People write to me all the time to ask, "Do we still need cover letters, in 2009?" We need them more than ever!
Employers are looking for very specific things when they post a job opening. Some of the things they're looking for are hard skills, like technical certifications or accounting skills. Some of the employer's requirements are soft skills -- the ability to work with customers or a knack for problem-solving. The great thing about a well-written cover letter is that it can highlight both sets of skills for a job-seeker.
Consider the Employer's Need
These days, a cover letter that says little more than "Enclosed please find my resume" isn't just a waste of space -- it's a waste of a great opportunity to make an impression on an HR screener or hiring manager.
An up-to-date cover letter talks about the employer, not just about the job-seeker. If a job opening calls for marketing skills to support a product launch, you can research the employer enough to talk about its issues more specifically.
You can say in a cover letter, "I've been impressed to see the growth of Underwater Apparel, in particular the success of your new kelp nightwear line, Seaweed Dreams." An opening sentence like that lets the hiring manager (or the HR person supporting her) know that you're paying attention and interested enough in the job to learn about the employer.
Next, you can relate your own experience to the employer's need. "When I was Marketing Manager for Hemporium Clothes, I launched the Hemperor's New Clothes line, a range of kidswear that won the Best New Line award at KidsWear Expo 2007, and generated $450K in pre-launch orders."
Focus on Concrete Achievements
A great cover letter doesn't rattle on about intangibles like your work ethic, your bottom-line orientation, and your ability to work with all levels of staff. That stuff is filler -- anyone could say it, so reciting the same phrases the rest of the job-seeking world already uses won't win you any points. Instead, share concrete accomplishments.
"Also at Hemporium, I created a kids' interactive website that became the 18th-most-popular kids' online destination, and from there launched an online catalog that brought us $2M in sales in its first year."
The more specific you can be, and the more relevant your accomplishments to the posted opening, the better. Employers want to know, "How does your background relate to MY needs?" and your cover letter is the perfect way to tell them.
Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, former Fortune 500 VP and an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new millennium workplace. Connect with her at www.asklizryan.com.
The opinions expressed in this column are solely the author's.
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