Is a resume cover letter really that important?

YES!! Your cover letter is a sales tool and it sells your resume; therefore, it sells YOU! Few people will even read a perfect resume if your cover letter has errors, is unclear or unfocused; if your resume is left unread, there will be no in-person interview.

If you’re like most candidates, you may think the first impression is made when you walk into an interview but it’s really the moment an HR or hiring manager glances at your cover letter

You MUST proofread your finished product

As a professional resume writer, I make it my business to check, double-check, and if necessary, triple check my work (usually with the client’s help).  This is a step I just cannot emphasize enough. It’s also important to proofread for clarity and continuity. Reading a document backwards is great for catching typos as it slows your reading and will allow you to focus on each word.  Spell-check is handy for a first pass through your document but it’s not an editor and should never be used exclusively.

Have at least one other person review your finished product

The hard part will be to listen to the comments but now is not the time to let pride stand in the way!  Sometimes we have to delete or change cherished words and phrases to create the clearest, most focused documents.

Stay tuned for more valuable resume cover letter information in my next posting!