[CaptainCrunch]

I think that there's still a argument for a good cover letter that sells the perspective hiring organization on taking the next step and looking at your resume instead of depending on the candidate screening software that a lot of companies are using or starting to use.

A good cover letter can sell you on that final 10% climb on why you should be the 1 out of 10 applicants that they should look at closer.

For actors its called a head shot, it gets them interested. Why are you a good fit for a position, what do you offer thats unique, why should they use resources to look at you.

Frankly in Alberta with the way the economy has been, if they put out a position through a hiring agent, or on a website they are getting flooded by resumes from actual qualified and counterfeit candidates (Fake their way into a month long paid vacation), they're receiving 100's of resume's and they do a quick filter either using a person with a check list or a candidate filtering software. If you don't have something that shows that your more then your resume, or that you have an intriguing skill set above the people that don't you go in the circular filing system and as much as organizations say they'll keep you on file for other opportunities, if your in that file its likely that you'll never be contacted.

A summery of what and why you should be their gold standard is essential. I also modified my resume to show results more then duties or tasks.

If I managed a sales department what were my results. If I'm an engineer how did I control costs or speed up the project I was on, if I'm an aerospace engineer how did I get the mars landers percentage of safe landing up.

Also, and I can't emphasize this enough. Clean up your social media accounts. If you have facebook entries that are in the least way out there or negative zero them, because in the absence of references, companies will google your name and geographic location, and you want things for example from your linked in account or volunteer activities to be on the top and not a video of you butt chugging snaps while eating an endangered species.