→The Basics of a Cover Letter

→Grab the Reader’s Attention

→4 types of Cover Letters

→Cover Letter Samples

→Cover Letter Do’s & Don’ts

→Review

The Basics of a Cover Letter

1. First _________ you make to an employer.

2. An_________letter, or a letter of_________.

3. It should always be sent along with your ________

Cover Letter + Résumé = complete application

Let this person inspire you!

• To be a successful candidate you need to become a salesperson focusing on your one and only product – YOU!

• To put together a good, customized, cover letter takes a lot of time – don’t underestimate this factor.

Always send your CV with a cover letter

• Your cover letter explains things that you can not explain in your CV

• Your cover letter serves the same function as your objective on your CV:

– Tells the employer what position you are seeking and how you are qualified

• Your cover letter gives you a small opportunity to show your personality

• Give the employer a reason to look at your CV….this is your GOAL, to persuade the employer to read your CV!

“The biggest mistake people make when writing a cover letter is writing one that is too long”

• Introduction

• Body

• Conclusion

KISS = Keep It Short & Simple

Keep your cover letter short = 1 page

Do not restate your resume in your

cover letter!

Less is more!

Keep your cover letter short = 1 page = 3-(5) paragraphs

KISS

1. ”Why I’m writing” – introduction

2. ”How I’m qualified” – describe your academic and professional qualifications

3. ”Why I’m the right candidate for the job” – relate yourself to the company, show your knowledge of the company/industry

4. ”Next step, to talk further” – request action, ask for the interview, explain that you will contact them, be PROACTIVE

Grab the Reader’s Attention

By using action verbs: An action verb is a verb, deriving from the Latin verbum meaning word, that

conveys action (bring, read, walk, run) or a state of being.

• Planned

• Developed

• Supervised

• Administered

• Created

• Discovered

• Diagnosed

• Evaluated

• Promoted

• Selected

• Explained

• Distributed

• Represented

• Completed

• Devised

• Co-ordinated

• Researched

• Recommended

• Budgeted

• Examined

• Trained

• Presented

• Organized

• Arranged

• Achieved

• Evaluated

• Managed

• Searched

• Negotiated

• Analyzed

• Monitored

• Assessed

• Advised

• Taught

• Conducted

• Calculated

• Held

• Coached

• Built

• Gathered

• Supported

Categorize your skills (action verbs)

Management skills

Administered

Analyzed

Assigned

Attained

Chaired

Contracted

Coordinated

Delegated

Developed

Improved

Increased

Prioritized

Organized

Reviewed

Scheduled

Supervised

Communication skills

Addressed

Arranged

Authored

Corresponded

Developed

Drafted

Edited

Formulated

Interpreted

Lectured

Moderated

Negotiated

Persuaded

Promoted

Publicized

Recruited

Detailed skills

Approved

Arranged

Catalouged

Classified

Collected

Compiled

Implemented

Inspected

Monitored

Operated

Preparared

Processed

Purchased

Recorded

Retrieved

Validated

Financial skills

Administered

Allocated

Analyzed

Appraised

Audited

Balanced

Budgeted

Calculated

Computed

Developed

Forecasted

Managed

Marketed

Planned

Projected

Researched

Creative skills

Technical skills

Planned

Created

Designed

Developed

Directed

Established

Founded

Illustrated

Integrated

Introduced

Invented

Originated

Performed

Conceptualized

Shaped

Fashioned

Assembled

Built

Calculated

Computed

Designed

Devised

Engineered

Maintained

Operated

Overhauled

Programmed

Remodeled

Repaired

Solved

Trained

Upgraded

ENHANCE the VALUE of your cover

letter

“It is the icing that

sells the rest of the

cake.”

Icing is the

decoration, the

attractive

adornments that

catch the eye

and “lure” the customer

The real quality

of the cake is in what lies beneath.

List ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Enhance the VALUE of your cover letter

Demonstrate your KNOWLEDGE of the company

Emphasize your TRANSFERABLE and MARKETABLE skills Transferable skills are essential.

Your transferable skills are what will facilitate a career change.

Add CREDIBILITY – attribute them to a professor or former employeer. ”My former employers can attest that I am a motivated and dedicated employee” OR Quote one sentence from at written reference!

Send an e-mail and ask 4-8 of your friends*:

• What do you see as my strenghts?

• How would you describe me when talking to people that don’t know me?

• What do you think I have brought our friendship?

• What are my ”weaknesses”? (things you think I need to develop/improve)

*try to get people from different parts/”arenas” or your life.

It is crucial that the introduction of your cover letter grabs the reader’s attention!

Focus on your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) - the one thing that makes you different from

all the other job-seekers – and identifying two or three benefits you can

offer the employer.

Imagine that you are writing the 1st paragrah of a mystery novel

Opening paragraph

• “I am writing today to apply for the account manager position you have posted on your company Website.”

• “I have increased the size and sales levels of my client base in every position I have held, which in turn has increased the revenues and profits of my employers. I want to bring this same success to the account position you have posted on your Website.”

http://www.quintcareers.com/cover_letters.html http://www.quintcareers.com/cover_letter_samples.html

Emphasize your TRANSFERABLE skills!

1. Although I have not had the opportunity to gain experience in sales, I have gained general experience through my internships. OR

2. I have gained general experience in business through my internships.

Transferable skills are the skills you've gathered through various jobs, volunteer work,

hobbies, sports, or other life experiences that can be used in your next job or new career.

http://careerplanning.about.com/od/careerchoicechan/a/trans_skills_ex.htm

Analyze your (transferrable) skills Skill / Qualification Advantage Gain

Team player Work well with others on projects

Meet deadlines and deliver higher quality work to clients

Take initiative Proactive Uncover new business deals

Organized Create systems to track candidate data using Excel

Faster turnaround time in sourcing and recruiting the right candicate for clients.

Example: Good Communicator

”Being a respectful person with good communication skills has meant that I have always been able to fit in to various office environments and become an important and well liked member of a team. Maintaining a professional approach to my work and colleagues has allowed me to develop good people skills and an ability to assess client needs and ensure that they are kept happy and satisfied at all times.”

Example: International Experience

”Having worked and lived in several different countries including Denmark, Australia and Kenya I have built up a wealth of experience within different working environments, learning how to deal with different demands and pressures. I have found working in a dynamic multi-cultural environment to be both rewarding and stimulating.”

Example: Team player

”Karen is structured, conscientious, social and always has a

positive attitude. She works excellently with everyone in our company and is well-respected by all”.

- Reference namn, Company

4 types of Cover Letters

The INVITED Letter

The REFERRAL

Letter

The UNINVITED

Letter

The NETWORK

Letter

The INVITED letter

→Responding to an advertised position (only 20% available jobs are advertised)

→Enables you to specifically address the requirements of the position in the advertisement

→You can easily tailor your letter

→ Proactive versus reactive job search approach: writing a letter to a perspective employer on your target list

→ Tool for finding ”hidden” jobs, jobs that are not advertised

→ If you make a good impression via your letter, you may be remembered as soon as an opening does arise

→ A job opening could be created as a result of your proactive letter

* aka ”Cold-contact letter”

The UNINVITED letter*

The REFERRAL letter → Similar to the univited letter – you are not responding to an advertised

position

→ It is the product of networking

→ It’s value: catch the reader-s attention by ”name-dropping”

→ ”My former colleague at XXXX, suggested that you might have a need for someone with my background in IT”

→ “Nancy Jones of Green & Associates Advertising, suggested I contact you regarding the possible public relations opening in your firm.”

The NETWORK letter

→ Your friends are your strongest allies when it comes to marketing – use them as resources!

→ Important to include your friends in your marketing campaign

→ Everyone you know is your ”friend”: university, high school, family, organizations, groups, neighbors, church, hair dresser etc. Go beyond those you are connected with on Facebook, who else do you know?

→ Make a list of everyone in your ”friends” network*!

* don’t forget

about LinkedIn

Cover Letter samples

Subj: Marketing internship position

Dear John Smith:

This semester I am a junior at Malmö University, working towards my bachelor's degree in marketing. I am seeking an internship

for next summer, and while researching opportunities in the field of marketing, I came across your organization. I am therefore

writing to inquire about possible internship opportunities with And Consulting.

My work background and coursework have supplied me with many skills and an understanding of marketing. I have:

• worked as a marketing intern at Malmö University in 2010

• assisted with marketing related efforts while employed part time at ICA Maxi in 2009

• taken the following courses towards my major: strategic planning, consumer behavior, marketing management, management research methodology, global brand management, and digital marketing communications

My attached CV provides additional details about my background.

I will call you next week to see if it would be possible to meet with you in order to discuss your program.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Karen Cain

Dear Mr. John Smith,

I recently spoke with Mr. Jansson at your company, and he suggested for me to send a copy of my CV to you. Recognizing the

requirements for the Sales Manager position, he felt that I could be the perfect candidate for the post, as I have been involved in

regional sales management, with more than eight years of work experience in the telecommunication industry.

My qualifications are as follows:

• Recruited and managed a group of 25 regional sales representatives.

• Started a sales offices in Malmö, Lund and Helsingborg.

• Implemented and provided training programs.

I would be very grateful if you give me an opportunity to discuss how my abilities are beneficial to your firm. I look forward to meeting with you, and will call you in the next week to follow up on this letter.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Karen Cain

Dear Mr. John Smith,

When I read your advertisement for an Associate Director , I couldn't help noticing how well your requirements align with my

experience, education, skills, and background.

While my enclosed CV provides a good overview of my strengths and achievements, I have also listed some of your specific

requirements for the position and my applicable skills:

You require: I offer:

→ Ability to coordinate and oversee the work → Experience in supervising 25 office employees

of subordinates

→ Ability to strategically plan, develop and implement → Experience developing and implementing programs,

programs and operations towards achievement of track record of completing projects on time and within budget

team’s mission, goals and objectives.

→Financial management expertise → Through my office-management background, have had full budget responsibility including accounts payable/receivable, and payroll

→ Interpersonal and communication skills that → Experience giving presentations and interacting with

promotoe ability to serve as a liaison and resource. diverse individuals at various levels of an organization.

I plan to contact you to follow up on this letter and see if we can arrange a meeting. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Karen Cain

”The T(two-column) Cover Letter”

2nd paragraph

• Provide more detail about your professional and/or academic qualifications.

• Provide more information about how you can provide the benefits you mention in the first paragraph. Be sure to stress ACCOMPLISHMENTS and ACHIEVEMENTS rather than job duties and responsibilities.

• Expand on specific items from your resume that are relevant to the job you are seeking. Use solid ACTION VERBS to describe your accomplishments and achievements.

• If you do not have a lot of solid experience (in the field you are trying to enter,) remember to focus on your transferrable skills from your previous work (or life) experience to the job at hand.

3rd paragraph

• Relate yourself to the company, giving details why you should be considered for the position. Continue expanding on your qualifications while showing knowledge of the company.

• You need to do your homework - show that you know something about the organization. “Your company has an excellent reputation for (name something from your research), and I know the combination of my experience, education, and motivation to excel will make me an asset to your (name the department of the job you are seeking).”

http://www.quintcareers.com/researching_companies.html

Closing – be PROACTIVE • “I hope you will review my resume, and if you agree with what I have stated here,

consider me for the position. I look forward to hearing from you soon. ”

• “ I am eager to help advance the success of your company, and I am convinced that we should arrange a time to meet. I will call your office in the next week to schedule an appointment.”

• “I am eager to talk with you about the contribution I could make to your firm. I will call you the week of April 25th to see if we can find a mutual time and date to get together and discuss the possibility.”

• “Since my experience and expertise fit your requirements so closely, I am clearly one of the people you'll want to see. I plan to contact you to follow up on this letter and see if we can arrange a meeting. In the meantime, please feel free to call me at my number listed above. I look forward to our meeting. Thank you for your time and consideration.”

• “Sincerely, / Best regards,” + sign AND type your name

Cover Letter Do’s & Don’ts

DO’s Be confident

Inblude a subject line if sending via email

Address the letter to a specific person

Be positive

Get to the point, be specific & KISS

Use concise words and phrases

Tailor your letter to the advertised position using buzz/key words from the advertisement - speak to the requirements of the job (especially when responding to an ad)

DON’Ts Be cocky

Leave the subject line blank or not specific

Address your letter to ”Dear Sir”

Explain what the company can do for you

Be negative

Ramble, use needless details

Be wordy: ”in order to”…”for the purpose”

Don't waste your first paragraph by writing a boring introduction

DO’s Be proactive by requestion an

interview

Put yourself in the employer’s shoes: read the letter from their perspective

Use an active voice: use action verbs

End the letter with ”Sincerely,” of ”Respectfully yours,” followed by name/signature

PROOFREAD yourself – AND have a friend (or two) read your letter

Follow-up is key, so plan on making some phone calls or sending some emails

DON’Ts Use the same letter for every position

you are responding to

Failure to close your letter

Forget that you are marketing yourself

Use the passive voice: ”to be” or ”to do”

End the letter without a signature block

Make grammar or spelling errors

Use ”cliches”

Review

Introductory letter Used to grab an employer’s attention Give the employer a reason to read your CV KISS – less is more!!! Sell and market your transferable skills and qualifications Remember that there are several different types of cover letters Close the letter in order to get the meeting/ interview PROACTIVE

Thank you!

Birgitta Möller www.birgittamoller.se