 |
Cover Letters - Tips On Doing It Right!
How
you write your cover letter is as important as the
message it delivers. Your letter is an example of
how well you communicate... no employer wants to
hire people who can't do so effectively. With that
in mind, here are some tips on making your cover
letter look and sound professional.
-
Personalize the letter. Whenever possible, address
your cover to the individual responsible for
filling the position. A generic salutation sends
the message that you aren't familiar with the
company; such an impression won't convince the
reader that you're enthusiastic about the job.
Likewise, "To whom it may concern" will probably
concern no one. And "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam" are
ill advised--don't risk alienating or offending
your reader.
-
If necessary, make a phone call, visit the library
or use the Internet to find out the name and title
of the person who does the hiring. Then make sure
to get the spellings correct. Remember, the hiring
manager will be looking for people who set
themselves apart. Take the time to find out who's
in charge. Take the initiative!
-
Be natural. Use simple, uncomplicated language and
sentence structure. Don't try to sound like
someone else, particularly if that means using
unnaturally formal language, convoluted sentences
and words you've never used before (perhaps
misusing them in the process). You may mean to
impress, but you'll often sound awkward. Write as
you would speak. Be formal, but don't be a stiff.
Say things in a simple, straightforward way, and
don't rely on a thesaurus. As with your resume,
use action words to create dynamic sentences.
-
Be specific and get to the point. Your cover
letter must be intriguing enough to get the reader
to look at the resume, but should be only an
introduction to the resume, not a repeat of it.
Make sure you answer the question, "Why should I
hire this person?"
-
Avoid using clichés, like "I've taken the liberty
of enclosing my resume," or "I'm a people person."
It's difficult to sell yourself as unique if your
letter reads like every other one in the pile.
Remember ... yours is just one of many they will
read today!
-
Be positive. Don't complain about your boss or
describe your present or previous work experience
as "boring." Nobody wants to hire somebody with an
attitude. Above all, don't sound like you're
begging for a job. A hiring manager may wonder why
you're so desperate.
-
Be confident, but not arrogant. Don't be negative
or too humble. Tell them you're qualified for the
job, but don't demand it. Don't profess to know
more about the company than you really do. Explain
why you find the company attractive (there must be
some reason or you shouldn't be writing) and leave
it at that.
-
Be polite and professional. You may be a comedian
with your friends, but a potential employer should
be treated with respect.
-
Be efficient. Don't waste space (and the reader's
time) on unnecessary details. Respect the
employer's time--make sure every sentence has
something to do with explaining your interest in
the company, illustrating how you'll fill the
company's needs, and how you'll contact the
company in the near future.
-
Type your letter, but beware of the dangers of
word processing. If you send a similar letter to
several companies, make sure that you change all
customized statements accordingly; no company
wants to read how much you'd like to work for
their competitor. Carefully read each letter
before you sign it.
-
Be available. Remember to tell the employer how to
reach you. Give a phone number which will be
reliably answered by either a person or an
answering machine. If possible, include an e-mail
address.
-
Do not leave the ball in the employer's court.
Indicate what reaction you expect from your letter
and how you will follow up. For example, don't end
with "I look forward to hearing from you soon."
-
Proofread. Check carefully for grammar and
spelling mistakes, then check again. Typos and
grammatical errors say a lot about the kind of
work you do. Don't depend entirely on the
spell-check function of your word processor; if
you use "there" for "their," for example,
spell-check won't notice. Keep a dictionary handy
for proper word usage and consult a style manual
for grammar questions.
-
Sign it. If you forget this, the employer may feel
like you've sent a form letter.
-
Package it nicely. Print your resume and cover
letter on the same paper stock; the uniformity
will look professional. Use only printers that
produce neat, readable text with no stray marks or
smudges. If possible, avoid using a dot-matrix
printer or a manual type writer.
-
Keep one for yourself. Make a copy of each letter
sent for future reference.
|
|
