Copyright © 2000 by Kevin Donlin
In a nutshell, your cover letter should say, "I'm the right person for the
job. I have unique skills and experience that will help your company right
away. I hope you're as excited about this as I am." The accompanying resume
should then prove your case.
Put another way, the cover letter is the advertisement for your resume.
To get your resume read, and to get that job interview, your cover letter
must do the following six things.
- Focus on the needs of employers and how you would solve their problems.
Employers have problems. That's why they're hiring! Your cover letter should
say (although not in so many words): "I'm the answer to your problems."
- Display knowledge of the company. With the glut of information available
on the Internet and most public libraries, you should be able to drop one or
two facts/names into your cover letter to show you've done your homework on
the company and its products, needs, challenges, etc. If you offer
well-researched suggestions that will work right away for a company, they
WILL call you.
- Briefly state your best qualifications AND achievements. Don't spend a
lot of time rehashing your resume. But do include enough tidbits to generate
interest in the mind of the reader.
- Show your enthusiasm about the job. Avoid sounding like 90% of
applicants, who say (not in so many words): "Give me a job where I can
advance and make more money." Instead, convey this: "I'm excited about the
possibility of bringing my skills to work for you."
- State that you will follow up to schedule an interview. If you politely
inform the reader that you'll be calling within a few days to answer any
questions and schedule an in-person interview, you set yourself apart from
the crowd with your determination and confidence.
- Keep your letter short and focused. Most letters ramble on in
excruciating detail for one or even two full pages. Show respect for the
limited time your reader has and limit yourself to four, five or six
paragraphs at most.
Best of luck to you!
-- By Kevin Donlin of Guaranteed Resumes, a resume service.
Since 1995, Guaranteed Resumes has provided resumes, Internet resumes, cover
letters and job searches for clients in 44 states and 23 countries.
For more information, point your browser to
http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
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