The Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is not rocket science, however, it requires time and dedication. This is not just a letter; it is your resume cover letter. A well written cover letter can increase your chances of getting a job interview.   

Let’s start by reviewing the elements of your cover letter:

1.    Is your cover letter addressed to an individual instead of To Whom It May Concern? 

2.    Do you have a strong opening paragraph, where you can pinpoint your key strengths, based on what “that” specific employer is looking for in a candidate? 

3.    In the body of the letter, are you focusing on the employer requirements or are you going on-and-on, on the me, myself and I syndrome, totally unrelated to the needs of the prospective employer? It really doesn’t matter if you wrote 50 proposals, if the employer is not looking for a writer but rather indicated that he needs a public relations director. You can still build that information in your resume, but do not waste precious space in your cover letter. Focus more on your skills as they pertain to public relations.

4.    Are you indicating clearly and with examples, how you would benefit the employer, if you were hired?

5.    In your closing paragraph, assuming that you Google the employer, did you indicate how important will be to be a team member in such outstanding organization, and ask respectfully for the opportunity of a job interview?
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6.    Finally, did you give your cover letter to another person to proofread, to ensure that it’s free of spelling and grammar errors?

These are some of the elements that we all need to be concerned while preparing a cover letter. Let’s not forget that you want to write a great letter that is substantial and SHORT. If you are not successful in getting the employers’ attention within the first few sentences, your cover letter and resume will go to the other batch, yes, the batch of those who will not be called for interviews!