Shirley Said:

Job Application Cover Letter?

We Answered:

HI There,


Hello,

Since you were told by an HR person with this company that there is an opening for a position you are interested in, I would put in my cover letter that you were referred to apply for this position by "__________" (whatever his name and position are. If you aren't sure, call back and get this information because mentioning his name and position is important to your getting a foot in the door to be considered for this job. Mention this very early on in the letter in the first paragraph to grab the reader's attention.

Be sure to address the letter to the name of the Human Resources Director. Call and get this information; it personalizes your cover letter.

In the first paragraph, introduce yourself and state that you are interested in being considered for the position of ________.
Explain why you are writing in a way that will stir the reader's interest. Specifically state what you can offer the employer.

In the second paragraph, explain how you are qualified -- include your educational and work/professional qualifications. Entice the reader to want to learn more about you.

In the third paragaph, explain why you should be considered for the job ("Why I'm right for the job") and show your knowledge about the industry or company.

In the fourth/last paragraph, request action by asking for an interview. (This paragraph should include what steps you'll take to make sure you communicate further with this employer about your qualifications). Say that you'll contact him in 1 week, 2 weeks, or whenever you will call back/contact him to follow-up. Be sure to mention your phone number and hours you can be contacted, and indicate the time zone you are in (E.S.T. = Eastern Standard Time, etc.)

Be sure to follow-up like you said you would.

Read your cover letter. It should show that you are able to see the job opening from the employer's point of view. Employers are interested in candidates that mention they are interested in helping a company cut costs, make them money, or increasing production. State amounts/percentages etc. to show how you have achieved this in the past for other companies to prove these claims.

Write in the active tense, not past tense (Like I held job for... or "I operated a....) Keep it present tense so it doesn't sound dated.

Don't make the mistake of telling the reader what their company can do for you, rather than what you can do for them. Employers want people who can solve problems, make money and be productive. Always consider how you can contribute to the organization's success in your cover letter.

Keep your letter brief and concise. Don't ask for an entry-level position. Don't make the first paragraphs boring or mechanical but put some flair in them to personalize them. Don't state what salary you'd like, put anything negative in your comments or sound desperate so you're willing to take any job. Avoid putting "I" at the beginning of every sentence. Read your letter out loud to hear how it sounds.

Research the company and the industry ahead of time so you know what you're talking about, and once you get an interview you can talk intelligently about it.

Be sure the letter has no errors in spelling or grammar. Cut out all unnecessary wordy phrases like "the purpose of", etc. Make long sentences and paragraphs short.

Continue to get input from others, and research the internet for helpful sites about writing cover letters, creating electronic resumes, interviewing techniques, second interviews, etc.!

Here is a good job hunting site and where I obtained some of the information above:

http://www.quintcareers.com/indres.html


Good Luck!

Thelma Said:

Job application- speculative cover letter advice please?

We Answered:

It's great that you have already got the initiative to see that a speculative approach is warranted. A good idea would be, if possible, to call the company first to see if you can get an email address direct to the HR manager or at least the HR department. Always attach your CV to the email and then your covering letter should be the body of the email itself. Your goal with the email is to get the recipient to open your CV attachment as early as possible so you could start by talking about them first - ie tell them why you like the company and why you would make a significant contribution (ideally in the first couple of sentences)
Then you need a statement to direct them to your CV - such as "As you will see from my CV, I have a strong track record in......."
At the end of your letter, provide a call to action such as "I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my application further, please call or email to arrange."
For more help visit www.careervisa.co.uk

Jenny Said:

Need help with my cover letter for a job application!?

We Answered:

Don't write "To whom it may concern" ever. The cover letter is suppose to be personal, so address it to someone's name. The best thing you can do is to call the place up and ask for the manager's name, then address it to the manager.

Kristin Said:

10 points for best cover letter for job application?

We Answered:

Without having intimate knowledge of your qualifications, your experience, and the specific job, I really can't give you a good cover letter. However, I can point you to a series of EXCELLENT articles that I use as reference materials.

Go to careers.msn.com, click on the "Articles and Advice" option and start scanning the articles.

I've been an applicant for a number of jobs (most of which I have been offered), and more importantly, I have been on the other side of the desk and reviewed hundreds of resumes and cover letters, as well as conducting dozens of interviews. In addition, I've taught career prep courses for a local college.

Most importantly - proofread your letter and resume. Then have someone else proofread them. Then check them again. Then have a third person read them. Then a fourth. Maybe a fifth. And pick intelligent people who are seriously interested in helping you - not friends who are going to pander to you to make you feel all warm and fuzzy. You need a real friend who's not afraid to tell you, "This doesn't make sense. I'd change this sentence like..."

Good luck!

P.S. - I'll even do one better for you. If you would like to e-mail your letter to me, I can give some pointers. e-mail to this username at yahoo.com. I might not be able to get back to you for a couple of days, though.

Viola Said:

job application - cover letter? ?

We Answered:

Hi,

I'm a Recruitment Consultant so I look at CVs and applicaitons all day long. Basically, you need to keep your cover letter as short as possible, it is simply an introduction to your CV which really matters.

Keep it very short and brief stating which job you are applying for and why you would like to apply. Many people make the mistake of a long cover letter adding all their good points (which can be found in their CV), making the person reading it bored before they even get to the actual CV.

Good luck. :)