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Friday 9, February 2007
Hi,
Welcome to another edition of Career
Communiqué x-Press.
It's certainly been busy over the past few
weeks, getting back into the swing of things
after the holiday break. One of the larger
projects that we have been working on is the
recent overhaul of our resume website
www.aresumewriter.net. If you have a
moment, stop by and let us know what you
think! This is something I have wanted
to do for a while now, and what better
timing than with the rolling around of a new
year! 'Out with the old and in with the new'
as they say. So what new things are you
working on at the moment? New job, new
training, new goals for the year?
I ran this request in last fortnight's
issue, however want to give all those who
have not yet had a chance to comment, to do
so. We want to ensure
that we continue covering the 'hot topics'
that you want to read about, so pop across to
our
Ask Annemarie site and submit your topic
of interest, question or comment. We'd love
to hear from you! I am also planning our
upcoming
Career Communiqué Live telecalls
(which started up again this week), so your
suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Cover Letters - powerful introductions to
your purposeful career
Are you currently in the job market and
have put what seems to be blood, sweat and
tears into your resume, however have not
given much thought to your cover letter?
Don't send your resume out before reading
this edition's article in Coach's Corner, as
it may very well be screened out of the
running.
Until next time,
To your success!
Annemarie Cross
Career & Master NLP Coach
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Cover Letters -
Powerful introductions to your purposeful
career
I recently read an article in one of our
local newspapers here in Melbourne about a
recruitment consultant who told of her
surprise that many job seekers were sending
in their applications without an
accompanying cover letter. She was also
amazed that many job seekers did not bother
to follow the instructions in their
applications, even if specific guidelines
had been outlined in the job advertisement.
Needless
to say, in situations where the recruiter
received a large number of applications, the
job seekers whose application did not follow
the instructions, were eliminated from the
running - not even having their resumes
reviewed.
I am
often asked if it is at all necessary to
send a cover letter with a resume, after
all, the resume contains all of the relevant
information. My response to this question
has always been a resounding ‘yes’; it is
vital to send a cover letter with your
resume, as the letter forms an integral part
of your career-marketing package.
So what
is a cover letter and what is its purpose? A
cover letter (also referred to as an
application letter) is a document that
accompanies your resume in response to an
advertised position. The main purpose of
this document is to introduce you, while
generating such interest that the reader
will not only continue reading your resume,
but also be compelled to call you in for an
interview.
Sounds
simple enough, however developing such a
letter requires thought, strategy and skill.
Similarly, with the AIDA marketing approach,
you are aiming to grab the reader’s
Attention; create Interest; transform the
interest into Desire (they want/need your
expertise); and desire into Action (call you
in for an interview).
A cover
letter should be tailored to each position
you are applying for in order to portray a
message specific to the stipulated criteria.
Do not develop a standard cover letter with
gaps that you photocopy and fill in by hand
prior to sending off your resume. This
demonstrates extreme laziness on your part
in that you have not bothered to dedicate
any time in developing a letter for that
particular role.
When
creating a cover letter, ensure you devote
as much time as you did in the development
of your resume. This is the first document
the reader views; it’s your initial
handshake and introduction and,
unfortunately, if it fails to captivate
interest your resume will probably not be
given the attention it deserves. Similarly,
as with your resume, your letter is aiming
to position yourself way above your
competitors by highlighting your most
notable accomplishments and experience that
directly relates to the position.
Ensure
your letter is succinct and incorporates
hard-hitting dynamic wording to grab and
contain the reader’s attention. Perhaps
while researching the company (via its
website) you will be able to incorporate
some of this information, particularly if
you can contribute your skills directly to a
particular area.
Some
cover letter pointers:
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A
cover letter should be no longer than
one page, and must contain your correct
contact details. Develop your letter on
a personalized letterhead, which will
certainly make the document
aesthetically pleasing. |
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Do
not repeat your entire resume contents
in the letter, but rather notable
accomplishments that pertain directly to
the position being applied for. |
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Format is extremely important and it is
wise to ensure you use the same font as
your resume for continuity. Try to
utilize the same paper for the cover
letter as you have used for your resume.
Do not use brightly colored/luminescent
paper with the thought that this will
make your document stand out – use
professional looking stationery.
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Make
sure that you address the letter to a
particular person. If no name has been
provided, ring and enquire to whom the
application should be sent, as this will
demonstrate initiative on your part, (or
laziness if you don’t.) |
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Remember that this is a business letter,
so keep in mind business written
communication etiquette, particularly
with titles, salutations, and closing
phrases. |
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Most
important of all is to edit the document
to ensure your grammar is correct and
that it does not contain any spelling
errors. |
Try to avoid the standard opening
paragraph that goes like this: |
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“I
am writing in response to your recently
advertised position and enclose my
letter for your consideration.” |
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This is such a standard opening that it
will certainly not catch the reader’s
attention. Add some dazzle by developing
a strong opening such as: |
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“With over 15 years’ of leadership and
staff management experience I believe I
can execute strategies that will
continue to optimize staff performance
and retention, and reflect positively on
bottom-line performance.” or,
“Directing state-of-the-art
communications systems to support
high-growth industries is my expertise
…”
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Adding some color to your introductory
paragraph it is bound to grasp the
reader’s attention. |
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The
paragraph(s) following your introduction
should portray further transferable
skills specific to the role in order to
demonstrate your personal overall value,
which you are offering. Notable
accomplishments, that may be directly
relevant to the role, may be introduced
in bullet form in order to break up long
paragraphs.
Your
closing paragraph should concisely
reiterate the value you can bring to the
organization; request an opportunity to
meet with them to provide further
opportunity to elaborate your ability to
contribute to their organization; and
thank them for their consideration. |
If you'd
like any additional hints and tips on writing
a cover letter please do not hesitate to email me.
My direct email is:
annemarie@annemariecross.com
or visit
our Resume Division
www.aresumewriter.net.
To your success!
Annemarie
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One question I am often asked is "Should I
include the names and telephone numbers of
my referees within my resume?"
My advice would be that if a job
advertisement specifically requested referee
details, then yes, include the details in
your resume. However, if there was no
request within the job advertisement for
referees, then leave them out.
If you are forwarding your resume in
response to numerous job advertisements this
could result in your referees receiving
numerous calls, which could become quite
annoying. Aim to retain control over to whom
you provide these details by providing a
list of referees to the company after you
have had an opportunity to interview with
them and are interested in the opportunity.
Want to
learn more about how to elevate your
referees communication and feedback of your
during a reference check? You can!!
Send me Ace that Interview
today!
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A personal note from Annemarie...