Why is writing an eye catching cover letter for resume and CV job applications so very critical? It's critical because it's by far your most important chance to "sell" yourself... not for the job... just for the chance to get an interview for the job!
Job hunting is not a fun sport! That resume that you so lovingly crafted, or worse paid to have crafted, is going to end up stacked on the desk of a harried employer vetting hundreds of applicants. He's looking for any excuse to speed the process and if you don't stand out from the pack... you'll quickly end up in the bin without a chance at even a first interview, never mind the job.
If you are sick to death of waiting for that elusive call to the job interview; wake up and learn to get noticed! Your cover letter needs to stand out from the crowd. It needs to reach out and grab your future employer by the throat and scream for attention. Bore him to death with "Dear Sir, thank you for taking the time to read this.." and it's game over.
So what does it take to get noticed?
- Everyone notices their own name: addressing the cover letter directly to the interviewing employer is sheer common sense! Another "To Whom... " or "Dear Sir... " is mind numbingly dull. All it takes is a phone call to find the name... importantly it shows you've done some homework.
- Clearly state the position your applying for and what you can bring to the job. The employer is only interested in how you can benefit him at this stage.
- Make the letter short and clear, with positive enthusiastic language. You might only get 30 seconds of attention but getting noticed gives you a much better chance at an interview!
- End the cover letter enthusiastically and use language that assumes you have already landed the interview. It's interesting that closes like "I look forward to our interview..." are more likely to get interviews than tame endings!
Remember... the one and only purpose of your cover letter is to get noticed. Getting noticed means more job interviews - more job interviews, more chance of getting the job of your dreams.
Finally... if you struggle to write a good cover letter for resume or CV there is plenty of help. One of the best resources I've seen around is Jimmy Sweeney's Amazing Cover Letters. Good Luck!
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