Submit a poorly written cover letter and the chances are your resume will end up in the trash bin without even being looked at.
On the other hand, a well written cover letter can almost guarantee you get an interview.
Interview Winning Cover Letters
Ok, you may not win any awards for the cover letter that you enclose to your resume, but you may increase your odds it actually getting read, if you follow a few simple steps.
1. Keep it brief. Your resume is the document that conveys your qualifications, therefore your cover letter need not go on and on about how wonderful you are.
2. Remember it serves a purpose. It is announcing you – and your enclosed information, your resume.
3. Tell them what you’re doing: I’m applying for the position of… Enclosed is my resume for the position of …
4. Clearly state what position you’re applying for. Don’t assume the Human Resources person will automatically know what job you want or that they only have one opening.
5. Highlight a few of your strong suits. Although brevity is the key here, you don’t want to merely say, “Here’s my resume. Bub Bye.”
6. Don’t be redundant with contact information. All that pertinent information should be on your resume.
7. Don’t staple your cover letter to your resume. Often photocopies need to be made and it just frustrates the person making the copies to have to remove your staples. Use a paperclip if you feel the need to attach it; else just send it on top of your resume.
8. Typos. That’s an obvious one. It’s hard to proof your own work. Find one other person to give both your cover letter and resume a glance over. You’re dead in the water if your cover letter has misspellings, poor grammar or typos.
Below is a same letter you can use as a guide:
---
Date
Human Resources, COMPANY NAME HERE
RE: NAME OF VACANT POSITION
Enclosed please find my resume’. I am very much interested in working with you as your POSITION TITLE. As you will see from my enclosed resume’ I am qualified in a variety of areas. (Or I am uniquely qualified for this position because of my vast experience in …). My college degrees are in Business Administration with a minor in Management. I have spent the last two decades performing INSERT SIMILAR RESPONSIBILITIES.
I am anxious to discuss this opportunity with you further.
Respectfully,
Your Name
---
You as can see, the above cover letter is short and to the point. It serves a purpose of prefacing your resume. Don’t waste your time going on and on and on. It will not get read. As it stands, you have a 50/50 chance that anyone will even read your cover letter. Are you willing to take 50% odds that it will be read, only to have a lousy cover letter that will essentially hinder your resume from consideration? Follow the above simple steps and you’ll make a great first impression. Of course, it’s up to you to have knowledge, skills and abilities to back it; but at least you’re starting off right!
About the Author
Roger Clark is senior editor at Top Career Resumes who provide free information to job seekers on all aspects of finding a new job and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
|
|
 |
Rewriting Your Resume? 7 Easy Ways To Give Yourself An Upgrade
In today's competitive job market, a first class resume is an essential tool for winning an interview. The way in which you present your skills, achievements and experience on paper will profoundly affect the way in which a hiring company considers...
...Read More
Perfect to the Penny
At some point in our careers, we may find ourselves part of an obsolete operation, such as a downsizing, business insolvency, or even a single retail store closing. This can be a time of positive reflection for us, if we “step back” and ponder the...
...Read More
Try These Strange Jobs
Strange jobs? How do we define that? Years ago I stole cars as a repo-man, had some adventures as an investigative process-server, and even handed out samples in grocery stores. Here are some other unusual jobs you can aspire to: Wrinkle...
...Read More
Cheap Interior Design Ideas
Cheap interior design ideas come in many forms these days. From television shows to magazines, the industry is trying to teach the consumer how to design cheap. In the past, ideas such as cheap design shows would have left most interior designers...
...Read More
Management Skills: Positive Reinforcement in the Workplace
Most people just want to be appreciated. If you're a manager, that's something to seriously think about as you set the tone for maximum productivity. Ever work for someone who preferred a 'bullying and intimidation' managerial style? This type...
...Read More
|
