Do you really need a cover letter when you submit your resume? Well, let's begin with the end in mind... what gets you hired? The interview, right? And what gets you the interview? Probably your resume. It's difficult to get called for an interview if you don't submit a resume. But what gets your resume read? The answer, of course, is an effective cover letter.Your cover letter must be compelling because job search is a numbers game. It is so easy for candidates to respond to job postings today that the number of applicants for every opening is overwhelming. Most resumes are never read by a human. They are glanced at, either online or hardcopy, and unless there is something that catches the interest of the reader, they are set aside. Since most resumes follow a very similar structure, they all look the same. The cover letter (or email cover) is your chance to be different, to say, "You need to look at this one!"Okay, no pressure. When you think about it in this context it can be very intimidating to write an effective cover letter. Actually most candidates touch up an existing resume, then anguish over their cover letters every time they submit their resume for an opening. Or, they take the opposite approach and simply use a stock generic cover letter for every position they apply for. Neither approach is the "right" one. It shouldn't be so difficult to apply for an opening, but a good cover letter does need to be specially targeted to the position for which you are applying if you want to maximize your call backs for interviews.So, how do you easily write an effective cover letter? What is the right length... what's too much and what's too brief? There's a simple formula that I recommend when applying for a job posting. I'll share the basics, and you can read more at my website.Your cover letter should be short and to-the-point, conversational in tone, but professional. It should highlight two or three compelling qualifications that you bring to the table, either significant accomplishments or skills and experiences that will be of interest. Your objective is to get the hiring manager to look at your resume. If you do not have a solid cover letter or a good template that you can use, you will be at a disadvantage when you do see an opportunity worth considering. Coming up with a cover letter will be just one more obstacle, or you will do a lukewarm job of throwing something together, hoping it suffices. That is not going to get you an interview. Consider using a resume writing service to help you draft a cover letter or get your hands on some good examples or cover letter templates and do it yourself.While your resume tells the story of your career in significant detail, try to highlight no more than two or three specific qualifications that make you a great choice for the position and company to which you are applying. Spend some time on the target company's website reading about their products and services, their leadership team, and the things that make them unique. Make sure that you appear attractive to a hiring manager that has been a part of this organization for some time. Managers want to hire others that will fit in, that help grow the business or bring specific expertise to the team.Close your cover letter with an action statement. Indicate what your next steps will be... will you contact the manager in the next few days by email or phone? Be as direct as you can but do remember, your resume and cover letter may not get read the same day you send it. Give it a few days. And remember that it's a numbers game... no matter how compelling you think your story is, everybody has one. So, set reasonable expectations at the beginning, accept all the help you can get, and don't give up!
how do you write a cover letter for a job
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How Do You Write A Cover Letter For A Job is a post from: Amazing Cover Letter For Job Application
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