Tips
for Writing Better Cover Letters
by Melanie Keveles
Career Coach
Whether you
e-mail, fax or snail-mail your resume, you'll want to include
a cover letter. This document can direct the reader to the meat
of your resume and establish rapport between you and the potential
employer. Here are some important ideas to keep in mind as you
compose your letters:
- Purpose
- Not only does your letter serve as an ambassador for you,
introducing your credentials, but an effective letter must
also generate the reader's interest in you. Ultimately you
want to prompt a favorable reply.
- Audience
- Keep in mind the perspective of the person who will be reading
your letter. He/she is not interested in what YOU want, but
rather in what value you will bring to the organization. What
you convey should prove of interest enough to lead an employer
(or recruiter) to want to interview you.
- Structure
- A letter
should be composed of:
- introductory
paragraph
- that is
interest-generating
- states or
implies interest
- value-selling
paragraph that
- demonstrates
your ability to add value
- highlights
your key strengths and abilities
- background summary
that briefly describes your relevant education and experience
- statement that
either compels or insures follow-up action
- statement of
appreciation
- Point of View
- Write your letters in the first person; yet vary your sentences
with beginning phrases and clauses so that each line does
not start with "I."
- Match Needs
with Qualifications - List the requirements of the job
side-by-side with your qualifications for a response to a
job ad. Doing so will show the reader you have the right stuff
and will simplify the process of reading your letter.
- Good Writing
Requires Rewriting - Don't be satisfied with your first
draft. Let your first draft be a stream of consciousness.
After you let your ideas flow, go back and review your writing
for glaring grammatical errors. Edit to remove unnecessary
words and phrases. Limit your paragraphs to six or seven lines,
so you don't overwhelm the reader.
- Appearance
- Proof your letters carefully. Have someone else review
them. Don't rely on a computer spell-checker. A word may be
correctly spelled but inappropriate for the context.
- Networking
- A letter can be an entrée to a person who can lead you
to a job opportunity.
- Start with a
mention of the person who referred you to the contact.
- Provide a brief
summary of your career background.
- Maintain the
initiative by suggesting a meeting and that you will call
for an appointment.
- Follow Up Letters
- Every meeting and interview should result in a follow-up
letter. Reiterate the high points of the meeting and include
ideas that distinguish you from the pack.
- Stay in Touch
- Maintain visibility by sending letters periodically
to your key contacts. Look for articles of interest to include
to "gift" the receiver with information they can use to better
do their job.
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© 1999, by WorkLife Solutions, Inc., all rights reserved.
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