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Blowing your cover: Getting letters right can be key to job
Casual Friday
Date published: 11/3/2006
BY MARVIN WALBERG SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE Resume and cover letter critiques are part of my fee-based services, but because I see so many basic errors in cover letters, I'd like to offer this advice free of charge. Never send out cover letters that are created as form letters, whether they are individually printed or photocopied. Always create an individual cover letter for each employer, addressed to the specific person you want to contact by name and title. Never, under any circumstances, address cover letters to "Dear Hiring Manager," "Dear Human Resource Manager," "Dear Sir/Madam," or "To Whom It May Concern." Take the time and make the effort to find out whom it may concern and use their name and title! Usually a simple telephone call will give you that information. Never close a cover letter with something like, "I'll look forward to hearing from you " Always close your cover letters with assertiveness, like, "I will call you in a few days to make sure you have received my resume and ask for a mutually convenient time for us to meet in person." Job searching is hard work--possibly the toughest job you'll ever have--and you may have to do it several times during your working lifetime. Do it right, just like you should do any job. Don't skip steps and don't take shortcuts. Do it the way it should be done the first time and you'll not only save time in the long run, but you'll get the results you want and need. Do what others fail to do! If you send out cover letters that are obviously form letters addressed, for example, to "Dear Hiring Manager," you might as well save your postage stamps and toss your letters/resumes off the top of your city's tallest building and let the wind deliver them. You might even get better results. Form letters tell recipients that you are hoping that at least one of your letters will hit home. Instead, you must target recipients with individually prepared requests for interviews if you want to make positive impressions and get positive results. Don't do things the easy way when the right way works! Marvin Walberg is a job search consultant based in Birmingham, Ala. He can be contacted at Box 43056, Birmingham, AL, 35243. E-mail him at mwalberg @bellsouth.net.
Date published: 11/3/2006
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