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Killer Cover Letters and Resumes
Doing Your Due Diligence Congratulations! You now have the tools to put together killer cover letters and resumes that are carefully gauged to appeal to each of the employers you’re targeting in your job search. Of course, the next step is actually contacting prospective employers. Whatever your background, you can be sure that you won’t get far in the job market without doing your due diligence—that is to say, doing the research that enables you to tailor your resume and cover letter to address each employer’s needs and to start getting ready for an interview. Preparation, not impressive credentials, is your real key to success. Almost every company is going to ask you, “Why us?” Doing research ensures that you can answer this question convincingly. Recruiters and hiring managers consistently report that candidates who seem informed about the organization and the industry are given priority in the initial review of applications, and are most likely to succeed later at the interview stage. Thus, you’ll have a great advantage over other applicants if you’re able to demonstrate that you understand the organization’s objectives (products, services, or operations), its company culture, and why your skills and experience are ideally suited to its needs.
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Learn What the Employer Wants
110 W E T F E E T I N SIDER GUIDE
Know What You Want But it’s not just for the employer’s sake that you should do research. To be genuinely enthusiastic, you need be able to state why the employer interests you. The company’s primary industry, group, or specialty may be right in line with your career goals. Or you may be most excited by the company’s standing in its field. Perhaps a discussion with a current employee about the company culture stimulates your interest. Every job and every company offers different opportunities for accomplishment; each will have various pros and cons. Do the research to clarify your own goals and priorities. Then use the information to find the right place in which you can succeed.
TIP Preparation, not impressive credentials, is the real key to success.
Research is especially important for career changers and job seekers who worry about being typecast as “overqualified.” If this is your situation, your resume and cover letter must stress how the position matches your interests and career goals, in addition to benefiting the employer. Research in this case allows candidates who have exercised a lot of responsibility in prior jobs to build a persuasive case for their suitability for a range of new positions. Failing to do research is often why an “overqualified” candidate’s application gets put on the “no” pile.