Résumé, Cover Letter, and Job Search Tips

Those who are graduating in May might be facing their toughest challenge of their collegiate career. School is over and their career is set to begin. Now all they have to do is find a job. It's not all interviews and brown-nosing. A significant amount of work must be done before you even get to that stage of the job search. Here are the keys to get noticed by potential employers.

Multiple Résumés, Multiple Cover Letters: Every company and job within that company is unique, and one resume will not blanket them all. Before applying, make sure you read the job posting very carefully and play up all the aspects that the position calls for. If the job posting prefers someone proficient in Quark and you happen to be, make sure that skill leads your list instead of Word or Excel. Change it for the next application if they do not care for Quark but mention Microsoft Office. Never bury your skills if they are relevant to the job. If you think your work experience is more valuable than your education to this company, put it higher on the page than your education or vice versa if it calls for it. One must always tailor his or her résumé to the specific job, even if it means a My Documents folder full of résumés. Cover letters are very similar, but allow you to say it in more words. If they say they want a self-starter, mention a time at work or school where you showed great initiative. Just keep it concise.

Objective, or Not: Many résumés start with an objective, and many people write what they want to accomplish within the company to which they are applying. Unfortunately, the company often does not care too much for your personal goals, but instead immediately wants to know what you bring to the table. As resumedoctor.com says, the objective allows you to immediately start selling yourself. If you are versatile and ambitious, this is the perfect place to tell them. If you have experience or have a specific quality that they are looking for, there is no better place to tell them than right at the top of the page.

Networking: It has been said a million times that getting a job is all about who you know, and that could not be truer. It doesn't guarantee you a job, but having an inside man or woman can help ensure that your résumé is seen and that your cover letter is read. I currently have my résumé circulating around two major production corporations because of contacts I made through my father's neighbor and a guy from my fantasy baseball league. Friends are usually eager to help, and if they already work at the company, they probably can give you a good recommendation or have the ear of someone who could bring you in.

Research the Company: The more you know about a company and its practices, the more you can sound like a natural fit. I once used a line from a potential hirer's company's mission statement in my objective. Knowing a lot about the company can only make you sound more enthusiastic to work there, and hirers can usually pick up on that enthusiasm.

Do Not Settle on One Job: Do you remember applying to college? You probably didn't apply to just one. If your dream company has not called you, it is not the end of the world. Just as you could always transfer to the college you really wanted if you could get good enough grades at the school you got in to, you can build yourself into a stronger candidate at your dream job if you build experience and references at the fall back job.

Do Not Give Up: Right now, in a difficult economy and a tough job market, it is easy to stop applying after not hearing back from any of your potential employers. Jobs are out there and there is one for you so long as you expand your search and apply to everyone for which you feel qualified. As of this writing my job and I haven't found each other yet, even though I have applied for more than 20. But your confidence will grow as you send out each résumé and cover letter, and soon you will get that call from your potential employer looking to schedule an interview. Best of luck, graduates!