Cover Letter Writing

Get advice from a career expert on how to write a successful resume cover letter.

Cover Letter Q & A

by Kevin Donlin

How to write a cover letter is a baffling topic for many job seekers.

Are you struggling to put one together? Keep this in mind -- your cover letter is one long answer to this question: "Why should I read your resume and call you for an interview?"

Here are four ways to answer that question and get called for an interview.

1) Build rapport.

Cover letters are read by people, so address yours to a person. NEVER start your cover letter with such cliches as "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To whom it may concern."

Take that extra two minutes to call the employer and get the recipient's name. Ask the receptionist, "I'm writing a letter to the person who manages (your target department). May I have the correct spelling please?" This will set you apart from most applicants.

If that fails, begin your letter with, "Dear Employer." It sounds confident and will stand out.

2) Avoid stating the obvious.

We know you're a quick learner, honest and hard working. So are the other 500 applicants who want this job. Don't waste precious space in your cover letter saying so.

Instead, use the cover letter to display your knowledge of the company, the industry and even to share specific recommendations you have for problems or opportunities you've researched.

Example: "With 10 years of retail management experience and a record of rapid advancement, I have found at least three ways to increase sales at your Edina, MN location by $250,000 -- or more -- this year. May I discuss them with you?"

3) Stick to one page in length.

Doing this proves you can prioritize your thoughts and present them concisely -- both admirable qualities. Also, it shows respect for your busy reader, who may have hundreds more cover letters and resumes to wade through.

The cover letters I write for clients have an opening paragraph, three or four fact-filled bullet points to build the reader's interest, and a closing paragraph.

This usually comes out to five or six paragraphs that never exceed one page.

4) Get input from friends ... and strangers.

When you finish your one-page masterpiece, give it to three friends and ask for their first impressions and overall opinion. Their advice is important.

Then, ask your friends to show it to three people you don't know. The feedback you get from these strangers will be as important or more so, since they won't be concerned about hurting your feelings.

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Cover Letter Strategies

Use six strategies recommended by a career expert to improve the effectiveness of your resume cover letters.
Cover Letter Strategies

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.

1. 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."
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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."
5. 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.
6. 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!

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Cover Letter Questions

Find answers to four of the most common questions about resume cover letters.

Cover Letter Questions

by Kevin Donlin

Are you struggling to write a cover letter?

If so, you've got company. I get dozens of questions about writing cover letters every week from people like you.

Here are four of the most common cover letter questions, with answers to guide you!

Q. I don't know the recipient's name -- how should I start my cover letter?

A. Whatever you do, avoid such cliches as "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To whom it may concern."

If possible, call the target employer and get an actual name of an actual recipient. This will set you apart from most applicants.

If that fails, try writing: "Dear employer." It has a confident ring about it, without sounding pretentious.

Q. How long should my cover letter be?

A. Confine yourself to one page. Anything longer says to the reader: "Hello. I have no idea how to prioritize my thoughts. Care to hear my life story?" Not effective.

Q. The classified ad asks me to include my expected salary. What should I say?

A. Nothing.

This may sound controversial, but I advise you NOT to answer questions of salary.

Why?

Employers ask about salary to screen out candidates who are over-qualified or under-qualified (in their minds). But how can they judge you accurately before they've ever spoken to you? Instead, I recommend you say this: "My salary requirements are negotiable."

Q. What's the purpose of a cover letter, anyway? Do I really need to send one?

A. Yes and no.

While it may not be necessary if you plan to hand deliver your resume or apply for an internal position, a cover letter is essential if you're applying for jobs in the newspaper or on the Internet.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, "Your cover letter can make or break whether your resume goes into the 'yes' pile or the 'no' pile. A really terrific cover letter can change the reader's mind."

Use your cover letter to show off your knowledge of the company and the industry. And be sure to convey your enthusiasm for the job -- enthusiasm sells.

Think of your cover letter as vermouth and your resume as gin. Separately, each has its own merits, but when combined with care, they create something special.

Best of luck to you!

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Job Interview Blunders

Learn about the top five job interview blunders and how to avoid them.

Beware of the Top 5 Interview Mistakes

by Deborah Walker

We've all heard stories of job candidates who looked great on paper but who were absolute disasters in person. With fewer interview opportunities available in our competitive job market, it's essential to make the best possible first impression. Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid these top five worst interview blunders:

1. Not preparing for the tough interview questions.

Like every job seeker, you probably have your own set of tough interview questions you hope will never be asked. The best strategy is to prepare ahead of time with answers to ALL of these questions. A career coach can be a great resource for helping you work out suitable answers with a positive spin on negative or challenging career situations.

2. Failure to match communication styles.

Making a great first impression is easier to do when you communicate effectively with your interviewer. The best way to do this is by mirroring his or her communication style. Allowing your interviewer to set the tone of the conversation will put him or her at ease and makes the conversation flow more naturally.

For instance:

* If the interviewer seems all business, don't attempt to loosen him or her up with a joke or story. Be succinct and businesslike.

* If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his or her interests. Often personal items on display in the office can be a clue.

* If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow up by asking if more information is needed.

3. Talking too much.

In my recruiting days, I abhorred over-talkative candidates, and so did most of my client employers who interviewed these candidates. Over-talking takes several forms:

* Taking too long to answer direct questions. The impression: This candidate just can't get to the point.

* Nervous talkers. The impression: This candidate is covering up something or is outright lying. To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Using role-playing in preparing for your interview will help you avoid excessive, nervous talking.

4. Saying negative things about your current or past employers or managers.

Even if your last boss was Attila the Hun, avoid stating your ill feelings about the person or work situation. No matter how reasonable your complaints, your negative comments will be viewed as disrespect towards your boss. When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.

5. Giving away too much salary and earnings information.

Candidates often weaken their future earning potential by speaking too freely about their current income. No matter the official salary range of the position you are interviewing for, your current earnings have an enormous effect on the size of the offer. Investing in a career coach to help you answer salary questions can add thousands of dollars to your new job offer.

You already know that it takes a strong resume that sets you apart as a candidate of choice to be invited for an interview. The next step is to hone your interviewing skills to actually win job offers. Polishing your interviewing skills can mean the difference between getting the job and being a runner-up.

Deborah Walker, CCMC

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Cover Letter Makeover

Dramatically improve the effectiveness of your resume cover letters with helpful tips from a career expert.

I, Me, My -- A Cover Letter Makeover

by Kevin Donlin

Since your cover letter is written by you and for the job that you want, it may seem natural spend a lot of time talking about you and your skills/qualifications.

Unfortunately, this often produces myopic (or "I-opic") cover letters...and poor results.

Remember that all employers listen to the same radio station: WII-FM. That stands for "What's In It For Me?"

To stand out from a stack of cover letters, yours must focus less on you and more on the results you can deliver.

If you do nothing else, try replacing the words "I", "me" and "my" with "you" wherever possible. This will put the emphasis back where it belongs -- on the employer and his/her problems.

Here's a before-and-after example of an actual cover letter. Note the number of times "I" and "my" appear:

"I am enclosing my resume for your review because I am very interested in obtaining a full-time position as an Investment Banking Analyst at Ace Financial.

"I am well qualified for this position. In addition to the strong quantitative and analytical skills I have developed as an undergraduate economics major and in my work experience, I have a proven ability to stay focused for long hours under pressure."

There are five instances of "I" and two of "my."

Now, here's that same cover letter, revised to focus more on the reader:

"I am applying for the position of Investment Banking Analyst where my combination of economics training and high-tech experience will add value to your operations. Please consider the following:

"You will gain from my strong financial background, which includes a recent bachelor's degree in economics, coupled with experience researching and trading securities as a successful investor (resulting in returns of 200%)."

Just one "I" and two "mys" -- a 57% reduction. With "you" and "your" thrown in twice for good measure.

Replacing "I" with "you" is an old advertising trick that's worked for decades. (Read any good advertisement and you'll always find "you" and "your" sprinkled liberally throughout.) And what's your cover letter? Essentially, it's an advertisement for your resume...which is an advertisement for you.

So follow the rules of the world's most successful advertising copywriters. Focus on "you," the reader, to dramatically improve the effectiveness of your cover letters.

Best of luck to you!

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Cover Letter Guide

Follow a guide on cover letter writing developed by professional resume writers.

Cover Letters: Your First Chance to Impress

ResumeEdge.com

by ResumeEdge.com - The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service

Hiring managers routinely receive responses from hundreds, perhaps thousands, of applicants for any given job. To avoid having your resume sink in this sea of paper, it's imperative to write a cover letter that stands out from the crowd and makes a good first impression.

A compelling cover letter that follows five essential rules will convince a hiring manager to read an applicant's resume.

Rule #1 - Appearance

The resume and cover letter must be aesthetically pleasing and consistent in appearance. This would include using the same heading and fonts in each, both produced on a high-quality printer and paper (if documents are being "snail-mailed"). Save the designer stationery and stylish fonts for writing letters to friends. A professional employment package never sets a casual tone.

Rule #2 - Target Your Audience

Always use the hiring manager's name in the salutation. If the contact's name isn't provided in the job posting, a bit of Internet research or a well-structured phone call can produce results. In using the contact's name, the cover letter is personalized, while also showing the applicant's interest in the company. Remember, a letter addressed "Dear Sir or Madam" or worse, "To Whom It May Concern," has the same impact as one addressed "Dear Occupant."

Rule #3 - A Strong Opening

A dynamic opening paragraph is essential to capture and retain a hiring manager's interest. Pared down to basics, for a quick and effective read, it should include a reference to the position sought and a brief statement as to why the applicant feels qualified to fill the job. Emphasis should always be placed on what the applicant can do for the targeted company, while also providing quantifiable proof as to why this is true.

Rule #4 - Showcasing Accomplishments

Include a bulleted area to emphasize accomplishments pertinent to the targeted job. Not only does this break up large blocks of text that a hiring manager might find daunting, but it also draws the eye towards the most important part of the cover letter - what the applicant has to offer.

Rule #5 - A Proactive Closing

Always initiate further action at the end of a cover letter. A proactive closing indicates that the applicant will call within a few days to see if a time might be scheduled to meet. To wait for a hiring manager to take that first step is to risk losing the opportunity to another candidate.

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Cover Letter Design

Get advice from professional resume writers on how to design cover letters.

Formatting Your Cover Letter

ResumeEdge.com

by ResumeEdge.com - The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service

Because a cover letter is your first chance to make a lasting impression with a hiring manager, it must be professional. To accomplish this:

1. Always use the same heading for your cover letter that you have used in your resume.

2. Whenever possible, use the hiring manager's name. This personalizes the document and shows attention to detail.

3. Include in your opening paragraph what job you're interested in and a specific reason as to why you feel qualified for this position.

4. Include in the body of the letter the specific experience, skills or accomplishments from your past that dovetail with the requirements of the new job. This data should be bulleted, rather than presented in a solid block of text. The human eye is drawn to bulleted areas, and they provide the data in an easy-to-read format, so that the hiring manager can digest the information from one sentence before moving on to the others.

Examples of bulleted areas follow:

As my enclosed resume indicates, my background includes more than two decades of service at US Flight with significant experience in:

* Aircraft accident investigation as a member of the US Flight disaster team.

* Security checkpoints, where I handled countless calls for assistance.

* Training the Ground Security team to protect and promote public safety.

In addition to the above skills, I can also offer your firm:

* More than 30 years of experience in the airline industry.

* Expertise in dealing with government agencies, including the FAA where I facilitated communications to reduce company fines.

* Reduced absenteeism and occupational injuries -- standards I maintained at US Flight, where I achieved the best employee safety record of all US Flight cities.

5. If the letter is being addressed to a specific hiring manager, close your letter proactively indicating that you will be contacting the hiring manager's office within the next week to see if you might set up a time to meet.

Sending Your Cover Letter by "Snail" Mail

With today's technology, most resumes and cover letters are sent as attachments via email. However, if you have reason to send your cover letter and resume by "snail" mail, the documents should be printed on good bond paper (20 lbs.) with a watermark. Choose a color that evokes professionalism; the best choices are white or cream, though a light gray can also be considered.

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Career Change Resumes

Looking for a career change? Get helpful advice on how to write your resume.

I'm Changing Careers -- How Do I Format My Resume?

by Ann Baehr

The best resume format to use is the combination resume. This resume format is not chronological nor functional. It combines both! It is extremely flexible and allows you to use strategies in a way that would normally be considered wrong.

The difference between the combination format and the chronological format is that the chronological format resume is very easy to follow. The hiring manager will typically start to read the chronological resume at the bottom of the work history or professional experience section (heading depends on your career level) and will continue reading his or her way up towards the top to trace your career history. If there are employment gaps, it will be obvious because it is difficult to hide breaks in employment using this resume format. This is why most hiring mangers prefer the chronological resume format. It is easy to read and leaves little to the imagination. This can be a great advantage (marketing tool) if you have been in the same type of position because it shows continuity and progression in your industry.

But what happens when you've held different types of positions across several industries? Reasons for gaps in employment and holding too many or unrelated jobs include raising children, caring for a family member, illness, returning to college, corporate downsizing or merger, joining the military, and difficulty finding work for long stretches of time because of a tight job market or weak resume! So, the first thing you will need to do is toss your old resume. It will not help you to change your career. You need to make a fresh start!

Create a resume that clearly indicates at the top what type of position you are seeking.

Include a career summary section that highlights where you've been in your career. being careful to only mention what would be of most interest to this particular company. Emphasize your transferable experience and skills that match the qualifications of the position (if there is a job ad, study it and do your best to make a connection between the position's requirements and what you've done. Do not use the exact wording!).

Use a keywords section to list transferable skills so the reader can find them immediately. This is also important if the company uses resume scanning technology. This will ensure your resume is retrieved from the company's database in response to a keyword search.

Under your Professional Experience section or Work History (again, depends on your background), present your experience in functional sections such as General Management, Sales Management, Staff Training and Supervision, Budget Planning and Tracking , etc.

Take ALL of the experience you've gained over the years and categorize it into skill areas that the new position requires. If the company is seeking someone to manage budgets, and you managed budgets ten years ago and four years ago, but not in your last two jobs, then list the collective experience under a Budget category.

Continue this formula until each respective category has a minimum of four bulleted sentences or two two-lined sentences to support the name of the heading. It is a good idea to have at least three categories to show how well rounded you are.

Below this section, list the companies, locations, job titles, and dates. You can either create a separate section named Work History if you've already called the above section Professional Experience, or simply list the section without a main heading as part of the main section. It will be understood. Or, you can start the section off with the company names and dates followed by the functional categories. In other words, flip it.

The most common problem with this resume format is identifying where your experience was gained. But, that's the whole idea. If they are interested in what you can do, they will call you in for the interview. It is at that time you can explain the how, when, where, and why of it all. It will make for great conversation--which by the way, a job interview should be. A meeting between two people with a common interest (the position) who engage in conversation in a professional manner.

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