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Don't Send a Cover Letter (by Kevin
Donlin)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
As a rule, I hate reading cover letters. Nearly all are what I call,
3B: Bland, Boring and Banal.
In fact, most cover letters are such formulaic exercises in boredom
that I suggest you stop sending them altogether.
That's right. Don't send a cover letter. Send a sales letter
instead.
After all, your goal in writing to employers is to "sell" them on
hiring you, right?
With that in mind, here's a recent success story that will help you
stop sending cover letters, and start sending sales letters that get
job interviews.
To read the rest of this article, please click
here.
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Careful When Using Comparisons in
Cover Letters
Tuesday,
June 05, 2007
Many experts urge applicants to be creative when writing their cover
letters. After all, a cover letter is like a "sales pitch," and job
seekers must catch recruiters' attention to stand out from the
crowd... To that effect, some people might be tempted to use
comparisons in their cover letters. Do that at your own risk and
peril!
Five Types of Cover Letters
Friday,
February 02, 2007
The Ithaca Journal has a short article describing five types of
cover letters that can help job seekers land a job:
- The personal branding letter
- The high-impact networking letter
- The reconnecting letter
- The traditional cover letter
- The career update letter
What Is at the Core of a Good Speech?
Sunday,
December 03, 2006
Some speeches are so powerful and inspire so much conviction and
passion to the point of planting the seeds for a revolution or a big
change in society. Why are some speakers so good at it and some so
boring? At the root, a speech is about conveying a message. Good
speakers know that to be heard, they have to be clear, inspirational,
and ... lead. Indeed, giving a speech is about leading people in the
right direction.
That's why speeches are so important in politics. The leader of a
political party has to be able to affirm himself as someone with
direction and drive in order to inspire confidence in the electorate.
But no matter how many attributes we associate to "good speeches," it
all comes down to one thing: "making a statement."
A good speech is about "making a statement."
Those that fail when they stand in front of a crowd are those that have
no real clue of what they want to say, have no confidence in themselves,
or couldn't say it eloquently enough.
The same holds true for resumes and cover letters. It's about making
a statement: "I am the best candidate for the job. Give me at least a
chance at an interview." So when you are facing the difficult task of
writing a resume or a cover letter, keep that in mind. When you are
done writing, let it rest, come back on it later, and ask yourself this
question: "Have I made it clear that I was the best candidate for the
job?" If the answer is "no," you know what you've got to do...
Suggestions on How to Start Cover
Letters
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Have you ever sat down, ready to write your cover letter, just to
waste half an hour not knowing what to write, or more precisely, how to
start?
Amy Lindgren, owner of a career-consulting firm in St. Paul, gives
some suggestions (note: most suggestions are taken from Martin Yate's book,
"Cover Letters That Knock 'Em Dead" (Adams Media, 2004)):
- I am writing to introduce myself and to inquire about current or
potential openings in your company for a talented (fill in the
blank).
- Does your department anticipate the need for an entry-level
(fill in)?
- From recent conversations with (so-and-so), I learned of a
potential opening in your department for a (title of position).
- Are you looking for a (position) who is: (Follow with a bulleted
list of your qualifications.)
- Please accept this letter and the attached resume as an
expression of my interest in the (position) advertised in the Sunday
newspaper.
- As a (position) with nearly 10 years of experience in (which)
departments, I hope to utilize my skills at (company name).
- In anticipation of completing (military service, college degree,
etc.) in (month and year), I am seeking a position that will
capitalize on my experience and training as a (position).
- Throughout my career, I have held increasingly complex positions
within the (name of) industry. My particular areas of expertise are:
(list them).
- I was very pleased to learn of the need for a (position) in your
company from a recent advertisement in (where).
- It is with interest and enthusiasm that I respond to your Web
posting for a (position).
- Nothing would please me more than to join your team and use my
skills as a (position).
Cover Letter Tips for Whom It May Concern, TwinCities.com
Your Cover Letter Should Not Be a
Repeat of Your Resume
Monday, October 23, 2006
Job applicants often make the mistake of overly focusing on their
resumes and disregarding the importance of their cover letters.
They tend not to allocate enough time to writing their cover letters
and often end up repeating what's already in their resumes.
Think of it this way: recruiters normally read the cover letter
before going to the resume. The cover letter is your chance to make
a good impression. Do you want to miss that opportunity?
Following are some easy tips:
- Use different words in your cover letter.
- Approach your background through another angle.
- Highlight the key points you want to make sure the recruiter
notices, so that he or she will look for those points in your
resume.
- Connect with the recruiter by telling him or her why you are
interested in the position and make your case in terms of how your
qualifications make you the most suited candidate for the job.
Resumes are meant to display your qualifications "objectively." Most
recruiters ask themselves "why should we call this candidate up for an
interview?" The answer to that question should be found in your cover
letter, with your resume used as a support.
Spark the Reader's Curiosity in your
Cover Letter
Monday, September 18,
2006
One major mistake often made by candidates is disregarding cover
letters. In that regard, it is so much easier to have a
generic cover letter and go from there, especially when you have to
send out hundreds of applications.
When sending out cover letters that are not tailored, it
demonstrates to employers that:
- you're not that interested in the position;
- you're not that hard working, because you don't want to go the
extra mile to tailor your application; and
- you are probably not a dedicated person.
Know what? They may be right.. or not... but they don't care because
they get to choose. Moreover, when a cover letter is not tailored, not
only does it show that the candidate is not interested, but it also
gives the impression that he or she is not interesting. This leads to
the next obvious question: why should we invite him or her for
an interview?
The cover letter resources section gives tips and examples of cover
letters that will illustrate how to write cover letters that will
reach employers.
Remember: The job application process is a competitive one. The job
will go to the person that best makes his or her case.
Applying to Job Postings Through E-mail
Saturday, May 20, 2006
One of the major mistakes that people do when applying to a job by
e-mail is letting go of the cover letter requirement. Somehow, when
applying online, there is no longer the need to make your case
through a good cover letter. As such, many candidates simply write
a short note and attach their resumes.
BIG MISTAKE! Indeed, applying online or by mail is not that
different. Either way, you are trying to convince the recruiter to
choose you. Why therefore should you let your guards down?
Another problem that comes with applying by e-mail is attaching your
resume. If you have Word Perfect or Microsoft Word, for
instance, the person receiving your resume can sometimes experience
formatting problems. That is due to the fact that they may not have
the same version as you (either an older or a newer version) or the
same program as you. A good advice would be to PDF any attachments
that you send out as part of your job application process.
Making a Connection With Your Cover
Letter
Monday,
April 24, 2006
Writing a good cover letter is more difficult than it seems. As
opposed to resumes, which are intended to have an objective tone to
them, cover letters go further and approach issues such as why a
candidate is interested in the job or why the candidate thinks he or
she would be a good fit. Indeed, a cover letter is and should be
more "argumentative" than a resume.
What differentiates a good cover letter from a poor one is the
connection it makes with the reader. A good cover letter will spark
the reader's interest and make him or her want to know more about
you. It will almost make the recruiter going through your
application feel "guilty" or feel like he or she could be missing
something if he or she rejects your application. A good cover
letter has that compelling factor that makes it stand above the
rest.
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