Four tips for making the best first impression through your job application

City Year’s job application tips

At City Year, we understand the importance of a solid first impression. When applying for jobs, filling out job applications and submitting your resume (and sometimes cover letter, too) usually mean that your first impression is made before you even get to meet future employers in person.

Although this process can seem like a daunting task during your job search, there are many small steps you can take to make a big difference, transforming your first impression from a good one to a great one!

Here are a few tips from the members of City Year’s Talent Acquisition team that will help you confidently craft a great cover letter, resume and application and help you put your best foot forward when trying to land that dream job.

Customize your cover letter

First, you should almost always include a cover letter. They’re not always required for some jobs, but if there’s an option to upload one, don’t be shy! Just remember to keep it short and sweet, and it should add something important to your application package.

The cover letter gives you a unique opportunity to really get specific and show how you connect with the organization’s mission — definitely take advantage of that! The cover letter is where you can show your commitment to an organization, mission or to the position you have applied to through a narrative of your unique experiences. Our hiring teams rely on cover letters to understand a candidate’s motivation and passion. Cover letters can also be incredibly useful for those looking to change careers because you can show your career path and connect skills that might not seem related.

A recent Harvard Business Review essay argues cover letters are still important, even when they’re not required.

Pro tip: Your cover letter and resume shouldn’t present the exact same information; instead, they should complement each other. Your resume will include dates and job titles and responsibilities. Your cover letter is your chance to weave together what those experiences have meant to you in terms of your skills and professional growth, and convey some of your own personal values.

Quantify your impact on your resume

While your cover letter outlines who you are and your interest in the role, your resume is a great place to show your qualifications and skills. Look for areas on your resume where you can use quantifiable data or statistics to demonstrate your success.

The job search site Indeed offers specific examples on how to quantify your accomplishments on your resume.

For example, if you were a classroom teacher, how many students ended the year at grade level? If you worked in development, what was the size of your fundraising portfolio? How did annual giving participation increase? City Year is a data driven organization; we strongly believe in the power of data. Numbers demonstrate your track record and how analytical skills apply to your work.

Pro tip: Remember to mention qualitative measures, too, such as receiving an award, being fluent in a foreign language, or getting a promotion after only a year, etc. as these also convey a lot about your impact.

Edit to make an impression on your future employer

Hiring managers have limited time to review cover letters and resumes, so we recommend that you make every word count! Try to communicate the essentials and edit out any filler. If a sentence doesn’t communicate something meaningful about you, or the role or the organization, you can probably remove it.

Your application should present a clear story of your background and why you’re interested in the organization.

The look and feel of your resume convey more about you than you might first realize. Check out this resume formatting guide from Indeed.

Pro tip: It’s smart to keep a longer, more comprehensive resume for your own reference. Then, you can customize that version for each position you apply for, making sure that only the most relevant experiences and examples are included.

Before you submit that resume …

Communication, both written and verbal, is incredibly important. Your resume and cover letter can also serve as a writing sample, so don’t forget to take a few minutes to read everything over one last time before clicking submit. Check for consistent tone, grammar and formatting.

Consider City Year in your next job hunt

We’re proud that so many staff at our 29 U.S. sites and our headquarters are City Year alums or alumni of other AmeriCorps programs. When launching your next job search, be sure to think about if one of our open roles might be the right fit for you.

To learn more about careers at City Year check out our open positions and our follow us on LinkedIn.