PURPOSE OF A COVER LETTER

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

PURPOSE OF A COVER LETTER

Teena Rose operates a prominent and professional resume writing service, Resume to Referral. She’s authored several career books, including "20-Minute Cover Letter Fixer" "How to Design, Write, and Compile a Quality Brag Book" and "Cracking the Code to Pharmaceutical Sales."

The following was excerpted from The 20-Minute Cover Letter Fixer.

A cover letter serves as a “middleman” or connector between the resume and a job, along with being an introducer, an answerer of questions, and a speaker for your candidacy. The letter shouldn’t regurgitate the same wordage included in your resume; however, it should refine necessary information.

Let’s say, for example, that you’re applying for a planning position. You possess the necessary credentials for the position, yet that information can only be found within the middle or lower half of your resume. In addition to tooling your resume to highlight this experience, weave key elements about it within the cover letter. A person can never be too diligent when it comes to relaying relevant work history.

Other uses for a cover letter include:

* Relocation choice or willingness to travel
* Salary requirement, if requested by company
* Schedule requirement: part time, full time, telecommute, contract
* Alternate form of contact or availability for interview
* Answers to questions posed by the company
* Reflect work experience in replacement of education requirement
* Explain employment gaps or other career blemishes
* Highlight key points that match the hiring company’s requirements

To benefit your candidacy, stay away from clich้ documents that resemble those of other candidates. How do you know whether your letter is unique? Generic letters are easily noticeable; and oftentimes, you already have a gut feeling that something “just isn’t right.” Stay away from a traditional letter and completely ditch your outdated ideas on writing a cover letter. The five tips contained in The 20-Minute Cover Letter Fixer add flair to what can typically be boring correspondence.