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Cover Letter Tips
7 Secrets for Amazing Cover Letters, Jimmy Sweeney
5 Cover Letter Mistakes
Effective Fax Cover Letter Strategies
Fax Cover Letters w/Free Fax Service
Does a fax cover sheet replace a regular cover letter?
Junk Cover Letters Kill Good Resumes
Cold-contact Cover Letter
Follow-up Letter
Job-specific Cover Letter
Purpose of a Cover Letter
Types of Cover Letters
How to Write a Job-Winning Cover Letter
Write Winning Cover Letters; Tips That Can Help You Land an
Interview
Sending a thank you letter is as important as interview preparation.
How to Start Your Cover Letter Off With a BANG!
5 Ways to Improve Your Cover Letter
Business Plan Cover Letter Advice Example Business Plan
Cover Letter included
How to Make My Cover Letter Unique?
Article contains sample clauses and ideas for making your cover
letters different.
What Does "Attachment" Mean at the End of a Letter?
Individualized Cover Letters?
How Do I Properly Address the Letters?
How Do I Add Salary Requirements?
Adding salary requirements to your letter properly will help
the reader.
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How To Write A Job-Winning Cover Letter
Whether you are searching for
a telecommuting job or a traditional job, you need a great cover letter
to go with your resume.
As a manager I've screened hundreds of applicants. During the process
of selecting candidates for interviews, it often comes down to the person's
cover letter as the deciding factor. Without a doubt, those who submit
a great cover letter with their resume have an edge. Although Human
Resource Managers and recruiters all have their own way of doing things,
here is my approach to looking at new applicants...
A
Good Resume Invites Recruiters to Read
Your
Cover Letter
I always look at a person's resume first. I quickly breeze over qualifications
and employment history. If they look promising in these areas, then
their cover letter gets my attention.
The cover letter provides insight to a person, e.g. how organized they
are by examining the presentation of the letter, whether they took the
time to find out anything about my company, whether they have had or
do have ties to the company, whether they have specified the job they
want, will they travel, etc.
The meat is in the resume - it provides facts for quickly assessing
your skills, achievements, and work history. If you look qualified for
a job via your resume, then your cover letter becomes the deciding factor
for a possible interview.
The Goal of a Cover Letter
The goal of your
cover letter is to introduce yourself
to the company and to sell yourself. If you do this well enough, you
are at the top of the list for an interview, assuming you are qualified
for the position. Advise for a Strong Cover Letter:
- Make it short. Definitely no more
than one page. Half a page is better. Two paragraphs is even better.
If you can whittle it down to that and make your case succinctly,
then you are proving yourself to be a great communicator. That's
a huge bonus in my book.
- Be professional and concise. Never
try to be humorous. Keep your tone on a "business only" level.
- Always put yourself in the best
light and never give hints that you may be under-qualified, even
if you think you are.
- Never mention work experience in
the cover letter that isn't included on your resume. This no-no
equals an automatic strike out.
- Make sure it contains no typos
or poor grammar. Have someone proof your letter before using it.
- Know what you are applying for.
Be specific. Know the job title. Never say you'll take anything
available. You are a professional. State the job title you are wanting
to be considered for in the first paragraph of your cover letter.
- I always ask candidates why they
want to work for me. This is where they have the opportunity to
impress me by saying something such as "Because your company is
the largest retailer of wireless communication devices, I feel strongly
that I should position my future with a leader in the industry."
Do you see what I mean? I want to know that they have done a little
research. I want to know that they understand my business and at
the same time they see a opportunity for self-fulfillment within
my company. This is information you include in the first paragraph
of the cover letter.
- Next, you must have a clear understanding
of the contributions you will make to the company. This is paragraph
number two. Ask yourself how your set of skills and past experiences
will directly impact the company. This paragraph can be called the
"What can you do for the company?" section.
- Never conclude a letter with a
flippant "I hope you call me" type of ending. Always specify a date
that you will follow-up with the company and how you will follow-up.
Applying these tips will help you to
be a step ahead of the pack. Recruiters routinely discard many applicants
based solely on a poorly
written cover letter. Since your goal
is to get in the door for an interview, taking the time to create a
winning cover letter is a tactic you
can't afford to skip!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brett Krkosska provides how-to advice on small business and home-based
work issues. His site, http://www.HomeBizTools.com, helps small businesses
reach their fullest potential. He is also the publisher of Straight
Talk, a fresh and original newsletter that offers a unique perspective
on today's business issues
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Learn more about
Jimmy Sweeney Cover Letter. How to write a cover letter that draws attention.
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Amazing Cover
Letters/Jimmy Sweeney Cover Letters
Learn to write a high-quality cover letter, and receive copies of his
award-winning
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How to Write: FREE Resume Service
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layout, design, and
write your resume. Details include
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emphasize upon, along with before and after resume examples.
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