Thread: Cover Letters?
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Old February 16th, 2005, 15:15   #4
naunga
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Default Re: Cover Letters?

First don't even think of using your previous cover letter. A cover letter should be custom for each application.

A cover letter is your opportunity to talk about things that aren't on your resumé.

It is also your chance to sell yourself to the company.

Talk about your strengths, why you want the job, and how you can make money for the company. Also show that you know something about the company.

Basically I go with the traditional format which is basically 3 paragraphs.

1. The reason for the letter and why you're sending in your resumé and where you heard about the openning you're applying for (i.e. where did you see that they were hiring). Also you can include a short description of why you're the best candidate for the job.

2. This paragraph is where you prove what you stated in the first paragraph about you being the best candidate. Basically this is the sales pitch and where you convince the reader to look at your resumé. Here you'll want to quickly sum up your resumé and talk about things that aren't on your resumé.

3. The final paragraph is your call to action. This is where you say things like "I look forward to discussing how I can make Delta the best airline possible." Remember you're trying to sell yourself so making statements like that isn't out of line.

The idea of a cover letter is to make you more than just a resumé.

As I've offered before I'm not pro, but I've helpped a couple of people with cover letters so feel free to PM me if you'd like another pair of eyes to look at your letter.

Later.

Naunga
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