Why A Cover Letter?
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Cover Letters
A cover letter is a vital part of your job search. It personalises the presentation of your resume. It is a stage setter as your resume is presented for review.
Very obviously the first thing you must do is to get the contact name of the person to whom you are submitting your resume. Directing your resume to the Human Resources Department or Personnel is not going to ensure your success. Resumes forwarded in this way receive scant attention and often no attention at all and are confined to the bottom of the mail.
By getting a contact name you have demonstrated focus and more importantly ensures that the correct person will read your resume.
By the correct person we mean a person who will be in either a position to hire you or to direct someone to hire you. Addressing your resume to the hiring Manager or the senior Manager will ensure that it gets the attention it deserves.
Your cover letter is a crucial factor in whether your resume will receive serious attention. There is no point in putting a lot of effort into having an excellent resume that is an accurate representation of your skills and abilities if you include a cover letter that is so poor in quality it lowers the standard of your application.
A point to note is that while your cover letter will not guarantee you a job it will greatly enhance your chances of success.
Cover letters should be brief and never more than one page in length. Your cover letter must be written so that it attracts the reader's attention immediately.
You must use good quality stationery, preferably bonded paper. A nice touch is to have your resume and cover letter printed on the same paper.
You must gain the reader's interest through your content, and how you do this is to tell them what you have to offer and what you can do for them.
Once you have piqued their interest you must then turn that interest into a desire to learn more, ensuring that they will review the attached resume with great attention.
Closing your cover letter is like sealing a business deal as you tell the reader of your intention to follow up this initial communication. This will encourage the reader to initiate action and contact you to arrange an interview to further discuss this opportunity.
Close strongly and positively leaving the reader in no doubt that you are serious about the role and the intention to speak further on the subject.
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Gaining A Competitive Edge With Your Cover Letter
All too often, a cover letter is the after thought to a well-planned and executed resume. The problem with this is that your cover letter may be the only thing a recruiter reads about you. A poorly written or badly presented cover letter will see your resume cast aside without a second thought. A second thought is exactly what you are after, so how do you make people think twice about you? Give them something that they don't have, your competitive edge. The cover letter is a great place to start your marketing campaign. It is the ideal way to promote your skills to potential employers and set yourself up for future success.
A cover letter is your first opportunity to present your marketable attributes to potential employers. It is your chance to set yourself apart from other applicants. A professional and effective cover letter will give you an edge over your competitors. Instead of having to scan through information in your resume, the recruiter will be able to access valuable specific information without any effort. Your cover letter will provide the most important information employers are looking for, what you can do for them. Above anything else, this is the one thing they want to know and the sooner you can show them the better off you will be.
A cover letter is like a short advertisement for the whole package that is your qualifications, skills and experience. It should be dynamic and make the reader want to know more. Employers want to know what you are about, what you can do and what proven results you have achieved and they don't want to read through pages of information to find that out. Think of the advantages if your recruiter can get this information in one page.
Your cover letter not only gives you the chance to showcase your abilities in relation to what you can do for the company it is also a great way to present your other attributes. A well-written cover letter portrays professionalism, attention to detail, marketing knowledge, initiative and innovation. These are all skills that will be highly valued in any business. You cover letter can be your competitive edge.
The key to gaining a competitive edge with your cover letter is to give employers what they want. Easy to read, accessible, relevant and demonstrative information about you and what makes you more suited for the job than the other 50 applicants. The cover letter is a great way to provide this information in a simple and time effective manner.
If you have a professional cover letter to accompany your resume, you are already making life easier for your potential employer. They will appreciate that and in turn give you a second thought. It makes sense to spend as much time on your cover letter as you would on your resume. Look at it as another opportunity to sell yourself. A cover letter is not only a professional way to introduce your application it is a great way to highlight your unique attributes.
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Resume Cover Letter - Generating interest through effective content
It is necessary to generate interest with your opening statement; you must then keep it and hold onto it.
How do you do that? Well firstly you must address the reader by name, demonstrating that you have taken the time and interest to seek out their name to create personal contact.
Secondly, you must demonstrate exactly what you have to offer to them. Ensure that you are clear and succinct, leave the reader with no doubt as to your intentions. This is not the time to stand on ceremony and hope that they will figure out what you want. It is up to you to tell them.
Performing research on your targeted company and in turn developing this research into your resume quickly indicates your level of interest in securing this position.
Examples are as follows:
'I have been following the performance of your company in Forbes magazine. The record over the past two years shows strong and effective management. I have been employed with one of your competitors over the past three years however I feel that I could make a significant contribution if given the opportunity.'
'Recently I performed extensive research into the leading Medical Device Manufacturing plants across the East Coast. Your companies name continues to come up in the top three leading me to seek a position within your dynamic facility.'
'Within the next month I will be relocating to Massachusetts and having research companies in your field, realise that you are the people I wish to meet with.'
The reader will not fail to be impressed at the level of interest and initiative you have taken in completing your research. You will have captured their interest and guaranteed yourself the readers full attention for the duration of your letter.
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How Your Cover Letter Can Land Your Perfect Job
The job hunt isn't just about finding employment to pay the bills and keep you going. It's about finding a career, a job you can enjoy and develop in. Your career path is one of the most important journeys of your life so you need to think carefully about the choices you make. It can be a bumpy road, trying to figure out what kind of career you want and then figuring out how you are going to get it. One of the most important aspects of your career search is your job correspondence. How you present yourself will determine success or failure.
A good cover letter can help you land your dream job. It can help you to break into a career even if you may not have the experience or qualifications. The important thing to remember is that first impressions last. If you can engage your audience in the cover letter then qualifications or not you have a good chance of getting an interview. A cover letter is an effective tool in this regard because all applicants' start on equal footing and it gives you the chance to connect with the reader. A good cover letter will introduce you to your potential employer as well as introducing them to what you can do.
In your cover letter you can demonstrate your skills and attributes in relation to specific company goals and positional requirements. You can highlight how these unique skills can benefit the company and how they are suited to the job you are applying for. A cover letter can help land your perfect job because it gives you the opportunity to explain your resume in further depth. It will add to the impact of your resume because it allows you to personally appeal to the reader.
Your cover letter can explain things your resume may not cover such as breaks in your career, or if you are changing focus, reentering the job market or branching out in a new direction. A cover letter can also act in the same way as a job objective positively highlighting your career goals. A cover letter can be your competitive edge in the job market. It can open doors to opportunities and land you a perfect job. The key is to give the reader something they don't already have. A cover letter is the best way you can highlight your unique selling points.
Finally, a cover letter gives an employer insight into your personality, the type of person you are and most importantly, what you can do for them. A good cover letter will potentially encourage the employer to want to learn more about you. This is the result you are after, whether it's reading your resume for further insight or setting up an interview.
The job market is highly competitive and very often people settle for a job that they may not want but need. If you approach your job hunt in the right way you give yourself a better chance of finding a career opportunity rather than a 9-5 sentence of misery. The cover letter is imperative in this hunt, it is your first point of contact, it could be your last impression if its not a good one and it is the one thing that may set you apart from the crowd.
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Application Letter - Initial Contact
As we previously stated the impact you make in the opening lines of your cover letter is essential in generating interest on the reader's behalf.
You must and we cannot stress this enough grab their attention. An important point to note is to use good quality stationery preferably matching that of your resume.
Vital information to be included is your address or letterhead and telephone contact details. The date comes next and then the address of the recipient.
Move straight into your salutation and as discussed already this should be deferential, for e.g. Dear Mr. Kennedy or Dear Ms. Matheson.
If responding directly to an advertisement state the name of the publication / source, the date and the specific job title.
If not responding directly to an advert a good way to open is as follows:
'Recently I have been researching leading Pharmaceutical companies in the greater Massachusetts area. My search has been for companies that are respected in their own field for their services and their ongoing training programmes. Massachusetts Pharmaceuticals keeps coming up as a top company'.
An introduction such as this ensures that you hold the readers attention ensuring that the remainder of your cover letter is read, giving you the opportunity to sell your skills to the reader.
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Writing A Cover Letter - The aim of an effective Cover Letter
A good cover letter is a most important part of the entire job search process. A cover letter is far more flexible than your resume and as such can target specifically the employer's requirements.
There is not the same set of expectations around a cover letter so you have the freedom and flexibility not necessarily available to you while writing a resume.
Having said that, a good cover letter does have a specific format and there are guidelines that you must observe.
Before you begin to type your cover letter I advise that place yourself in the readers shoe's. Be clear in your objective and what benefit to the reader is going to be.
In addition to this be clear about your own objectives, the purpose of your letter to be very frank is to get an opportunity to meet and state your case.
Be very aware that the person who will read your resume and cover letter is certain to be a very busy person who has a limited amount of time at their disposal to complete this recruitment process. As a result your cover letter must capture the readers attention to ensure that it and your resume get read. In the event that your letter is poor in quality or content, you will be lucky for the reader to scan it and then dispose of it.
Don't use extremely formal language; write your cover letter in your own words almost as though you were speaking to the reader. This works to your advantage in that it allows your personality to shine through.
The cover letter must not be too long, if it is the reader will lose interest before they even begin. Don't use long sentences or paragraphs as they are very distracting and demonstrate poor use of language.
When you have created an effective cover letter, end it on a positive note requesting a meeting with the reader and whatever you do, do not forget to sign the letter.
Forgetting to sign makes you look careless or indiscriminate as though you were performing a bulk mail job search, neither of which will earn you any credit with a prospective employer.
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Resume Cover Letters - Turning desire into action
You have now almost reached the end of your cover letter; you have generated interest, demonstrated desire now you must turn the desire into action.
The purpose of the cover letter is to make the reader look immediately at your resume and then call you for interview.
Again stick to the one page rule for your cover letter, always leave the reader wanting more. This will ensure that you will be called for a further meeting.
However, don't rely on this assumption, tell the reader you want to talk.
Explain how, where and when you may be contacted and tell the reader that in the event you are not contacted you intend to follow up at a specific time and date.
By stating this, you will encourage the reader to make a decision and initiate action.
Use phrases such as the following:
* I will be in your area on the 12th and will call you prior to that to arrange a meeting.
* I look forward to speaking with you further and will call you the week of the 12th to follow up.
* I look forward to meeting with you and having the opportunity to discuss this further.
* I will call in the next couple of days to see when your schedule will permit a meeting.
* I am anxious to met and discuss the potential opportunities further and will make myself available for an interview at a time convenient to you.
* I feel certain that I can make a significant contribution and I look forward to meeting you at your convenience.
* You may reach me at 617 123 4567 to arrange an interview.
* Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you shortly.
The reader wants to feel that if they open the communication channel with you that they are entering a meaningful conversation and that the promise reflected in the resume and cover letter will be repaid.
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Professional Cover Letter - Turning interest into desire
So you have successfully captured their interest, now you need to demonstrate the desire to secure the position.
Use phrases such as:
My reason for contacting you is …
I am writing to you because …
If you are seeking a Sales Manger, you will be interested to know …
I would like to speak with you regarding the opportunity …
If you have an opening in the field of …
Use these sentences to clearly state your intentions, develop each sentence, building a profile of your experience to date and the contribution you will make if successful in your job search.
Call attention to your merits and highlight special achievements that will be of value to a new employer.
If you do this effectively you will clearly indicate just how significant your contribution will be if successful. Don't wait for an invitation just say it clearly.
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Your Cover Letter Is The Answer To Your Job Search
A cover letter should be written as a response to your job search. Unlike a resume, your cover letter should be specifically tailored to present information relevant to the company and position. Every cover letter you write will be different in that it is directly targeted towards a very specific audience. A cover letter will contain information about the company, the position and about your personal qualities, experiences and achievements that are relevant to the job.
There are three basic types of cover letters you may use:
- Letter to a recruiter
- Response to advertisement
- Cold call letter
A letter to a recruiter is simply a cover letter outlining your attributes, job interests, proven results, accomplishments and possible company benefits. You may not be applying for a specific position so your approach will be a little different from a direct response letter. This kind of cover letter will express your knowledge of the company, its goals and philosophies (very briefly) and what you can do for them. If you are writing to an agency without any job or company in mind you need to change the focus a little. Your main aim is to outline your career objectives and job interests so that they can help you to find a suitable role.
A cover letter in response to a job advertisement will be more specific to a particular position within the company. This is your chance to present skills, experience and qualifications that make you a match for the role. It is also your one opportunity to gain an edge over your competitors. A cover letter presents more than just qualifications it presents image. Demonstrating company knowledge is a must for cover letters of this nature. You need to be as specific as possible.
A cold call letter is used in the case where there is no specific job advertisement. This will basically present your attributes in a more generalized way but with specific links to the company and what you can do for them. This kind of letter is good for introducing yourself to potential employment opportunities. Even if there is no job opening at the time a good cover letter will put you in the picture for future opportunities. It is also a great way to network for future connections and widen your network circle. Even if nothing comes of it you will have made some useful contacts.
Your cover letter is a response to an advertisement or a job description. You should be as specific as possible every time you write a cover letter. This is your opportunity to open the door to a new job. A good cover letter will ensure your resume is read and might even land you an interview. Taking the time to understand the basic principals of cover letter writing is essential. Avoid common errors and always write with your audience in mind. The one thing that can make or break you job search is a good cover letter.
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