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What Makes the Best Resume Cover Letters?
The key ingredient to your responses to any job openings are your resume cover letters. These letters are like book covers. Fair or not, we naturally do judge a book by its cover. And an interesting cover is usually what grabs our attention and pulls us in to find out more.
Your cover letter is like that proverbial book cover. When you send your resume out, the person who receives it will often take at least a cursory glance over your cover letter. This is your chance to give them a reason to want to know more about you. It is your chance to show why the book should be opened up.
You should write a different cover letter for every position. If a name is listed in the advertisement, use it. Never use a generic Dear Sir or Madam when you can address the letter specifically.
As you are writing your cover letter, refer back to the description in the job opening. You want to show that you have read the advertisement carefully and are writing the letter just for that position. Indicate where you saw the ad posted. Repeat phrases that were in the ad (but not too many). Again, you want to indicate that you are conscious of what they are looking for in a prospective applicant. So, if the ad says you need to be detail oriented, go ahead and say that this is one of your skills.
Of course, anyone can parrot what has been written in the advertisement. So, you say that you are extremely detail oriented. Then you follow that up with a statement about how the reader can see from your resume that you are, indeed, detail oriented by mentioning a position where that was necessary. For example, maybe you were a proofreader for a major advertising agency for three years.
Show enthusiasm for the position. Express that you are interested in the industry and give reasons why you are excited about the opportunity. Let them know how you see yourself as a good fit for the specific position and the company. Give specific examples and refer back to the resume. This may go together with the prior example.
Sign off confidently, saying that you look forward to meeting with them and showing them how you can help them meet their goals. And always thank them for their time and consideration.
The final step is proofreading, and you must be very thorough with this. It is never a bad idea with job applications to have someone else read over letters and resumes. Misspellings or grammatical errors in cover letters will make you appear careless and as if you do not really have much interest in the position, regardless of what you have stated in the letter. The prospective employer will be concerned that your work will reflect the same carelessness.
As with any first impression, you only have the opportunity for one. And resume cover letters are just that, they form the first impression that a potential employer will have of you. However, with the guidelines above, there is a good chance that your first impression will be successful and, especially if your resume is just as good, you will be asked in for an interview.
About the Author Working on creating a successful cover letter stop at http://www.job-cover-letters.com/2009/10/tips-for-writing-a-successful-cover-letter/ today. Spiff up your resume cover letters and get results. All it takes is a visit to http://www.job-cover-letters.com.
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