Sample Cover Letter for Marketing Manager Position

                                                                       

 

January 20, 2016

[Name]

[Title/Position]

[Company Name]

[Address]

[City, Country]

Dear Hiring Manager [or Mr./Ms. Surname, if available],

I am pleased to submit my application for the Digital Marketing Manager position. My passion to deliver innovative digital marketing solutions, project management capabilities, and my proven experience make me an excellent candidate for the role. From seeking out new customers through social media and promotional events, to developing websites and boosting web traffic, to maintaining long-standing partnerships with clients and vendors, I possess a strong grasp of marketing, brand management, and relationship management that span more than six years. These are the skills I would offer to [name of company].

As my resume specifies, I have gained extensive experience in launching and leading marketing projects and multi-channel marketing campaigns that result in increased social media presence and brand awareness for demanding clients and popular brands. Not only am I results-driven, I am also incredibly hands-on and work well with a team of creative professionals.

I am a committed, creative professional with the skills and attributes the job requires, and the determination to achieve successful outcomes for the company. I welcome the opportunity to discuss in greater detail what I can offer your company. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Marketing Manager Candidate

Enclosure: Resume

Understanding the Different Formatting Styles Used in Resume

Resume is an important instrument that allows people to showcase their abilities, highlight competencies, and communicate specific objectives. This document serves to offer opportunities for individuals to pursue their target positions.  Learning to identify the different resume formatting styles is essential in demonstrating skills, employment history, and other related information in a professional manner.  There are three general types of resume formatting: chronological, function, and combination.

Chronological Resume

A chronological resume is a formatting style that provides lists of employment history. It is important to note that the information should be written in reverse format, wherein position and responsibilities begin with the most recent job and backwards depending on previous working experience. The advantage of using this format is that a person can highlight different positions occupied through the years. However, limitations related to showcasing skills and gaps in employment are common in this style. This is why chronological resumes are used to show an individual’s growth in employment and position through the years. Similarly, this type of resume can also be used if a person is applying for a position in a specific industry where employers know one another.

Functional Resume

People who write functional resume focus on highlighting skills acquisition rather than listing of employment history. The strategy tries to incorporate key strengths relevant to a specific position or employer. The format also tries to remove emphasis on dates and places. The main advantage of using this resume style is the ability to address limited work history in the field and emphasize critical skills that cannot be portrayed effectively using the chronological style. The use of this approach, however, creates specific drawbacks from employers who perceive such style as a way to deviate from showcasing experience, expertise, and/or progression in positions. This is the reason why functional resumes are often used by students who just graduated from college or those professionals seeking changes in their career.

Combination Resume

The last resume formatting style integrates the features of a chronological and functional resume to create a hybrid. Writing this type of document creates flexibility for the individual and also taps into key strengths of the two other resume formats. The evident advantage of using combination formatting is the potential to demonstrate qualifications through elaboration of skills and employment growth. It can also highlight information about transferable skills, if necessary for the chosen position. The main challenge, however, is the issue of length since the resume might exceed one page. This format best serves to complement individuals who have both the skills and employment background to offer an employer/position.

Each of the three resume formatting styles has its own corresponding use, application, as well as strengths and weaknesses. An applicant must be responsible in gauging his/her current skills and capabilities to determine the right format to highlight relevant experiences. Patterning experiences and/or skills according to these standards can be advantageous in creating a good first impression to employers. 

Important Points to Include in your Resume

Important Points to Include in your Resume

The purpose of creating resumes is to encourage individuals, whether newly graduates or professionals, to properly document important skills that will help describe their qualifications to employers and prospects. Included in the writing process is identifying essential elements to provide and highlight. Learning how to integrate the important elements in a resume can strengthens one’s work to stand out from a sea of applicants. The following are fundamental components to consider:

Personal Information

The first important element that needs to be included in every resume is a candidate’s personal information. These are basic data that can be used for identification purposes. It includes contact number, e-mail address, and home address. The purpose of adding personal information is to ensure that employers have the necessary means for contact and communication.

Profile Summary

The profile summary talks about the person’s background. Included in this section is a short and concise description of the individual’s qualifications. The purpose of creating a summary is to let employers or readers know the person’s objective. Another relevant idea that can be integrated in the profile summary is highlighting the potential contributions that the applicant can provide to the organization, company, or firm.

Skills and Expertise

The skills and expertise section is where the candidate indicates relevant skills and expertise gained through education, internship, and professional experience.. Highlighting these parts in the resume allows employers to determine whether or not the candidate is fit for the position. The section can also be a good alternative for professionals with long employment history. By simply focusing on skills and expertise, a candidate can elaborate his/her ability to handle roles and expectations required by the vacant position.

Experience

The experience section provides relevant information about employment and the candidate’s professional expertise. The purpose of including this part in a resume is to identify roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments in previous and current positions. This section also shows pertinent data such as company name, job title, and years of employment. These information allow candidates to justify their professional profile and showcase capabilities to potential employers.

Education

Including an education background in a resume is also relevant. The information related to a degree or specialization complements the ability to demonstrate competency and capabilities in a specific field. For instance, a student can utilize his/her academic background to portray familiarity in a certain discipline. Likewise, experienced professionals can utilize their expertise by emphasizing advanced studies, certification, or short courses.

The abovementioned elements are fundamental in a resume. These sections add depth to demonstrate a candidate’s skills and capabilities. Incorporating these significant and relevant points increases the possibility of candidates to justify their objective, create the potential to stand out to employers, and ultimately land that job opportunity.

Helpful Formatting Guidelines for your Resume

Helpful Formatting Guidelines for your Resume

Writing a resume involves familiarizing with various formatting requirements necessary to create a professional document.  The applicant should determine how the resume will look like. The candidate must be effective in presenting important information and highlight critical skills for employers to see. Here are some formatting guidelines that can be helpful.

Customize Your Own Template

One important strategy to consider involves the creation of a resume template. The applicant determines the overall look of the document and makes the necessary adjustments in terms of design and location of texts. It is advisable that one tries to do this from scratch rather than using pre-designed templates from word processing software. This is because of the limitations and potential challenges in editing information. A good strategy is to use pre-designed templates as a starting point to determine the style that will be used. In this way, the applicant has the flexibility to pattern the design according to specific preferences.

Choose the Right Font Type and Size

Resumes are also effective when the document is easily readable. This is why another important formatting guideline is to choose the right font type and size. The font type must be simple and easy to read. One can use well-known, widely accepted fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or Tahoma. An applicant can also experiment with other font types (e.g. Calibri, Corbel) but has to keep in mind that the resume text reads well and looks professional. The font size can also vary but the accepted number is no lower than 11 points.

Use Bullets to Emphasize Key Points

Another important formatting style that is helpful in creating resumes is bullets. Bullet lists can be used instead of writing lengthy paragraphs. This approach will help the reader identify points more quickly. Bullets also serve as a guide to information related to a specific idea or to an expansion of strength or qualification. For instance, the most common way bullets are used is in describing the functions and responsibilities related to a specific position.  

Utilize Headers to Organize Information

Creating headers is also another formatting strategy that resumes need. Headers are written to provide organization to content and also divide one section from another. For example, a header can be used prior to giving information about education, employment history, and references. A good way to make use of headers effectively is by making its font size bigger compared to the body text. This helps to organize information easier and aids the reader to find specific sections quickly.

These helpful tips are just some strategies that can be incorporated when writing resumes. It is important to note that one must be consistent in applying these formatting guidelines. Specifically, the body text throughout the resume must have the same font size and type. If capitalization or bold texts are used in a particular section, the same must also apply in the succeeding ones. Learning how to align one’s resume according to these strategies can be useful in emphasizing relevant skills and qualifications. 

Creating a Strong Cover Letter for your Resume

Creating a Strong Cover Letter for your Resume

A critical part of the job application process for every applicant is his/her ability to provide a well-written cover letter. This document serves as an introduction to one’s intention to apply and the corresponding demonstration of skills and capabilities. Familiarizing with the mechanics of a cover letter and its parts increases the potential of employers getting interested. Here are the areas to consider:

Salutation

The salutation or opening involves the candidate writing the name of the contact person the letter is addressed to. A strong cover letter has a named recipient alongside his/her position in the company. Writing this information creates the impression that the candidate made an effort to research about the company and the specific contact person.

Opening Paragraph

The next part of the cover letter is the opening section, where the candidate offers an introduction to the recipient.  This section, which should be concise and straightforward, points out the reason/s for writing the cover letter and a brief statement why the applicant is a viable candidate for the position. General core competencies can also be included in this section.

Second Paragraph

After writing the opening section, the next part should cover the candidate’s competencies that were discussed briefly in the first paragraph. This is often considered ‘the hook’ section because it tries to back up the assertions made in the introduction. Here, the candidate must try to highlight specific experiences that emphasize skills and capabilities. Note that the information presented in this part should also be related to the candidate’s resume. Another suggestion is to provide accomplishments to justify the ability to perform functions successfully.

Third Paragraph

The third paragraph of the cover letter should indicate important insights as to what motivated the candidate to pursue the organization/company. Here, the aspirant should try to research the company and position he/she is applying for. Having this section allows the candidate to showcase considerable effort to understand the organization’s goals. The section also creates an opportunity for the candidate to align career goals with the company’s interests.

Closing Paragraph

The last paragraph provides a brief summary of all the information written in previous sections of the cover letter. This is also the section where one can try to suggest a schedule for interview or call to follow up. A good tip to consider is that when trying to pursue the approach of calling the contact person for follow-up, the time and date should also be included.

These are the fundamental components of a strong cover letter. Candidates should pattern their letter based on these features in order to communicate effectively with their recipient. Of course, it is also essential to create drafts and proofread one’s work because cover letters, like resumes, would only be effective if done properly. Cover letters can also create a good first impression to employers, which can help applicants secure the vacant position. 

Differences between a CV and a Resume

Differences between a CV and a Resume

One of the important documents related to job application is the candidate’s resume or curriculum vitae (CV). Having these documents on-hand is useful whether one is a newly graduate seeking a job or an experienced professional seeking advancement, promotion, or career change. However, the choice to use a CV or a resume varies and depends on certain factors.  This is why it is important to distinguish the difference between the two. Here are some key features to consider:

CVs and Resumes

A CV is used by professionals to showcase their experiences along with respective capabilities and skills. This document is often two pages long and focuses on achievements as well as personal career progression through the years. The format used is chronological and tries to outline all positions held throughout the person’s working years.

A resume, on the other hand, is a short, concise document that focuses on providing information about a person’s professional experience and qualifications. All important data are included in one page and aims to stand out. Resumes are also flexible when it comes to formatting as one can pattern skills and experiences. Candidates can also customize the look of the document and its contents as they see fit.

Key Differences

One of the key differences between CV and resumes is length. A CV requires more detail and can go beyond two pages while a resume is a document that should be concise and brief. Another important distinction between the two is the purpose. A resume’s purpose is to provide an opportunity to stand out among competition and can thus be tailored to meet the requirements of the vacant position. CV, on the other hand, is more static and the candidate can only make the necessary modifications in the cover letter. Lastly, there is also a difference in layout. A CV formatting is fixed while resumes offer flexibility for the candidate to design according to specific preferences.

Location and Use

Distinctions between a resume and CV are also evident based on its location and use. This means different countries show preferences in each document. For example, resumes are documents widely accepted in the United States and Canada. CV is only used if the job or position is in the academe or research-oriented organization. CV is only used in countries like the UK and New Zealand. Similarly, a specific format for a CV is available in the European Union. There are also countries that allow resumes and CVs to be used interchangeably. These countries are Australia, South Africa, and India.

Given these points, a CV and a resume share a commonality in the ability to present a document that highlights professional experiences, skills, and capabilities. The main differences mentioned above indicate that candidates can have the flexibility to determine what document can best meet their needs and highlight their qualification.  Also, identifying the job location can also determine which type of document to use and how information would be utilized in a clear and effective manner. 

Purpose of Resume for High School Graduates

Purpose of Resume for High School Graduates

One of the significant changes that a student faces is transitioning from High School to College life. It involves embracing new opportunities and challenges from sending out applications, entrance examinations, and fulfilling various requirements.  Included in some of the admission requirements is the ability to showcase capabilities, skills and activities. This is often presented using resumes. That is the reason why developing resumes are essential for high school graduates. Here are some examples that can be used.

Personal Assessment

High School graduates can use resumes as a tool for personal assessment. The document can serve as an instrument to identify progression of skills and capabilities. It can bring important ideas on key interests and how one develops connections and relationships through participation in groups or activities. The document can also be an important way to share how students spend time outside school. Engagement to extra-curricular activities or participation to volunteer groups and organization also add depth to how an individual can present himself/herself to the college admissions committee.

Basis for Recommendations

High School graduates can also take advantage of resumes because it allows counselors, teachers, and administrators’ basis for creating recommendation letters. Having a document that details activities and offers a comprehensive idea of who the candidate is increases the chance that the endorsement and description aligns with the person. This gesture also proves to be helpful for educators and counselors who are required to write a lot of these letters.

Scholarship and Special Programs

High School students can also take advantage of having a resume if they seek to pursue scholarship applications or pursuing special programs. These often require candidates to submit a resume detailing their skills and capabilities. The document offers the ability to portray important competencies to colleges and also help the person develop familiarity of personal strengths and weaknesses. Special programs can also use this to check if the candidate’s qualifications and skillset meet what they particular need.

Job Applications

Finally, High School students need resumes for their job applications. Whether it is a part-time or full time position, having a document that details skills and capabilities creates a sense of professionalism from the candidate. It also increases the chance for acceptance because the employer can identify how certain activities or competencies connect to the requirements of the specific position.

Overall, it is never too early to start creating a resume. High School graduates need to use this activity as an exercise to familiarize how the process works in the professional environment. Having a strategy to demonstrate activities, skills, and competencies in writing can greatly influence personal understanding and properly market these characteristics to colleges, groups, and employers.