A powerfully written cover
letter is necessary to land most interviews and ensure job
search success. When an advertised position creates a pile
of 100+ resumes, it becomes the responsibility of the hiring
personnel to shortlist the applications. Resumes without cover
letters are usually the first to go, followed by the ones
with poorly written cover letters. Avoid this fate by following
these effective strategies:
Address your cover letter appropriately:
Be sure that you get the name of the hiring
manager before sending your resume, and address the letter
to that individual. The proper greeting will be either “Dear
Mr. (Smith),” or “Dear Ms. (Smith).” Avoid
using Miss or Mrs., and do not address your letter to “Dear
Sirs,” as it is considered inappropriate. If you are
unsure of your contact’s gender, address them by their
first and last name, as in “Dear Pat Smith,” to
avoid an embarrassing mistake. If you don’t know the
name of the hiring manager, simply use the greeting “Dear
Hiring Manager,”– it’s clear, to the point,
and gender neutral.
Get to the point in your opening paragraph:
One of the most common interviewing questions
employers ask is “Why should I hire you among other
candidates?” Provide an answer to that question right
off the bat in your opening paragraph. This is a very important
section because it is the first thing the employer will read.
It must be powerful and make an immediate impact. Be sure
sell yourself and your unique abilities. Do not use a generic
opening paragraph that can apply to any Tom, Dick or Harry.
Every line should sell you, so use aggressive
language here and throughout the rest of your cover letter.
For example, instead of writing “My background is in
finance management, making me well-suited for your advertised
Corporate Finance Director position.” you can write
“A background in finance management and a proven record
of developing effective strategies that drive revenue, growth
and shareholder value make me a strong candidate for your
advertised Corporate Finance Director position.”
Show your interest and sell your accomplishments
in the body of the letter:
In this section, you need to show your
interest in the job and the company. Research is a key ingredient
to a successful job search. The more you are able to demonstrate
your interest and knowledge about a company, the better your
chances are to secure an interview. Get to know the company’s
mission and new corporate initiatives, and tell them how you
can help them meet their objectives or resolve their problems.
Praise the company for public recognitions or recent accomplishments.
The employer will surely take notice of your active interest.
Use “I” and “my”
sparingly. Try not to use these words more than six times
in your cover letter. You need to focus on what you will bring
to the company and how you will help them improve their profitability.
Too much use of the word “I” will also make your
letter look elementary and poorly written.
For executive-level candidates and professionals
with substantial achievements, a bullet point format is often
the most effective and efficient way to highlight accomplishments.
If you fall into this category, be sure to keep the bullet
point statements unique and fresh. Do not copy and paste the
exact same phrases from the resume as it will make you look
lazy. All sentences and achievements transferred from the
resume should be rephrased.
Close your letter with a strong paragraph:
In the closing paragraph, you need to
address several issues. At the very least, you need to ask
for the interview and provide contact information. This is
also the ideal place to mention your salary requirements (if
the employer insists on it), or your desire to relocate.
To demonstrate your drive and interest,
mention that you will call within a week to follow up. This
is a great way to ensure the resume was successfully received,
and it creates an opportunity to establish a dialog. However,
do not mention this in your cover letter if you do not intend
to follow up.
In summation, an aggressive and dynamic
cover letter will help you stand out among the competition.
Remember that the goal is to market yourself – not to
compose a dull biography.
This article is provided by www.AspirationsResume.com:
Free evaluations. Certified Writers. Guaranteed Results.
About the author:
Marie Plett is certified professional resume
writer through the Professional Association of Resume Writers
(PARW). She founded AspirationsResume.com in 2003 and her
advice has been published in the Chicago Tribune and the Miami
Herald. http://www.aspirationsresume.com
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