![]() Have others read for errors and make suggestions, if appropriate. Check carefully for spelling and grammatical errors.Ask for an interview or give information on your proactive follow-up plans.HINT: Do this and you will stand out from most of the competition. Show that you have done your homework on the company and the reviewer.Explain any items in your resume (work gaps, reasons for changing jobs, etc.) that may be questioned by the reader.Express some personality and creativity.Customize each letter for the specific position, company, and potential employer.Give specific information and examples of how your skills and experience relate directly to the new position. One more letter that says "I'm responsible and enjoy working with people" may just send the exhausted hiring manager over the edge! WARNING:Ī quick word of caution: Generalities and hollow statements must be avoided at all cost. ![]() Show them that you understand the job requirements and explain how you will exceed their expectations. Employers skim hundreds of resumes and cover letters, looking for the few that grab their attention. First and foremost, understand that employers want employees with excellent writing skills-don't disappoint them in the cover letter. Covering it upĪ well-written cover letter is the key to bridging the gap between your resume and the job requirements. Your approach must be well-planned for a specific employer and a specific position. Trust me, this will not happen with a generic cover letter sent to both Jerry's Jerky Shack and Boeing Aerospace Division. They must be able to see how you, above all other applicants, will make them shine. They have to see the real benefits that you offer the position. You have to create in the mind of your potential employer a curiosity and interest in YOU. They want that little voice in the back of your head to scream "I NEED THAT!" Unless advertisers can appeal to a need or a want in your life, and can make a connection with you, they won't be successful in getting you to buy their product. You have to learn to think in terms of benefit selling.Įvery advertisement that you see on television, hear on the radio, or see in a magazine is trying to appeal to a need or a want. Hold on a minute! Before you fire up the word processor, you've got some work to do. Your job is to figure out exactly what the employer wants, and to make it clear that YOU have it. Ask yourself, "What entices me to buy one product over another? What is it about one product that catches my attention?" Guess what-your potential employer is going through the same thought process with your cover letter. How well your letter sells you in the first five seconds will determine whether your resume will be considered or tossed.Ĭonsider how you react to advertising and packaging. You are marketing and selling yourself to the recipient of your resume. A well-written cover letter will make you stand out, and will open the door to the next step of selling yourself-the interview. They are the attention-getters that pique interest and entice others to read more about you. Cover letters are your personal headline. You are now selling the most important product in the world-YOU. A little extra effort will help you get an interview. A cover letter can make a great first impression if done poorly, it can send your resume on an express journey to the trash can. This is about selling the greatest product in the world-You! Don't take it lightly.
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