Discussion on:

Use this formula for the perfect cover letter

This is another "formulized" letter which will be almost meaningless to the recipient.

What, then, would you suggest makes up a good cover letter?
While the author's example is not wildly inventive, it does concisely state the job-seeker's objectives and qualifications, and the author's commentary does well to show how to avoid common gaffes.
I would, of course, very much like to see any alternative examples and/or constructive advice. While I am not seeking employment today, that could change tomorrow.
TIA.

Hekkletek

I'VE HAVE ALOT OF SUCCESS SENT PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS A RESUME LETTER. BSICALLY EXPLAINING YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND HOW THEY CAN HELP SOLVE BUSINESS PROBLEMS WITH CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGY. I HAVE LOTS OF RESEARCH AND HO TO THIS , ANYBODY INTERESTED PLEASE CONTACT ME. tHE JOB MARKET IN TECH IN VERY DIFFICULT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER ALL ARE WELOME

I'VE HAVE ALOT OF SUCCESS USING THIS METHOD I SENT PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS A RESUME LETTER. BASICALLY EXPLAINING YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND HOW THEY CAN HELP SOLVE BUSINESS PROBLEMS WITH CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGY. I HAVE LOTS OF RESEARCH AND HOW TO THIS , ANYBODY INTERESTED PLEASE CONTACT ME. THE JOB MARKET IN TECH IN VERY DIFFICULT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER ALL ARE WELCOME TO CONTACT ME WRENBIRD17@AOL.COM MENTION TECH REPUBLIC IN TITLE

This cover letter that is presented is just the same as anyone else would send out.

In the years that I have been writing cover letters and resumes I have learned that you need to grab the attention of the reader and stand out from the rest of the crowed, and in NO WAY does this example of a cover letter do that. It would be tossed in the round file. Why, because it read just like every other cover letter that has and ever will be written.

I will leave you with an examle of mine that Iwill be sending out soon.

A+ Certified, Network + Certified, Windows 2000 Server Certified, Diploma in Computer Maintenance Technician.

After a challenging and fulfilling ten years in the labs of the Biotech / Pharmaceutical industry,
I am focused and looking forward to develop my career in the Information Technology field.

My Biotech / Pharmaceutical career has included Cell Culture Process Development and Analytical, Amgen Inc; Fermentation / Bioprocessing, Dow Chemical; Cancer Research / Drug Discovery, University California San Diego and Manufacturing, Human Genome Sciences.

Although short on real world IT experience, I am long on effort and enthusiasm. I am an outgoing, friendly individual who would enjoy building strong interpersonal relationships with in-house and or outside end users. I have a strong service orientation and bias for action I feel would serve your company well in responding to the needs and concerns of the company?s clients.

I am completely open to relocating. I am quite willing to follow opportunity, wherever it may take me, however, I am obligated to Human Genome Sciences till the first part of June.

Company knowledge can help. IF the position is one you really want, it pays to look into it, and garner some info about the hiring company's 'way of doing business'. This helps the reader to connect you with all of your tech wizard wonders, with their need. For example, a comment like

"From the recent article in the Daily Newspaper reflective of the XYZ Company's goal to seek profitability in 2003, and the commitment to IT infrastructure development to meet that goal, it would seem that you are seking people who have the experience and drive to develop information systems to improve operations efficiency. My experience at ABC Company upgrading obsolete systems and training inexperienced users may be applicable in your growth orientation and IT development efforts.

etc.

Wouldn't you get a bit tired of "I am writing to apply for..." after 80 or 100 resumes?
Saying that you are writing to apply for the position is wasteful after the Re: salutation.

The opening paragraph would be much improved if one mentioned the position in relation to two of one's strongest traits and then bridged directly to the bullets - "As a Senior Support Analyst (underlined) I can offer you a record of increased efficiency and proactive solutions. I have summarized below my strengths related to the needs listed in the job posting. Please see the attached resume for details of my accomplishments."

The opening is only the first mistake in this letter. The second major error is in the bulleted items. Two of the three items could apply to anyone who held the same position, and none of them show RESULTS beneficial to the employer.

Thirdly, after saying one should show off one's knowledge the sample does nothing to demonstrate that. One should attempt to research enough to know what the company is doing and how you might have a positive impact.

Finally, I'd like to hear from some managers who have screened tech candidates for what is most important for them in a cover letter. After all, we job candidates aren't the ones who must judge the perfection of a cover letter anyway!

I think out of all the replies that have been offered, yours is by far tyhe most insightful and helpful. That being said, isn't it enough to make that post once? Must you give it to us again?

Thank you for your comments. The double post was an mistake, and nothing allows me to withdraw my own commment if made in error.

The template is good - it gives you a starting point, which is what many of us need to get started in writing ANYTHING, much less a good cover letter. It will be meaningless to the recipient if you don't inject a bit of your personality into it.

A true story on being original:

About 20 years ago I applied for a job as a Documentation/Technical writer for a small printer manufacturing company. In my cover letter I had misspelled the word 'writing' (as 'writting').

The person responsible for the interview process asked me if I had proofed my letter. I replied I had.

They asked if I knew I had spelled the word incorrectly. I said I did.

They asked why I didn't correct it. I said ... It got your attentions and I'm here now aren't I?

I got the job!!!

I agree that "I am writing to you..." is not the best way to start your cover letter. I much prefer something like... In response to your advertisement for XXXX, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. This allows you to tell something about yourself and then lead into your skills.

Wouldn't you get a bit tired of "I am writing to apply for..." after 80 or 100 resumes?
Saying that you are writing to apply for the position is wasteful after the Re: salutation.

The opening paragraph would be much improved if one mentioned the position in relation to two of one's strongest traits and then bridged directly to the bullets - "As a Senior Support Analyst (underlined) I can offer you a record of increased efficiency and proactive solutions. I have summarized below my strengths related to the needs listed in the job posting. Please see the attached resume for details of my accomplishments."

The opening is only the first mistake in this letter. The second major error is in the bulleted items. Two of the three items could apply to anyone who held the same position, and none of them show RESULTS beneficial to the employer.

Thirdly, after saying one should show off one's knowledge the sample does nothing to demonstrate that. One should attempt to research enough to know what the company is doing and how you might have a positive impact.

Finally, I'd like to hear from some managers who have screened tech candidates for what is most important for them in a cover letter. After all, we job candidates aren't the ones who must judge the perfection of a cover letter anyway!

Reagrding 'I am writing to you'. Years ago I advertised for a deputy manager for an IT mag I edited. I had to get through about 600 CVs - no easy task on your own.

The phrase is a tautology, it tells the reader what s/he already knows; as in 'if you weren't writing to me I wouldn't be holding this letter'.

I binned every one that started this way - I expect a journalist to know better.

I agree with the basic premise of the article. The covering letter is important; its the opening pitch.

Seang is correct about beginning any business letter this way. The Business Communications class at the local community college taught that letters should never begin with the word "I" and that most sentences should avoid that also. While I am nota manager, I do agree with that principle. It is much more difficult to write such a letter (like the "negative" letter!) and therefore would show more effort and thought. Just my two cents worth!

Great article and discussion!

I think we can start in this way:

"When I saw your advertisement, I carefully matched my educational qualifications and experiences and it seems that may be I am the right person you are looking for."

I have spoken to many employmemt agencies and companies and they don't like this Line::: It seems like or I know I'm the right person you are looking for." They all tell me that it's a turn off because you cannot determine if you have what they are looking for without going on a interview or finding out in person what they are really looking for. You should view a job description a just a guide to what the company is looking for.

In addition to the poor english, this still does not give the employer any solid information. Try:

"Below are the qualifications and experiences I can offer, matched to the requirements in the employment listing."

You're absolutely correct!

I?m a hiring manager and rarely even look at a cover letter. If the candidate?s resume doesn?t grab me in 10 seconds, it?s in the unfavorable pile.

Who has time to ready 100 (or 10 or 20) letters these days when thereader is struggling to keep his/her head above water during these lean times?

But, if a cover letter looks professional, it's a good first impression.

Give your phone number but also either state if there is an answering machine, that it is OK to leave a message or give a time when you will be there personally to answer the phone! Being contactable is half the battle.

All "standard" letters are stuffy but the gist is right. Asking a question is a good idea too. It will help to identify you as a person and may even stop you from going for an interview for a job you don't want! I found out once (in the first five minutes of an interview)that the job would involve spending weeks away from home. Wished I knew before I took a day off work for the interview!

Thanks Jeff. This article is a good starting point and I intend on adding most of the suggestions to my cover letters. I also am going to take many of the suggestions of the members who commented. There are a lot of knowledgable people out there. Thanks to all.

I would side with the members on one point in particular. I think it is redundant to put the fact that you are seeking a certain postion in the opening paragraph. I would have the RE line as was stated(never thought of doing that) but that should be enough.

Still it was an excellent article and will be a big help to me.

Thanks

As it goes in this economy, many hiring managers are inundated with job applicants. I would suggest using the cover letter to a) identify with their challenges and b) demonstrate how you can help them. Hiring managers really want to know you are going to be able to do the job with little effort on their part. Using the example presented in the article, I would be so bold to write something like:

(Grab their attention) I can appreciate the overwhelming number of applicants you are most likelyhaving to go through to find the right person for the Senior Support Analyst position posted in the ______. Let me try and convince you to look no further.

(Identify with their challenges and point them to specifics in your resume) If your operation is experiencing challenges such as _____ and ____ and_____ , I would encourage you to look at my responsibilities and the results I achieved working with such organizations as ___ and ____.

(Identify with their pain) I would imagine you arein a similar situation as many hiring managers today, extremely busy and interested in finding the strongest candidate for the position as quickly as possible.

(Ask for the appointment) I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you to gain your confidence that I will be a strong contributor to your organization and the right candidate for the Senior Support Analyst position. You can reach me at _______ or via email at ________.

(Final note: Use some of the wording from the job description in your cover letter to ensure you are talking their language.)

Those are my thoughts on how to approach the cover letter.

Thank you and best of luck!

First of all, why are you applying for the position? Do you really want it because you love the company, because you really want to do what they do? Or is it a stepping stone to a better position?

Do you really want a position at a company that would hire you for saying "I am writing to apply for the ...." etc.?

I would be more inclined to use my cover letter as a test for the company. If they don't think that my cover letter is great, and ask me in for an interview, then I'm not interested in the position. Their bad luck.

What an arrogant post. Sounds like sour grapes to me. The cover letter is their test for you, not the other way around. If you don't give them what they want you will never get an interview, much less a job.

Play the game or sit on the bench.

DKS

You made a valid point but I still agree with the poster you responded to. It should be a two way street. I just came from a company that I didn't fit in to and it was like pulling teeth. I hated working with those stuffed shirts. I just wish I had told them no when they offered me the job as I could see hints of what was ahead. If you show a certain panache or flavor on your cover letter then those who are like-minded will respond and those who are not won't. Personally I'd rather work where Ifit in...no matter how odd the fit may be. I don't agree this is arrogance on the previous posters part.

But then again, as you said; one has to pay the rent and sometimes you have to take a job where the fit isn't so good. Personally I'm not in that position and I'll be very careful about who I work for this time.

I never ever start any letter, especially a cover letter with the dreaded "To Whom It May Concern." Try "Ladies and Gentlemen" or something others do not use. I never tell the people I am writing to that I am writing to them. Do they not already know that?

I am looking for an adventure, to do something interesting that will challenge me and stretch me and make me do things I've never done before. Expressing knowledge of the comapny in a way that offers solutions to their problems is something a hiring manager wants to read. Can you get an HR person to talk to the Technical guys to see if the solution is a real one? Better yet, can you get the Tech guy reading the CL to try your solution to their real problem? This is the kind of knowledge I am talking about. Applied problem solving displayed in a couple of lines. Impossible? You have not done your research properly!

One of the first things I look for, mostly because of sheer habit, is the person's ability to write clear, concise, and meaningful sentences. All too often, I read a cover letter (and resume) and say to myself: "What the heck did I just read?" I remember one resume where the person was applying for a Network Administrator position I posted. The individual stated they had 8 years, multi-location, blah blah blah experience. The person spelled ?Novell? as ?Novel? throughout... I had to discount this candidate due to a lack of detail review or just lack of experience. First impressions are key: don?t let spelling and grammar get in the way of your talent.

I look to the resume for the info I need. Keep cover letters simple and to the point. List a few key strengths (relate them to the position you are applying for, if possible); How you can contribute; what your career directions are; and lastly - include what the hiring person is asking for like salary requirements. Many people miss this. When I ask for salary, I want to save your time and mine; you may be just too far out of the ballpark.

Cheers and good luck on the job scene!

The following is from the article.

"The signature line: I see a lot of cover letters in which the author has left no space for his or her signature. The rule of thumb is to press [Enter] four times after the closing salutation before you type your name. That?ll give you plenty of room for your signature."


Ok. That sounds like good advice for a letter that you mail to them. But, what happens if the cover letter is emailed because that is the way that the employer wants you to apply? Do you still leave lines? How can you insert a signature into that space?

Thanks to everyone who has posted comments to this article. The feedback is much appreciated. I guess calling my little ol' template a "perfect" cover letter set expectations pretty high. As fellow TechRepublic members have pointed out, a "perfect" cover letter is one that sells the match between what you offer and what the company states that it needs in its advertisements. It is my hope that my keep-it-short rule and my sample text provide a good launch pad for those of you who struggle with writing cover letters. Again, it's a great discussion thread. Keep 'em coming.
-Jeff

The cover letter example was very excellent. The tips were very precise and to the point.