Cover Letters - When you graduate from school, whether from university, technical college, or even high school, you will find that it is time to start looking for a job. So, you sit down at the computer and get a resume ready to start pumping out to all those jobs in the classified ads in the newspaper. The jobs will come rolling in now – won’t they Not if you’ve forgotten about your cover letter. Cover letters are often ignored by those new to the job search but the correct cover letter can be the deciding factor between you and the competition.
Cover letters are not intended to simply duplicate what is in your resume and they are not just gift wrapping for the main package. They are an important tool for serious job seekers. They can tell a potential employer things about you that they actually want to know. They can expand on the qualities that your resume only hints at, giving the employer a wider and more focused picture of the type of employee you are.
Some job seekers make the fatal error of using one cover letter for every job they apply to. They give every employer the same information, they forget to personalize it, and sometimes they don’t even address it to anyone in particular. Cover letters are not meant to be impersonal and detached like a resume. They should be addressed to a specific person and they should let that specific person know why you are the only person that is right for that specific job.
They should show that you have some knowledge about the company and what kinds of employees they are looking for. They should demonstrate your understanding of the position that is being applied for by highlighting precise skills and experiences that you have that can be applied directly to the position you are seeking. Does that sound like a lot of work Perhaps it is, however, with 10 good cover letters you will receive more interview requests and more job offers than you will ever receive by sending out 100 form cover letters to companies you are unfamiliar with.
For a first time job seeker, coming up with a cover letter can be intimidating. Online guides can divulge a great deal of information to help you make each word count in your cover letters. Insider secrets are not so secret when you take the time to do your research. Soon, you’ll be quickly and easily creating personal and individual cover letters for the jobs that you really want, instead of wasting time and money sending out bulk cover letters that won’t get you the desired results.
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