The Importance of Cover and Thank You Letters

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Sixty percent of executives believe the cover letter is either as important as or more critical than the résumé. A cover letter should tell specifically why and how you are uniquely qualified for the job based on the criteria in the job posting. Having a standard cover letter is a starting point, but definitely not something to arbitrarily cut-and-paste each time you apply. CEOs and hiring managers use the cover letter as a barometer to gauge a candidate’s ability to effectively communicate. This is an ideal time to showcase your written communication skills to get the job.

Speaker: Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE, JCTC, JCDC

Shelly Trent, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CAE, JCTC, JCDC is an HR and career development professional who has spent her life guiding others toward lifelong learning, career growth, and personal enrichment.  She is the president-elect of Fridays@4.  Shelly worked for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for over 16 years.  Shelly’s background includes association management, human resources, college career services, corporate employee career development, and business and industry training. 

Shelly is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the HR Certification Institute, as a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional, and also obtained her master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in HR.  She completed her Ph.D. coursework at the University of Louisville in human resources development and career counseling.  She also holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) certification.  Through the Career Development Network, she earned two career coaching certifications, Job and Career Transition Coach and Job and Career Development Coach.