The cover letter is a very important aspect to your resume mainly because it is your first impression that you will make on employers. When they open your materials, you might want to avoid these don'ts but include these helpful do's:
Mistake No. 1: Using 'I' Too Much!
Yes, I understand that you are the one who wants to apply for the job, but you also don't want to come off being self centered. Your letter is not your autobiography and we want to show the employer that you have a strong vocabulary. With that being said, minimize the word 'I' and try to figure out sentences that will promote how you can benefit the company. An individual that wants to come off as an asset for the company rather than seeing as to what is it for them will have a much greater chance of getting that interview.
Mistake No. 2: Being too Vague
Being specific and getting to the point in your cover letter is important. Employers are on a short time schedule and a cover letter that is too vague will get over looked. Instead, reference the specific job title or position that you want in your cover letter. Make sure to support your request for this job position with how your skills with benefit the company's needs.
Mistake No 3: Making it Too Long
Making a cover letter too long is a big mistake since it is the first document that an employer will look at. Once look at your novel of a cover letter and your resume will be overlooked for sure. Short and sweet is the way to go because time is money and employers don't have a lot of time. The letter should have your address, three short paragraphs of information, and then a salutation.
Mistake No 4: A Weak Opening
With ever paper that you write, the opening is the hardest part to write. Mainly this is the case due to it being the lead in to the rest of your letter. Often, this leads to a weak opening with a very short sentence that isn't an attention grabber. Rather think of the entire cover letter as you selling yourself to the employer and the opening is your sales pitch. Now with every sales pitch, you need attention grabbing words such as "top-performer", "excellent", and "ranked #1". These three words are just a few attention grabbing words that employers are looking for. Sell yourself as though your life depending on it and make it look like you are the golden child that the employer can't pass up.
Mistake No 5: Using the Same Cover Letter
Chances are that you will be applying at many different companies for the same job position. With that being said, a common mistake is using the same cover letter over and over again. A non customized letter doesn't show you put a ton of research looking into what the company you want to work for is all about. The lack of effort on your part will show off as a lack of ambition and could be over looked for someone that put the time into finding out what the company's future goals are. Make sure to customize each letter you put together in order to make it look like you really want to be part of their team.
Following these five don'ts of a cover letter will greatly help you in order to make a fantastic first impression that will knock those employer's socks off!
We at EHowToWriteACoverLetter.com Wish you the best of luck!
Tim Plonski -
http://www.ehowtowriteacoverletter.com/
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