COVER LETTERS: important to...

SELF-PROMOTION! No-one pays attention to uninteresting messages... Brand yourself!

Ex: “Dear [Name], One of social service's most enthusiastic and dedicated individuals is applying for a professional position with your foundation. That would me me, supported with solid experience, a new academic degree, and lots of promise”.

LOOK GOOD AT FIRST SIGHT: position yourself! (Submitting a resume without a cover letter is like not shaking hands when meeting someone...)

TARGET THE EMPLOYER'S NEEDS:

The resume focuses on you and your past, the cover letter on the employer and the future

SHOWCASE YOUR PERSONALITY: key ingredient (along with knowledge and skill). The cover letter suggests whether you're open to new ideas, results driven, energetic, cheerful, agreeable, cooperative, etc.

COVER LETTERS: important to...

COVER LETTERS: important to...

CLOSE GAPS IN YOUR WORK RECORD: the letter is a vehicle to explain any disruption in your work history (you gained valuable experience while: serving in the military / undertaking volunteer activities, dedicating yourself to your family, resolving a non-recurring health problem, etc.)

HIGHLIGHT YOUR SKILLS: how is your experience transferable?

DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS: an impeccable cover letter is a way to prove your ability to communicate well

TAKE ACTION: I will stop by and introduce myself and share my portfolio with you. Will next week be convenient? I will contact you this Thursday at 11:00 to determine if such arrangements would interest you / Please expect my telephone call in the coming week to arrange a meeting / As a follow-up to this correspodence I will call you next week to determine if my qualifications meet your needs

COVER LETTERS: important to...

DIFFERENT TYPE OF COVER LETTERS

Job and reply letter Prospecting letter (sent to a selected small number of emplyers

with whom you have some sort of connection (same industry, personal meeting, affinity group, etc.)

Broadcast letter (sent to big numbers of potential employers) Networking letter (sent to those with whom you have some kind of

affinity: fellow alumni, members of your church, civic organization, etc. sking for job leads, nor for job interviews)

Resume letter (direct postal or onine mail document that doesn't contain a separate resume per se. Here you can use a storytelling approach)

DIFFERENT TYPE OF COVER LETTERS

Job fair cover letter (left to companies at a job fair)

Follow-up letter (an after-interview communication, a follow-up letter designed to spur decision action or to revive your candidacy)

Professional branding statement (a short paragraph used as a way to define yourself and to stand out)

Online profile (a Web portfolio where you can combine bios, interests, accomplishments, publications, photos, links, etc.)

Email cover note (short and to the point, sent in the body of the email to introduce your attached resume)

5 TIPS

Write in vigorous, vibrant and animated language

Use an action close (see above “Take action”) Address your letter to individuals. Bait your letters with marketable skills and other

benefits Use postscripts or a motto to dramatize some

information

5 MISTAKES

Typos and other flubs Writing the wrong tone and style Summarizing your resume wastes the readers'

time Canned cover letters are treated like junk mail Too many unsupported assertions don't work!

Don't brag, just brand!

JOHN SMITH58 Island Street

Austin, TX 19319555.999.000

April 17th, 2012

Think Things Sportswear

3838 Main Street

Austin, TX 91919

Dear sirs,

I have seen your advertisement for the post of secretary/interpereter in the Evening Standard and I should like to apply for it. As you can see from the enclosed resume I am 24 years old and single. I went to St. Martin School in Houston and then took

a two-year secreterial course at Marino College. I worked as a secretary for Green & Red from 2009 to 2011. I was responsible for typing, filing, scheduling the Export Manager's appointments, answering the telephone calls and carrying out all the foreign correspondeance. I was recently let go due to a reduction in force, which is why I wish to apply for the position you offer.

I have recently completed courses in French and Spanish, which I can speak and write fluently. My shorthand speed is 110 w.p.m. And typing 70 w.p.m. I am familiar with word processing as I have been attending computer evening classes for the last six months.

A copy of a reference from my previous employer is enclosed. I hope you will take my application into consideration and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

John Smith

[sample cover letter 1]

What are the weaknesses and strenghts of the previous cover letter?

• …

• ...

What to do

1) Customize and use names Mail, cell, home telephone, email, blog address,

skype address Date (two lines below contact information) Inside address below the date

(both date and inside address to the left margin) Name of the person, correct prefix, job title On the right side a subject line: “RE: ...”

What to do

2) Use the right language (if the target is conservative, be conservative, if the target is creative, be creative) : hook the reader > quotation

Ex:

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal (T. Jefferson)

Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer. (Marcia Wieder)

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. (G.B.Shaw)

What to do

3) State why you are writing: Job interview! Meeting!

“My former boss describes me as the best multimedia designer in town. Can we talk?”

“I'm ready to make money for you and look forward to speaking with you personally. I will call you early next week.”

“I look forward to our conversation. I'll email you in a few days to coordinate a time that's convenient for you.”

What to do4) Explain why you are a top candidate I am particularly well-qualified for your … position, as the following

highlights illustrate. I would enjoy the opportunity to meet you to explore how I can contribute to your organization

For your convenience, I will keep this letter especially brief. The job you're trying to fill seems to have my name on it, thanks to my qualifications in... [skills] and... [experience]

As my resume shows, I have successful experience in …. Briefly, I offer: [bulleted lists of accomplishments]

What you're asking for and what I can deliver sound like a match!

Please allow me to highlight some of my accomplishments that are relevant to your requirements

I am long on effort and enthusiasm, although short on experience. Examples of my passion for doing the job well are in references I gained as a student, such as the following achievements: ...

What to do5) Read and reread: Be precise: no typos! Be concise: - “I am a person who believes that the values of fervent

dedication, cooperative teamwork, dynamic leadership, and adaptive creativity are crucial components of any totally successful sales venture” NO

- “Dedication, teamwork, leadership, and creativity are essential to successful sales” YES

Watch the words (spam filters; no word such as investment, money, free, urgent, testing)

In emails use unformatted text rather than HTML or rich format

Against the writer's block:

Whom do you picture reading your letter? Which qualities of yours do you want to

emphasize? What benefits do you bring to the reader's

company? What special skills or talents set you apart from

the competition? What do you like about the company to which

you are applying?

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

50 USEFUL ADJECTIVES!You will find I am…

I offer the following strengths…

I have always been…

My friends / professor / former employer describe/s as...

Determined

Creative

Responsive

Motivated

Patient

Helpful

Hard-working

Skillful

Reliable

Energical

Well-organized

Detail-oriented

Resourceful

Peaceful

Well-prepared / qualified

Enthusiastic

Flexible

Humble

Enterprising

Polite

Efficient

Sociable

Punctual

Optimistic

Competitive

Clever / smart

Curious

Open-minded

Talented

Self-confident

Precise

Honest

Reserved

Risk-taking

Sensible

Pragmatic

Cheerful

Active

Brave

Authentic

Quick learner

Willing to…

Brilliant

Unique

…............

Competent

Respectful

Open to criticism / suggestion

Sincere

Caring

Dedicated

Prudent

Areas of skills and qualities:

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

PROBLEM-SOLVING/CREATIVITY

INTERPERSONAL ABILITIES/TEAMWORK SKILLS

DIVERSITY SENSITIVITY

PLANNING + ORGANIZING

LEADERSHIP + MANAGEMENT

• Write a cover letter addressed to the Penguin Group to apply for a work experience placement (2 weeks) or an internship (8 weeks)

• Click here for more info on the work experience

http://gs12.globalsuccessor.com/fe/tpl_penguin01.asp?newms=info04

• Click here to read the “Working into Publishing” Booklet http://gs12.globalsuccessor.com/docs/images/175/6/1/PENCAREERS09.pdf