Harty Part 5 Part 2

Steve Graber - Cover Letters

Think of the cover letter as an additional tool that can be used with your resume. It is not just something with your name and stating that a resume is enclosed. It can be used to highlight the features that make you most marketable. Also, you may like to think of it as a sales pitch, very quickly pointing out why the manager should "buy" you.

Format and Content are the two main considerations in creating a cover letter. A manager will quickly be able to tell the level of you organizational skills and your attention to detail. Anything unprofessional will likely be tossed aside.

There are basically two main styles of cover letters, business and personal. The business letter has all text aligned to the left with no indentions. It is supposedly more professional. The Personal letter has some indentations and the closings can be centered.

The parts of the letter are

• Return Address - contacting you is the most important part
• date
• inside address - making it personal and targeting them
• salutation
• body - should only be 3 to 4 paragraphs
• closing - polite
  

It probably can't be stressed enough that the letter should be personalized! You need to research the person/company/industry you are sending it to and tailor it to them. This can only help you. Show interest in the company! but don't be insincere.

The content of the body should be this

• 1st - why you are contacting them (the position you want)
• 2nd - what and how you can contribute
• 3rd - why you are above average or how you excede the expectations
• 4th - show appreciation and politely close (don't write that you will call)

The style and tone of the letter should be that of polite confidence. It should be enthusiastic about the job. Don't be cocky and also don't be too modest.

Concrete examples are the best way to sell your experience. Give tangible evidence of accomplishments. A resume can be limited to read like boring facts but the letter has a more prose like approach which can really highlight these scenarios.

Avoid passive language, mention of personal preferences, cliches (I am a team player). Don't come across as desperate for the job and don't point our your flaws. If you are lacking in experience then you can focus on your other strenghts.

If you are going through an employment agency, make sure it is clear who you are, what you are looking for, what specific fields you are interested in, and what your strengths are.

Networking letters can be vry effective tools in a job search. This letter will be somewhat more personal but still professional and typically involves a 3rd party person. You will be asking them for references to other people or companies they know that might need you.

Correspondence doesn't end after the letter and resume are sent. You may need to send a thank you letter or follow up with another letter or phone call to check on a job status.


Dokel and Roehm - Resumes Online

They begin by saying that online resumes are typically ineffective but you should do it anyway, and do it right. There shouldn't be too much work in adapting your print resume for use online. All the keywords that need to be in the online version should be present if the print resume is a good one. They advise setting up a text only file that can be copied and pasted into emails and databases.

Another form of online resume is a html (web Page) resume. This is more likely to occur for a design oriented job search. Be careful not to put to much personal information that is not relevant to the manager.

It only takes seconds to delete an email so make the email resume count. The authors advise not putting it in an attachement but copying it directly into the body of the email. I have mixed feeling about this. I feel that maybe their view is a little dated and every employer now should be capable of viewing a pdf attachment in only seconds time.

Tips for online formatting

• don't forget to delete page numbers, they are not necessary
• all caps can emphasize important notes
• use standard keyboard symbols, fancy icons may not appear
• careful when using tabs and returns, it may appear different on another machine

Don't spam your online resume, that is sending it cold to a massive number of employers. It will not be personalized and therefore lose effectiveness and employers get tired of the generic resume that gets sent around all the time.

Be aware of how much privacy you are giving up when uploading your resume online. Your contact information may be passed around and it can be seen by the entire public. More specifically it can be seen by your current employer and get you into trouble. Make sure to delete the resume after it has gotten you a job so the information doesn't just stay out there.