If you are getting back to the job search process for the first time in a long time, you may need reminding about the importance, not only of a professional resume, but of a professional cover letter, also. Here are some tips.
Use a prose style different from that in the resume. Make it easily readable. Favor short sentences, which enhance clarity. The resume may address somewhat complex topics, but don’t do it here. Favor short paragraphs too, which can help drive home a point. Don’t repeat phrases word-for-word from the resume. You’ll seem lazy or unimaginative, and you can always find a way to restate ideas. Depending on the job, you have an opportunity to be warmer, but keep the letter focused on business.
Avoid puffery, clichés, and chest-thumping. They are no more helpful here than in the resume, and may be worse.
Address it to a person, not a title. The recipient is a human being, so make personal contact. Research the name of the hiring authority if you don’t know it. If the company hasn’t revealed it, you’ll create a smart impression at the outset and gain an edge over other applicants.
Make sure all key information is also in the resume. The resume tends to circulate while the cover letter doesn’t, and the two may become separated. Moreover, omitting vital points from the resume makes you look careless.
Proofread it carefully and ask a friend to read it. As with the resume, one typo can doom you. And a friend may spot ambiguities in your language and suggest points to add or cut.
Adapt it to other contexts. These principles work generally for the variety of letters you will write, from the thank-you note to the personal contact letter to a company acquaintance seeking background. You simply have to contour them to the person and situation.
If you need an experienced resume writer and career coach to help you advance to the next level, I can help you craft a game plan and a resume to get you to your goal.