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Articles and Information - Resume
Creating a Compelling Cover Letter
A powerfully written cover letter is necessary to land most interviews
and ensure job search success. When an advertised position creates
a pile of 100+ resumes, it becomes the responsibility of the hiring
personnel to shortlist the applications. Resumes without cover letters
are usually the first to go, followed by the ones with poorly written
cover letters. Avoid this fate by following these effective strategies:
Address your cover letter appropriately:
Be sure that you get the name of the hiring manager before sending
your resume, and address the letter to that individual. The proper
greeting will be either “Dear Mr. (Smith),” or “Dear Ms. (Smith).”
Avoid using Miss or Mrs., and do not address your letter to “Dear
Sirs,” as it is considered inappropriate. If you are unsure of your
contact’s gender, address them by their first and last name, as
in “Dear Pat Smith,” to avoid an embarrassing mistake. If you don’t
know the name of the hiring manager, simply use the greeting “Dear
Hiring Manager,”– it’s clear, to the point, and gender neutral.
Get to the point in your opening paragraph:
One of the most common interviewing questions employers ask is “Why
should I hire you among other candidates?” Provide an answer to
that question right off the bat in your opening paragraph. This
is a very important section because it is the first thing the employer
will read. It must be powerful and make an immediate impact. Be
sure sell yourself and your unique abilities. Do not use a generic
opening paragraph that can apply to any Tom, Dick or Harry.
Every line should sell you, so use aggressive language here and
throughout the rest of your cover letter. For example, instead of
writing “My background is in finance management, making me well-suited
for your advertised Corporate Finance Director position.” you can
write “A background in finance management and a proven record of
developing effective strategies that drive revenue, growth and shareholder
value make me a strong candidate for your advertised Corporate Finance
Director position.”
Show your interest and sell your accomplishments in the body of
the letter:
In this section, you need to show your interest in the job and the
company. Research is a key ingredient to a successful job search.
The more you are able to demonstrate your interest and knowledge
about a company, the better your chances are to secure an interview.
Get to know the company’s mission and new corporate initiatives,
and tell them how you can help them meet their objectives or resolve
their problems. Praise the company for public recognitions or recent
accomplishments. The employer will surely take notice of your active
interest.
Use “I” and “my” sparingly. Try not to use these words more than
six times in your cover letter. You need to focus on what you will
bring to the company and how you will help them improve their profitability.
Too much use of the word “I” will also make your letter look elementary
and poorly written.
For executive-level candidates and professionals with substantial
achievements, a bullet point format is often the most effective
and efficient way to highlight accomplishments. If you fall into
this category, be sure to keep the bullet point statements unique
and fresh. Do not copy and paste the exact same phrases from the
resume as it will make you look lazy. All sentences and achievements
transferred from the resume should be rephrased.
Close your letter with a strong paragraph:
In the closing paragraph, you need to address several issues. At
the very least, you need to ask for the interview and provide contact
information. This is also the ideal place to mention your salary
requirements (if the employer insists on it), or your desire to
relocate.
To demonstrate your drive and interest, mention that you will call
within a week to follow up. This is a great way to ensure the resume
was successfully received, and it creates an opportunity to establish
a dialog. However, do not mention this in your cover letter if you
do not intend to follow up.
In summation, an aggressive and dynamic cover letter will help you
stand out among the competition. Remember that the goal is to market
yourself – not to compose a dull biography.
This article is provided by www.AspirationsResume.com: Free evaluations.
Certified Writers. Guaranteed Results.
About the author:
Marie Plett is certified professional resume writer through the
Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW). She founded AspirationsResume.com
in 2003 and her advice has been published in the Chicago Tribune
and the Miami Herald. http://www.aspirationsresume.com
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