The document provides five essential tips for crafting effective resumes and cover letters in the public relations field. Key recommendations include tailoring the cover letter to reflect personal experiences related to the company's mission, explicitly stating relocation availability, keeping documents concise at one page, and including social media handles. The information is adapted from McKinney & Associates, a public relations firm committed to social justice since 1990.

1. Top 5 Resume and
Cover Letter Tips:
Public Relations Edition
By Samantha Miller

2. During hiring season, only a handful of
resumes ever make it to the boss’ desk.

3. To prevent your application
from ending up in the recycle
bin, here are five tips for
resume and cover letter writing.

4. 1. Include a tailored cover letter
You wouldn’t believe
how many candidates
fail to include a cover
letter. This is your
chance to demonstrate
your writing and
communications skills.

5. 1. Include a tailored cover letter
Explain how your past
experiences relate to the
company’s mission statement or
ongoing projects.
Simply pasting the firm’s name
into a generic cover letter won’t
get you very far.

6. 3. Location
If you’re applying to a job in a
different state, explicitly state
when you’ll be moving or that
you’re open to relocation

7. 3. Location
Otherwise it looks like you’re haphazardly
applying to every job on the web.

8. 4. Keep it short
Keep your resume and cover
letter to one page each. You
better have a good reason for
trailing to a second page —
like authoring 10 bestselling
books.

9. 5. Include social media handles
Do you have a
website, blog or
popular Twitter
account? Be sure
to highlight these
things along with
your contact info.

10. This presentation was adapted from our Voice Matters Blog.
To learn more about McKinney & Associates, visit www.mckpr.com
McKinney & Associates was founded in 1990 with a commitment to
social justice that has prevailed for more than 20 years. From the beginning,
McKinney passionately and skillfully practiced Public Relations with a
Conscience for local, national and international organizations.
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