While every part of an application is vital to a candidate’s chances of receiving a job offer, some carry more weight than others.
The three most common pieces to an application are a resume, a cover letter and a list of references.
A resume is essentially a list of highlights covering the applicant’s career and education experience. Someone creating a resume will want to look at the job they are applying for and find their work history that aligns the most with what the company is looking for. They will also need to evaluate what education level is required.
A cover letter is a letter written to the hiring manager explaining why the applicant is qualified. This is an applicant’s opportunity to highlight skills and experiences that make them uniquely qualified and the perfect candidate for the position.
Finally, the references are contacts whom the hiring manager of the company will call to inquire personality traits and work ethic of a candidate. Strong references would be former or current managers, coworkers, and professors or advisors, not family or friends. Any reference put on an application must be aware that they are being listed as a reference and asked to do so ahead of time.
It is also important to know what the reference will say. A negative reference is a great way to fast-track a resume into the reject pile.
While you should aim to include each of these aspects in an application, they aren’t all weighed equally. For example, not every job will ask for a cover letter but references are asked for nearly always.
Students should keep an up-to-date resume they can customize for different jobs. The interviewer will always look at all of the information you provide so it is important the information is accurate and free of spelling and grammar errors.
Having a good resume will help you stand out and make you a unique candidate. This may seem like a lot, but the good news is that developing a cover letter and resume does not have to be an overwhelming task. Kirkwood’s Career Services offers one-on-one help and workshops throughout the year.
Categories: Opinion, Staff Editorials
