An outstanding cover letter can help you stand out from the competition and win you that crucial first interview. Find out how.

By Nazry Bahrawi

You can think of a cover letter as a preface to what you’ve written in your résumé. “A badly written cover letter can spoil that first impression and damage your chances of an interview,” says Shao-Ning, Director of JobsFactory.

“The purpose of a cover letter is to promote your skills and experience as a single package,” continues Shao-Ning. “It should complement and not duplicate your résumé. It should explain your interest in the job or the organisation, and talk about your achievements. It is a chance to let the employer get a feel of your personality.”

This is in sharp contrast to your résumé, which is essentially a concise record of your education and employment information. The cover letter, on the other hand, offers you a chance to describe yourself in slightly greater detail. Let us go through some pointers on how you can write a winning cover letter.

If you are a retrenched professional who has forgotten what to include in a résumé, fret not. Here are some tips on what a résumé is for, and how you can get started on putting one together.

By Tan Yan Shuo

On your first Monday morning not at work, you surf JobsCentral for suitable job openings. This one catches your eye: “Management Executive wanted at Utopia Pte Ltd, lucrative pay and benefits, flexible working hours, fast-tracked development plan.” Excited, you send in your résumé to Utopia’s boss Mr. Lee Tow Kay, and wait for that phone call… which never comes. What happened?

The one thing common to most job applications is the curriculum vitae. This two- to three-page document is expected to contain the applicant's employment history, special achievements and relevant personal details. Unfortunately, many applicants still fail to write their CVs properly and end up failing to snag the job interview. What are the top five blunders that job applicants make when designing their CVs?

By Linus Tham

If you’re new to job-seeking, cover letters may seem unnecessary to you. However, a well-composed cover letter helps you to stand out and capture the attention of the HR manager, prompting him to read your résumé to find out more about you.

By Everlyn Lee

Everyone has a résumé to show to their prospective employers.
So how can you stand out from the crowd?

By Lim Yan Wen

So you’re done with school and can’t wait to step into the working world. But before you jump right into the life of a working adult, you should prep yourself up for the tough process of getting that desired job. Here’s a look at how to equip yourself with the proper knowledge of writing a solid resume and cover letter and take your first step into getting your dream job!

By Leona Ang

So you've finally completed your last exam, and it's now time to make the transition from student to working adult, but are you prepared for it? Some of you may dread it, whereas others may welcome the change. Whatever the case, we believe you should be well-prepared. A brief look at the fundamentals of effective resume writing and some of the most common dos & don'ts will paint a clearer picture and help you jumpstart your job search.

By LEANNE LIM

So you have written up a fantastic resume and it has been proof-read and refined many times over. And you are now ready to email or print many copies of it and mail it out in response to all the job advertisements you are interested in. Wait a minute, about the cover letter?

BY LIM DER SHING

A resume enables you to bypass physical security checks or electronic authentication and helps you gain the initial entry into the organisation for which you wish to work. When it eventually lands on the computer or desk of your potential employer among hundreds of other resumes, it becomes your first important chance to communicate your worth to the organisation.

BY ADELINE CHUNG

BY MICHELLE LIM