Imagine that an employer has over 500 resumes to weed
through, each with a cover letter. They pick up the next
letter and it says "I am writing in response to your
advertisement #50602 regarding your Project Manager
position". Pretty boring... and you just missed your
chance to grab their attention. Here are some tips on how
to make your cover letter really stand out.
First of all, let's agree that the ONLY purpose of the
cover letter is to get someone to want to read your resume.
It is NOT a recap of your resume or a short story of how
you moved from job to job. Since employers spend only a
few seconds glancing at your letter, it should be short,
easy to read and compelling.
Example: "I have over 15 years leading the highest level
IT initiatives and was 1 of 3 Executives at Microsoft
responsible for launching the Windows 95 operating system".
This is an extreme case, but you really don't have to put
much more than that in the cover letter as most people
would immediately want to know more and pick up the resume.
So let's look at how you can instantly grab attention.
Trick #1: A great trick is to start by thinking about how
people in these positions are measured and what the best
candidate in the world would deliver. For example, for
sales people, employers want to hear about setting sales
records (overachieving quota), expanding the customer base,
and earning customer loyalty. For project managers,
employers want to see a consistent track record of
delivering projects on time and with a high level of
quality. For manufacturing, the key metrics are
productivity, safety, quality and cost improvements. Now
tell them that you can deliver these things.
"I have over 15 years of experience leading manufacturing
operations to new heights in productivity, profitability
and safety".
"Setting new sales records, growing market share and
turning mediocre performers into sales superstars briefly
describes what I can do for your firm".
"I have over 10 years of experience leading highly visible,
complex projects and have earned a solid reputation for
meeting aggressive deadlines and bringing internal/external
customer satisfaction to new heights".
Get the idea? You just told them that you have a track
record of delivering the results they are looking for.
Trick #2: Most people send the same basic cover letter to
all firms. Employers are really impressed when you
demonstrate you know something about their organization.
So demonstrate your knowledge and put in a line that shows
you've done your homework.
Example: "I've followed your company for a number of years
and I imagine that with your opening a new plant in
Atlanta, you will need someone who is experienced in plant
startups".
"With your recent acquisition of XYZ, I'm sure you can
benefit from someone who has extensive HR experience
managing the integration of new personnel and cultures".
Wow! So far, you've told them you are a star performer who
can deliver exactly what they want and that you are
experienced in meeting some of the specific challenges that
their organization faces. Now prove it.
Trick #3: Here is where you put in 2 to 5 bullets that
prove you can deliver results. Bullets make it easy to
read and easy for you to swap some bullets in for others
depending on what they want. Here, you'll want to quantify
your accomplishments as much as possible.
Example: "I have been assigned to numerous turnarounds and
surpassed expectations in each instance. As Plant Manager
at 1 of the largest component manufacturers in the United
States, I reduced overtime 30%, increased productivity 18%,
grew quality 11% and slashed accidents by 33%".
"I have 12+ years of solid sales experience at such firms
as IBM, Oracle and Sun Microsystems, and achieved top
ranked performance in every position. My achievements
include delivering as much as 440% of sales targets and
ranking in the Top 5 every year for the past 8 years".
Trick #4: You've proved you are a superstar (and even if
you're not, you should think like 1), so now is the time to
bring it home. Your closing paragraph should indicate that
they should read your resume, that there is a lot more to
know, and that you will be calling them in a few days to
find out more about the position.
There are a lot of important concepts here - yes, you will
call them and no, you will not just ask them if they got
your resume, but instead will demonstrate you strengths and
knowledge by asking insightful questions that indicate you
are truly interested in this position. Employers notice
people who call and this is your opportunity to build
rapport with the decision makers who hold the key to your
dream job.
Follow these simple tips and you will definitely make
yourself stand out.
----------------------------------------------------
Don Goodman, President of About Jobs
(http://www.GotTheJob.com ) is a nationally recognized
Career Coach and Resume Writer. A graduate of the Wharton
School of Business and Stanford University's Executive
Program, Don has helped thousands of people secure their
next job. Read his blog at http://www.GotTheJob.com/blog/
or contact him at 800-909-0109 or by e-mail at
dgoodman@GotTheJob.com.
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