You have made the decision to find a new job. You have identified the job you want. Presuming that you possess the appropriate skills and experience, how do you set yourself apart from the many other qualified applicants?

Many women never understand why they are not called to interview for jobs they are qualified to hold. The reason may be in the details of their presentation. What was forgotten or done incorrectly?

Interviewers may spend as little as 30 to 90 seconds reading a resume and cover letter, and form a strong opinion about you in that short amount of time. Maximize your odds of success by creating a good presentation.

1. The Resume

There are many schools of thought about how to create a successful resume. The Web provides job counseling sites that guide you through the process of resume development. Choose one that suits you and your goals.

However, some aspects of a resume are not subjective.

• The resume must contain expected information.
• Full name, address, and day and evening phone numbers
• Job history, with from-to dates, company name, title, and job description
• Education
• Technology expertise

• The resume must be without typographic or grammatical errors.
• One typo and your resume can be discarded, regardless of its content
• Do not rely solely on spell checkers for typos -- you can easily make a typo that is another valid word (you, your, for example is very easy to do)
• Do not rely solely on grammar checkers for correct syntax -- they can be wrong
• To proof, print your resume in an easier to read font (try courier) and proof it by reading it forward and backward
• Always ask someone to read it for what you may not see

• The resume must be neat and readable.
• Print the resume on the best paper you can afford
• Print the resume on the best printer you can find

2. The Cover Letter

If you want the job, spend some time composing a personal cover letter. You do not have to be a writer to compose a good cover letter, and the letter does not have to be long. Simply expressing interest and stating what you can offer is very compelling. Do not send a resume without a cover letter and write a custom cover letter for each opportunity.

• Form letters are very easy to spot and are poorly viewed.
• Do not leave a blank line and write in a name
• Do not use meaningless, generic language just to fill a page

• Salutations are important.
• Try to find the name and title of the person reviewing the resumes and use them -- the receptionist will usually give you this information
• If you cannot find the name of the person, use "To Whom It May Concern"
• Do not use "Dear Sir" or "Dear Sir/Madam" or "Dear Human Resources" or "Dear Recruiter"

• The letter must be without typographic or grammatical errors.
• Use the recommendation above for the resume to proof the letter
• Sign the letter in ink with your full name

3. Beware of e-mail transmission.

E-mail is often the quickest way to submit your resume and cover letter. However, e-mail is not without pitfalls. If something goes wrong you will likely never know that you were not considered because of a glitch or error.

• Know what is expected in an electronic transmission.
• Ask how to submit the resume electronically
• If you cannot get specifics, use only the most common format: plain ASCII text typed into an e-mail
• Set your e-mail program to send plain text
• Do not format with bold, special fonts, etc.

• Avoid attachments.
• Attaching a file requires a multi-step process to obtain your documents. With a large volume of responses it may not be worth that extra time.
• If you must use attachments, do not use word processing documents (version incompatibilities can be fatal). Send files in RTF or ASCII format.

4. Beware of fax transmissions.

If a fax number is provided the employer probably wants to receive a fax. Be aware of some peculiarities of fax machines.

• Send a cover memo
• Indicate how to contact you if there is trouble with the fax
• Indicate how many pages you are sending and sequentially number all the pages in your fax transmission.

5. Follow up with a hard copy.

"Snail Mail" is vital. No one loses a job opportunity because they sent another resume in the mail. However, many opportunities are lost simply because this detail was omitted. It is a nice courtesy to the interviewer to have clean copies, and you now have two chances to make the cut.

• Use a large, flat 9x12 envelope
• Avoid folding your documents
• Give distinction to your resume from the pile of others

• Use the correct amount of postage

Details are differentiators. Do not underestimate how important these small matters of courtesy and organization can be, especially in a competitive environment. Be passionate about the details.

After all, if the devil is truly in the details, it is a good idea to have the devil on your side.

Next week the series A New Job: will continue with "Preparation for a Successful Interview"

Copyright © 1998, 1999 by D.E. Summerville. All rights reserved.

The advice and suggestions in the Women in Business column are solely those of the author. DC Web Women assumes no responsibility for its content.

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