Work Fanatic

A subject near and dear to my heart, the cover letter.  For some, the only time they will have to separate themselves from the ever growing stack of applications.  A group of words that can sell oneself to a hiring manager to best understand their skills and application to the job being hired for.  Well, I have written on it in the past in The Cover Letter which describes the must haves of this entry page.

However, when in reading my list of daily blogs, I uncovered one of strong interest….a list of what NOT to do in the cover letter.  Something different.  We all speak to what will make the letter the best, how to write it and make it your own.  But how about a DO NOT DO UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE look at the cover letter.  Lets take a look at it and see what the list includes:

• Don’t overuse “I.” While the focus of the cover letter is on your accomplishments, be sure to indicate how you meet your employer’s needs.
• Don’t have a weak opening. If your cover letter is the first thing an employer reads about you, then the opening is the first part of the cover letter that is read.  You need to be sure it is engaging and keeps the reader wanting to continue reading.
• Don’t omit your top selling points.  You need to sell yourself the to the employer.  Thus, you must include why you are the perfect candidate for the position, and the easiest and best way to do this is illustrate your skills and successes.  Be sure to carefully include key words and phrases from the job posting.
• Don’t make it too long or too short. Too short and you may have not put enough time or effort in, and it may not be enough space to include all the relevant information.  Too long and you may come off as overly confident or the reader may get bored and quit reading.  Three or four paragraphs is probably enough to get all your important information conveyed to the reader.  However, be sure that you are not rambling on and repeating yourself.
• Don’t repeat your resume. Your cover letter is an introduction to your resume, not a regurgitated version of it.  While it is important to include similar information, it gives you a better opportunity to elaborate on your skills and successes.
• Don’t be vague. Be specific as to the position you are applying for, as well as why you are qualified for the job.
• Don’t forget to customize. While it is a good idea to have a general cover letter template, you MUST change it for each job you apply for.  Be sure to change the position title, company name and addressee.  Also try to match your skills and qualifications with the job posting.
• Don’t end on a passive note.  Be proactive and indicate when you are going to follow-up, rather than waiting for a phone call for the interview.
• Don’t forget a thank you. ALWAYS thank the reader for their time and consideration for the position.
• Don’t forget to sign. If you are mailing or faxing your application
• READ the entire article here

Of all of these, I need to highlight the one that means the most to me.  Do NOT repeat your resume.  I think this is one of the cardinal errors of the standard cover letter, as people simply see the cover letter as a summary of the resume.  Major NO NO.  Key criteria of the cover letter is to give a view into the candidate soul and who they are, what makes them tick, and best of all what makes them the person that hiring manager needs to see.  If all you are doing is summarizing the resume, there should be no reason to even attach a cover letter.  Be creative and make the reader want more.