Resumes & Cover Letters: Getting Over Your Fear and Writing Them
Hi cuties! Let’s talk about applications and Cover Letters.
Once you get into college you think, “I am so excited to be done with applications!” Well… unfortunately that couldn’t be further from the truth. After applying for college comes applying for clubs, positions, jobs, internships, etc. I am currently in the midst of applying for basically all of the above. Applying and listing credentials can be a daunting and a dreaded task, but it has to get done.
My biggest issue is just getting started. I become so afraid of all the tasks I have to get done that I freeze and push it off for later. My number one piece of advice is to just simply begin. It could be 5 minutes, 10 minutes, whatever it may be just look at the application and start the brainstorming process. If you have a free minute, just do it now. I always say, “no time like the present.”
You have to reframe your mindset. I think my problem arises when I put so much pressure on the application. In reality, you will try for the position, learn along the way, and move on if it isn’t meant to be.
To begin the process, I pick a time of day when I am at my best and make my to-do list for the day so I can get all my thoughts on paper. When I have water beside me and my phone on “Do Not Disturb” I am ready to lock in. It can also be helpful to schedule a time with a friend, advisor, or parent so that you have a dedicated time to work and someone to hold you accountable. If my mom isn’t busy, I send her a zoom link and we brainstorm together. Combining ideas and being with someone else calms me down and allows the creativity to flow.
The first time you look at the application, don’t have the mindset that you will finish it all at that moment (in fact it’s better if you don’t). Take this first look as a time to brainstorm. I like to copy and paste questions on a Word document and write bullet points about what I may want to talk about. Sometimes the bullet points will become sentences, sometimes they won’t. Allow those questions and answers to ruminate for a little while you go off to do something else allow ideas to pop up without stress. This is your time to be creative, let it excite you. A shower or a nap may be just the thing to get your mind going. Maybe a brilliant idea pops into your head, and maybe it doesn’t.
Don’t let the next time you look at the application be too far away from when you took your first look. For the second look, I like to really and truly lock in. I find about an hour of time (I promise you can find an hour or even 30 minutes) and I write and put ideas together. By the end of this session I want to feel like I have a good draft and I will then have my mom look over it. Do not be afraid to ask for help or get advice because other perspectives are so beneficial. Either that same day or my next available time, I look over the edits my mom sent, fix everything tip, read things over, and send it back to my mom. If she thinks I am good to go and I feel confident with it, then I submit it. Yes… the daunting task of actually clicking the submit button. Just do it. It is easy to read and re read and repeat so many times that you completely disassociate from your work. Don’t do that! Find a happy medium between looking over your work and being crazy about it.
Now let’s talk cover letters!! I had been scared to write a cover letter for so long because it was so unfamiliar to me. I had no idea where to begin or what it should look like.
Before I dive in, one thing I want to talk about is formatting with both your resume and cover letter. First off, keep your resume up to date so you don’t have to re do it all at one time. Secondly, dependent upon the job or position you are applying for, you may need to format your resume and cover letter in a different manner. For example, if I am applying within the business sector, I use the UNC Business School format which is very basic and organized, nothing cutesy. However, if I am applying in a more creative area, I use a format I found on Canva that I like.
As far as the cover letter goes, I began by doing a bit of research on what should be in each paragraph. Think of it as a way to show your interest in the job or position more specifically by pointing out a few of your accomplishments that align with what you are applying for and how. Don’t be afraid to find examples online and use AI (with caution) as a way to understand what should be in each paragraph.
Find a format that you like and make sure your name is prominent. Before you begin the letter itself, in the left hand corner write your name, email, phone number, address, and a few spaces below write the date in which you wrote the cover letter.
Begin with a salutation addressing the hiring manager. If you know the hiring manager you can address them by their full name, if not write Dear Hiring Manager. Following that, state the position you are applying for, explain your interest in the position, and how you found it. Briefly mention your experience and how it will assist you in the position you are applying for. Finish the first paragraph by explaining your excitement for the possibility of the position.
The second paragraph should be a deeper dive in 2-3 of the skills/jobs you have had and what specifically you have done in each. Give examples of the work you did and how that will translate. Think of the skills the hiring manager will be looking for and try to weave those in. Look at the description of the job and cater this paragraph towards that.
The last paragraph is a sum up showing your gratitude for the opportunity to apply and emphasizing other skills more so now about your personality. Keep adding different types of skills that show you as a wholistic person while still keeping the letter cohesive.
I signed off with “Sincerely” and wrote my name and then signed off with a cursive font. I included my website on the bottom right.
The main challenge is getting started. Once you start, it really is not bad I promise. Reserve a little bit of time and force yourself to start writing. Ask someone to edit it and make those corrections. With a cover letter I find it easiest to get it done in one day (different from what I said about a resume).
If you need help don’t hesitate to reach out!!! Yay cover letters yay resumes!