Cover Letter vs Resume
Applying for a job or seeking a job in a company requires one to introduce himself to the authorities that matter as also to let them know about the desire to serve in one or the other capacity. While we all are aware of the importance of a good resume in getting us a chance to be interviewed for a job, cover letter is no less important as it serves the purpose of telling important people in an organization about our desire. There are many who remain confused between a cover letter and a resume. This article attempts to clarify these doubts by highlighting the differences between a cover letter and a resume.
Cover Letter
How do you tell the people who matter in a company that you read their advertisement in a newspaper about a job opening and that you are interested in applying for the job? This is precisely what a cover letter tries to do for a job seeker. It lets the hiring authority know about your desire and what they can expect from you if they hire you.
The difficult part about a cover letter lies in the selection of information or details that you want to provide as all the juicy information about you is already in the resume or the bio data that is accompanied by the cover letter. What more to write or tell the authorities that would interest them?
Remember that the real purpose of a cover letter is not highlighting your accomplishments and your past career but to point out how your credentials match with the requirements of the job opening and why you are the most suitable candidate for the company.
Cover letter is a tool that intends to introduce a candidate to people who matter in a company. A good cover letter tells all about your desire and why you should be preferred over other candidates.
Resume
Resume is a document that tells cold facts about your past educational and career experience to prospective employers. It lets the reader know the positions you have held in the past and what responsibilities you have shouldered in previous organizations.
The basic purpose of a resume is to market the candidate to the reader. By highlighting your educational degrees and other qualifications, you can let the reader know about your skills that make you suitable candidate for the job.
A resume includes both personal as well as the career and education information about a candidate. Work experience and professional associations are highlighted in a resume so as to create a positive impression upon people who matter.
Cover Letter vs Resume
• A cover letter is not necessary when sending your resume in a company, but when well written, it compliments a resume
• A cover letter should not be a copy of the resume and should not cover the facts already revealed in a resume
• A cover letter is more of a tool that introduces a candidate to hiring authorities in a company and requests them to consider the applicant for a particular job opening
• Resume highlights your accomplishments and past achievements like work experience and jobs handled while a cover letter tells why you should be preferred over others for a particular job