As a CFO and HR manager I have reviewed hundreds of cover letter and resumes, and I have to tell the crowd out there that by and large I look at the resumes first to make sure they match what we have listed as our requirements, and also the reacted job experience. Then I go back to the cover letters and there I am assessing not only relevant information, but personality. About fifty percent of all cover letters I have read are generic and do not help the candidate at all. I have even read cover letters that were addressed to another company. Talk about just a cut a past job!

While your resume can be adjusted somewhat for each job you apply for, your cover letter should certainly be fine-tuned to the exact job and company that you are sending it to. Research this company and include what you find most interesting about it in the cover letter. Also share experience that may be more relevant and perhaps not included in your resume. Some committee you participated in, or even outside work activities that may relate to this new position. This is where your personality, your professionally personality should come through. So, unless you are applying for a job at the laugh factory, no jokes and no sarcasm! It will usually turn the reader off quickly.

I did have one resume that was a from first time worker applying for a receptionists job. She stated that, "she had recently been a teenager so was very used to talking on the phone," and while it made me laugh she was not asked in for an interview.

Learn more about this author, D. James.
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