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Write
a cover letter that gets you noticed! |
Your cover
letter presents your intentions, qualifications and
availability to a prospective employer in a succinct and
appealing format. As your first chance to make a great
impression, a personalized letter indicates you are
serious about your job search. Your resume can give the
nitty-gritty of dates, places of employment and
education, but your cover letter must entice the reader
to consider you amidst hundreds, or even thousands, of
candidates for any one job opening.
1. Do you really need a cover letter? You bet!
Just as you would never show up unannounced at a
prospective employer's door, your resume should never
just appear solo on a decision-maker's desk. Your cover
letter is your first opportunity to introduce yourself,
present your qualifications and show the search
committee you are a potential candidate for the
advertised position.
2. Personalize it to the company. Anyone can
reproduce a "canned" cover letter and hope for
the best. Instead, take a few minutes to personalize
your letter to show a company that you are serious about
working for them. State the reason for your interest in
the company. Show that you have done your homework by
mentioning company specifics such as a department, a new
project or a recent acquisition. Address the cover
letter to a specific individual whenever possible.
3. Why are you sending your resume and cover letter?
Cover letters should be clear and to the point. Include
the specific job title, two to three reasons why your
experience makes a good fit and a brief outline of your
career highlights.
4. Highlight your strengths. You may be a great
person and never call in sick, but prospective employers
really want to know why they should consider you for
this position. Brag a little! Give a few facts, list
relevant skills and state accomplishments on recent jobs
that will be impressive. Examples:
·
Increased
overseas sales by 93 percent.
·
Negotiated
new financial leases or loans.
·
Implemented
new training programs which reduced staff turnover by 15
percent.
5. State your intentions and qualifications right up
front. Don't expect a senior personnel manager or
recruiter to wade through a mish-mash of information on
your cover letter before understanding why you are
sending your resume.
6. What makes you different? Emphasize your
skills, talents and experiences to show how you would be
a valuable addition to the team. If you have relevant
volunteer or professional experience, mention it briefly
in your cover letter. For example, if you are an
accountant who serves as volunteer treasurer for a
nonprofit community health organization, include that
information. Or if you are an international sales rep
who has lived in Europe and Asia and speaks several
languages, add that to your letter.
7. No negative information. Never include
personality conflicts with previous employers, pending
litigation suits or sarcastic remarks in your cover
letter. If you are bad-mouthing your present place of
employment, interviewers may fear a repeat performance
if they hire you.
8. When should you include salary and/or relocation
information? The rule of thumb is to always include
salary requirements and/or salary history in the cover
letter if a prospective employer requests it. For
example, you could write: "My salary requirements
are $60,000-$75,000 (negotiable)." Or you might
write: "My current salary is $53,000 at XYZ
corporation." Eliminating this information from
your cover letter may justify your resume getting tossed
out. Never include salary and relocation information on
your resume -- only address this information in your
cover letter.
9. Take Action Steps. Take a proactive approach
in your cover letter. State the fact that you are
available for a personal interview; give your home,
work, email and/or cell phone numbers where you can be
reached; note that you will follow up by phone (whenever
possible) to provide any additional information
required.
10. Be direct! A professionally written cover
letter and resume can open the doors to your next
position on the corporate ladder or to a new career in a
different field. A clean, error-free presentation
combined with strong phrasing and solid facts, will
encourage the reader to review the attached resume and
call you in for an interview. Peter Newfield is
President of resume writing service Career Resumes.
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