You
may assume cover letters are supposed to be dry and
boring. Well, throw that theory out the window and use
the following "Rules of the Road" for creating
a letter that will make yours unlike (in a positive
way, I assure you) anyone else's on an employers desk.
Four
Rules of the Road
for Writing a Cover Letter
Make a personal connection.
Establish a personal connection with the reader of your
letter as quickly as possible.
Show
personality.
Give the employer a sense of your personality through
your writing style, direct statements about your character,
or testimonial references.
Initiate
action.
Understand what you would like the employer to do as
a result of your letter — and ask him or her to
do it.
Make
it quick and easy to read.
Format your one page letter using short paragraphs,
bullet points, and white space to make your letter look
quick and easy to read.
The
Lead Line
Time is money in the business world. You need to grab
the employer right away with the first sentence of your
letter. The point of your lead line is to engage the
hiring manager — make her sit up straight and
think, "Ah, here's someone who has something to
say!" If you can elicit that kind of response,
you already have her wanting to meet you.
The
Sales Pitch
What is your cover letter selling? You! You're the product,
and the middle paragraphs of your cover letter should
contain your sales pitch. Your confident presentation
— a declaration of your job objective (if you
haven't already communicated it in your first paragraph)
and your qualifications — must convince the reader
that you're a good fit for the job.
To
prepare yourself for writing this section of your letter,
answer the following questions:
What skills and experience is the employer looking for
in the ideal candidate for the job you want?
Which
of your achievements demonstrates that you have the
skills and experience the employer is looking for?
What
personality trait is the employer looking for in the
perfect applicant for the position you seek?
What
aspects of your personality would make you a productive
member of the employer's team, department, or company?
Incorporate
the answers to these questions into the body of your
cover letter to create a winning sales pitch.
Peeking
Into Others’ Letters
Following are excerpts from five different cover letters.
They demonstrate how to make a sales pitch in the middle
paragraphs of a cover letter.
From
a a sales representative:
"My
extensive network of contacts in the perfume and cosmetics
industry includes more than 1000 buyers, both domestic
and international. These are professionals who know
my name — and who listen to my recommendations."
From
a marketing manager:
"Here's
my secret: I use bold, unusual marketing strategies
to achieve phenomenal results in half the expected time
— and at half the cost!"
From
an office manager:
"You
know you have the right person in the position when
you can:
Count on your office operations running smoothly.
Access
accurate information regarding your finances at any
time.
Make
efficient use of your computer hardware, software and
other equipment.
Know
that your office technology is configured to meet your
needs.
Feel
the team spirit in your office!"
From
a hotel manager:
"My
former employer commented that I demonstrate a professionalism
lacking in so many (hospitality) management professionals.’
I look forward to contributing this quality to your
management team in the near future."
From
a public relations professional:
"Here
are two ideas I'd like to discuss further with you:
1. A Japanese Mail Order Program
The Japanese mail order program I designed and launched
at Floressence cost less than $1000 to start up. Our
most recent mailing, the Floral Holiday Gift Book, generated
a 15% response, with an average order of $404. (Our
domestic response rate was 2.11%, with an average order
of $149.)
2. A Public Relations Program
I increased Friday Night Club's media coverage 500%
over a two-year period. (PR contributed $650,000 to
their yearly sales.)"
The
Powerful Closer
Closing the deal is where many cover letters fall short.
They either fail to ask for the interview, or they meekly
suggest the possibility that maybe, just maybe the reader
might want to talk to the job seeker. A confident request
for an interview is the best way for your cover letter
to initiate action.
I'll
Call You
Most sales professionals say that if you want a deal
to stay alive, keep the ball in your court. If that
theory works for selling products, it will work for
promoting you! Tell your prospective employer in your
cover letter that you will take the next step (such
as telephone or drop by to speak with the employer).
An
assertive statement such as "I will call your office
next week to see when an interview can be arranged"
is far more effective than a passive line such as "I
look forward to hearing from you." With the passive
approach, you could sit by the phone for months never
knowing if you're in the running for the job or whether
your letter even got to its destination.
Uh
Oh, No Phone Number
If all your detective work doesn't turn up a phone number
for your addressee, you really can't say "I'll
call you" in your closing paragraph. In that case,
you need another way to end your letter with intent.
Put on your thinking cap and come up with an incentive
for the employer to call you right away.
Here
are some examples of how some job seekers have motivated
employers to respond immediately to their letters.
Hit the Bottom Line
"Mr.
Richards, I'll be honest. Although I have submitted
several applications within the plastics manufacturing
industry, I am most interested in working as a Quality
Assurance Analyst for Dillon Plastics. Please contact
me as soon as possible so that we can nail down employment
details."
"Time
is critical! If we don't act now, this new motherboard
technology will come out on the market under the wrong
company name. I'm ready to discuss precise ways of beating
your competition to the market. Please call me."
"With
the shelf-life of computer manuals as short as it is,
we must get your book sales and distribution department
working as efficiently as possible. If we can iron out
employment details this week, I can come on board next
Monday. Please let me know when we can talk."
"As
your security manager, I will cut theft to a fraction
of what it is now. Please get me on the job before this
problem hurts your store image. I can be reached at
(123) 123-1234."
Timing Is Everything
"In
one week I will leave town for a short trip with my
family. An interview prior to my vacation could bring
me on board immediately upon my return. Please call
me at (123) 123-1234."
"On
July 12th I will be in the Los Angeles area. It would
be an excellent opportunity for us to meet about my
proposal. I can be reached in San Francisco at (123)
123-1234 or in Los Angeles at (800) 123-1234."
"When
I am downtown on business Monday, August 9th, I will
be free for an interview any time after 10:00 a.m. Please
call to let me know what time is convenient for you."
"Please
call me for an interview. I feel confident our meeting
will cut your interviewing of other candidates dramatically."
