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Cover Letters: Your
First Chance to Impress
by
ResumeEdge.com
- The Net's Premier
Resume Writing and
Editing Service
Hiring managers
routinely receive
responses from hundreds,
perhaps thousands, of
applicants for any given
job. To avoid having
your resume sink in this
sea of paper, it’s
imperative to write a
cover letter that stands
out from the crowd and
makes a good first
impression.
A compelling cover
letter that follows five
essential rules will
convince a hiring
manager to read an
applicant’s resume.
Rule #1 --
Appearance
The resume and cover
letter must be
aesthetically pleasing
and consistent in
appearance. This would
include using the same
heading and fonts in
each, both produced on a
high-quality printer and
paper (if documents are
being “snail-mailed").
Save the designer
stationery and stylish
fonts for writing
letters to friends. A
professional employment
package never sets a
casual tone.
Rule #2 – Target
Your Audience
Always use the hiring
manager’s name in the
salutation. If the
contact’s name isn’t
provided in the job
posting, a bit of
Internet research or a
well-structured phone
call can produce
results. In using the
contact’s name, the
cover letter is
personalized, while also
showing the applicant’s
interest in the
company. Remember, a
letter addressed "Dear
Sir or Madam" or worse,
"To Whom It May
Concern," has the same
impact as one addressed
"Dear Occupant."
Rule #3 – A Strong
Opening
A dynamic opening
paragraph is essential
to capture and retain a
hiring manager’s
interest. Pared down to
basics, for a quick and
effective read, it
should include a
reference to the
position sought and a
brief statement as to
why the applicant feels
qualified to fill the
job. Emphasis should
always be placed on what
the applicant can do for
the targeted company,
while also providing
quantifiable proof as to
why this is true.
Rule #4 –
Showcasing
Accomplishments
Include a bulleted area
to emphasize
accomplishments
pertinent to the
targeted job. Not only
does this break up large
blocks of text that a
hiring manager might
find daunting, but it
also draws the eye
towards the most
important part of the
cover letter -- what the
applicant has to offer.
Rule #5 – A
Proactive Closing
Always initiate further
action at the end of a
cover letter. A
proactive closing
indicates that the
applicant will call
within a few days to see
if a time might be
scheduled to meet. To
wait for a hiring
manager to take that
first step is to risk
losing the opportunity
to another candidate.
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