Just How Important Is Your Cover Letter
Sep 30th, 2007 by emgra
The resume cover letter is one of the most powerful tools in the job-seekers arsenal, yet it is the least understood and frequently very little effort is put into writing it. More often than not, any old template is modified by changing the job title and company name. It’s simply seen as an unimportant document to accompany the resume … basically a form of protocol.
In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. In many ways your cover letter is more important than your resume because it gets read first and if the employer is not impressed, your cover letter and resume will end up in the trash bin.
I am not going to go into a lot of detail on cover letter writing today … what I want to achieve is an understanding of it’s importance and the basic structure that should be employed. To do this, I am going to discuss some basic principles and then refer you to “real life” examples that clearly illustrates the theory.
Because you cannot put everything in your resume, a little trick is to slip it into your covering letter … accounts manager cover letter.
Also, never be afraid to ask for an interview. This will never be held against you and in most cases will create a positive impression … agriculturist cover letter.
Commencing your sentences with an eye catching comment or statement is a good way to get the hiring managers attention and improve your chances of getting an interview … chief architect cover letter.
You should already be getting the hang of this. A lot of small simple changes to your cover writing technique can make big differences to the number of job interviews you get invited to.
You also have a great opportunity to display your individuality in your cover letter that you cannot always do in a formal document such as a resume. This is where you can really personalize your application and make yourself stand out from the crowd … executive chefs cover letter.
Telling the employer exactly how you got to hear about the position is always helpful and helps to create a rapport … charter pilot cover letter.
Some people concentrate on the beginning of the letter and neglect the end. This is a big mistake, as there are many ways you can use this to your advantage … financiers cover letter.
A strong conclusion leaves a lasting and positive impression … tellers cover letter.
Don’t be afraid to suggest a personal meeting with the employer. This would indicate to them that you understand the importance of inter-personal relationships … barmans cover letter.
Whenever competition for a position is likely to be particularly tough, it is even more important for your letter to present you in a way that differentiates you from the rest of the applicants … male actors cover letter.
Try to stamp your own personality in your cover letter to give it a personal touch. This tends to make you a “real person” in the eyes of the hiring managers. After all, relationships and how people ‘gel together’ can play a big part in the selection process … osteopath cover letter.
I hope the above tips give you something concrete to apply when you write your next cover letter. If you would like some more detailed information you can do so by going to the resume cover letters home page.