6 Killer Cover Letter and Resume Layout Tips


Employers are always on the lookout for cover letters and resumes that jump out at them. Not in terms of being fancy and pretty to look at, but at least an attractive resume layout that’s easy to browse through in three seconds.

Although there is not one specific resume layout that applies to every resume, there are some basic rules to follow in achieving a great resume layout and crafting an amazing cover letter that would get noticed.  Below are 3 cover letter tips followed by 3 resume layout tips that can help you land a job interview.

Cover Letter Tip 1 – Hit the Employer with a Cover Letter Headline That Would Stop Them Dead In Their Tracks

When crafting a cover letter, make yours stand out by adding an eye-catching, attention grabbing headline. Ninety-nine percent of all cover letters don’t have headlines.  Most people write a very boring, run of the mill cover letter that ends up in the trash.

Take a look below at two sample headlines that would stop employers dead in their tracks:

Headline Sample 1:  “You Are Going To Get Tons of Applications for This Awesome Job Offer, But Guess What…?”

Headline Sample 2:   “If you hire the wrong employee you would be throwing away $15 an hour, 40 hours a week.”

Now don’t you think that those two headlines would make you curious enough as an employer to want to know more about this bold applicant who wrote this headline?  You bet they will.

Cover Letter Tip 2  –  Thoroughly research the company and personalize the first paragraph of each cover letter for the company you are applying to.  You will stand above the competition and increase your chances of getting called for an interview because the employer will see that you took the time to get to know specific details about the company.

Cover Letter Tip 3 – Always focus on writing how you can increase the bottom line of the organization that you want to work for when crafting your cover letter

Your cover letter places you in the front lines when job hunting.  It becomes your calling card. It let’s the employer know that you would like to set up an appointment for an interview to further discuss how you can be an asset to their organization.  It is not about compelling drama or clever prose; it’s a simple page, expertly written, containing information that would show the employer how you would be an asset to their organization.

With that said, let’s focus on the resume layout.  The look of your resume can be almost as important as what you have written on your resume.  Although there is no single rule set in stone regarding an exact resume layout that would apply to every resume, there are some basic rules to follow when putting your resume on paper.

Resume Layout Tip 1 – Most resume experts claim that your resume should fit on one page.  However, if you have extensive work experience, education, technical skills etc; you would need a two-page resume.  You don’t have to force your long work experience on one page, and end up leaving out important highlights of your career.

If creating a two-page resume, make sure that you place your top selling bullet points on the first page of the resume.  If you fail to highlight your top selling points on the front page and fail to grab the employer’s attention, they may never turn to the second page of your resume.

Resume Layout Tip 2 – Be consistent with the use of numbers and abbreviations.

Make sure you spell out numbers under ten and also including ten.  If the numbers are over ten, use the numerical form.  The only time this rule would not apply is if the numbers over ten are the first words in a sentence.

Resume Layout Tip 3 – Don’t ever use more than one font in your resume.

It’s best to stick with fonts that are proven to work like, Times New Roman and Palatino.  Don’t change fonts for different sections.  It’s best to keep your resume as conservative as possible.

So once you apply these simple tips you are on your way to landing the job of your dreams.  Also, it’s best to print your resume using a laser printer because this way the ink won’t run if somehow the resume gets wet. Remember, in order to stand out, a killer cover letter and awesome resume with a simple but attractive layout can land your resume on the employer’s desk for an interview and not in the trash can.Free Report! Discover how to have 10+ employers calling you to interviews in the next 72 hours," at http://www.e-businessmoms.com/ResumeLayout.html

Article Source: ArticleSpan