Do Cover Letters Make a Difference In Your Job Search?

EnvelopeTime and time again my clients ask me if a cover letter is really necessary and if anyone really reads them. I’ve surveyed HR professionals, recruiters and hiring managers and the answer is a resounding YES! Of course, the cover letter has to be good, a bad cover letter can land you at the back of the pack.

What makes a good cover letter? First and foremost, it needs to be tailored to the position you’re seeking. A form letter or template that doesn’t address qualifications required in the specific position will not get you the interview. The recipient wants to see that you’re interested enough in the position to make an effort to craft a letter specifically for them.

Perhaps changing the way you think about cover letters will help when you’re writing them. In today’s competitive market, approach your resume and cover letters like marketing tools. While the resume must contain certain information like your career history, you have freedom in your cover letter to highlight whatever you think will be appealing to your audience.

Treat the cover letter as your personal brochure or advertising. When you see an ad, they’re not telling you everything there is to know about a product, the advertisers are just focusing on the aspects of the product that will get your attention and get you to buy it. So too, should your cover letter.

This means, in addition to being targeted to your audience, your cover letter should market and highlight the best aspects of your skills, abilities and experience, focusing on your personal brand and how you can make a difference for the company you’re targeting. The cover letter is a chance for you to make a strong sales pitch that can separate you from other candidates who don’t want to take the time or make the effort.

~Linda

Is Attitude Impeding Your Job Search?

Attitude Adjustment

Linda Lupatkin, Career Counselor, Coach and Consultant

You’ve done the work, made the grade and gotten the revered degree; or you’ve had a long and highly successful career, filled with accomplishments and promotions, but you’re going nowhere in your job search.

You’re stalled and you don’t understand why. The problem could be a sense of entitlement. A feeling that upon graduation you have a right to a job. For those further along in their careers, it could be the hubris derived from years of awards, accolades, and bonuses; you’re a proven top performer and anyone should be happy to hire you.

As the saying goes, “anything in life worth having is worth working for.” That has never been more true than in today’s competitive job market. The people who are getting jobs, and they ARE getting them, are putting in the effort. They realize that running a successful job search is akin to running a successful marketing campaign.

The first step is realizing that searching for a job is not a passive endeavor, it’s a job in and of itself. You should have a plan of action to follow, a marketing plan if you will. You should think of yourself as your product and determine your target audience. You’ll then need to develop a pointed message for use in your written (resumes, bios and cover letters) and verbal communications. The next step is to develop and execute winning strategies to get in front of your audience.

You can accomplish this on your own but, more often than not, the help of an expert career coach can save you time and ultimately money (fewer weeks and months of lost wages) by dramatically reducing the length of your job search.

Of course the first step is understanding that a job is not an entitlement and that while you may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, unless you’re actively getting your message out, no one out there knows it.

–Linda