From the Employment and Learning
Computer Lab:
When it comes to cover letters
and resumes, two important and overlooked techniques in looking for a job are
simplicity and consistency.
For now, let’s focus on
simplicity:
Try not to cram too much
information into either the resume or cover letter, but rather overlap your job
history data in both the letter and the resume.
For example, if you worked at
Company A, you may list your main job functions in bulleted form on the resume,
and then on the cover letter explain a little about some of your other duties
that are not necessarily in the job description.
Let’s say you were an assistant
whose job was to make appointments, arrange travel and maintain the stockroom.
In the cover letter, you can elaborate and add that you know modern copiers,
faxing, dealing with vendors, and other extra functions that help make the
office run smoother and present yourself more desirable as an employee.
Another case could be if you were
looking for a job in construction. In the relevant bullet points in the resume,
you may say you drove a particular kind of vehicle, or know a specific kind of
equipment mentioned in the want ad, and then in the cover letter, you could add
that you also know how to drive other kinds of trucks, or are familiar with,
say, plumbing or electrical. Even if these are not relevant to the specific
job, it shows that you are a motivated learner, and can add value to the
position.
