Cover Letter Writing
When writing your cover letter (and resume), keep in mind
that the reviewer is only interested in one thing; the
facts. Do not think of your cover letter as an
autobiography; it should be brief and to the point.
Purpose of the cover letter
The purpose of the cover letter and resume should be one
thing – it should demonstrate that you meet or exceed the
requirements listed in the job description. It should
demonstrate that you’re interested in the position, and that
you are available to accept the position if offered.
Additional information beyond this can be counterproductive,
as it dilutes the core purpose of the cover letter and
resume. Things to Avoid in your cover
letter
- Negatives:
When writing the cover letter,
avoid negatives. A cover letter is not the place to
explain why you left or are leaving an employer, why
there are gaps in your employment dates, etc. These
"negatives" are best delivered in person during the
interview so that your personality and can counter
them.
Salary History:
Try to avoid a salary history in the cover letter. Even
if the position specifically asks for your salary
history, providing this information will more likely to
cost you a job than not. If the job ad specifically says
that resumes without a salary history will not be
considered, give a historical salary range, and state
that your salary requirements are flexible based on the
opportunity the position will provide.
Layout of the cover letter
- Spend time thinking about the layout of your letter, and
make it sure that it is easy on the eyes. It should be
easy to scan the letter, and have a logical progression.
Keep in mind, the reviewer of your resume has 100's (if
not 1,000s) of cover letters and resumes to look at,
therefore make it easy for him/her to find the
information you want to highlight. Bunched up text in
long paragraphs will frustrate anyone who has to review
hundreds of resumes and cover letters a week. In
addition to the layout, don't just repeat your resume.
Your cover letter is not a summary of your resume;
instead, its an introduction of yourself and an argument
for why you are the best candidate for their company and
the specific position - ie - avoid the generic cover
letter.
PLEASE DO NOT use platitudes and
clichés in your cover letter. Resume reviewers do this
for a living. They know that almost every candidate
promises "excellent written and verbal communication
skills", and the ability to "think outside the box" and
"juggle multiple tasks". The point here is to be
different and stand out. The goal is to demonstrate your
written communication skills by writing a good cover
letter writing – Cutting and pasting a phrase from a cover
letter / resume book is not impressive.
Personalize your cover letter
- As noted above, personalize your cover letter if
possible. Your cover letter should be addressed to a
specific person - avoid the "Dear Sir or Madam". Form
letters insult the reviewer's intelligence and indicate
that you, the writer, are broadcasting his/her resume to
every employer in the area. Or you have not made an
effort to learn more about the company. Generic/canned
cover letters can lead to failure. Even if you do not
know the name of the recipient, you usually can find a
contact name at the company fairly easily.
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