Cover letters

APPLICATIONS

A mentor of mine once said, “Don’t ever fill out an application if you can send a resume, and don’t send a resume if you get an interview instead.” In other words, don’t give potential employers too much information before they interview you. The goal is to see the interviewer face to face. If a secretary says a resume, see if you can schedule an interview first. If you absolutely can’t, then send a resume. Refrain from filling out applications until the interview, if possible. Applications ask for scads of information – employers use them to screen prospective employees out. Since you don’t know what they want to know about you, the less said prior to the interview, the better.

When you finally have to fill out the application, there are some guidelines you should follow:

Follow the instructions carefully. Once when I filled out an application, I nearly missed the small letters at the bottom of the page that stated “Write a two to three page letter describing yourself to us.” If I had skipped that instruction, I’m sure I would not have been called in for an interview. The employer wanted to know if I was detail-oriented and followed instructions carefully.

Be neat. Fill out applications with an erasable black pen, preferably one that doesn’t leave large globules of ink throughout the application. Employers don’t consider it a pleasant experience to receive an application filled with white-out or one in which the writer used red, green, and blue ink. Proofread the application and make sure that all addresses, phone numbers, and names are correct. Attention to detail is important.

Be positive. Avoid negative comments about yourself. Present yourself with positive adjectives and descriptions. Emphasize your skills and accomplishments. Remember to let the potential employer know how great you are!

Fill in every blank. If there is a question that you would prefer to answer in the interview, it is better to state that preference than to leave the line blank.

Don’t tell how much you want to make. If you state your salary range in an application (before they meet you), you might have listed a salary so high that they won’t want to talk to you.

Every resume must be accompanied by a cover letter. It is a way to highlight your qualifications and elaborate on your resume. Think of your cover letter as a tool in obtaining an interview. The following sections address some basic guidelines to remember.

Although the two documents (a resume and a cover letter) have similarities, they are different in several ways:

· A resume is adapted to a position, while the letter is adapted to the needs of a particular company.

· The resume summarizes all of your qualifications, while the letter shows how your qualifications can help the organization meet its needs, how you differ from other applicants, and that you have some knowledge of the company.

· Business resume can be two to three pages for experienced applicants, but a cover letter should be only one page.

There are several parts to a cover letter.

Introduction: You will want to explain to the employer how you found about the position, why you want to work for the company, and which position you are applying for. If you know someone who works in the company, you may want to mention this in the first paragraph as well.

Qualification section: You will want to highlight your qualifications in this paragraph. You may want to expand upon information presented in your resume, or you may want to include new information about you in this section.

Conclusion: Close in a positive manner. Discuss the prospect of setting up an interview.

An example of a cover letter follows.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27