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<h3>Back To Cool, Back To School</h3>I've come to the conclusion that I need a detox from online courses and webinars. Over the past two years, I have 1.) joined (and left) an editors' group—which I only joined to take advantage of their arsenal of free webinars, 2.) taken several Udemy courses on professional writing development, and 3.) completed a grant writing certificate program led by <a data-mce-href="https://teresahuff.com/" href="https://teresahuff.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Teresa Huff</a>. Currently, I am studying for the Microsoft Word Expert exam, which I was inspired to do after watching a webinar on resume-building by <a data-mce-href="https://www.knowitsooner.com/" href="https://www.knowitsooner.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joanne Swensrude</a>.For someone who doesn't spend much time online, there is only so much digital information I can absorb before it just becomes exhausting. This is why last week I registered for the English degree program at Tulsa Community College. It has been years since I've stepped foot in a classroom as a student, and I am ready to get things rolling again. The two courses on my schedule for Fall 2025 are English Composition 1 and Literature in Film. Thanks to already having earned a Bachelor's degree, I don't have to take some of the required freshman classes like Math (which I am horrible at) and History.Hopefully, I'm not looking too far into the future with googly eyes, but during my time at TCC, I plan to take advantage of the opportunities this time around. I can use my writing assignments to bulk up my portfolio, use my experience as a translator and editor to help other students with their writing, and join career-related assistance workshops. New student orientation is approaching soon, and even though I don't have to go since I am a transfer student, I will be there to mingle with the others.

Back To Cool, Back To School

Office envelope with text written DEAR HIRING MANAGER, concept of writing cover letter to apply for job position recruitment

Yes, you read the title correctly. The one paper you dread writing could actually increase your chances of topping the stack of papers on your future supervisor's desk. What better way to stand out among the dozens of applicants than to include your unique cover letter?Unless you a.) work alongside other cover letter writers or b.) are a member of a cover letter writers network, it is unlikely that you will hear why precisely this is as important as I say it is. For starters, you can use it to create your own performance evaluation, take accountability for your accomplishments, or go into detail about that vague career gap in your resume (a career gap is up to you whether to include it or not). Other reasons include:<ul><li>addressing future projects or suggestions for so-and-so company</li><li>explaining the relationship of a personal or professional reference</li><li>highlighting your professional development</li><li>introducing yourself before an interview</li><li>(my personal favorite) pointing out any grammatical errors in the job post </li></ul>Overall, it shows motivation and personality, that you are serious about your job hunt. While I can bore you with twenty other reasons, these are the ones in my top 5.&nbsp;<h3>Collecting the Data</h3>Writing a cover letter is far less complex if you have the proper data. A simple phone call with a client, intake sessions, and questionnaires are all great methods of gathering data to input into the letter. This way, the writer can identify the client's strengths, weaknesses, and, most importantly, goals. A cover letter writer can also utilize a client's desired job posts, academic achievements, references, volunteer work, past resumes and cover letters, and performance evaluations. Below is a cover letter I recently submitted to get a gig <a data-mce-href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/devonproofreader" href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/devonproofreader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">editing AI-generated content</a>. It could be better, but it got me the job. Here, I do not mention anything about my current job as a parking garage porter because my skills there are irrelevant to editing AI content. Right off the bat, I go into my professional development to transition jobs and job goals. Though there are a few points I would have changed.&nbsp;Dear User,I have spent the past two months focusing on professional development to transition from my current job to proofreading. Proofreading sparks my interest because it is an entry-level position that requires light editing after the content has been formatted and typeset. At this stage, I can grow my skills to the point where I can perform line editing and developmental editing, which will lead me to book coaching. Even though I have obtained a certification in editing, I know it takes more than that to secure a job. As an avid reader and learner of a second language for over ten years, I have developed a keen sense of logical flow and a willingness to get to grips with grammar.My experience as an English as a Second Language teacher (in South Korea) and technical translator helped me enhance my communication skills, intercultural skills, and eye for detail. During my teaching experience, I took pride in recognizing cultural differences in the classroom. It could be something as trivial as using an incorrect title for older people. It is always important to embrace the culture you are living in. Though my job as a technical translator was short-lived, I was grateful for the opportunity. Translating Standard Operating Procedures and editing and formatting the data for our technical writers team was a challenge.With my recently attained knowledge about proofreading and editing, I am well-equipped to jump into the field. I will attach my resume to this cover letter so you can see more of my background.<h3>My method</h3>A simple method I like to use consists of three parts:&nbsp;Trait, validation, and personalization.<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1" data-mce-style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">Trait</td><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">Validation</td><td style="width: 33.335%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.335%;">Personalization</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">Results-driven</td><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">I was hand-chosen by management to lead a painting project in the company parking lot.</td><td style="width: 33.335%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.335%;">Having worked with my current team members for the past two years, I knew their strengths and weaknesses and could assign tasks to each individual, aligning with their painting abilities.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">Strong intercultural skills</td><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">During my year teaching English in Japan, my supervisor designated me as an English-language expert.&nbsp;</td><td style="width: 33.335%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.335%;">Though not required, I enrolled in an intensive 6-month training program that included advanced English grammar and culture immersion before teaching abroad.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">Detail-oriented</td><td style="width: 33.3325%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.3325%;">My duties as an entry-level included data entry, simple math, planning weekly team meetings, and doing the coffee run.</td><td style="width: 33.335%;" data-mce-style="width: 33.335%;">In my previous role, I took pride in ensuring all Excel files matched the company receipts without using AI tools.</td></tr></tbody></table><h3>Final Words of Wisdom</h3>Self-writing job seekers, too, can experience writer's block and a slew of other hurdles. Not knowing what to include, standing out among other applicants, ranking important data to not-so-important data, all of these, and more can hinder the job-seeking process, causing many potential hires to fold in the process. Thus, handing the job to Bob, who typed an entire paragraph about his trip to South Korea during his career gap. Or Janet, the former principal, who was able to point out seven grammatical errors in the job post. Or the recent high school graduate Grant, who went into detail about the guidance counselor who stuck around after hours to help him apply to colleges.Let's not think of the cover letter as the Mount Everest of tasks or the butt bread of the loaf. Instead, consider it your resume's booster seat, proudly heightening you to your fullest potential.

Devon Furbush

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Back To Cool, Back To School

Your Cover Letter Boosts Your Resume