Right now, there are thousands of cover letters en route to the trashcan. They’re being thrown out for the deadly sin of annoying the HR Manager. You may not think that the HR Manager’s opinion matters given your skills and abilities, but when it comes to getting your foot in the door, it is important not to do things that annoy the first person who will read over your application.
The opening line is a prime example. If you are writing “Dear Sirs” or “To Whom It May Concern”, this shows that you didn’t take the time to research where the letter actually needed to go to at the company. Additionally, those phrases are so overused and formulaic that HR Managers take one look at them and toss your application.
From there, your content gets a glance. If you go on and on about yourself, turning your letter into a personal expose, you are headed for the trash again. Your entire application needs to be about the employer and the way you meet the specific needs of the position. Anything else is just word vomit the HR department doesn’t have time to read.
Cover letters that show no insight into the company and no understanding of what the company requires will also be shredded. HR departments don’t have the time to train applicants who couldn’t do basic research about the firm. Your ignorance annoys them and reminds them why they hate hiring. Do your research in advance so that you don’t annoy the HR team and can proceed to the next stage.
Cover Letters Aren’t Really About You
Most job seekers take the wrong approach with cover letters. They see the four to five paragraphs as a chance to explain to the employer exactly what the job means to them, how they feel about the opportunity, and what they think they’ll experience on the job. This accomplishes nothing useful, and if you want to be hired, you can’t make the same mistake.
The truth of the matter is that cover letters aren’t really about you. Yes, you write them, and yes, you’re allowed to use all of the personal pronouns that are banned from a resume (I, me, my). However, successful letters aren’t an insight into your personal thoughts and emotions. They’re a story for the employer about how you will meet their needs.
Focusing in on what the employer needs and how you meet those needs is critical. Hiring managers are looking at hundreds of applications for open positions, and they don’t have time to read about why you feel this opportunity is right for you. They only have time to read about why you have the skills to get the job done effectively for them.
Fortunately, since so few applicants take this approach, you are sure to stand out when you keep what the employer wants at the top of your mind. Use their skills words from the position description, and back up those words with a few short examples to show that you truly get what they are looking for in a candidate. You’ll find that your cover letters get much better response as a result.
Author Resource:
Find out more about how to get cover letters that get you interviews at http://www.oneclickcoverletters.com Holly Wright is a teacher and resume writer with more than ten years of experience.
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