Cover Letters – Purpose and Structure by Ford Myers, Career Coach
Cover letters are not so much a part of your “Job Seeker’s Tool Kit” as they are part of the implementation of your overall “self marketing” strategy. That’s right – a cover letter is a sales presentation in disguise!
With cover letters, you’re reaching out for a very tangible goal – a job interview. Cover letters are the most commonly used method to introduce your credentials to an employer. And they can serve as one of your strongest selling tools!
Avoid the “standard, boring” types of cover letters that employers receive every day. “I’m very interested in a position with Motley Corporation as a programming analyst. Enclosed please find my resume…” A letter like this basically says, “Hey, I need a job and here’s my resume!” Not a very impressive sales presentation, is it? More importantly, it does nothing to distinguish you from the crowd of other applicants sending the very same kind of drab, standard letters with their drab, standard resumes.
In a professional-level search, there are different letters for different purposes!
There are many times during the implementation of your full search campaign when you will rely on a written letter to speak for you. The way you present yourself on paper can make or break your success during any phase of the process.
Just think about all the different situations in which letters might be useful in opening doors, making a strong first impression, and in keeping your candidacy on the “front burner” in the eyes of key decision-makers. These include:
- Letter responding to an advertised opening
- Letter following-up on a personal or professional referral (this one is my favorite)
- Letter introducing yourself to a decision-maker (called the “cold approach letter” – my least favorite type of cover letter)
- Thank you letter (after first meeting) bullet Follow-up letter (after multiple meetings/interviews)
- Response to a job offer letter bullet And others …
In general, there are three parts of a cover letter – and the middle part is a kind of sales presentation. Here is the outline:
Part 1: Introduction – Explain why you’re writing to the employer. Did you see a job posting; were you referred by a friend or colleague; did you see one of their executives present at a conference or meeting; did you read something in the business press about the company? Be specific and use your research. Give the recipient of your correspondence a sense of your knowledge by referring to industry trends, specific events, or media coverage. This is the best way to demonstrate your interest in the organization.
Part 2: The Sales Presentation – To sell yourself effectively, tell the employer your qualifications and give examples of your relevant experience. The same elements that make your resume effective work in your cover letter: use action words; be brief; be specific. Write about particular accomplishments and use facts and numbers to back them up.
Part 3: Wrap-up and Close – Be sure to restate in one sentence what you can do for the organization. Wrap-up your cover letter as strongly as you opened it. Restate your interest in working with the company, and why. It’s difficult for an employer to resist genuine interest and enthusiasm, combined with your knowledge of the company! Close the letter by directly requesting an interview. Take charge of the process by stating a timeframe in which you will call. Then follow-up precisely as promised, to demonstrate how responsible and professional you are!
As you can now see, cover letters can serve many purposes – the most important of which is to “sell you” when you aren’t personally in front of the hiring manager. When your cover letters are written correctly, they should create a great deal of leverage in your job search. This, in turn, will lead to more interviews and ultimately more job offers!
About Ford Myers
Ford R. Myers is President of Career Potential, LLC. His firm helps clients take charge of their careers, create the work they love, and earn what they deserve! Ford has held senior consulting positions at three of the nation’s largest career service firms. His articles and interviews have appeared in many national magazines, newspapers and television interviews, and he has conducted presentations at numerous companies, associations and universities. In addition, Ford has been a frequent guest on television and radio programs across the country. He is author of two books: “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring” and “The Ultimate Career Guide.”
Learn more about Ford Myers and how you can reach your career potential at: www.CareerPotential.com or contact Ford directly at 1-888-967-5762.
You’re Invited: Job Search Networking: How To Do It Right and Get Results
Job Search Networking: How To Do It Right and Get Results
We’ve all heard the story about how any actor could be connected to Kevin Bacon through “six degrees of separation.”
This concept of connectedness was popularized in 1994. The same could be said for any of us – that the people we most want to connect with are no more than six steps away through relationships. Some believe that it’s not six steps, but as few as two!
Come learn how a senior marketing executive in transition was able to meet almost 250 people, face-to-face, in just five months as he pursued his job search.
Speaker Barry Curewitz will share the specific strategies, tools and tactics he used to generate such phenomenal results. You will leave this discussion with a solid blueprint that lays-out exactly what you need to do to meet the people who can really help you achieve your career goals!
Don’t miss this practical, “real-world” and exciting presentation. Register today!
Here are the details:
Suite F-200, Radnor, PA
Seats are limited, so register now!
This is also an opportunity to get some of your career questions answered, and make new networking contacts!
If you’d like to improve your career situation, you’ll find this presentation to be particularly relevant and helpful.
Please pass this invitation along to anyone else who might benefit from this powerful seminar.
About the Presenter:
Barry Curewitz is a Senior Marketing Executive and Business Leader with more than 20 years of experience accelerating revenue growth for consumer brands. He has generated more than $500 million in revenue with Campbell Soup, Johnson & Johnson, Lenox and Warner-Lambert. Barry holds BS and MBA degrees, and he has taught at the Fox School of Business at Temple University and the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University. His articles have been published in Marketing Management, Advertising Age, Chief Marketer, MarketingProfs and Marketing Daily.
Please pass this invitation along to any other executives who might benefit from this powerful seminar.
Your e-mail address is safe with us! We will not share it with anyone else. See our detailed Privacy Policy.
About Ford Myers
Ford R. Myers is President of Career Potential, LLC. His firm helps clients take charge of their careers, create the work they love, and earn what they deserve! Ford has held senior consulting positions at three of the nation’s largest career service firms. His articles and interviews have appeared in many national magazines, newspapers and television interviews, and he has conducted presentations at numerous companies, associations and universities. In addition, Ford has been a frequent guest on television and radio programs across the country. He is author of two books: “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring” and “The Ultimate Career Guide.”
Learn more about Ford Myers and how you can reach your career potential at: www.CareerPotential.com or contact Ford directly at 1-888-967-5762.
