This semester, I am applying for the Head Resident position in the Office of Residential Life. The Head Resident works closely under the Area Coordinator for the five designated residential areas throughout campus. The application requires a cover letter, and since I’ve never written one before, I scheduled an appointment with Allison Soden at the Career Center for help.
During my initial meeting, before we even began looking at my cover letter, I introduced myself to Allison and practiced my elevator pitch. I mentioned that I’ve held various on-campus jobs before, and this prompted her to ask why I was interested in the Head Resident position. I explained that I am currently an RA in Bennet so I have experience working as part of the Residential Life Office, and that I sought the Head Resident role to gain professional development. Additionally, I highlighted my extensive leadership positions in high school and mentorship roles here at Wesleyan, which I believe make me a strong candidate for the role.
We then reviewed my cover letter, and Allison guided me paragraph by paragraph, pointing out what worked well and what needed improvement. One thing that stood out to me is that I hadn’t realized the importance of word choice in a cover letter. For example, she taught me to articulate challenges more professionally by saying “One challenge I faced was…” instead of “I struggled with [x].” Allison commended my use of evidence to support my claim, such as my previous mentorship experiences, and suggested additional experiences to include to fully maximize my resume’s potential impact.
Following this, we took a deep dive into my resume. Allison asked which experiences I believed were most closely related to the Head Resident position and which details I could expand upon in my cover letter. This provided early practice in analyzing my past experiences and reflecting on the transferable skills I’ve gained from each one.
Allison’s guidance was very helpful in shaping my understanding of professional documentation. Her constructive feedback not only improved my cover letter but also improved my ability to evaluate my own experiences critically. She emphasized the need for clarity, conciseness, and relevance in every section of my application, ensuring that each word contributes to a compelling narrative about my suitability for the Head Resident role.
After our meeting, I felt more confident in my ability to craft a strong application. I made a plan to revise my draft based on Allison’s suggestions and scheduled a follow-up appointment to review my progress.
