Are you a master of resume writing?

It's the first way you introduce yourself to a potential employer — and it can affect whether or not HR person bothers to turn the page and even look at your resume. It's called a cover letter, and sending a resume without it usually means your CV will end up in the trash.

Consider the strategy of sending a resume from the point of view of the boss:

If you were hiring someone for a position, what kind of introduction would you require from candidates?

Would it suffice to send a general resume that doesn't even mention the position you are seeking?
Or would you like to see someone that has basic knowledge about your company, the position and can assess his or her strengths and skills concisely and directly in the package of a professionally prepared letter of introduction?

Think of a cover letter as a marketing tool to highlight your most attractive features and make them known to the ones doing the hiring.

Be brief. Don't go over your entire work history. Highlight one or two top accomplishments or skills. The rest you can save for the interview.

Explain how your experience makes you qualified for the position. Even if your background may not perfectly match the job, explain how your experience is relevant and has prepared you for future work.

Quality over quantity. A cover letter should be used to target a specific job at a specific company, meaning you should tailor each letter that you send.

Know to whom you should send your letter. The more influential, the better. You need to know the department head or person who will be screening resumes and address the letter directly.

Always send a resume with a cover letter. Sometimes you could send only a cover letter as a follow up to a conversation with a contact in a company.