April 22nd, 2011
You Need an Effective Cover Letter Now More Than Ever
If you have never given much thought to a cover letter, or if it has always been second fiddle to everything else; then it’s time for a paradigm shift.
When unemployment is low or jobs are plentiful; cover letters might not be that important. Heck, I got most my jobs with a hand shake. After I started work, my boss’s assistant would call and asked if I could forward a resume to HR when I had time. That’s the way to go – network and get hired through personal contact.
But that’s not always doable, I know.
Competition in the job market is fierce today and companies are more cautious than a cat when it comes to hiring. Still, companies are hiring. Companies do need good help. Your job is to simply distinguish yourself from the rest of the market.
For most job seekers, the principle tools in separating from the pack is the resume and cover letter – yes – the cover letter.
Here’s the fundamental truth about resumes – 99% of them all look the same. Most are either chronological, functional, or a combination of the two. Resumes are, by its nature, sterile and formal. It is documentation of past performance, used in hopes of predicting future performance.
As with stocks, though, it does not always hold true. Hiring managers, knowing this, will only give each resume what its due. With 100’s of resumes in front of her, a hiring manager will give each resume a few seconds.
Most resume also lack a “voice” to make it persuasive. It is after all a document of facts.
Your voice is your cover letter.
That is the beauty of a compellingly written cover letter. That is what can separate you from the pack.
A well written letter both introduces you while highlighting the skills that will make you successful in this new job. It answers the question, “what can this person do for me, for this company?” without having the hiring manager attempting to decipher it from the resume.
The cover letter gives you the opportunity to sell yourself. More importantly, it gives you the opportunity to ask directly for an interview. Between two equal resumes, the one with a compelling letter that asks for interview could be the one that gets the interview.
It gives you an opportunity to name drop, and to use endorsements. The power of name dropping in a cover letter is not to be underestimated. A third party endorsement that is relevant can grab a hiring manager’s attention.
Read this review of the OneClick Cover Letter Creator for more thoughts and ideas.
If you are not including a cover letter with your resume, or not spending the time to put together an effective letter; then you are shortchanging yourself. You need every advantage you can find. Use it to your best advantage.
Now write your best and most effective cover letter with free advice, guidelines, and examples at http://www.LandingOnYourFeet.com. While you’re at it, sign up for the newsletter with free EBooks and resources to help you. Loaded with great articles to help you find a job, this is where to go for commonsense, straight shooting info.
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