Concerning cover letters and resumes...

[dawgman]

What are employers looking for in a cover letter. I've never had to write a cover letter with my resumes before but more and more employers are asking for them. Any advice?

Peace, dawgman.

[patdem]

1. I am not a resume experct but I think the cover letter needs

for you to tell the prospective employer why YOU are good for THEIR company....It needs to direct attention to THEIR needs, since your resume will only talk about past accomplishments and future hopes. I believe the cover letter needs to be DIRECTED to the particular industry or company you are applying to?

I could be wrong? I have never been unemployeed in my life except for brief stints when I have moved from one state to another? But of course I have taken cuts in pay and prestige to get the next job also. And there is no promise I will not be out of a job tomorrow?

Good luck and godspeed!

[MarianJack]

2. A Little Cover Letter Advice

The previous reply was very good advice. I'd like to add one or two points. One, always remember that the job of a cover letter is to get the prospective employer to read your resume. Two, the job of the resume is to get you an interview. When you get into the interview it's your job to sell yourself on the position. Do address the cover letter to the place of employment and if you know your interviewer's name do include the person's name. Your cover letter should not be more than a page. If I'm correct in assuming that you are looking for your first job out of college, neither should your resume. MAKE SURE YOUR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING ARE PERFECT! NEVER HANDWRITE YOUR COVER LETTER. When I was a supervisor, I never even read resumes and cover letters with these mistakes.

Good Luck!:hi:

[dawgman]

5. Thank you that was a very helpful post.

[Abe Linkman]

3. Maybe you should use a totally different approach

Since employers use resumes to screen people out, if you are NOT making a lateral move within your current industry, resumes/cover letters aren't a very good idea.

See www.expage.com/1smartway (it's NOT a resume writing firm)

[OneBlueSky]

4. here's a sample of one that I've used . . .

although the details will obviously be different, you might find the format helpful . . .




Dear ____________:

I recently learned of your search for a Grant Writer and would like very much to learn more about the position. I am pleased to enclose my resume for your consideration.

As you can see, I have an extensive background managing and raising funds for nonprofit organizations, primarily in the arts, education, and social services. For the past five years, I’ve been working part-time as an independent development consultant to local nonprofits, most recently ___________. While my forte is grant writing, I am also skilled in all other areas of nonprofit development, from prospect identification to membership development to event management. I am familiar with the work of _____________ and have, in past years, assisted in small ways with several of your auctions.

Should you find my resume of interest, I would welcome an opportunity to discuss your needs and my qualifications with you. Please feel free to call me (#) at your convenience to schedule a personal interview.

Thank you for your kind consideration; I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

[dawgman]

6. Thanks that is great.

[Abe Linkman]

7. Fine - if you're making a lateral move.

As I said, if you are making a lateral move, that's one thing. But a cover letter won't make a bit of difference if your RESUME shows that your current situation (title/industry) are DIFFERENT from what you are applying for.

HR simply glances at your current job title/industry, then tosses your resume if it is different than what they are trying to fill.

Therefore, it is almost impossible to use a resume and cover letter to get interviews for jobs OTHER than one like your present one.

Most people seem to think that the reason for their inability to transfer to a new industry or get a higher-level position or make a career change has to do with their resume or cover letter. So, they tweak and tweak and gussy and gussy. All to no avail.

I don't know why it's so hard to grasp these simple truths about how the hiring process works.

I guess it's just easier (less work/no THINKING required) to concentrate on the process and blame failure on something having to do with the "process," rather than realizing that job hunting is a marketing problem that can be solved with strategies...once the problem is correctly diagnosed, and the right solution is applied.

[Gman]

8. The "text book" says you should talk about how great and wonderful

you are at (name a few skills).

I have found what works best is a direct and to the point message addressing specific skills. For example, "I am familiar with the requirements and feel I am a good match for the position because I have done (name a function) and have also done (name another function).", or some similar bullshit. This way they can tell at a glance if you have the skill sets they are looking for. If you don't have the skill sets, you doesn't waste their time or yours. If you pique their interest, they will delve into your resume.

[Abe Linkman]

11. Book writers mainly know about wrting/selling books

The best-selling job-hunting book ever written is by a man who sells tons of books but doesn't have to take responsibility for his advice, and to my knowledge, doesn't even claim to have ever helped anyone get a job.

If a book author or resume service or anyone else dispensing advice doesn't take responsiblity for the consequences of same, take their advice as an opinion...and take it with a box of salt.

[caledesi]

9. Google for Sample Resumes and Cover Letters...

[Bossy Monkey]

10. Tidiness, clarity, brevity

Nobody cares about cover letters per se; you just don't want to give them a reason NOT to hire you. Therefore, stay simple, sound confident, speak clearly, and proofread, proofread, proofread.

In terms of content, make sure you stress what you can do for them, rather than the other way around. Otherwise, don't sweat it.

[Abe Linkman]

12. Problem with cover letters is they go with resumes

So, as I've said a few thousand times now, it's your RESUME that screeners use to get rid of you. Therefore, no matter how well written a cover letter is, by definition it accompanies a resume, and one more time, it's that RESUME that is going to get you screened out...almost 99% of the time, UNLESS you are making a lateral move within your present industry.