Your Very First Impression to your New Boss!
We always want to make a good first impression. In some instances we want to make a great perfect impression. This could be when starting a new job, a first date (and second, third...) or meeting with a potential client. We put in a lot of time and sometimes money to create that perfect resume. How much time do we take in comparison in writing a cover letter vs. our resume. A resume can have a tremendous amount of details that is extremely important to sell yourself to a prospective employer. However, the cover letter is the introduction to the resume. It tells the reader "Why should I look at this resume". Therefore, its imperative that a cover letter is a perfect great first impression.
Who needs a Cover Letter?
If you are sending a resume.....you need a cover letter. I have received hundreds of resumes through out the years without cover letters. I don't necessarily just throw them away but the prospect certainly did not add any value to their job seeking efforts. I may glance the resume over and then file it away. However, when a cover letter accompanies a resume, I will usually read the letter to see why the prospect has sent me their resume. A good cover letter will give me a qualification summary. If its a position that I am seeking to fill, then I will look closer to their resume.
Do's and Donts
- There cannot be any misspelled words in a cover letter or resume. Misspelled words could be a simple mistake that is interpreted as someone who doesn't care about details. It could be true. Its definitely a turn off.
- Make the letter sound natural yet professional. I would rather read a letter that is written from the prospective employee than to read a copied sample letter from a website or cover letter book.
- Always try to address the person that is hiring you. Do some research and try to find out who is going to read that letter. I feel more of a connection with the person who actually addresses me by name than the very stiff :"To Whom it May Concern" salutation.
- Try to show that you know something about the company in your cover letter. Don't recap the company history but at least acknowledge a fact or two about the companies mission and how it relates to you.
- Don't be afraid to highlight one or two keywords as it relates to the advertisement or posting and your experience. If you were applying for a quality control position, you may want to highlight the word 'quality control" in your resume as it applies to your experience.
Strong action words will also help your cover letter stand out from the crowd. A thesaurus is always handy when constructing a strong cover letter. Here are a some words that may help you to incorporate your proper cover letter format:
accelerated - accomplished - achieved - addressed - administered - advised - allocated - appeared - applied - appointed - appraised - approved - arranged - assessed - assigned - assisted - assumed - assured - audited - awarded - ability
briefed - broadened - brought - budgeted - built
cataloged - caused - changed - chaired - clarified - classified - closed - collected - combined - commented - communicated - compared - compiled - completed - computed - conceived - concluded - conducted - conceptualized - considered - consolidated - constructed - consulted - continued - contracted - controlled - converted - coordinated - corrected - counseled - counted - created - critiqued - cut - capable - capability - capacity - competence - competent - complete - completely - consistent - contributions
dealt - decided - defined - delegated - delivered - demonstrated - described - designed - determined - developed - devised - diagnosed - directed - discussed - distributed - documented - doubled - drafted - demonstrated - developing
earned - edited - effected - eliminated - endorsed - enlarged - enlisted - ensured - entered - established - estimated - evaluated - examined - executed - expanded - expedited - experienced - experimented - explained - explored - expressed - extended - educated - efficient - effective - effectiveness - enlarging - equipped - excellent - exceptional - expanding - experienced
filed - filled - financed - focused - forecast - formulated - founded
gathered - generated - graded - granted - guided - global
halved - handled - helped
identified - implemented - improved - incorporated - increased - indexed - initiated - influenced - innovated - inspected - installed - instituted - instructed - insured - interpreted - interviewed - introduced - invented - invested - investigated - involved - issued - increasing
joined
kept - knowledgeable
launched - learned - lectured - led - listed
made - maintained - managed - matched - measured - mediated - met - modified - monitored - motivated - moved - major - mature - maturity
named - navigated - negotiated - nationwide
observed - opened - operated - ordered - organized - oversaw - outstanding
participated - perceived - performed - persuaded - planned - prepared - presented - processed - procured - programmed - prohibited - projected - promoted - proposed - provided - published - purchased - pursued - performance - positive - potential - productive - proficient - profitable - proven
qualified - questioned - qualified
raised - ranked - rated - realized - received - recommended - reconciled - recorded - recruited - redesigned - reduced - regulated - rehabilitated - related - reorganized - repaired - replaced - replied - reported - represented - researched - resolved - responded - restored - revamped - reviewed - revise - record - repeatedly - resourceful - responsible - results
saved - scheduled - selected - served - serviced - set - set - up - shaped - shared - showed - simplified - solved - sorted - sought - sparked - specified - spoke - staffed - started - streamlined - strengthened - stressed - stretched - structured - studied - submitted - substituted - succeeded - suggested - summarized - superseded - supervised - surveyed - systematized - significant - significantly - sound - specialist - substantial - substantially - successful - stable
tackled - targeted - taught - terminated - tested - tracked - traded - trained - transferred - transcribed - transformed - translated - transported - traveled - treated - trimmed - tripled - turned - tutored - thoroughly - thorough
uncovered - unified - updated - upgraded - utilized
verbalized - verified - visited - versatile - vigorous
waged - weighed - widened - won - worked - wrote - well educated - well rounded - worldwide
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