The Cover Letter

Many debate over the need for one, if you send one like I did that landed me the job, do it correctly.

There has been a long debate about whether a cover letter assists you to reach the seat in the job interview. This is not to add or detract from the debate but to give you some tips if you are going to write one and what typical mistakes to avoid. The biggest mistake is the cover letter is too long. The goal of the cover letter is to connect you immediately to the position opening and prompt the reader to look at your qualifications. Keep the letter simple and succinct. Years ago when I applied for a position prior to the internet, I researched old annual reports of the company and expounded upon what excited me about the role and being part of the future growth in the company I was applying to. The position required a lot of RFP writing and agreement documents for customers to access special pricing. Both of these required simple but yet to the point writing. The hiring authority was very impressed with the research and the connection I made to the company.

Open the letter with specific details about your work accomplishments that tie you to the opening. Include a quick statement about what benefit you will bring to the company. Keep in mind, the employer is WIIIFM (What Is In It For Me) mode when hiring. Let them know very briefly about a previous role that would enhance your experience. Be sure to conclude with a sentence about your enthusiasm for the role and company. If there is time have someone proof read your letter to check for content and mistakes.

This brings us to the second largest mistakes, errors. Even with spell and grammar check running things will slip through the writers eyes, specifically if you wrote it under a time constraint. Be selective on who proof reads your letter, try to work with that acquaintance which has impeccable proof reading skills. It is best to have a couple of these people in your network when you begin the job search process for all correspondence. Above 50% of resumes, cover letters, applications have errors.

The final mistake is using a template and filling in the blanks. This shows up pretty quickly in the review process. This does not need to be a full page document, in fact back to mistake number one, do not make it too long. A cover letter is simply why you are the best candidate with a "few" facts to speak to that. Be sure to address sufficiently what position you are applying for. If nothing more the reader will quickly turn the page and move on to the resume. The goal of the cover letter is catch their attention on your qualifications for the position and some benefit that you would bring to the role and the company as a whole.

People in staffing are over burdened with a lot of openings, the quicker you assist them connecting you to one of those positions you are doing them a favor. The sooner you can take one position off their plate the happier they will be and you will be on your way to an interview. If the hiring manager is doing the reviewing, it is even more important to let them know you will step in and fill that slot with a minimum of trauma, in fact if they see a future improvement it makes their selection even easier.

Keep in mind, every document you provide to a potential employer is scrutinized and reflects your attention to detail and how you would represent that company. Remember when a company hires you, they are putting their name and reputation behind you, be sure you give them no reason not to want you in that trusted role. If you have done your research on the career, show your passion for this career and what you bring to the table that will be a benefit to the employer. Solve a problem for them, an open position is a problem, the sooner it is filled without trauma the happier everyone in the hiring process is!