How to Build a Strong Resume for Entry-Level Jobs

What if I told you your cover letter's first and last sentences determine whether you get interviews? Recently, I was reviewing cover letters with a client who couldn't figure out why she wasn't getting callbacks for marketing positions. After looking at her application materials, the problem became immediately clear. "Your cover letter is killing your chances." Her opening line was the classic "Please accept my resume for consideration of the Marketing Manager position within your organization" — and she never actually asked for an interview at the end. So, how do you write cover letters that actually get read? Use these powerful techniques instead: S — Use a sticky hook Forget "To Whom It May Concern" or "I'm writing to apply for..." Instead, try one of these attention-grabbing marketing-focused openers: "If your company is struggling to generate qualified leads despite increasing ad spend, I have the solution you've been looking for." "Innovation. Growth. ROI. If these marketing priorities align with your vision for the Digital Marketing position, we should talk." "Do you need a content strategist who can double your organic traffic and boost conversion rates by 35% within six months?" W — What's in it for the employer? Hiring managers are reading your letter thinking, "Can this person drive results?" Make it clear from the start that you understand their marketing challenges and can provide measurable solutions. I — Information This is where you provide brief, compelling evidence of your marketing qualifications and accomplishments. For example: "By implementing a targeted social media campaign for XYZ Corp, I increased engagement by 78% and drove $125K in new revenue within 90 days." F — Fast segue Transition smoothly to your request for an interview. For example: "With this proven marketing expertise in mind, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your customer acquisition strategy." T — To-Do Here's the #1 cover letter secret that DOUBLES your chances of getting interviews: actually ASK for the interview! "I'm excited about the Marketing Director position with ABC Inc. and would appreciate the opportunity to discuss how my experience driving successful campaigns can deliver similar results for your brand. Please call me at (number) to schedule an interview at your convenience." By simply asking for the interview, you've shown initiative and clarified what you want — something most candidates completely overlook. What cover letter techniques have worked for you? Have you tried asking directly for the interview?

Your resume, LinkedIn, and cover letter aren’t separate. They’re one story—told three ways. Most people treat them like solo tools: ☐ Resume = keywords ☐ LinkedIn = bio ☐ Cover letter = filler But here’s the truth: They must work together. Think of it like this: 📄 Resume = The proof 🔗 LinkedIn = The presence 💬 Cover Letter = The pitch When they align, magic happens: → You sound clear → You look credible → You feel consistent Here’s how to sync them: ✅ Use the same core message across all ✅ Make your value proposition repeat ✅ Let your story flow from doc to digital ✅ Adjust tone, but not your truth 📌 P.S. A recruiter might see all 3 in one day. Make sure they tell the same story—and sell the right one.

Cover letters are NOT dead. But 99% of them are terrible. That's why everyone thinks they don't work. Here's the truth: Most cover letters get ignored because they're boring, generic, and repeat what's already on your resume. But the right cover letter? It gets you noticed. It gets you interviews. It gets you remembered. Here's the formula: Hook → Achievement → Why This Company → CTA Let me break it down: Step 1: Start with a hook. Skip "I am writing to apply..." Lead with something that grabs attention: → A specific achievement → Why you're excited about this company → A problem you can solve Example: "I've spent the last 5 years scaling operations teams at high-growth startups and I'm excited about the opportunity to do the same at [Company]." Step 2: Share one relevant achievement. Pick your strongest win that matches what they need. Example: "At [Company], I led a team that reduced delivery time by 30% and saved $400K annually." Step 3: Show why THIS company. Don't be generic. Be specific: "I saw you recently launched X, and here's how my experience with Y positions me to contribute immediately." Step 4: End with a clear CTA. Don't just say "I look forward to hearing from you." Say: "I'd love to discuss how my experience can support [Company's] growth. I'm available this week." Keep it under 250 words. If it's longer than one page, it's too long. Make every sentence count. When to send one: Not every application needs a cover letter. Send one when: → The company specifically asks for one → The role is highly competitive → You're pivoting industries → You have a referral Cover letters aren't dead. Bad cover letters are. Save this post so you know how to write one that actually gets read.

A strong cover letter should always include the following key elements: Personalization: Address the hiring manager by name, if possible. Avoid generic greetings like "To Whom It May Concern." This shows you've taken the time to research the company and the person who will be reading your letter. Introduction: Clearly state the position you are applying for and how you learned about the job. This gives context to your application from the very start. Why You're a Good Fit: Highlight your most relevant skills, experiences, and achievements. Demonstrate how they align with the requirements of the role and the company's needs. This is the core of your cover letter. Your Enthusiasm for the Company: Express your genuine interest in the company. Show that you've researched the organization and understand its values, mission, or recent accomplishments. Tailoring this to the company shows you’re motivated by more than just the job itself. A Call to Action: End with a polite and confident statement about your desire for an interview. Invite the hiring manager to review your attached resume and express your enthusiasm for discussing how you can contribute to the company's success. Professional Closing: Use a professional closing like "Sincerely" or "Best regards," followed by your full name. By ensuring your cover letter includes these essential components, you'll create a strong and impactful application that stands out to hiring managers.

There’s nothing scarier this time of year than a #faculty #application packet with a poorly crafted cover letter.   The first thing a faculty search committee sees in your packet is the cover letter.   Unlike many bot-based application processes, we actually READ the cover letter.   I’ve read hundreds of applications in my career. And I’ve picked out some common mistakes: 🙀 Information overload. We have your entire application. Don’t rewrite it all here. Give us highlights. 🤖 Robotic writing. This is a chance for you to introduce yourself as a person with passion for the position. 🙌🏻 Overly confident. Writing something like “I am the best in the field” when applying for your first job after defending your #PhD, might be overselling your abilities. No one wants an egotistic colleague. 🥺 Lacking confidence. If you want the job, you should tell the committee why you’re qualified! Don't leave them to infer it from your statements. 👩🏻🏫 Forgetting your audience. We know what a journal is, what skills you gain from #research, etc. This isn’t an industry job application; it’s written for faculty to hire a faculty member. ✏️ Copy/paste run amuck. This includes addressing it to the wrong school (or “to whom it may concern.”) 🕸️ Bloated and complicated. This isn’t the time to tell long-winded stories or make intricate connections between your past work and this institution’s job. Be clear and direct.   What does your cover letter need to do? 📍 Tell the search committee and department faculty who you are (credentials). Provide a narrative that shows your career path (to date) and why this position is the next “right thing” for you. 📍 Introduce your overarching research and teaching goals, specifically mentioning 2-3 “big” things that you’ve done (research findings, grant success, teaching methods). 📍 Convince the reader that you are a fit for the #university. Yes, this means learning something about the program/institution to which you’re applying and aligning your skills, goals, philosophies to it. 📍 Convey professionalism. In clear, concise language strike a balance between a personal narrative and professional communication. Write as you would speak on an interview.   What should it look like? ✏️ For #STEM fields this is no more than 2 pages (humanities sometimes can go 3… but why?). ✏️ Styled like a proper business letter complete with addresses, date and recipient in proper places. (If you don’t know how to format a business letter, Google it. Now is not the time to get creative). ✏️ Use appropriate salutation and closing with no spelling/grammar mistakes.   Remember: this is the first impression you provide to the search committee. It will take time to write the first draft and to tailor the draft for each school. Don’t rush this critical piece of the application.

There's a lot of advice about cover letters on LinkedIn, so here's one of mine that got me an interview at Disney 2 years ago. Here's what I did to make my CV and cover letter stand out from all the rest: ✅ 𝗣𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗩. If you’re proud of it, make sure everyone in the process reads it. When it’s a separate file, it often gets lost as recruiters can forget to include both docs and some systems don’t handle multiple uploads well. ✅ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Yes, it takes longer, but you’ll get a far better application to interview ratio. ✅ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽. Make it clear what you’re applying for. ✅ 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿, it’s an easy to personalise. ✅ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲. Obviously, I’ve blanked mine out here. ✅ 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀. This one is 195. ✅ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 e.g. Joe Burridge CV - Disney.pdf ✅ 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽. Reach out to a few people in Talent, HR or Recruiting on LinkedIn, mention that you’ve applied, and attach your CV. A thoughtful follow-up message can make all the difference. I really hope this helps, sometimes the tiniest edge over other candidates is all you need.

Job Seekers: Craft a Compelling Resume and Customized Cover Letters to Stand Out You’ve applied extensively, yet your resume keeps vanishing into the abyss. Don’t lose hope – with a stellar core resume and tailored cover letters, you can capture recruiter attention and showcase your value to advance to next stages. First, optimize your core resume around your target role or industry. Lead with a powerful Profile Summary that concisely conveys your unique value proposition in 4-5 compelling sentences. Demonstrate how you specifically address key business needs. Only include your most relevant content. Remove outdated or irrelevant activities that dilute your focus. Feature skill sets, achievements and metrics specifically tailored to your desired position or field. Showcase growth in key competency areas required for your goals.  Additionally, quantify achievements instead of simply listing responsibilities. Use metrics like percentage increases, dollar amounts saved/generated, goals exceeded, and awards won. Data tells a memorable story and illustrates your tangible impact. This core resume pops with your profile summary, targeted content, and quantified achievements. It dynamically highlights your background for opportunities in your field. Then customize cover letters to align your value directly with each opening. Research the company, role and industry trends. Articulate specifically how your experience addresses their unique business needs and furthers strategic goals. With a stellar core resume and tailored cover letters, you remain efficient while showcasing your fit. Let’s connect if you’d like complimentary guidance to create these crucial materials for success! The right role is out there – I’m here to help you seize it with a resume that shines. #ResumeTips #CoverLetter #JobSearch #CareerGoals

Most cover letters get ignored in under 10 seconds. Here's how to write one that gets read: ↓ I used to think candidates were just unlucky. Then I spent an afternoon reviewing a stack of applications for an open role. Nearly every letter opened the same way. Same generic skills. Same recycled phrases. Not one mentioned anything specific about the company. That's when it clicked. Most people write cover letters for themselves. They list what they've done, not why it matters to the reader in front of them. Want to get your letter read? Follow these steps: 1. Open with a hook ↳ Address the hiring manager by name if possible ↳ Lead with enthusiasm, not "I am applying for..." 2. Highlight key experiences ↳ Pick one or two achievements relevant to the role ↳ Quality over quantity, always 3. Answer "why you? Why them?" ↳ Mention specific projects, culture, or company news ↳ Show you've done your homework, not just sent a template 4. Demonstrate soft skills and cultural fit ↳ Weave in communication, teamwork, or leadership ↳ Explain how those skills will benefit their team specifically 5. Tailor every single letter ↳ Use the job description to mirror their language ↳ Generic applications signal low interest 6. Nail the final touches ↳ Proofread twice; typos kill credibility ↳ Match your CV's formatting for a cohesive look ↳ Keep the tone professional but human throughout A great cover letter doesn't just repeat your CV. It tells the story of why you're the right fit for that specific role, at that specific company, right now. Do you think that cover letters are essential, useful or a waste of time? Let's take it to the comments ↓ --- 💾 If this was useful, save it for your next application and repost it to help someone in your network stand out. 🔔 Follow me for more practical advice on landing the role you actually want.

Your résumé may get a quick scan—your cover letter is what makes the hiring manager lean in. Here are 10 pro tips to turn that half-page note into a door-opening pitch: 1️⃣ Lead with a business problem (not your bio). Open by naming a challenge the company cares about—then hint at how you’ll solve it. 2️⃣ Mirror the job description’s language. Echo a few keywords verbatim so recruiters see instant alignment (and so ATS filters don’t miss you). 3️⃣ Show, don’t list. Replace generic claims (“excellent communicator”) with one punchy metric-backed win (“cut client onboarding time 35% in Q2”). 4️⃣ Prove you’ve done the homework. Reference a recent product launch, earnings call, or post from the hiring manager to signal genuine interest. 5️⃣ Tell one memorable story. A concise, STAR-style anecdote (Situation, Task, Action, Result) sticks far longer than a paragraph of buzzwords. 6️⃣ Quantify cultural fit. Briefly connect your values to theirs—e.g., how you thrive in cross-functional, remote-first teams if that’s their norm. 7️⃣ Write for skimming. Keep paragraphs ≤ 3 lines, use white space, and favor plain language over formal jargon. 8️⃣ Prioritize relevance over chronology. Spotlight the two or three achievements that map directly to the role; link out or attach a portfolio for depth. 9️⃣ End with a forward-looking CTA. Instead of “thank you for your time,” try “I’d love to brainstorm ways to reduce churn before Q4—when can we talk?” 🔟 Proofread like a publisher. Read aloud, run a grammar check, and ask a friend to spot tone or typo issues before you hit “Send.” Follow these and your cover letter won’t just accompany your résumé—it will amplify it. Good luck out there, and feel free to share your own hard-won tips below! #CareerAdvice #JobSearch #CoverLetter

How do you get past the screening process when you’re pivoting, taking a side step, or a step down? You explain it in your summary. Always write your resume for human eyes and brains. And this is also the one time a cover letter, if they actually read it, can really earn its keep. Your summary should name it directly. Something like: Former Director of Recruiting with 20+ years of experience, now operating in senior IC roles to stay close to the work that drives results. Strengths include building and scaling pipelines from scratch, leveraging established networks, deep ATS expertise, and consistently delivering a strong candidate experience through to hire. Experienced in mentoring recruiters while remaining fully hands-on in execution. And in your cover letter, lead with the why: I’ve spent years leading recruiting teams, building functions, and driving hiring strategy. What I’ve learned over time is that my highest impact comes from being directly in the work. I’m deliberately targeting senior individual contributor roles where I can focus on what I do best, building pipelines from scratch, leveraging a deep network, navigating complex ATS environments, and closing top talent while delivering a strong candidate experience from first conversation through onboarding. This is a conscious shift, not a fallback. I’m not looking to return to people leadership. I’m looking to stay close to execution, where I consistently deliver the strongest results. If you’re looking for someone who can step in, own the work, and elevate hiring outcomes immediately, I’d welcome the conversation. Name it first. Own it. Make it read like strategy, not circumstance. Will your cover letter get read? It depends. Put the time in only where it is worth it. In the end, don’t let them wonder why. Own it from the get go!