Cover Letters - "You had me at Hello."

First Impressionists are people that trust their gut instinct about people so much so that virtually nothing matters to them after their first impression. Everything that is said after “Hello” just sounds like blah blah blah. (and, yes, I stole that phrase from the movie “Jerry McGuire” for the purposes of this blog.) I have heard that when dating, the man will make the decision about a second date within 8 seconds of meeting on the first one. I have also heard that homeowners make the decision to buy their new home within 30 seconds of walking into it!

While the actual numbers may or may not be true, they certainly seem to support the well known fact that first impressions matter. This is not the first time I've mentioned this in my blog so let's just say that it's so important, it bears repeating. Today, however, we're going to talk about another way to establish yourself in the hiring manager's memory banks, namely; with your cover letter.

Your cover letter is, in many many cases, your very first impression. It's the first thing that hiring managers see before they click on the attachment that is your resume. I know, it's a hassle and a bother and seems to be superfluous but, cover letters matter. Since your first contact with an employer will most likely be via email it only makes sense that it would include a somewhat formal cover letter, NOT as an attachment, but as the body of the email itself.

Tip of the Day

Cover letters ARE very necessary and should be a brief, but creative, summary of your resume.

The Format – Begin with the submission date. Next, address it to the company and the interviewing manager using as much information as you have. (Yes, even the company address and the zip code.) If you do not have a name, address it to “Hiring Manager”. Then, list your name and address. After a brief introductory sentence, a paragraph that highlights your skill set, and a sentence expressing interest; close the letter with “Sincerely” and use your formal name with your first name, middle initial, and last name.

The Content – Put yourself in the employer's shoes. They do not care about you. (Sorry, but it's a fact.) They only care about what you can do for THEM. So, do NOT start your introductory sentence with the word “I”. In keeping with well-known speech writing techniques aimed at getting an audience's attention, my cover letter actually begins with a question:

“Are you seeking a results and detail oriented ......management professional with exceptional

multi-tasking, negotiation and communication skills?

Of course they are!

Your summary paragraph should briefly summarize your resume including, most importantly, how many years of experience you have, working in your field of expertise. Don't be afraid to use a bold font and underline key statements in your cover letter. They should be the ones that most closely reflect the job description for the position you are applying for. Feel free to even use the job posting as a guideline for your cover letter content as well. (Super Duper Top Secret Tip: You can even cut and paste it!)

The Closer – Recruiting professionals will tell you that if you want the job, say so! Your closing statement in your cover letter should be not only a description of your work style, your personality, and other attributes you would like them to know about you; but a statement of interest as well. Here is an example:

“I am flexible, creative, outgoing, available immediately; and looking forward to hearing from you so that we can discuss your needs further.”

Last week I applied for a job and took my own advice. I cut and pasted part of the job posting into my cover letter. The employer literally called me within 15 minutes of receiving my email to schedule an interview. I have no doubt that it's because my cover letter did it's job of making a good first impression.

Wish me luck!