The Important Cover Letter

The cover letter may say enough for the employer. You can only make a first impression once. It’s human nature to look for reasons to eliminate. When we review the Sunday paper looking for an apartment to rent, we have pen in-hand looking for a reason to eliminate it and move to the next ad. Perhaps only one bathroom, no parking, rents too high, all we need is that one negative reason. Now imagine an employer receiving hundreds of resumes. You got it; they’re looking for a reason to eliminate you! The cover letter allows you to be expressive and make a good first impression. The main purpose of a cover letter and resume is to get you in the front door.  You won’t get the job without an interview so work towards that first.

Research

Do your homework. When buying a car, you want to know what questions to ask, what to look for, if you go in blind, your at a disadvantage.  A great way to impress your potential interviewer is showing you did your research.  Adding unique information about the company to your cover letter  says a lot about you.  The power of information, use it to your advantage. These days with the abundance of information on the Internet, it’s not hard to find pertinent material to include in your cover letter.  

           E-mail and Voice mail  

Don’t use your casual or personal email unless it is generic or professional sounding. Using Timspartyboat@aol.com is fine for friends but not very professional and will give the wrong impression. You should create an email address for the use with your resume. If you use a landline phone, give that instead of a cell phone. It’s frustrating for a potential employer to have a bad connection when trying to speak with you, also watch what you say on your voicemail or answering machine.  

          To Embellish or Not?  

Ok, this is a tough one. Statistically twenty-five percent of applicants embellish their resumes. Ask David Edmondson the former CEO of Radio Shack. Edmondson claimed degrees in both theology and psychology from Pacific Coast Baptist College in California, neither of which was true. There are many other high profile examples of this. Now more than ever a background check may be used in our security-minded world, employers want to know who’s coming to work for them. Getting caught embellishing on your resume will mean dismissal and embarrassment. Having said that, you should use “creative” writing skills in making yourself look best within the contents of the truth.

To the Point

The average person spends 6 seconds on the homepage of a website and 7 seconds reviewing a resume.  Keep in sharp, brief and easy to find the important information quickly.  Tailor your cover letter  and resume to the position you’re seeking so the employer can instantly see a great fit.  Have a powerful headline or initial benefit statement to get their attention.