Free Career and Job Search Advice

[vicky]

This is the first time I am writing a cover letter. I was wondering whether I can use the semicolon. I know I can, but is it a good idea. I would like to use it in this way.

In my previous I had several roles office administrator; procurement officer; public relations assistant; receptionist.

In the above sentence is it better to use a semi colon; good punctuation or a comma ?

[ResumeCoachDeb]

I would use a comma. Make sure you say "several" roles as an ....., ....., ....., and ......

Deb

[Richard]

I agree, separate one word list items with commas. It's not a crime to use a semi-colon but there are a surprising amount of people who will not be impressed by incorrect or inventive punctuation. Best stay safe!

[TINA]

Hello:

If I were you, this is what I'd do: Use commas there to separate the text.

OR, use more words there for describing your tasks that you have done previously.

OR, use a colon and then commas such as:

In my previous jobs these are the job classifications that I have held:

(See the colon)

Office Manager
Typist
Inside Sales
Receptionist
Researcher
Editor

See what I mean, you can list them all on the side somehow.

Or you may decide to say something like this, Upon reviewing my attached resume, you will notice that I have work experience in the following fields:
Office Manager, Typist, Inside Sales, Receptionist, Researcher, Editor.

Be sure to write the cover letters so that the resume will be read and that your email or letter will get their attention.

AND, be sure to get a grammar book that you can get over at ebay or most book stores either online bookstores, or even a book store at some mall. Then you will know when to use a semi colon and when NOT to use a semi colon.

AND, use this rule of thumb: When in doubt, leave it out!

I surely hope this bit of information will be helpful to you.

I usually rarely use semi colons as I do not like them.

Good luck!!

[Guest]

[Katja144]

You can use either. In this case, I'd advise a comma, simply because you don't NEED a semi-colon. A semi-colon might be used if you had more ideas in your list requiring commas and needed to clarify what went with which title (like if you wrote "I had several roles: office administrator, in which I managed other employees and provided customer service; procurement officer, in which I was solely responsible for company purchases; public relations assistant...." etc.). This way, they would know which job duties went with which job title, etc.

However, I would advise a colon (and an "and"), so that your sentence would read like this:

"In my previous I had several roles: office administrator, procurement officer, public relations assistant, and receptionist."

The sentence as you had it had a lack of punctuation that failed to separate the statement that you had several roles, and the statement of what the roles were. As well, using the "and" in the list makes sense; it helps to finish off the sentence and the list and there's really no reason to leave it out.