Both first impressions and cover letters come hand-in-hand. This is particularly true to hiring managers and applicants alike. In lecture this week, I learned that hiring managers use online word filters to sift through resumes. The resume with the most words is the one most likely to reach the interview stage. Nouns should be used to describe previous job activities, while experiences use verbs. The best way to approach writing a cover letter is to make multiple rough copies and to continuously revise. A final version will come out of the practice.
Here's a video I like to watch when making cover letters:
In this video, the host explains that you should ALWAYS write a cover letter, which is an excellent practice. She emphasizes the notion of putting relevant and outstanding information to sell yourself to a company in a little over two minutes. In my opinion, a straight to the point approach is the way to go.
Onto making a good first impression (in person). To be quite honest, this is still a very difficult thing for me to encounter and improve. I try my best to make a good first impression by being a genuinely kind person. In the Career Prep course I've learned many new techniques to make a good first impression. We were taught to give a good handshake and stay engaged with the conversation. More about this when I talk about my mock interview experience, so stay tuned!