English 421Y: Technical Writing Online

When writing a resume according to all the suggestions that were given from the readings, I thought that it was very challenging. I thought that writing a cover letter would be different but after reading the recommendations for writing a cover letter it feels the same as writing a resume. The document definitely feels like the shape of a technical document with distinct portions like an introduction, body, and conclusion. Even though it must be short and concise, a cover letter must represent a lot of information including background, skills, and even attitude. When reading the “Kairos and the Cover Letter “ I thought that the “In your face approach” was not appropriate way write a cover letter. It seemed too much of a cocky approach. I really thought that the “Me approach” was the best way to write a cover letter. It had all the background and information that the employer needed to confidently give a interview. I have never written a cover letter but will probably use the “Me approach”.

Knowing that a resume can ruin the chances of getting your resume reviewed, it seems risky even writing one. Giving a resume and maybe a follow up letter seems efficient enough for me. Explained in the “Junk Cover Letters Kill Good Resumes” article the job market is not a jobseekers market anymore and cover letters are becoming more important. It is understandable that cover letters are more important because choosing out of twenty people by just looking at their resumes would be a very hard thing to do. With a cover letter, a Human Resources worker can get more of a feel on how the applicant is really like. Even though some people have more experience or a higher GPA, a person’s cover letter might distinguish them from more qualified people.