IT Professionals

Writing A Better Cover Letter

Posted by on Sep 8, 2004 | 5 Comments

If you have ever had the opportunity to sift through a number of resumes, you probably noticed the importance of writing a good cover letter. This is a job seeker’s chance to catch a potential employer’s attention, making him or her want to read on to the actual resume.

You have probably heard the expression about making a good impression. Well think of your cover letter as your chance to make a good, eye-catching, lasting impression. So when you are writing your cover letter, you need to spend a bit of time on it and put some thought into what you actually want to say. Many people struggle with this part of the resume process because you essentially have to sell yourself. So here are a few pointers you can follow to make writing your cover letter a little easier.

  1. Take the time to customize your cover letter for the position you are applying for. Pay close attention to whom the cover letter is being addressed. You would make a terrible first impression if you addressed the cover letter to the wrong person.
  2. Keep your cover letter at an appropriate length. A general rule to follow is to keep it under one page. Any longer and you may risk putting the reader to sleep.
  3. Point out your top selling points as they relate to the job position and job description. If the job description calls for strong computer skills, describe the computer skills that you do have to offer.
  4. Begin your cover letter with a strong opening statement. One of the most common mistakes people make is beginning their cover letter with the statement “Please consider me for the position.” Chances are a statement such as this will not grab your reader’s attention.
  5. Reference the job that you are applying for in the cover letter since the person reading the letter may be receiving applications for multiple positions.
  6. End your cover letter on a strong note. Indicate to the reader that you will touch base with them again in a few days for a follow-up.
  7. Be polite in your cover letter. Thank the reader for taking the time to read it.
  8. Last of all, make sure you sign your cover letter (of course, this is not etiquette if you are sending a cover letter via e-mail).
  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=586041282 Andy Tickner

    Nice concept, but putting some privacy into the app would be far better; i.e. allow users to select specific folders, or only photo’s taken via the app.

  • Anonymous

    They’re trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. And trying to change my behavior instead of enhance it.

    - If I want friends to see my pictures, I post them to Facebook.

    - If I want the world (or my “elastic network”) to see my pictures, I post them to Twitter.

    I can’t think of a reason I would want random other people near me on the street or in a restaurant to see the picture I just took. The only possible answer – bragging rights. Like “hey, I just took the best angle of that home run that 5000 of you also took!” Um, who cares?

    I also don’t need any more deal sites or coupons. I’m already bored with Groupon and LivingSocial.

    And yeah, the ability to see all of my photos on my phone is simply a no-go.

    I hate to be so negative. I am though, because I see Color as a symptom of a greater problem – it appears our industry has not learned the lessons of the past and are doomed to repeat.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t think you get it.

    The only photos that get shared are those taken when you were in the vicinity, which means you would have been able to see said “shenanigans” with your own eyes. And nothing forces you to always use Color when taking photos. You do exactly when you want to share photos with the people around you also sharing photos.

    • http://profiles.google.com/chris.l.holden Chris Holden

      In my testing that doesn’t seem to be accurate. Photos taken one one device far away from another device (with color, in their own group) are available as a group to join on the 2nd device once the two devices are brought into proximity.

  • http://twitter.com/neilawatson Neil Watson

    I couldn’t agree more with you. Some of the scenarios I’ve read where Color “adds value” aren’t just creepy, they are plain wrong.

    If people start using Color (and therefore their phones) in restaurants then that ruins my experience. Have we reached a point yet where enough is enough in terms of gadget-augmented-life?

    Anyway, great article, I’ve just linked to you from my post on this very subject!