Cover letters and things to avoid.
Posted by Alison Kindlon on March 09 2009 @ 11:47
No matter what job you’re applying for whether it’s answering an ad in a newspaper or on a job site via email a cover letter is a must.
Keep the cover letter short and sweet – no more than one page. It should be a rough guide to why you are the perfect candidate for the job.
Don’t forget to mention the position you are going for – some companies have several positions advertised at the same time. Some companies also like to know where you saw the ad, but keep this short.
Never address the cover letter Dear Sirs or Gentlemen. It’s always a good idea to find out the name of the person you are sending the CV to, as it shows that you have some interest in who and what company you are sending your CV to.
Don’t be negative in your cover letter keep it positive and be sure to point out what you can do for the employer and bring to the company.
Don’t start your cover letter with “Please find enclosed my CV ……” – the employers will see that you have enclosed the CV so don’t waste space pointing out the obvious.
Don’t send a cover letter with bad spelling, grammar or layout. Always double check your letter and better still to have a friend or family member have a look over it for you too as they might spot something you have missed.
Don’t mention you’re recent redundancy should you have been laid off. Keep a cover letter positive and what you can do for them. If your CV shows you finished in December you can explain your position in the interview.
Good luck with your job search and we’ll be back with more tips soon.
Ali
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The CV Cafe Team
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eva on Apr 18 2009 15:35
I was made redundant at xmas and ive been killing myself looking for a job but to no avail…
i realised just now that i had on my cv that id been made redundant…
i’m going to take it off immediately and see if it will make any difference!
Please god it will!
Resume Builder on May 04 2009 11:27 on May 04 2009 11:27
“Keep the cover letter short and sweet – no more than one page. It should be a rough guide to why you are the perfect candidate for the job.”
This basically sums up what a cover letter should be and how it should be constructed. Sometimes a cover letter also shows some important details that a resume does will not include.
Construction Manager CV on Sep 09 2009 07:38 on Sep 09 2009 07:38
The tips provided are awesome. Following these steps will help us build a perfect CV.
Sample Cover Letters on Oct 06 2009 08:21 on Oct 06 2009 08:21
The sample is good, The tips are very good thanks.
Rica | How to Make a Resume on Oct 11 2009 11:47 on Oct 11 2009 11:47
“Don’t send a cover letter with bad spelling, grammar or layout.”
There is a reason why typo errors is the top reason why recruiters dump job seeker applications even before they can completely read them.
Pay attention to details. If you wanted the job so dearly, putting an effort to perfect your resume will always pay off.