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Professional Correspondence
Resume
A resume is a document commonly used in the hiring process. It includes information about a person’s
background and qualifications and should communicate the most important and relevant information about
him/her to employers in a clear, easy-to-read format. The goal is to quickly communicate why he or she is
uniquely qualified for the position based on his or her skills and experiences (Indeed, 2020).

The following are the common types of resumes (Doyle, 2019):

• Chronological – This is the most common resume type in which work experiences are listed in reverse
chronological order, from the most to the least recent.
• Functional – This focuses on skills and abilities rather than work history.
• Combination – This type of resume lists the skills and experiences before the employment history.

How to structure a resume (Glassdoor, n.d.):

Header and Contact Information: At the top of the resume, always include a header containing your name.
Your contact information (typically a phone number, personal email address, and sometimes links to social
profiles or personal websites) should be included as well. After all, you don’t want there to be any confusion
over who the resume belongs to or make it difficult for recruiters or hiring managers to reach out to you.
However, you may want to avoid putting your contact info in the header or footer of the document itself —
the headers and footers can sometimes be overlooked by the software that scans your resume.

Professional Summary: The professional summary is a brief, one- to three-sentence section featured
prominently on your resume that succinctly describes who you are, what you do, and why you’re perfect for
the job. In contrast with the largely out-of-date objective statement — a line that describes the type of career
opportunity you’re looking for — professional summaries aren’t about what you want. Instead, they’re
focused on the value you could bring to a potential employer. It’s worth noting that a professional summary
isn’t an absolute must-have — if your resume is missing one, it probably won’t be a dealbreaker — but it can
be a nice way to give time-pressed recruiters and hiring managers a quick, high-level overview of why you’re
the right person for the job.

Skills: Once relegated to the bottom of resumes as an afterthought, the skills section has become more and
more important as recruiters and hiring managers increasingly look for candidates with specialized
backgrounds. Rather than making the people reading your resume hunt through your bullet points to find your
skills, it’s best to list them clearly. If they see right away that you have the ability to get the job done, they’re
much more likely to take your resume seriously.

Work Experience: This critical section of a resume is where you detail your work history in a consistent and
compelling format. The Work Experience section should include company names, locations, employment
dates, roles, and titles you held and most importantly, bullet points containing action verbs and data points
that detail the relevant accomplishments of each position. This portion is essential for recruiters and hiring
managers, who look to absorb information about your career experiences and connect your skills to what
they’re looking for in a potential hire. Recruiters are often flooded with resume submissions and must carefully
source and identify quality candidates in a crowded pack — so make sure your work experience stands out.

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Education: Since many jobs require a certain level of education, it’s important to mention your academic
credentials on your resume. However, this section shouldn’t take up too much space. In most cases, simply
listing where you went to school, when you attended, and what degree you attained will be sufficient.

Additional Experience: This is an optional, but potentially very valuable, addition to your resume. This is a
catch-all section at the tail end of your resume that allows you to highlight volunteer experience, awards, and
hobbies. Again, it shouldn’t be too long — you don’t want it to detract from your skills or work experience —
but it can be a good way to provide a more well-rounded picture of who you are.

Cover Letter
A cover letter is a written document commonly submitted with a job application outlining the applicant’s
credentials and interest in the open position (Kagan, 2020). It is a tool to help introduce yourself in a
memorable, personal way during a job application.
A well-crafted cover letter goes over information on your resume and expands this information for the reader,
taking them on a guided journey of some of your greatest career and life achievements. The following are the
steps in writing a cover letter (Indeed, 2020):

1. Start by listing your name and address

As with many standard business letters, you should include a few pieces of information at the top of
your cover letter. Some people might center their name and address at the top of the page, mirroring
how it looks on their resume.
2. Include the date
Next, include the date of the day you are sending the letter. The dateline should be separated from your
address and the recipient’s address.
3. List the recipient’s name and address
After the date, you will list the recipient’s name and information. You can find these details by looking
at the company’s website, Indeed, LinkedIn, or JobStreet company Page (if there is any). This information
will also likely be listed on the job posting.
4. Open with an introduction
Start by introducing your letter with a standard greeting like “Dear,” or “Hello.”
5. Include an opening paragraph about your intent to apply
Write an introductory paragraph that includes the position you are applying for. You should also include
a statement about your enthusiasm regarding the role and company.
6. Write a second paragraph about your background
Your second paragraph should be a brief overview of your background that is relevant to the position.
Here, you should include key achievements, skills, and specialties that make you particularly suited to
perform well in the position. Focus on one (1) or two (2) and provide specific details about your success,
including measurable impacts you made.
Pay close attention to keywords listed in the job description and include those you identify within your
cover letter’s body. You should only include information about your most recent one (1) or two (2)
professional experiences.

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7. Focus on another reason why you are qualified in the next paragraph
Your next paragraph should focus on another key achievement or skill that is relevant to the position.
Instead of repeating details from your resume, expand on specific stories or anecdotes that display your
fitness for the role.
8. Conclude with reasons why you are uniquely qualified
Your last paragraph should recap the reasons you are applying for the role and why you would be a great
fit. Keep the closing conclusion brief and explain that you look forward to hearing from the employer
with the next steps.
9. End with your signature
Finally, sign your name after a closing line like “All the best,” or “Sincerely.”

To fully understand what a cover letter looks like, refer on the given example below (Indeed, 2020):

John Dela Cruz

Name and Address
0000 Manila – 0936 XXXXXXX – johndelacruz@domain.com

November 13, 2020 Date

Manolo M. Marquez
Hiring Manager Recipient’s name and Address
ABC Company
1111 Manila

Dear Mr. Marquez, Introduction

Opening
I am writing to express my interest in the opening for an administrative assistant at ABC Company. Paragraph

I am drawn to this opportunity for several reasons. First, I have a proven track record of success in administrative roles,
most recently in my current job as an administrative coordinator. A highlight from my time here was when I proactively
stepped in to coordinate a summit for our senior leaders last year. I arranged travel and accommodation for a group
of 15 executives from across the company, organized meals and activities, collaborated with our internal events team,
and ensured that everything ran according to schedule over the two-day summit. Due to the positive feedback I
received afterward, I have been given the responsibility of doubling the number of attendees for the event this year
and leading an internal team to get the job done.
Second paragraph/Reason why you are qualified

I am also attracted to this role because of the growth opportunities that the ABC company provides. The research that
I’ve done on your company culture has shown me that there are ample opportunities for self-motivated individuals
like me. A high level of organization and attention to detail are second nature to me, and I’m eager to apply these skills
in new and challenging environments.
Conclusion

I look forward to sharing more details of my experience and motivations with you. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Signature

John Dela Cruz

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References:

Doyle, A. (2019). What is a Resume? Retrieved on November 9, 2020. thebalancecareers.com/job-resumes-

4161923

Kagan, J. (2020). Cover Letter. Retrieved on November 13, 2020.

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cover-letter.asp

Indeed. (2020). How to Make a Resume (with examples). Retrieved on November 9, 2020.
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-make-a-resume-with-
examples

Indeed. (2020). Writing a Cover Letter: Tips and Examples. Retrieved on November 9, 2020.
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-write-a-cover-letter

Glassdoor. (n.d.). How to write a resume. Retrieved on November 9, 2020.

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/how-to-write-a-resume/

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