Applying for a job is actually selling yourself for that particular position. There would be many other candidates who would try to grab that particular opportunity, but you need to distinguish yourself from the others in a way that the employer feels that you are the best candidate for the said position. For this, it is important for the applicant to write a resume cover letter, and send it along with the resume.

The resume gives the employer the details of the applicant’s academics and work experience. However, the employer, if reads the complete resume, he/she would need at least 10 minutes to know everything about you. On the other hand, if you write a cover letter that summarizes your resume in a way that the employer gets a complete idea of your qualification and expertise in less than 5 minutes, is more impactful, and would lead to a positive decision in your case. The letter is aimed at simplifying the reader’s task, but if not written correctly it would rather weaken your resume as well.

1. Overuse of ‘I’

The cover letter is aimed at presenting your skills and potential and communicating to the employer of how you fit in the organizational needs. Over stressing on ‘I’, would make your letter look like an autobiography. Mention what the employer wants, and then answer how you satisfy the same.

2. Weak Opening:

Beginning a cover letter is a task of responsibility. The beginning of the letter creates your first impression. This should thus be very impressive, and to the point. For example,

a. Please consider my application for the post of Sales Team Lead – this is a very weak beginning. It does not differentiate you.

b. The advertisement read that you need a Talented and Target Oriented Sales Team Lead, and I believe that I match this requirement – this is a better beginning as it says how you meet the organizational needs.

More on your opening at How To Start Your Cover Letter with a Bang!

3. Do not fail to highlight your USP:

USP – Unique Selling Proposition is all that your cover letter is about. It must strongly present yourself, and present your key skills that distinguish yourself. Never fail to highlight these points. In absence of this, your letter is like any other normal application letter. Write these USP’s in sync with the employer’s requirement stated in the advertisement, to make your letter more powerful.

4. Long letters:

Long letters are the biggest disaster. A cover letter is aimed to save the employer’s time, and put forth your best in a precise manner. If the applicant writes a long letter that goes on for more than a page, the purpose of the letter is compromised with, and is deviated from its aim.

Further reading at 5 Rules To Keep Your Cover Letter Simple and Effective.

5. Repeating your resume:

While applying for the job and writing this letter, you are writing about yourself. You do not need to copy anything from the resume. You must know what you possess, and present it in a way that puts forth the best of you. If you start copying everything from your resume, it might create a bad impression on the employer and make your letter very boring. The letter should interest the employer to read your resume, and if it has exactly the same information as in your resume, it becomes monotonous.

These are some basic cover letter disasters that should be avoided. These mistakes fail to create the impression you wanted to, via your cover letter.

Being a professional Resume writer and an advisor on how to make the job applications more impactful, Arion Barry has developed unique expertise in writing of cover letter for resumes. This is an integral part of resume writing as it makes the resume more powerful. Follow Arion on Twitter @arionbarry.

Your cover letter is a hugely important tool in your job search arsenal. After all, it’s usually the first thing a potential employer reads about you and it almost always precedes your resume.

A cover letter is like a friend you have who takes all the awkwardness out of an introduction by going out there and doing all the work for you.

If a cover letter is so important, why is it that so many job seekers neglect their cover letters? Oftentimes, it’s clear that an author didn’t spend enough time writing their cover letter. When that happens, it sails right into the circular filing cabinet.

Check out these six mistakes to not put in your next cover letter:

1. Typos

Okay! Admittedly, you aren’t going to purposely put typos in your cover letter. However, when you don’t proofread your cover letter, you’re almost asking for typos to slip by. When you write a cover letter, proof read it, ask your friend/roommate/boyfriend/stranger to proofread it, and then proofread it again. Typos are hilarious, but only when they happen to someone else.

2. Desperation

Your cover letter is a great opportunity to show an employer you’re very interested in the position. It is not, however, the time for you to beg for a job. The most appealing job candidate is someone who is qualified, interested in the job, but has other companies who would love to hire them.

3. That vague, generic feeling

I completely understand if you’re on your 90th resume. It gets tiring, who wants to personalize every letter? It makes a huge difference. Spend extra time on each cover letter so that the employer knows that they’re being addressed, not just anyone.

 

4. Threats/Outlandish promises

You might not think that you’re threatening an employer, but if you write something like “If you don’t hire me, your company will fail,” you’re going in a bad direction. Likewise with outlandish promises, such as, “With me as your intern, your company will beat all competition within a week.” Instead of telling an employer what will happen when you’re hired, focus on your achievements and connecting them to what you can do for the company.

5. “Dear Sir (or Madame)”

Just like that vague, generic feeling I discussed earlier, not specifying a single person lowers your chances of moving to the next step exponentially. “Sir or Madame” sounds so fancy, but it’s really saying that you were too lazy to look up their names. Try Google.

6. A second page

Last, but not least, your cover letter does not need a second page. If you find that you’re writing multiple pages of a cover letter, it’s too much. A strong cover letter is between three and five paragraphs. The letter serves as a short and sweet introduction, anything longer is boring and will be passed over.

What other things should job seekers keep out of their cover letters?

For more on cover letters, check out How To Start Your Cover Letter with a Bang!

Gerrit Hall is the CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes – instantly. Gerrit has successfully combined his passion for computer science and the careers space by helping job seekers write the best resume possible. You can connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Twitter.

Want to grab an employer’s undivided-attention?

Use this little-known cover letter secret to land more quality job interviews immediately.

A fantastic, ‘must-read’ headline practically ‘forces’ a hiring manager to keep reading right through to the end of your cover letter.

BUT, headline placement is all-important so listen up…

Put your show-stopping headline right above the cover letter body text. Use bold font so it stands out. It’ll be the first thing the employer sees. Keep in mind that a knockout headline will do more for your cover letter than any other single ingredient. Why? Because it pulls the reader into your letter. And without that, your cover letter has an excellent chance of being completely overlooked and fed into the paper shredder.

Reread the above headline in this article. How To Start Your Cover Letter With a BANG! Does it bring a smile, a question, a bit of curiosity? You can do the same for your reader––with your own sizzling headline.

Why do well-written headlines work so well?

The answer is simple: Advertisers, marketers and columnists have literally trained us to scan headlines in newspapers and magazines for decades. We’ll always stop and read more when a great headline attracts our attention. It’s no different with a cover letter.

 

Here’s what to do…

Directly above the greeting in your cover letter (Dear Ms. Smith), place your winning headline. To make it even more effective, use boldface print and center it on the page. (Two lines maximum).

Here are 3 examples of excellent cover letter headlines:

I would love the opportunity to interview for the position of [fill in job title here]

I believe I’m an excellent match for the position of [fill in job title here].

Prompt, Friendly and Results-Driven. May I interview for the position of [fill in job title here]? I would love the opportunity to meet with you in person.

How can an employer pass that up?

Remember, the first step of your job hunt is to land the job interview. Using a headline to attract the attention of a potential employer AND asking for the interview at the same time is incredibly powerful.

Try one of these examples or create a winner of your own. Next, take a seat by the phone because it’s about to start ringing!

Further reading at How To Make Your Cover Letter Grab the Employer’s Attention.

Does your resume go better with a cover letter? Some people say no, because nobody reads them. I agree to a point. Not all recruiters read resume cover letters. But I think many recruiters don’t because so many they see are a bit “blah blah blah.”

That’s when the resume cover letter says nothing new or exciting, nor does it say anything about why the candidate wants the job. In a sea of such banality, one way to make your resume cover letter stand out, is just to do a good one. You can do more than that, though. Here are 10 rules to help you.

Cover Letter Rule # 1.

Do your research, part 1.

Even if the job is advertised through a recruitment consultant you can still do your research. Call them and connect with them. They will probably not give you their client’s name but they may give you an outline of the challenges of the role as they see them. Your resume cover letter becomes far more engaging if you can tell the recruiter how they’ve inspired you to want to take this opportunity further.

Cover Letter Rule # 2.

Do your research, part 2.

If you know who the company is, then there is no excuse for not looking up the website, doing a thorough google and reading the linked in profile of their company executives. And that’s just as a start.

The aim of this research is for you to find some compelling reasons to want to work for that organisation and some ways that you can add value. So many people forget to say this on their cover letters.

Cover Letter Rule # 3.

You cover letter should clearly show you have read the job advertisement. The way you do this is to pick the key criteria in the advertisement and point out how you meet this in your letter.

Also use key words from the advertisement, throughout your resume cover letter. That way it has a better chance of being picked up in screening software.

Cover Letter Rule # 4.

Try to keep your cover letter to one page and three or four paragraphs.

The only real exception to this rule is if you are asked to respond to an “expression of interest.” An expression of interest is a mini government selection criteria where you outline how you meet job criteria. Then your letter may run to two to three pages.

 

Cover Letter Rule # 5.

Don’t be boring. Try to keep your own voice.

Cover Letter Rule # 6.

Keep a logical format. I use “hook,” “book,” and “took.”

“hook” :- specific and memorable reasons as to why you want the role
“book” :- a coherent argument as to why you should be hired
“took” :- what you want to happen as a result of an employer reading your letter

Cover Letter Rule # 7.

Be personal. If you have someone’s name use it. Ideally a cover letter should start with a title Ms, Mr or Mrs.

The exception to this is when informality is invited. A first name is more acceptable in an informal email, perhaps if you already have had a conversation with the contact person.

Cover Letter Rule # 8.

Type it. This sounds so basic. But I have to say this next bit because I have been asked this question.

Yes.

An application in writing generally means typed.

Cover Letter Rule # 9.

Plain white paper please. Pretty pink perfumed pages or something similar are never a good idea. Your letter will be unique, but for the wrong reasons.

Cover Letter Rule # 10.

OK I’ve crammed a few things here into one rule. A cover letter should not be:

- a repeat of your resume
- a standard letter that you send out to everyone
- hard to read
- full of spelling and grammar mistakes

Related: How To Make Your Cover Letter Grab the Employer’s Attention.

Karalyn Brown is a resume, interview and job search consultant based in Australia. She’s also an online careers agony aunty, writes frequently on career issues for a major Australian newspaper and talks job search tactics on the national broadcaster. She gets a real buzz out of helping people find jobs. You can visit her blog and follow her on Twitter @InterviewIQ.

How do you grab an employer’s attention? Simple. You hit them with an effective cover letter headline that entices them to find out more about you. By investing your time and creativity in a great cover letter headline you will maximize your chances of being picked for an interview.

You have only a few seconds to grab an employer’s attention when you’re hoping for a job interview. So why waste words? Nab him or her with this little known secret technique.

When used effectively, a compelling headline practically guarantees that he or she will keep reading until the very last word of your cover letter.

Notice headlines around you

Check out any newspaper (especially a tabloid), the headlines are typically designed to stir up your interest. Now reread the headline in this article. The Secret Cover Letter Headline Formula. Notice how it sparks curiosity, and grabs interest – everyone wants to know a secret… Wouldn’t you like to fire up your reader in the same way? You can, with a great headline of your own.

The first impression will last

Now think of the results you’ll experience when your job search cover letter starts with a strong and interesting statement. The hiring manager will actually be very keen to meet you, to discover your ability to do the job, and then to hire you, maybe even on the spot.

People scan first, read later

Remember, busy people skim through a document first and then decide whether to read later. If you want them to keep reading your cover letter, hook them with a strong headline that practically jumps off the page.

Where should you place the headline?

This may seem obvious but put it the very the top of your next job-search cover letter. It will be the first thing the employer sees, commanding his or her full attention.

How to write a winning cover letter headline

Just above the typical greeting in your cover letter (Dear Mr. Smith), place your ‘hot’ headline. To make it even more effective, use bold-face print and center it on the page. (Two lines maximum).

Examples of efficient headlines:

“I’m really excited about the job opening for (JOB TITLE)!”

“3 Reasons I’m An Excellent Fit For (JOB TITLE).”

“Are You Still Looking To Fill The Position Of (JOB TITLE)? Here’s Why I Sincerely Believe I Might Be Just What You’re Searching For…”

With a headline like one of the above, what do you think Mr. Smith will do? Scan and trash, or read on with interest and possibly call you for an interview? Using the magic of a strong headline at the beginning of your next job search cover letter can land you the perfect interview for the perfect job.

Conclusion

Employees who are clear and passionate communicators will be an asset to any employer. By demonstrating your headline writing skills and grabbing the attention, you have taken the first step to impressing the hiring manager.

Just like any good candidate needs to stand out from the fierce competition, any resume and cover letter must do the same. Without a punchy headline, your cover letter risks get lost in the ‘slush pile’ of the ‘same old,’ ‘same old’ correspondence, and chucked in the bin.

Further reading at How To Write Your Bio Like a Pro.

More help on cover letters here from One Click Cover Letters, our sponsor.

The trouble with cover letters is that they need to be concise and must never be longer than a one-pager. Employers are busy professionals who have 10-20 seconds to skim your cover letter – so it’s important to state your case clearly and to the point.

How to cram lots of information into little space

It’s not as difficult as it seems. Less really is more when it comes to crafting a cover letter that hits home. It’s a simple matter of focusing your time and attention on the essentials, basically the items an employer is most interested in. Here’s 5 ways you can do just that.

1. Three paragraphs

Start with creating three paragraphs on one page. In the first one, tell the reader what job you are applying for and why. In the second you list your skills and experience. And in the third paragraph, clearly and directly ask for the opportunity to have an interview to discuss things further.

2. Stay concise

Make sure you limit each paragraph to three or four well-written sentences, cutting out all the fluff and non-essentials. These could well be the most important sentences you write in your career, so take your time to ensure they are compelling and inspire the reader to want to see your resume and even call you for an interview today.

3. Layout

Leave generous margins so there’s plenty of white space and be sure to double space between paragraphs. This will make the cover letter more pleasing on the eye and put the reader at ease.

 4. Facilitate reading

Assist the reader see at a glance what you wish to say by using numbers or bullet points. You want the reader to be able get a two second snapshot of the cover letter, as most people do before they read it through.

5. Check and check again

Proof-read through to catch spelling and grammatical errors, then print it out for one final edit. When you think it looks good, send it over to friends and family and let them go through it with a fine tooth comb.

You’re done!

Now imagine how the employer will feel when he or she opens your new cover letter. Hopefully they will find a simple, clearly worded letter that contains only necessary information and with a call to action – getting you in for an interview.

Conclusion

The rule of keeping things simple very much applies to cover letters. With employers being inundated with applications, they will appreciate a brief and effective letter like yours. The next step will be to keep your resume short and sweet to stay consistent with your punchy new cover letter.

For more on cover letters, see First Impressions: 6 Mistakes to Keep Out of Your Cover Letter!

The job of the resume is to get you an interview, but what if your resume doesn’t even get read? One way of increasing your chances is attaching a great cover letter, as the job of the cover letter is to entice the reader to learn more about you and read that resume.

A well written cover letter will help your resume or CV stand out from the crowd. A hiring manager, recruiter or HR person will be snowed under with applications such as yours and therefore you had better make yours be special.

The key question/problem the cover letter should answer/solve is “Why select you?” This means you have to clearly state what you do better than others, what makes you unique and how the reader would be making a mistake by not considering you for the position. Here are a few guidelines on putting together a killer cover letter today:

Details

Make sure you put the typical details at the top of the page, get all the details right and check them a few times before sending off.

Your Address
Date
Mr. /Ms. (Name of Employer)
Title
Company Name
Their Address
Dear Mr./Ms. (Their Name Again)

First paragraph

We begin with stating our business, basically telling the reader what job you are applying for and why. Let’s keep this short and to about three sentences, cover these points:

• Reason for writing and which role you are applying for.

• Drop any names of people you know in the organization here, e.g. “John Smith in your department encouraged me to send an application as he thinks I have the required skills to succeed.”

• Give any compelling reasons you have applied for the position or company. Keep it short and sweet, with the view to inspire the reader.

Second paragraph

Here’s your chance to tell the employer why you are the man/woman for the job. Bring out some of your most relevant skills and experiences and mention how they will be applied in the new position. Pick out three examples of major achievements and provide the story to back these up.

• Start out with a short introduction focused on your achievements and how your skills and experience will be a good match for the new job.

• Use the rest of the paragraph to support and back up your introduction. This is where you exhibit your evidence in terms of specific positions/roles/responsibilities and so on.

• Keep this paragraph punchy and designed to impress, not to bore anyone. Don’t write too much about one accomplishment that you are the most proud of as you don’t know what the reader will think.

• Wrap things up with the final sentence, repeat the job title and company to further position yourself as the right person for the job in the mind of the reader.

Last paragraph

• A short paragraph that simply mentions your attached resume, tells the employer you are looking forward to an interview and let them know you will be in contact by a specific date.

• Don’t forget to thank the person reading your cover letter for their time and consideration.

Sign-off

Sincerely,
Your Signature (scan this)
Your Name
Attachment(s)

Word of warning

A classic mistake is to use the same cover letter for all applications. This is counter-productive and the employer can spot it a mile away. The one size-fits-all cover letter will result in your resume being deleted before even opened.

For more on cover letters, click here to check out OneClick cover letters. 

Image by SocialisBetter

When applying for a new job the devil can certainly be in the detail. Two simple words can make a world of difference and they are “thank you”. We all want to be thanked for the effort we put in to our jobs and that goes for any interviewer, be they HR or hiring managers. Be sure to follow up your cover letter that got you the interview with a post-interview thank you note that will put you firmly back on the map for the employer.

Why send it?

Sincere statements like “Thank you for meeting me today”, “I appreciated meeting you”, “I very much look forward to speaking to you later today” should perk up any hiring manager’s mood after another day of sifting the wheat from the chaff. The idea is to stand out from other candidates and leave a favorable impression with the other person by going the extra mile.

The follow up letter is more than only saying thank you, it also allows you to reiterate the points you made in the meeting and to bring up any new points that you forgot to put across. Examples of this could be “great to see that we both like ice hockey, I should have mentioned that I did play semi-professionally back in the 90’s”.

Make the decision today to follow up your meetings with a thank you note sent straight to the interviewer. The note says a lot about you, that you care about others and not just about this particular job. It will also indicate that you will make a great team player willing to go out of your way for others.

How to send it?

Does the not have to be sent by post? Not at all, a phone call or an email will do just as well. Although traditionalists would argue that nothing beats a hand written letter, especially if you want to stand out from the crowd. In any event, what’s important is that you express your appreciation and leave a lasting good impression.

If you really like the idea of thank you notes, you could even send one to the employers that didn’t ask you to interview. Again, you will get noticed and although you won’t be put back in the running for that position, you will be at the forefront of that employer’s mind for the next one.

Sample follow up cover letter

Dear Employer,

Thank you so much for taking the time to see me today. It was a pleasure discussing our mutual passion for philately and ornithology. I enjoyed meeting you and going through your job opening and to have the chance to state the reasons I am convinced I would be an ideal fit.

The team seems like a lovely bunch of people, the office is very conveniently located and I can really see myself having a long career with your company. Looking forward to hearing from you soon and hopefully another meeting in the near future. Thank you once again.

Kind Regards,
Applicant

Conclusion

Make it a rule to follow up your interviews with another cover letter, including the magic words “thank you” and you will be surprised how people will react positively. Now go on and Make Dale Carnegie himself proud by unleashing the power of good manners on your job search!

And now turn to your resume at Why Your CV is Boring and Ineffective.
Image by hellogenunie

Out with the old and in with the new! There is nothing like a fresh start and there is no time like the present to turn your dreams in to reality. Start with composing a new cover letter that a.) gets read, b.) gets you an interview and c.) results in you landing that job you were thinking about all of last year.

Companies are keen to take on qualified job seekers no matter what the economy is like, as long as the new member of staff will add value to the organization. Make it easy for a hiring manager firing over a winning cover letter that puts you in pole position.

One way of making your document punchier and more to the point is to cut out all the clutter in your cover letter. Hone in on the important bits and cut out the rest. You want the cover letter to sound like a conversation, so keep the sentences brief, simple and candid.

3 steps to creating a punchy and clutter free cover letter:

Brief

“Thank you for posting this vacancy for a software sales manager covering small and medium sized enterprises. I feel I am qualified and welcome the opportunity to meet up for an interview. I am keen to lean about your company, your products and services and how I can contribute to reaching your goals.”

Simple

“I have a passion for sales and management and I know how to turn a decent salesperson into a great one.”

Candid

“I have worked in software sales for the last 9 years and I know most of the vendors, consulting partners and customers in the market. I have a good understanding of what customers really want and how to make the decision easy for them.”

Look at the difference between the previous example and this one:

“Pursuant to the listing you posted on jobs.com I am responding herewith in hopes that you will provide me with ample consideration regarding the potential possibility of my being granted an interview with the high expectation of being hired for said stated employment . . .”

Stamp the clutter out of your cover letter by treating the employer as a friend, someone you are actually helping out and that will want to work with you. Remember that the hiring manager wants to fill the position as soon as possible, so do them the favor of communicating a brief, simple and candid cover letter that they find of interest.

Conclusion

Read the letter out aloud over and over; delete any weedy words, heavy sentences, pompous phrases. You will want to rewrite until the text sounds like it’s your own, showing off your personality. When it’s finally done, you can go and chase that dream job and make the new year your best year ever!

For more on cover letters, click here to check out OneClick cover letters.