what should a cover letter include for a resume

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You can write cover letters and resumes with ai (but should you).

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Ai is shockingly good at creating cover letters and resumes, is it wrong to use ai for your cover letter and resume, how to use ai to create top-notch cover letters and resumes, some companies use ai detection tools to scan cover letters, key takeaways.

• ChatGPT can create decent resumes & cover letters from scratch and with minimal input.
• ChatGPT might create falsehoods based on the job posting you show it, so make sure to delete the inaccuracies.
• You can use ChatGPT to refine and improve personalized resumes and cover letters for job applications.

If you're on a job hunt, you know how tedious and time-consuming it is to write cover letters for every single job posting. Enter ChatGPT—it can save you countless hours by tailoring your resume and cover letter for each job application in just a few seconds. However, is there a catch?

Cover letters and resumes have a general layout and style that you should follow to come across as professional. ChatGPT can perfectly emulate that standardized style because it was trained on large amounts of data, which also includes thousands of cover letters and resume examples.

It knows all the patterns that make for a good cover letter or resume, and it'll apply those language patterns to your information to help you conform to standard job application forms.

All you have to do to create a half-decent cover letter or resume is give ChatGPT some information to work with. The recently added "Memory" feature , coupled with the " Custom Instructions " function, helps ChatGPT understand you and your writing style.

Still, you don't even have to use those features to create a resume or cover letter—just give ChatGPT some information relevant to your experience and ask politely . For example, you can copy-paste your current resume and a job posting and then ask it to create a cover letter based on the provided information.

Don't have a resume? Don't fret. You can ask ChatGPT to define a few important questions to help you create your first resume or use it to refine your existing one. Here's an example showing key pieces of information that should be in your resume:

Remember, your resume is a concise summary of essential personal information, your greatest achievements, relevant skills, and not much else. Even human-written resumes sound pretty robotic, so the results are more or less in line with the norm. For instance, I told ChatGPT to create a resume and gave it very little information to work with, and here are the results:

The reason why it knows about my hobbies is that I added them to "Custom Instructions." That being said, the experience, skills, and overall format are all ChatGPT's doing. While it's not an impressive resume by any means, it's way more than I expected considering how little information I gave it.

As for cover letters, the same general principles apply. It can easily turn a few sentences about your experience and a vague job description into a generic cover letter. Let's continue where we left off with our "resume" from above and write a cover letter for an imaginary job ad:

While it sounds as if a middle-schooler wrote it using a template, and you can't expect to land a half-decent job with something like this, it's a decent start. The most important information is at the top, the format is tidy, and ChatGPT even tried to establish a link between my relevant experience and the job requirements. I'll show you a few tricks and tips on how to make an outstanding resume and cover letter shortly.

The real question here is whether it's ethical to use AI for job applications. The main argument against AI-generated cover letters and resumes is that AI is prone to lying .

You see, much like humans, ChatGPT wants (you) to land the job, so it'll say that you possess the required skills and experience, even if you haven't actually done any of that. For instance, if a job posting has "Proficient in graphic design tools such as Canva," ChatGPT will say that you're a Canva expert in the cover letter, even if you've never used it. This happened to me on every single cover letter I created.

The flip side of this argument is that cover letters and resumes follow a highly formulaic structure. Using ChatGPT to assist you shouldn't significantly affect the outcome of your application as long as you've verified the information to be 100% true. Applicants have to send out an average of 100–200 job applications before they land a job, so ChatGPT speeds the process up quite a bit.

The worst part is that some recruiters won't even read your cover letter but will instead focus on your answers to the application questions. I briefly worked as a recruiter myself, and I'd only read a cover letter when I was on the fence. In such instances, the cover letter is there merely as a supplementary document that satisfies hiring norms. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide whether it's okay to use ChatGPT for your cover letter and resume. If you opt to use it, carefully proofread everything to make sure that there are no lies or half-truths in your job application.

I've shown you earlier how it's pretty easy to create a basic cover letter and resume with ChatGPT, but if you want to land a half-decent job, you'll still have to do some parts yourself. You might have heard the phrase "garbage in, garbage out," and the rule applies here as well. The trick to generating a good cover letter and resume with ChatGPT is to create the first draft yourself. In the case of a resume, write as much relevant information as you can about your skills and past work experience before handing it over to ChatGPT to process the data. Here's a quick example I came up with on the spot:

This is still pretty basic, as I haven't given ChatGPT enough information to work with, but it's serviceable. You can now ask it to identify gaps and help you improve the resume in general to make it even better. It'll give you actionable feedback you can implement immediately to improve your resume.

You can use these same general principles to create a killer cover letter as well. You can go back and forth with ChatGPT until you land on something that you like. You can treat ChatGPT the same way you'd treat a resume consultant. Once you're done generating, first make sure there are no errors in the text. After that, add some personal flair to make sure you stand out from other applicants.

Remember, other applicants also have access to ChatGPT and have likely used it to apply for the job, so you really need to make your cover letter unique and compelling to get hired. Pay particular attention to the first few paragraphs, as they can let your personality shine through the most. Also, note that some sections will probably sound robotic and "fake," so get rid of them.

Companies that care about whether you use AI to write your cover letter will scan it using AI detector tools. The tool can identify and flag text that sounds robotic based on patterns AI tools use.

However, these tools aren't perfect and will occasionally flag human-written text as AI as well, so your cover letter would get rejected anyway. This further underscores my point above that you must find a way to make your cover letter original, at least to some extent.

If you haven't tried ChatGPT on your resume yet, I strongly encourage you to do so now. Consult with ChatGPT to make your resume polished, compelling, and concise. Also, don't forget to use ChatGPT to make "bange"r cover letters by tailoring them to specific job postings and maximize your chances of getting hired while also saving time. Once you get used to your AI career advisor, you'll find it hard to apply to jobs the traditional way.

What to Include in a Financial Advisor Cover Letter

A cover letter isn’t just an add-on to your job application. It effectively highlights and sells your skills and experiences as a financial advisor. Your cover letter is your first opportunity to demonstrate how you can be a good fit for a job. Here are the key components and and tips that could help your cover letter stand out for likely firms.

After you become a financial advisor, SmartAsset’s SmartAdvisor platform can help you connect with potential clients.

Why You Should Include a Financial Advisor Cover Letter

Working with a professional to craft your cover letter can prove beneficial. In the same way you, as a financial advisor , would guide your clients through their financial decisions, a career coach or consultant can guide you through the job application process.

When it comes to financial advisor roles, a cover letter will not only showcase your skills, knowledge and experience, but also help you present a compelling argument for why you are the best candidate for the job.

A cover letter, for example, can focus on your approach with clients and how you help them reach different financial milestones or get through economic downturns.

You should note that a cover letter may be the first thing that an employer sees from you. And many employers consider cover letters an important part of the job search process. So crafting a well-strategized letter is a key component for getting hired.

How to Create a Result-Oriented Financial Advisor Cover Letter

Your cover letter is a tactical introduction that is engineered to put your best foot forward. And as such, it should deliver a personalized introduction that offers additional insight to the skills, experiences and interests that you have already included in your resume.

Depending on the job, there are many types of cover letters. However, all cover letters generally have these five sections:

• Header: This typically includes your contact information, such as your address, phone number and email, as well as social media and portfolio links when applicable.
• Greeting or salutation : This is the equivalent of looking at someone in the eyes for the first time. Stand out by researching and including the hiring manager’s name. This personalized approach can beat out a generic one by demonstrating your level of commitment to the job and the firm.
• Introduction : Don’t bury the lede! This first paragraph should call attention to who you are and why you want the job. Make sure you explain clearly what draws you to the firm, and set up what are your core strengths and how these will fit into the position (you will go deeper into this in the body).
• Body : Here you’ll have more real estate, typically two paragraphs, to state your case. First, explain how your professional experiences apply specifically to the position and the firm. Then, connect how that background as a financial advisor and your career goals align with the firm’s culture.
• Call-to-action or closing: This is the final paragraph! Seal the deal by restating your interest in the role and propose next steps (like a conversation or potential interview).

Take note: As with any introduction, paying attention to details goes a long way. Make sure your cover letter is edited and formatted correctly. Avoid repetition and cliches. And lastly, make each sentence count. The purpose of the cover letter is to support this clear idea: You are a strong candidate for the position, and you are genuinely excited about working at the firm.

Refining Your Skills as a Future Financial Advisor

Soft skills like adaptability, communication and time management can be valuable for financial advisors. You will also need to combine these with hard skills like accounting, data analysis or marketing, among others, to prove yourself a valuable asset to a firm.

Of course, these skills are not based on natural talents alone. You can develop them by setting goals, finding a mentor, seeking constructive criticism and enrolling for additional certifications or degrees (more on this in the next section). You can also take advantage of training offered at a firm and even shadow other financial advisors.

Keep in mind that when you draft your resume and cover letter, you should put a spotlight on the skills that best fit the job description. So if a firm has a type of client base , and offers specific services, show your potential employer that you have the necessary hard and soft skills to excel at the job.

Tips for Aspiring Financial Advisors

As you build up your career as a financial advisor, here are four key tips to consider:

• Continue your professional education : Sign up for courses and keep up with proposed legislation or changes in rules and laws. Educate yourself on different financial trends and strategies. Your ability to keep learning will show your commitment to the field and make you an essential resource for clients.
• Earn important certifications : Financial advisors, while not required, often carry certain certifications to demonstrate specific knowledge and abilities. Common certifications include certified financial planner ( CFP ), chartered financial analyst ( CFA ), chartered financial consultant ( ChFC ) and certified public accountant ( CPA ), among other designations.
• Maintain your LinkedIn : An updated profile highlighting your skills on professional platforms like LinkedIn can help you make valuable connections with other peers in the industry and connect with potential clients as well.
• Be persistent: Most professionals do not find a rewarding career by accident. Instead, you will need to be persistent, mentalize yourself to get back on your feet when an opportunity passes, and perhaps more importantly–keep trying.

Bottom Line

An effective cover letter can capture the attention of recruiters. But that’s only one piece of the puzzle. Financial advisors are continuously evolving with their clients. So staying ahead of the curve will help you drive your career forward. Regular updates on financial markets and active participation in financial advisor conferences can also keep you connected.

Tips for Becoming a Financial Advisor

• If you’re just getting started on your financial career path, consider our guide on how to become a financial advisor in six steps . The sooner you start, the sooner you can work toward a rewarding career.
• Once you become a financial advisor, one of the most important things you’ll do is find as many clients as you can. SmartAsset’s SmartAdvisor platform can help you connect with potential clients.

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