Cover Letter Resource Packet (Page 3 of 15) in pdf

INTRODUCTION

Imagine l aunching i nto a p resentation a bout y ou w ithout f irst i ntroducing y ourself t o t he p erson y ou a re

trying t o i mpress! T hat’s w hat h appens w hen y ou D ON’T i nclude a c over l etter w ith y our r esume. I n

today’s h ighly c ompetitive j ob m arket r ecruiters a nd h iring m anagers s ometimes s pend l ess t han t en

seconds r eading y our r esume. I t’s a lso b een s aid s ome H R p rofessionals a nd r ecruiters d on’t r ead c over

letters. I ronically h owever, i t i s n oticed w hen a c over l etter i s n ot i ncluded, a nd a l ot o f h iring m anagers

still w ant t o s ee a c over l etter, y our r esume s ubmission i s n ot c omplete w ithout o ne. I t i s b etter t o

include a c arefully c rafted c over l etter w ith y our r esume s ubmission t han t o n ot i nclude o ne.

What i s a c over l etter? I t’s i s y our o pportunity t o s uccinctly c reate a n i nterest i n t he e mployer s o t hey

actually w ant t o R EAD y our r esume. T he c over l etter s hould b e:

• Accomplishment o riented

• Absolutely r elevant t o t he o pportunity

• Solution o riented, h ow c an y ou a nswer t he s tated n eed ( the j ob d escription)

• Concise

You m ay d evelop a b asic f ormat t emplate f or t he c over l etter b ut y ou a bsolutely M UST c raft t he c over

letter t o t he s pecific j ob d escription. T he c over l etter i s t ruly a s ales l etter a nd t he p roduct y ou a re

selling i s y our a bility t o d o t he j ob. F or e very p osition a pplied t o, y ou w ill w rite a d ifferent a nd n ew

cover l etter.

What c an t he c over l etter d o f or y ou? A w ell-‐crafted c over l etter t ells t he r ecruiter y ou p ut s ome e ffort

into a pplying f or t he j ob, i t s hows y ou a re l iterate ( lots o f p eople s pend l ots o f m oney h aving t heir

resume w ritten b y a r esume w riter; t he c over l etter s hould b e y our w riting), i t s hows w ho y ou a re a nd

gives y ou a c hance t o e xplain c ircumstances y our r esume m ay n ot r eflect, a nd i t s hould b e a s ales l etter

that g ives y ou t he o pportunity t o s how a l ittle p ersonality. T he c over l etter a llows y ou t he c hance t o

show s ome e nthusiasm a nd g ratitude f or t he o pportunity t o a pply. L astly, i t g ives y ou t he c hance t o

invite a “ call t o a ction” c ompelling t hat h iring m anager t o r ead m ore a bout y ou i n y our r esume!

In t he c over l etter y ou a re a lso a ble t o n ame d rop t he p erson w ho m ay h ave s uggested y ou a pply f or t he

job, s potlight a p articular p art o f y our r esume, p oint o ut h ow p ast e xperience h as p repared y ou f or t his

opportunity a nd m ost i mportantly, t ell t he e mployer h ow Y OU w ill S OLVE H IS/HER P ROBLEM!

Cover Letter Resource Packet Page 3