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Write A Dynamite Cover Letter To
Improve Your Chances
Nimish Thakkar, MS, MBA,
CCMC, CPRW, SaiCareers.com,
New York
Your
cover letter, that one page that
accompanies a
resume, does more than just introduce you. If written
well, it could synergize the impact of your
resume, cover potential
red flags, and even improve your chances of getting an
interview.
Churning out (merely copying) a
cover letter that appears in sample
books (or on hundreds of websites) will only prove to be a
self-defeating exercise. The samples were written for the
individuals concerned; copying them verbatim would make you look like
someone else. Carefully planning goes into writing a great
cover letter, the one that is visibly different from ordinary ones.
There is plenty of advice that tells you how to write a
cover letter.
The purpose of this article is to go a step further -- to help you
write a
dynamite cover letter.
Most candidates appear to be in such a hurry to write
resumes and
cover letters, they often land up writing documents that mirror -- as
opposed to compliment -- each other. Why would a potential employer
want to read the same information twice? Both the
cover letter and
resume share a common goal: to get you “face time” with employers.
Despite the common goal, there are inherent differences between the
two. A
cover letter should briefly -- but persuasively -- summarize
your qualifications, motivating the screener to read a more detailed
resume as
well. This document may also be a good place to cover red flags (only
if very necessary) and cover content that generally does not go on the
resume.
Careful reflection, research, and strategy form the very foundation of
a well-written
cover letter. Let us examine each of these in further
detail:
Reflection
Take stock of your
career accomplishments and offerings.
(How did you benefit your past employers?) What distinguishes you?
Research
What are the employers looking for? The job postings you are
responding to could be a great resource for researching such
information. In addition to job postings, you must also research
profiles of competing job seekers (this will help you understand your
competition). Understanding the company you are applying to is another
critical step in the research process. What problems do they
currently face? How can you help?
Strategy
Reflection and research should be used as steppingstones for
the formation of strategies. Remember, a cover letter needs to be
based
on a well-thought-out strategy, the focus of which should be to
position you. The strategy should revolve around the popular interview
question: “why should we hire you?” Make a list of convincing
arguments that would compel potential employers to consider your case.
Related Information:
Ten Tips For Writing A Good Cover Letter
What To Avoid On A Cover Letter
Cover Letter Sample
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We hope you enjoyed
the following article: "Write A Dynamite Cover Letter To Improve
Your Chances"
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