McDonalds Resume Sample and Writing Guide [20+ Examples]

McDonald’s Resume Sample and Writing Guide [20+ Examples] You need a resume for McDonald'sall premium and no dollar menu business.Why?McDonald's is a corporation that serves millions of customers in over 100 countries. According to Forbes, McDonald's is the worlds fourth-largest private employer.This isnt the time to be complacent. Youve got to stand out.Well show you how to supersize your McDonalds resume.This guide will show you:A McDonald's resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.How to write a McDonald's resume that will land you more interviews.Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a McDonald's resume.How to describe your experience on your resume to get the McDonald's job you want.Here's a McDonald's crew member resume sample made using our resume builder.Contact InfoRonald McDonaldCrew Member513-357-3214rmacd@burger.uslinkedin.com/rmacd_zetytwitter.com/rmacd_zetyProfessional SummaryAccurate cashier with friendly disposition and excellent people skills, attention to detail, and multitasking talents. A t West Graysville McDonalds achieved 90% customer satisfaction score on average. Seeking to obtain a Crew Member position at Owensboro McDonald's to deliver customer-friendly and efficient food service.Work ExperienceMcDonalds, West Graysville, NJCrew MemberFeb 2019PresentFront end cashier/cash handling. Never recorded cash register shortage.Delivered prompt, friendly customer service. Helped improve overall McDVoice survey result from satisfied to very satisfied.Assisted with maintaining cleanliness in line with company standards. Contributed to exceeding standards in all internal quality checks.Key achievement: achieved 90% customer satisfaction score on average.Sams Groceries, East Graysville, NJCashierJan 2018Jan 2019Speedy operation of cash register without shortagesAssisted with restocking and stock rotation ensuring minimum of unsaleablesStore opening and closing dutiesEducationGraysville High School, Graysville, NJGraduated: 2018Key SkillsTop-notch verbal communicationDetail ed knowledge of McDonalds POS systemsExcellent knowledge of food prep and hygiene proceduresFirst-class customer serviceExacting inventory managementHobbiesAvid Town Team Baseball playerLittle League Baseball coachWant to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample McDonald's resumeSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowLooking for resume guides for other restaurant and entry-level jobs? Check out our guides:Fast Food ResumeFood Service ResumeLine Cook ResumeRestaurant ResumeServer ResumeBarista ResumeBartender ResumeBarback ResumeWaiter / Waitress ResumeAnd if youre wondering how to add a McDonalds part-time gig to your resume, check out this guide: Career Change Resume: Sample Guide1Whats the Best Format for a McDonald's Resume?For a McDonald's crew member resume or a McDonald's cashier resume the story is the same.You need a format as classic as two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onionson a sesame seed bun.Its the reverse-chronological format.Its simple, put your most recent work experience first then work back from there. Its easy to read and its the format most employers are familiar with.A McDonald's manager barely has the time to scan a resume before the lunchtime rush hits.Good formatting means every second will count.Use white space in your resume for ease of reading. It frames your text like a soft burger bun wraps the delicious filling inside.Then make the resume as easy to read as a drive through menu with clear section headings.McDonalds Resume SectionsSummary or objectiveExperienceEducationSkillsExtra SectionsAnd dont forget to include your contact details.How about file fo rmat? We recommend PDF. It keeps your resume layout as crisp as a fresh batch of fries. But always save in an alternative format too, just in case youre asked not to submit in PDF.Pro Tip: The right resume font is crucial. Calibri is an excellent default choice. Its professional and super easy to read.How about how to create a resume with a different format? See our guide: Formatting a Resume: How to Structure a Resume for Greatest Impact2Add a McDonald's Resume Summary or Resume ObjectiveA resume summary or objective is the short paragraph that kicks off your resume. Remember our busy McDonald's manager?This is make or break for them. Get it right and they keep reading. Get it wrong and it goes in the trash with that stale sausage and egg McMuffin.Use a resume summary if youve got some relevant work experience in the food service industry. Add a numbered achievement or two and show that youre the perfect fit for this particular position.Lets look at samples for a McDonald's manager resume summary.McDonald's Resume Sample SummaryRIGHTHamburger University graduate with 5+ years management experience in busy city center McDonald's. State Food Safety food manager certification and received Excellent rating in all health department inspections. Recipient of 2018 Ray Kroc award. Seeking to utilize skills to maximize sales, improve customer satisfaction, and improve crew member training at Oakland McDonalds.WRONGIm a McDonald's manager with more than five years of experience. Highly knowledgeable about food prep, shift management, customer service, and crew training.The difference is like a Whopper compared to a Big Mac.The right example kills it with impressive experience and a special sauce of achievements.The wrong one is just a list of duties with nothing to back it up.What if you dont have much professional experience?We get it. In many cases, this is an entry-level job.If this is your case, write a resume objective. In it, mention your 23 top skills and explai n exactly how youre going to help the McDonalds manager meet their goals.Here are samples for a McDonald's crew member resume.McDonald's Resume Sample ObjectiveRIGHTCollege student with friendly disposition and people skills, attention to detail, good multitasking talents and solid work ethic. Seeking to obtain a Crew Member position at Owensville West McDonald's to deliver customer-friendly and efficient food service. Two years retail experience at Sams Groceries. Received manager award for excellent customer service.Nice. This applicant shows theyve got the basic skills and attitude to prove themselves on the job.WRONGI havent got any experience. But I love McDonald's and I eat there a lot. Ive also got a big collection of happy meal toys.This is pointless. We all love McDonald's and nobody cares about your pile of future plastic pollution.When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.Want more advice on creating a McDonald's resume objective or summary? Our expert guides are here to help: Summary Statements for a Resume: Best Examples and Resume Objective: Examples and Top Guide3How to Describe Your Experience on a McDonalds resumeAs with any job, practice makes perfect. Experience can still be a deciding factor on a McDonald's resume. A well-written work history section can show the hiring manager youre a McRib among cheeseburgers.SoList your positions in the reverse-chronological order, starting with your current job first. For each position, list job title, company name, location, and employment dates. Just like in the example below:McDonalds Crew Member Job Description for a ResumeRIGHTMcDonalds, West Graysville, NJCashierJanuary 2018PresentFront end cashier/cash handling. Never recorded cash register shortage.Delivered prom pt, friendly customer service. Helped improve overall McDVoice survey result from satisfied to very satisfied.Assisted with maintaining cleanliness in line with company standards. Contributed to exceeding standards in all internal quality checks.Key achievement: achieved 90% customer satisfaction score on average.WRONGMcDonalds, West Graysville, NJCashierJan 2018-PresentOperated cash register and took orders.Gave good customer service.Helped with cleaning.The right way to do it is to list responsibilities and then back them up with measurable achievements.Pro Tip: Dont go overboard with pretentious descriptions of your duties. It might seem clever to say you contributed to corporate profitability by leveraging strategic upselling strategies. But really, you just asked people if they wanted to supersize. Hiring managers will see right through it.What if you havent got any experience at McDonalds? Think of work experience you do have and make it relevant to McDonald's. Just like in th e example below:McDonald's Crew Member Resume Sample Without ExperienceRIGHTSams Groceries, Monckton, AZCashierFeb 2019PresentSpeedy operation of cash register without shortagesAssisted with restocking and stock rotation ensuring minimum of unsaleablesStore opening and closing dutiesThis is perfect for a McDonalds cashier resume. The experience is directly relevant even though it isnt specifically from McDonald's.The key?You just need to tailor your resume to the job description. The recipe is simple. Read the job ad. Note the key skills and duties. Then season your resume well with achievements that prove you can crush those skills and duties.Pro Tip: Use power words in your resume. Theyre like the natural beef flavor that makes McDonalds fries so darn tasty. Theyll lift your resume from plain potato to addictively delicious. Help yourself to a large serving in our guide: 240 Resume Words: Action Verbs, Power Words, Adjectives, BuzzwordsIf youve got no experience at all then we can help, too. Check out our guide: Little to No Work Experience? Here's How to Write a Resume4Education on a McDonald's ResumeWe know. A McDonald's job doesnt need a Ph.D. from Princeton.ButYou need to include it, especially if you want to move up the ladder.Heres how to format it right.Your McDonald's Manager ResumeEducation2016 Culinary Arts CertificateHarper College, Palatine, ILOnly got a high school diploma? List it like this:Polson High School, Polson, MTGraduated: 2017Want to know more ways of listing your education on a resume? Take a look at our guide: Best Examples for the Resume Education Section5How to Put Skills on a McDonald's Crew Member ResumeWeve just discussed your experience and education so what comes next?Skills.Through experience, you learn skills. The two go together like McNuggets and tangy barbecue sauce.The hiring manager wants to know what you can do and how well you can do it.The best place to start is with a list of soft skills and hard skills. Whats the d ifference?Soft skills are learned through life experience. Think adaptability and people skills.Hard skills are specific abilities you learn on the job. Like operating a cash register and point of sale equipment.Here are some ideas to get you started:McDonalds Skills for a ResumePoint-of-sale system and PAR softwareStore inventoryOperating deep fryerOperating automated beverage systemOperating clamshell grillVerbal communicationTime managementSelf-motivationTeamworkAbility to work under pressureProject ManagementForeign LanguagesFund RaisingPresentation SkillsProblem Solving SkillsOrganizational SkillsStress ManagementDecision-Making AbilitiesNext, youve got to match your skills to the job description.Lets work with a McDonalds crew trainer job description resume as our example.Crew trainer responsibilities:Training crew members for day-to-day workServing customersPreparing foodKeeping restaurants and kitchens clean and tidyWorking well as part of a teamAssessing crew members' skill s and offering them extra help with any tasks they may have problems with.Read that description. Its taken from a real job advertisement. Extract the skills and youre set.Sample McDonalds Resume Skills ListRIGHTSkillsMentoring and leadershipExcellent knowledge of food preparation and presentationExcellent knowledge of hygiene proceduresAbility to assess crew members knowledge of procedures and give feedback and guidance where requiredFirst class customer serviceWRONGSkillsCustomer service skillsPOSThe first example? These skills are exactly what a good crew trainer needs to succeed.Weve got even more information on listing skills in our expert guide: Most Sought-After Job Skills to Boost Your Resume in 20196. Add Extra Sections to Your McDonalds ResumeIf youre going for an entry-level job, chances are you dont need fancy extra resume sections. Or do you?Try a hobbies section. Its as underrated as a Filet-O-Fish but use it right and itll give you the edge above other candidates.McDon alds Resume ExamplesHobbiesRIGHTHobbiesAvid Town Team Baseball playerLittle League Baseball coachWRONGHobbiesSoap carvingExtreme ironing (State champion 2012-2018)This one is a little harder to spot the difference. The right example though demonstrates more than just a love of baseball.Team sports, youre a team player. Coaching i.e. mentoring, you communicate well with others and have leadership skills.What youve done there is show off skills that would make you a good employee. Smart move.A languages section could help, too.Think outside the box. There are more than 40 million people in the USA who speak Spanish at home. Are you one of them?If you live in an area with a high concentration of Spanish speakers then this could be a valuable addition to your resume.McDonalds Manager Resume ExamplesLanguagesRIGHTLanguagesSpanishNativeTo learn more about putting language skills on your resume, check out our guide: How to Put Language Proficiency Levels on a Resume7. Do You Need a Cover L etter For a McDonald's Resume?Is it really a Big Mac without the special sauce? No way.And your McDonald's resume isnt complete without a cover letter.Dont believe the hype. Cover letters arent dead and 53% of employers still expect one.And a good cover letter gets the hiring managers attention and sets them up for your perfect resume.Keep it nice and simple. Explain why youre eager to have the job and sell your skills and work ethic.You can find out more with our cover letter tips. Then check out our guide that will tell you exactly what to include in a cover letter.Pro Tip: Find out the name of the hiring manager and address your cover letter to them. This personal touch gives your application an added boost.Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.Here's what it may look like:See more cover letter templates and start writing.8How to Make McDonald's Look Good on A ResumeW hat do Jeff Bezos, P!nk, Shania Twain, Paul Ryan, and Fred Durst have in common?They all worked for McDonald's.Former CEO of McDonald's, Jim Skinner, began work as a regular restaurant employee. A significant proportion of its top managers took the same route.As for more than 1000 of its franchise owners. They started behind the counter too.Theres no need to be ashamed of having McDonald's on your resume. In this bonus section, well show you how to make a McDonalds crew member job description for resume look good.As we said earlier. Dont exaggerate or stretch the truth. It wont work.Instead, look at the job description for the role youre applying for. Then think about the transferable skills that could apply.Here are some ideas:Ability to work under pressure. A McDonalds packed with hungry customers is an incredibly demanding environment.Time management. Mention how youd use quieter periods productively to clean and restock. Bonus points for saying you did so without supervision. Th at shows initiative.Team work. At McDonalds everyone pitches in to help. The emphasis is on getting the job done.These sorts of soft skills are exactly what employers are looking for.In fact, a 2016 studyshowed that 93% of employers consider soft skills as essential or very important when hiring.McDonalds work experience is respected by many employers. It shows work ethic, customer service skills, persistence, and perseverance.So put it on your resume and make it work to your advantage.Key TakeawaysTheres no need to treat your McDonalds resume like junk food. Do it right and make getting that job as easy as McDonald's apple pie.Heres the happy meal sized version as a reminder:Make a killer first impression with a snappy McDonalds resume objective or summary.Supersize your experience section to show youve got what it takes.Dont forget your education, especially on a McDonalds manager resume.Include a focussed skill section. Match it to the job description.Try out a hobbies section fo r added impact.Write a McDonalds cover letter to stand out from the crowd.Want to upsize your resume order? Dont know how to add your McDonalds experience to your resume? Ask away in the comments section. Well be happy to help!

The Benefits of Using Best Resume Writing Online

The Benefits of Using Best Resume Writing OnlineThere are many advantages to using the best resume writing online resources for your job search. Instead of wandering through stacks of newspapers and magazines, or spending hours in front of a computer screen, you can get your resume written without having to make those trips. The following tips should help you get started with the best resume writing online.One advantage to using resume writing online is that you can be in control of the amount of time that you want to spend on it. You can take the time that you want to complete your resume. This makes your resume the most important part of your job search, because if you get it all done quickly, you will get noticed by a company much faster.Another benefit is that you can start your resume writing from anywhere, even when you are on vacation. This allows you to write it and then send it when you return home from your vacation. This gives you a feeling of accomplishment when you recei ve your resume back.When you start writing your resume online, you will not have to worry about going to print shops to get your resume printed. Since your resume will be on the Internet, you don't have to do that anymore. You don't have to go to a print shop to get your resume printed.A good resume online is easy to read. This means that you will be able to save more time if you need to read it. Your resume will be easier to read, which means that you will be able to finish it more quickly.One of the easiest ways to make your resume more readable is to use templates. It is a good idea to write out all of the information that you will include in your resume. Then you can get a template that has all of the information that you will need in one place. There are many online template sites that will let you download one for free. If you are looking for something specific, then you can save your information and type it in yourself. This means that you will save time by not having to look through the paper to find the information that you need.With all of these benefits, it is no wonder that so many people are starting to use resume writing online. The ability to quickly get your resume online is a great way to make sure that you are seen. The ability to save time and save money is another reason that is important. You will be able to spend more time with your family, and still be able to get your resume written.

Are You Listening Marla Gottschalk

Are You Listening Marla Gottschalk Photo by kyle smith on Unsplash Have you ever heard someone described as a really great listener? Being defined in this manner implies all sorts of positive attributes; Fairness. Maturity. Open to opinion. There are so many reasons to emphasize the power of listening in the workplace. From developing future leaders to teaming skills â€" the art of listening is a much needed skill set. Many leadership experts feel you simply cannot excel in business today without this skill, and I agree fully. Listening can not only make you more likeable   â€" listining can change the face of your career. Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence, aptly calls this skill set “strategic listening”. No matter what your role or organizational purpose he is adamant that listening is critical. Listening is about respect. It is about making a commitment to others. It is about commitment to progress and change. What you might gain from tweaking your listening skills: You’ll grow as a contributor. Learning to put your own thoughts aside for just a moment, will help you process new ideas. Overall, you’ll be in a better position to absorb more of the knowledge that is around you. You’ll be better positioned to handle problems. When challenge occurs â€" effective listening skills can help you to understand dissenting opinions and varying points of view. As a result, you’ll have a far greater chance of finding needed solutions. You’ll discover hidden potential. In many situations, your most effective team members may not be the most highly vocal. Hang back and let them know you value their opinions â€" they’ll be more likely to come forward and contribute. We can all improve our listening skills. For now, hold back and let others complete their thought. Then reflect on what you have learned. It’s a great place to start. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist. She also writes for Talent Zoo and Linkedin.

How to Interview Your Prospective Employer

How to Interview Your Prospective Employer By, Patricia Brehm I recently sat down with a friend of mine who is a recent college grad looking for a job. Weve talked about different job search strategies, networking, and life in general when either one of us is spazzing out. Suddenly I had an epiphany via a friend in human resources who stated, Remember, they may interview her, but shes also interviewing them. What does this mean? It means although you might be sitting in a chair across from a human resources representative writing down notes (or play Tic-Tac-Toe) on a clipboard, you should also be interviewing the company. Human resource representatives dont ask,Do you have any questions? just for the fun of it. Instead, the interviewer is opening the door for you to conduct an interview of your own and learn more about the work environment. As my human resources friend says, You spend too much time at work to be unhappy there and shes right. Think about it, although we are in a recession or the recovery of a recession, youll be spending eight (or more) out of twenty four hours at your job. In a total week thats forty hours of your time, so choosing the right work environment can either make or break how you spend your time. Step One: Know Thyself or Realistically Identify What You Want From A Work Place The first step to interviewing a prospective employer is to realistically evaluate what you would like from a work place. A desire to work for a small business that also gives you complete access to a pool and has a massage parlor, is clearly unrealistic Wanting to work for a small company that has a casual dress work environment? Thats more realistic. Figure out whats the most important factor and work from there. Are you a people person? You might need a workplace that involves a high amount of client or coworker interaction. Do you work well independently? Maybe a work-place where you are self-sufficient will be best for you. Part of identifying what you want from a work place is knowing thyself. A good exercise is to make a list of personality traits and then think, What kind of work environment would fit me the best way? Step Two: Ask the Right Questions After reviewing what you want from a work place, youll be ready to ask questions, but make sure you ask the right ones. For example, asking about dress code and client or co-worker interaction is fine, asking when youll get a $100,000 raise.not fine. Making a physical or mental list of questions you want to ask will help you get the information you need to determine if the workplace is best for you. Also, be sure not to ask too many questions. Instead, pick one or two that really matter to you, your dealbreaker or dealmaker questions. Try to figure out what the atmosphere at the company is like. What can you figure out from the department you might work in, how is the retention rate of the company? Why This Matters Although beggars cant be choosers sometimes, you do have the choice to walk away from any interview with more information than you previously had. A website or Internet reviews wont tell you everything you need to know about a company, neither will someone elses opinion about the workplace. For example, an introvert and an extrovert may work in the same department at the same company. The introvert loves the job because she enjoys a quiet restful work environment. Meanwhile, the extrovert is going bananas sitting in her cubicle. If the extrovert works 40 hours a week, over a five week period, thats2,400 minutes and 144000 seconds she spends being miserable each week. Again, this all boils down to the fact that you spend way too much time at work to be completely unhappy. There maybe aspects of a job you might like, but by   interviewing your prospective employer, youll discover what you like and dont like, sooner rather than later.

Job Search Tips For Pharmacists

Job Search Tips For PharmacistsWhen seeking employment as a pharmacy technician, a pharmacist resume must highlight the skills and experiences necessary to be successful. In addition, they must demonstrate that the employer is best suited to receive a person with those skills. The following are some tips for highlighting the skills needed to be successful.A pharmacist resume should include a brief biography as well as a list of the most relevant education and training. The length of this description should be succinct and include at least one year of experience in the specific career area. The skills and education that are vital to being a pharmacist are being listed. Individuals who are applying for jobs in a particular pharmacy area should also list each area of specialization on their resume.One of the most important facets of a pharmacist resume is to be honest. People who are seeking employment with a pharmacy will be judged based on how honest their claims are. It is possible t o claim that you have significant knowledge in a certain field, such as industrial hygiene, without providing information about that specific knowledge. An applicant who is honest about their knowledge in these areas may be more likely to receive a higher job placement. When claiming skills, individuals should list their specialty area, rather than listing only the name of the skill.When looking for a position, individuals should explore the various education options available to them. This information can be provided in the job application as well as on the appropriate sections of the pharmacist resume. This section should detail each degree or certificate that an individual has earned. While these should not be listed under a particular career area, an individual can use the lists of graduate schools in a particular career area in order to highlight their qualifications.While applying for a position, individuals should review their educational history as well as their education an d training. While previous employers will give a detailed overview of their qualifications, a pharmacist can review the educationalhistory of several different pharmaceutical companies to determine if their education has met the minimum requirements to successfully begin their career in the industry. A person may be in the process of searching for a new job and still be unable to find the job that best fits their needs. Taking into account the education and the training received can provide the information necessary to determine which pharmacy should receive their services.Pharmacy managers, supervisors, and other management positions are often required to complete continuing education classes every year. Such classes are often required for certification and licensure in several states. Individuals who are searching for employment should review their career progression for the past three years in order to determine if they have met all of the requirements necessary to successfully o btain certification.Finally, while interviewing with prospective employers, a person should highlight the employee's customer service skills. When filling out a pharmacist resume, these skills should be highlighted. When answering questions from potential employers, an individual should be prepared to answer the same questions in a manner that is both timely and professional. By offering information on the hours of work received and the hours that were worked for which customer service was offered, an individual will build a strong base of customers.Following these tips for outlining a pharmacist resume will help to ensure that the information submitted will be shown to an employer. The needs of the career field and the way that information is presented will affect the success of an individual. By providing the information on a regular basis, a pharmacist will build the necessary professional relationship with the next employer that interviews them.

Twitterific

Twitterific You may not know how to use Twitter, but certainly you have heard about it, right? For all those who say they dont know enough people, dont know the right people, dont like networking, what are you waiting for, Twitter makes it easy. First, start by creating a Twitter account, it takes literally 2 minutes. You dont have to post a picture if you dont want to. Next, allow it to search your web-mail account to find people to follow. Or you can manually enter the email addresses of your contacts to see if they are using Twitter. Once you have found people you know, click on their picture or the link that says follow me. When you are following someone, you can see the tweets they make on Twitter. Which means you can see what they are talking about and what they are doing and reading, whatever. Now you need to expand who you are following. Check out who your contacts are following. If someone looks interesting, then you can follow them too. As you go about this you should be asking yourself, what are the names ofthe movers and shakers in my industry, business, Rochester? Find them on Twitter and begin to follow them. You really dont need to know them, it isnt like being a friend on Facebook or a link on LinkedIn. People are more open in accepting followers on Twitter. You can also build your list of people you follow by reading their tweets. If they have said something you agree with or what to discuss, you can send them a tweet and begin tweeting directly with them. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Regularly add to the names of people you want to track and follow. You will also want to tweet about you. Share an interesting article. Make a profound, professional statement, ask a question. You can also find niche recruiters to follow and see what they are working on and sometimes even the jobs they are trying to fill. By following the right people, you will be privy to the right information, not all the time, but much of the time. Networking is about building relationships too. As you read other peoples tweets, you begin to learn about them. You can virtually contact them, more comfortably. I am not suggesting that Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn replace face-to-face networking, but that these tools be used to expand your network.

Creating a Sizzling Cover Letter to Get Noticed

Creating a Sizzling Cover Letter to Get Noticed Creating a Sizzling Cover Letter to Get Noticed Creating a Sizzling Cover Letter to Get Noticed January 27, 2012 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas Leave a Comment Not getting noticed?   Maybe its your cover letter It can be easy to forget the importance of a cover letter  when youre  applying for jobs.   The resume is, of course, critically important in letting the potential employer know your job history, as well as education, training and special skills and any recognition youve gained throughout  your career. But without a  top notch  cover letter, how is your next boss going to know that youre a great fit for the company? A cover letter accomplishes many things that a resume cant. For example, lets say youre applying for a job in healthcare, or more specifically, radiography. You may not have relevant job experience in that particular field, but perhaps youve spent the last year taking radiography courses and are perfectly qualified for an entry level position. The cover letter is the perfect place where you can explain yourself and what transferable skills youve developed over the years that will help you in your new career. To help you stand out in todays tough job market, below are four (4) must-have tips to help you write a stellar cover letter: Punch your results and what you can do for them. Dont waste the readers time talking about how bad you need a job. What you need to be doing is telling them why they should want you. What will you bring to the table that will benefit their company? The best way to do this is by highlighting achievements from past jobs or educational experiences. If you were responsible for a 30% sales increase in your last job or helped to rebrand a companys marketing presence by partnering with a youth group, those are the kinds of facts to include in your cover letter. Be personable and likable. Obviously, with the limited space of a cover letter you dont have much room for fluff, but its important to add some personality. Not only will it endear you to the reader, it increases the chance that he/she will remember you. For example, if youre from another country you could briefly describe your journey to America. Or, if you have a personal story of how the company to which youre applying has affected your life in a positive way, you could mention this. Dont be too cute though. When in doubt, err on the side of professionalism and dont be too informal. 3.   Talk up your transferable skills. A transferable skill is a skill you learn to complete one task but which can be used for many other tasks. For example, if you successfully managed people, projects or budgets in a previous position, you can transfer those skills to your next position. Another example of a transferable skill is customer service. In a previous job you may have been excellent at managing internal stakeholders, vendors or or customers. This kind of experience will not only transfer to different industries and job roles, but will make you a valuable asset to any organization. 4. Let your future employer know where youre coming from and where youre headed. Briefly include biographical information in your cover letter. This is usually for the purpose of clarifying why your past makes you a perfect fit for the new job. You can also explain why there are any gaps in your employment history. For example, if you didnt work from 2006 to 2007 because you were taking time off for a research project, you should explain that in the cover letter. Its also helpful to include why youre passionate about the new company, as well as the position. It takes some extra effort to create a cover letter that sizzles and grabs the attendtion of a hiring manager but a great cover letter can help you stand out from your competition.   And in todays tough job market, thats exactly what you need! - Written as a Guest Post by Samantha Peters, who is an avid blogger that frequently writes about career and job search related topics from San Diego, California.