, to the point and in a logical and structured format.
• No jargon or technical terms unless you are applying for a position in a trade or profession that uses them and where it may be beneficial to incorporate such terminology.
• Absolutely no spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. This is a given, no matter how great the content is in your resume, if it contains errors in any of the above areas (especially spelling), you could very well be rejected on that basis. I know, because when I’ve short listed applicants (when employed in previous roles in the past), those that contained immediately identifiable errors were automatically placed in the rejection pile.
• Keep sentences short and to the point, write only pertinent information – do not waffle. Shorter, sharper sentences make for better impact. Also, reduces the loss of concentration on the part of the reader. Remember, short sentences pack a punch.
• Design your resume to make it look interesting and visually appealing. I cannot stress the importance of stylising your resume. First step, prior to even commencing the writing is to decide how you want it formatted. I always think in terms of ‘letterhead’ style when custom creating my client’s resumes. From there, decide what sections you want to include and how you want to present the section titles. Then, fill in the blanks so to speak, in other words, start developing and writing the content for each of the sections.
• Ensure that key titles or sections headings make commanding statements. For example, instead of labeling a section ‘Employment History’, try other titles like ‘Employment Snapshot’, ‘Employment Summary’, or ‘Employment Profile’.
• Consistency is the key – use the same font and exact same formatting style throughout the document. You can of course use slightly larger fonts for your section headings. Importantly, ensure that your corresponding cover letter is in the same font as well. This allows for a flow effect so to speak, an easy transfer from one document to the other.
• Personal data such as marital status, age, religion, other demographic information, and so forth, and hobbies are unnecessary inclusions. They add absolutely no value to your resume.

If you have any specific questions relating to resume development that you would like answered, or require further clarification on any of the above points, please do not hesitate to post a comment. Alternatively, go back to my Contacts webpage and send me an email.

Remember, I’m here to help market you!
Cheers,
Annie Cerone