Cover Letters

Mr. Roeshink

What is a Cover Letter? A cover letter typically provides detailed

information on why you are qualified for the job you are applying for.

Effective cover letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your most relevant skills or experiences.

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Four Rules of the Road You may assume cover letters should be

boring. Well, throw that theory out the window and use the following “Rules of the Road” to create a letter that will make yours unlike (in a positive way) anyone else’s on an employer’s desk.

Remember…you want your cover letter to be seen, so use the following four rules when creating your cover letter.

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Make a personal connection Establish a personal connection with the

reader of your letter as quickly as possible.

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Show personality Give the employer a sense of your

personality through your writing style, direct statements about your character, or testimonial references.

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Initiate Action Understand what you would like the

employer to do as a result of your letter — and ask him or her to do it.

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Make it quick and easy to read Format your one page letter using short

paragraphs, bullet points, and white space to make your letter look quick and easy to read.

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Important aspects of your Cover Letter

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Research your prospective employer

RESEACRCHING THE COMPANY GIVES YOU INSIGHT INTO WHAT THE COMPANY IS ABOUT.

In order to devise a winning sales pitch for your letter, you need to understand what makes the company tick (its products, history, market standing, goals, challenges, mission statement, industry, clientele, corporate culture, etc.).

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Research your prospective employer

Good places to research company information include: The business section of your public library Business and financial magazines Business sections of newspapers Your prospective employer’s company literature Your professional and personal network

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Company profile example Company’s name: Westwood Running Shoes

Company’s location: Los Angeles, CaliforniaCompany’s principal product: Running shoesCompany’s other products: Socks, t-shirts, shoe laces, sports decalsHiring manager for department I’m interested in: Mr. Alfred Jones, VP of MarketingCompany’s annual revenue: $14 millionCustomer demographics: 43% ages 18 and under, 35% ages 19-30, 17% ages 30-45, 5% ages 46 and overProjected growth: $18 million in three yearsChief competitor: Anchor Line ShoesCompany promotional slogan: Westwood, for those in the fast laneProduct endorsement: Marathon champion, Fred Williams

Armed with information from your company profile, you’ll be ready to craft a targeted cover letter for the job of your dreams.

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The Lead Line Time is money in the business world. You need

to grab the employer right away with the first sentence of your letter.

The point of your lead line is to engage the hiring manager — make her sit up straight and think, “Ah, here’s someone who has something to say!” If you can elicit that kind of response, you already have her wanting to meet you.

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Lead In Grabbers

Mention the name of a personal contact whom your reader knows. For example:

“Blaine Powell recommended I speak with you about your opening for sales manager.”

“My former associate, Ellen Fairbanks, spoke so highly of Tannen & Associates that I decided to send you my resume.”

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Lead In Grabbers Deliver a bold statement that makes the employer want to

understand how you could fulfill such a promise or to find out what you’re talking about. For instance: “Great article in the Sunday paper! As soon as I read it, I

knew I needed to get my resume to you right away.” “No home appliance store in New York should be without the

Wilmington blender! I’m ready to make sure each dealer stocks it.”

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The Sales Pitch What is your cover letter selling? You! You’re the product, and

the middle paragraphs of your cover letter should contain your sales pitch.

Your confident presentation — a declaration of your job objective (if you haven’t already communicated it in your first paragraph) and your qualifications — must convince the reader that you’re a good fit for the job.

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The Sales Pitch To prepare yourself for writing this section of your letter,

answer the following questions: What skills and experience is the employer looking for in

the ideal candidate for the job you want? Which of your achievements demonstrates that you have

the skills and experience the employer is looking for? What personality trait is the employer looking for in the

perfect applicant for the position you seek? What aspects of your personality would make you a

productive member of the employer’s team, department, or company?

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Sales Pitch Examples

From sales representative:“My extensive network of contacts in the perfume and cosmetics industry includes more than 1000 buyers, both domestic and international. These are professionals who know my name — and who listen to my recommendations.”

From a marketing manager:“Here’s my secret: I use bold, unusual marketing strategies to achieve phenomenal results in half the expected time — and at half the cost!”

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The Powerful Closer

Closing the deal is where many cover letters fall short. They either fail to ask for the interview, or they meekly suggest the possibility that maybe, just maybe the reader might want to talk to the job seeker.

A confident request for an interview is the best way for your cover letter to initiate action.

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The Powerful Closer I’ll Call You

An assertive statement such as “I will call your office next week to see when an interview can be arranged” is far more effective than a passive line such as “I look forward to hearing from you.”

Hit the Bottom Line“As your security manager, I will cut theft to a fraction of what it is now. Please get me on the job before this problem hurts your store image. I can be reached at (123) 123-1234.”

Timing Is Everything“On July 12th I will be in the Los Angeles area. It would be an excellent opportunity for us to meet about my proposal. I can be reached in San Francisco at (123) 123-1234 or in Los Angeles at (800) 123-1234.”

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