Once you've used your cover letter to get your foot in the door and gotten the interview, you are more than 90% on your way to getting the job. However, you will still need to beat out a few other candidates. Here is an interview tip that make you go right to the top of the hiring committee's list.
Arrive at the interview at least 20 minutes early and spend some time looking at the various plaques and awards on the walls. Most companies are involved in committee projects or friendly competitions with other companies. Some companies have some staff that do volunteer work on behalf of the company. You will usually find some mention of this hanging on the walls. Even if it's not prominently displayed, you may be able to find it if you look hard enough. You may also be able to find this type of information by searching through the archives of the local newspaper, especially if they are involved in community projects. Trust me, it is well worth the effort to find this information.
During the interview, ask questions about these activities and tell them that you would love to become involved in these activities. You may be able to even suggest a special skill that you might have that could help them with these activities. Don't assume that the company you are interviewing with is ALL about making money. After all, these are human beings. Companies usually take great pride in the community work they do and in their bowling leagues or baseball teams where they compete with other companies. Your interest will not only show them that you are a team player but it will also allow you to chat with them in a slightly less formal way which "humanizes" you. It gives you the opportunity to make a personal connection and, like I've said before, people hire people they like - even if not consciously, they do so subconsciously.
Good luck and don't forget to check out the cover letter help software.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Should I Use a More Creative Font In My Cover Letter If I'm Applying For a Creative Job?
I get quite a few clients who are applying for graphic design jobs and they often ask, "Should I use a more creative font on my cover letter if I'm in a creative field?" and "Should I use a more creative font on my resume?" Sometimes they ask questions like, "Should I stick with a professional but boring font like Times New Romain or Arial or can I use something more interesting?"
The short answer is "no." You should always stick with a more traditional professional font in your cover letter and resume. Yes, I know it's "boring" but boring will help get you the job in this case.This is true for two reasons:
First, even if you are applying for a creative job, your application packet will likely be reviewed by "business types" who may not appreciate your "creativity" shown by a non-traditional font. You can always include samples of your creative work to show your creativity. If you do so, be sure to mention this on your cover letter. Keep in mind this is how you will likely be expected to deal with clients too. In a business letter to a client, you would almost always use a traditional font even if you are performing creative services for them.
Second, you need to keep the goal of the cover letter (and resume) in mind. You want those reviewing your application to notice you and select you for the interview out of all the other applicants. These days potential employers get so many applications, they have to scan through them very quickly. You want your cover letter to be very easily read at a glance. In other words, the purpose of the cover letter is to entice them to want to look deeper - to want to see samples of your work and talk with you in person. The purpose of the cover letter is NOT to show off your creative skills. Hopefully, that makes sense.
Now, if you want a perfectly worded and perfectly formatted cover letter, I highly recommend this software.
The short answer is "no." You should always stick with a more traditional professional font in your cover letter and resume. Yes, I know it's "boring" but boring will help get you the job in this case.This is true for two reasons:
First, even if you are applying for a creative job, your application packet will likely be reviewed by "business types" who may not appreciate your "creativity" shown by a non-traditional font. You can always include samples of your creative work to show your creativity. If you do so, be sure to mention this on your cover letter. Keep in mind this is how you will likely be expected to deal with clients too. In a business letter to a client, you would almost always use a traditional font even if you are performing creative services for them.
Second, you need to keep the goal of the cover letter (and resume) in mind. You want those reviewing your application to notice you and select you for the interview out of all the other applicants. These days potential employers get so many applications, they have to scan through them very quickly. You want your cover letter to be very easily read at a glance. In other words, the purpose of the cover letter is to entice them to want to look deeper - to want to see samples of your work and talk with you in person. The purpose of the cover letter is NOT to show off your creative skills. Hopefully, that makes sense.
Now, if you want a perfectly worded and perfectly formatted cover letter, I highly recommend this software.
Friday, July 22, 2011
What To Do If They Say Don't Submit a Cover Letter?
Although still not in the majority, some companies require that all job applications be submitted electronically. In some of these cases, they specifically state that they do NOT want a cover letter included. Several of my clients at the job center have complained that this does not allow them to use the secret cover letter weapon we have discovered.
However, I want you to know that you can still use the secret cover letter trick in these cases. In fact, you can use it in 2 different ways:
1. Go ahead and use the cover letter help software I review at the top of this page to create a cover letter. Next, take this cover letter and modify it slightly and then use it to send a personal message directly to the hiring manager or another person at the company that will be influential in the hiring decision. Remember, the software creates perfectly worded marketing phrases specifically designed to entice those reading your cover letter to want to meet you and invite you in for an interview. This can work just as well (maybe better) in a personal email as in an "official" cover letter.
2. The software is designed to generate key industry specific vocabulary. You can create the cover letter using the software and then make sure that these industry specific words and phrases are included in the resume and other materials that require you submit electronically. Remember, companies often use programs to scan and rank applications. It would be really advantageous to include the industry keywords and key phrases generated by the software in your electronic submission to help your application will rank at the top of the list.
However, I want you to know that you can still use the secret cover letter trick in these cases. In fact, you can use it in 2 different ways:
1. Go ahead and use the cover letter help software I review at the top of this page to create a cover letter. Next, take this cover letter and modify it slightly and then use it to send a personal message directly to the hiring manager or another person at the company that will be influential in the hiring decision. Remember, the software creates perfectly worded marketing phrases specifically designed to entice those reading your cover letter to want to meet you and invite you in for an interview. This can work just as well (maybe better) in a personal email as in an "official" cover letter.
2. The software is designed to generate key industry specific vocabulary. You can create the cover letter using the software and then make sure that these industry specific words and phrases are included in the resume and other materials that require you submit electronically. Remember, companies often use programs to scan and rank applications. It would be really advantageous to include the industry keywords and key phrases generated by the software in your electronic submission to help your application will rank at the top of the list.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Woman Wins $50,000 While Seaching For a Job!
Yesterday, I was listening to the NPR show, "Talk of the Nation." They were talking about people who had been out of work for a very long time and how they finally found work (yes, there is hope I promise). One woman they interviewed said that she decided to go on the TV game show, "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" to make some money to tide her over while she kept searching for a job. She ended up winning $50,000 and she used this information to answer the question, "What have you been doing since your last job?" in the job interview. How's THAT for an interesting answer! It landed her the job by the way.
Well, while I loved hearing her story, I can tell you that most job seekers are not so lucky. In fact, according to several statistical studies, the odds of actually getting a job goes down significantly each month you remain unemployed. After 6 months, it becomes extremely difficult to land a job. On this same talk show, they reported that many employers actually advertise job listings that openly state that only employed people should apply. Only one state, New York, has made this practice illegal but I personally hope that all the other states will follow suit. I believe this is another type of discrimination that should not be tolerated. Many employers assume that there must be something wrong with a job candidate if they haven't had a job for a while. However, this just isn't true and you CAN turn it around I promise - I know because I work in a job center.
So what is the answer if you have been unemployed for a long time? How DO you get a job under these dire circumstances? What can you change that will make the difference?
I have good news for you - in fact, great news for you. I have worked with many job candidates that have been desperately searching for a job for more than 6 months with no luck (even if they are willing to take a big pay cut) that HAVE turned it around. Through working with these fine individuals, I have discovered that the single most effective change you can make is a radical change to your cover letter - a complete do over. Submitting a totally unique custom cover letter that contains persuasive marketing language that makes those reviewing the applications want to meet you can easily increase your odds 1000% or more. This is no exaggeration. I have seen it work many times.
I've worked with job candidates that were never called in for an interview suddenly start getting called in for interview after interview as soon as they changed their cover letter. Once you start getting called in for interviews, the odds of getting the job improve drastically. If you want to read how I discovered this originally and why I think it works so well, you can read my post, "Cover Letter Templates - Should I Use them?"
Most people can not write the kind of cover letter I'm referring to but this software (which I review at the top of this page) produces really impressive perfectly worded and very unique cover letters in just a few minutes. Literally all you do is answer some questions and then hit a button. I can't even begin to tell you how happy it is has made many of my clients. It really does make a big difference. You can go here and review it for yourself.
Good luck to you - I'm sure your luck will change soon.
Well, while I loved hearing her story, I can tell you that most job seekers are not so lucky. In fact, according to several statistical studies, the odds of actually getting a job goes down significantly each month you remain unemployed. After 6 months, it becomes extremely difficult to land a job. On this same talk show, they reported that many employers actually advertise job listings that openly state that only employed people should apply. Only one state, New York, has made this practice illegal but I personally hope that all the other states will follow suit. I believe this is another type of discrimination that should not be tolerated. Many employers assume that there must be something wrong with a job candidate if they haven't had a job for a while. However, this just isn't true and you CAN turn it around I promise - I know because I work in a job center.
So what is the answer if you have been unemployed for a long time? How DO you get a job under these dire circumstances? What can you change that will make the difference?
I have good news for you - in fact, great news for you. I have worked with many job candidates that have been desperately searching for a job for more than 6 months with no luck (even if they are willing to take a big pay cut) that HAVE turned it around. Through working with these fine individuals, I have discovered that the single most effective change you can make is a radical change to your cover letter - a complete do over. Submitting a totally unique custom cover letter that contains persuasive marketing language that makes those reviewing the applications want to meet you can easily increase your odds 1000% or more. This is no exaggeration. I have seen it work many times.
I've worked with job candidates that were never called in for an interview suddenly start getting called in for interview after interview as soon as they changed their cover letter. Once you start getting called in for interviews, the odds of getting the job improve drastically. If you want to read how I discovered this originally and why I think it works so well, you can read my post, "Cover Letter Templates - Should I Use them?"
Most people can not write the kind of cover letter I'm referring to but this software (which I review at the top of this page) produces really impressive perfectly worded and very unique cover letters in just a few minutes. Literally all you do is answer some questions and then hit a button. I can't even begin to tell you how happy it is has made many of my clients. It really does make a big difference. You can go here and review it for yourself.
Good luck to you - I'm sure your luck will change soon.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Cover Letter Templates - Should I Use Them?
Almost every new client that comes into my office that already has a job application prepared has included a cover letter that is a modified version of a cover letter template they found somewhere, usually on the internet or in a book.
Using a cover letter template does have the advantage of being able to easily and quickly create a cover letter than sounds professional. It also has the advantage of showing you a format that looks professional.
However, is sounding and looking professional enough to make the right impression?
Short answer: No, definitely not. You should not use cover letter templates in my opinion which is based on my experience helping my clients... let me explain...
Early on working in a job center, I found an obvious trend that remained a mystery to me (and my colleagues) for a long while but I finally figured it out....
The trend I was seeing was that for many jobs, candidates that were obviously LESS qualified were getting called for interviews over candidates who were obviously MORE qualified... and... they the obviously less qualified candidates were often getting hired over the obviously more qualified candidates. I just did not make sense at first and it happened so often I became very determined to find out why. In fact, it was such a mystery to me I started following up and calling the hiring managers at the various companies and I reviewed and re-reviewed the applications of both the successful and unsuccessful candidates. I also interviewed again many of the job applicants to determine if I could find any factors that might not show up on the applications.
In general, here is what I found....
First, I had initially suspected that this apparent mystery might be explained by who knew who, i.e. perhaps less qualified candidates were getting the interviews and jobs because of who they knew or perhaps who their family and/or friends knew. Surprisingly, this seemed to matter in only a very few cases so it was definitely not what was causing the general trend.
Second, other factors that you might think would be the top factors on who got called in for the interview: the quality of the resumes, the amount of work experience, education and special training, the quality of references, etc did NOT seem to matter as much as you might think. I don't mean to say they don't matter at all because of course they do to some degree but they don't seem to matter anywhere near as much as the conventional wisdom would indicate. I say this because I saw a large number of exceptions where the very best candidate that would shine above all the others in all or most of the factors listed above would not even get called in for an interview where another candidate who was obviously less qualified based on the factors listed above would get called in for an interview and even often get hired.
Third, after a while I finally figured out that the factor that actually seemed to be making the biggest difference was the lowly cover letter that most people didn't put much thought into except to make it sound and look professional (i.e. a modified template).... AND FURTHERMORE... it was NOT necessarily the most "professional" sounding cover letter that that was winning the most interviews. It tended to be cover letters that were totally unique and were not modeled after a template - totally different. It tended to be cover letters that did a good job in somehow "marketing" the candidate and enticing those that were reviewing the applications to want to meet them in a person. Of course, actually getting invited in for an interview is more than 90% of the battle most of the time! You essentially get your foot in the door and it's not all that difficult to get hired at that point.
Here's the key to what I found: Hiring managers and others reviewing these applications are often so inundated with applications, especially now is this incredibly tight job market, they simply don't have time to review carefully each and every resume, call all the references, etc for every candidate. Most of the time, they reduce narrow down the applications by reading the cover letters. If they are really intrigued by the cover letter, then they often just pick up the phone and invite you in immediately (sometimes even unofficially BEFORE the formal interviews), or at the least, they will review the rest of your application more carefully if they like your cover letter.
I have used this software to help many of my clients create a totally unique cover letter that also contains the marketing language needed to entice the hiring manager to call them in for an interview. Almost no one can write in a style that will produce a more effective cover letter than what this software can produce in a matter of minutes. Sometimes we customize these letters a bit more but we get the "magical" marketing language by using this software. I should note that the software is designed to incorporate the appropriate "buzz words" for each major job industry. I also like how easy it is to use this software. I have tried other software but I've found this to produce the highest quality and most effective cover letters. You can check out this software for yourself by clicking here. My "mini-review" is found at the top of this page.
Good luck to you. I know how tough it can be but just you just need to persevere!
Using a cover letter template does have the advantage of being able to easily and quickly create a cover letter than sounds professional. It also has the advantage of showing you a format that looks professional.
However, is sounding and looking professional enough to make the right impression?
Short answer: No, definitely not. You should not use cover letter templates in my opinion which is based on my experience helping my clients... let me explain...
Early on working in a job center, I found an obvious trend that remained a mystery to me (and my colleagues) for a long while but I finally figured it out....
The trend I was seeing was that for many jobs, candidates that were obviously LESS qualified were getting called for interviews over candidates who were obviously MORE qualified... and... they the obviously less qualified candidates were often getting hired over the obviously more qualified candidates. I just did not make sense at first and it happened so often I became very determined to find out why. In fact, it was such a mystery to me I started following up and calling the hiring managers at the various companies and I reviewed and re-reviewed the applications of both the successful and unsuccessful candidates. I also interviewed again many of the job applicants to determine if I could find any factors that might not show up on the applications.
In general, here is what I found....
First, I had initially suspected that this apparent mystery might be explained by who knew who, i.e. perhaps less qualified candidates were getting the interviews and jobs because of who they knew or perhaps who their family and/or friends knew. Surprisingly, this seemed to matter in only a very few cases so it was definitely not what was causing the general trend.
Second, other factors that you might think would be the top factors on who got called in for the interview: the quality of the resumes, the amount of work experience, education and special training, the quality of references, etc did NOT seem to matter as much as you might think. I don't mean to say they don't matter at all because of course they do to some degree but they don't seem to matter anywhere near as much as the conventional wisdom would indicate. I say this because I saw a large number of exceptions where the very best candidate that would shine above all the others in all or most of the factors listed above would not even get called in for an interview where another candidate who was obviously less qualified based on the factors listed above would get called in for an interview and even often get hired.
Third, after a while I finally figured out that the factor that actually seemed to be making the biggest difference was the lowly cover letter that most people didn't put much thought into except to make it sound and look professional (i.e. a modified template).... AND FURTHERMORE... it was NOT necessarily the most "professional" sounding cover letter that that was winning the most interviews. It tended to be cover letters that were totally unique and were not modeled after a template - totally different. It tended to be cover letters that did a good job in somehow "marketing" the candidate and enticing those that were reviewing the applications to want to meet them in a person. Of course, actually getting invited in for an interview is more than 90% of the battle most of the time! You essentially get your foot in the door and it's not all that difficult to get hired at that point.
Here's the key to what I found: Hiring managers and others reviewing these applications are often so inundated with applications, especially now is this incredibly tight job market, they simply don't have time to review carefully each and every resume, call all the references, etc for every candidate. Most of the time, they reduce narrow down the applications by reading the cover letters. If they are really intrigued by the cover letter, then they often just pick up the phone and invite you in immediately (sometimes even unofficially BEFORE the formal interviews), or at the least, they will review the rest of your application more carefully if they like your cover letter.
I have used this software to help many of my clients create a totally unique cover letter that also contains the marketing language needed to entice the hiring manager to call them in for an interview. Almost no one can write in a style that will produce a more effective cover letter than what this software can produce in a matter of minutes. Sometimes we customize these letters a bit more but we get the "magical" marketing language by using this software. I should note that the software is designed to incorporate the appropriate "buzz words" for each major job industry. I also like how easy it is to use this software. I have tried other software but I've found this to produce the highest quality and most effective cover letters. You can check out this software for yourself by clicking here. My "mini-review" is found at the top of this page.
Good luck to you. I know how tough it can be but just you just need to persevere!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
7 Cover Letter Tips That Will Get You Hired! (plus a valuable bonus)
Hi! Hope you're enjoying the summer weather! - and yes, I am well aware that you'd be able to enjoy it more if you could just get hired, right?Well, help is on the way.... just keep reading...
I originally published a slightly different version of the article below for syndication in ezines, online newsletters, and other websites but it has gotten such a good response I thought I'd post it here as well. I'm also going to give you guys a bonus tip at the end that was not in the original article. So, here's actually 8 cover letter tips, not 7, that will get you hired (remember, these are tips that I have found to be very helpful to my clients in a job center):
You Need To Focus On Getting the Interview, NOT On Getting Hired
When most people write their cover letter, they have in their mind the goal of getting the job. They forget that applying for a job is 2 step process. You first have to get an interview in order to get a job. When the hiring manager reads your cover letter, they are focused on who to bring in for an interview, not who to hire, so that should be your focus too. I can't emphasize the importance of this enough.
You Should Specifically Ask For the Interview
It is well known in business that one of the most effective ways to increase sales is to actually ask for sales. You can apply this strategy to your cover letter as well. If you specifically ask for the interview in your letter, this will drastically increase your odds of actually getting the interview. Notice I didn't say ask for the job. Of course, this has to be done with finesse to be effective (read the bonus tip to learn how to do this).
You Should Definitely Keep It Short and Sweet
Don't be long-winded and don't try to cram in too many details. You want the hiring manager to notice you and invite you in for the interview - that's all - end of letter. You can give them more details in the interview. Yes, I know it can be difficult to be succinct and almost painful to edit out certain things... BUT if you really want to get hired, your cover letter needs to be short and sweet.
How Does Your Cover Letter Look When You Squint Your Eyes?
Beyond what it actually says, you want your letter to be as visually pleasing as possible. Think of your letter as a piece of abstract artwork and blur out the words as you look at it. How does it look? Remember, white space can be really important in how your cover letter appears visually. How are the blocks of text laid out? Is there any way to move them around and make them more visually appealing? You may need to play around with the formatting and borders.
Will They Want To Ask You Out For a Beer After Reading Your Cover Letter?
People hire people they like. Yes, it REALLY IS this simple! This is true even when they try to be "objective." In reality, no one really is completely objective, no matter how hard they try to be. They may be doing it subconsciously but the hiring manager will hire the person they like the most 99% of the time. If you come across as a likable person, someone they might like to have a beer with (or maybe a cup of joe), your odds of being hired improve drastically. Again though, conveying this in your succinct cover letter will take some finesse and you may need some help in the writing of your cover letter to get this point across without actually saying it.
You Should NEVER EVER Use a Cover Letter Template!
Again, I work in a job center and the vast majority of job seekers that come through my door that have been struggling to find a job pulled a cover letter template off the net or from a book and then modified it. This is a big mistake I assure you!! While this may get you a "professional" sounding cover letter, "professional" (at least what's in those templates) is NOT what you need to get the interview. In our testing, unique letters beat templates virtually every time. In fact, when I work with someone who is has been looking for work unsuccessfully for months, it often only takes this one change to their application to start getting interviews. In fact, this is the most important thing I've learned working with my clients - and it's the thing that has made the most difference to the most people.
Do You Understand the Magic of Marketing?
You can have the best product in the world but if it isn't marketed well, it will never sell well. When you are applying for a job, you need to think of yourself as the product. One of the most effective ways to sell yourself is by using time-tested marketing phrases in your letter that will push all the right psychological buttons. You also need some marketing mojo throughout and some finesse.
I originally published a slightly different version of the article below for syndication in ezines, online newsletters, and other websites but it has gotten such a good response I thought I'd post it here as well. I'm also going to give you guys a bonus tip at the end that was not in the original article. So, here's actually 8 cover letter tips, not 7, that will get you hired (remember, these are tips that I have found to be very helpful to my clients in a job center):
You Need To Focus On Getting the Interview, NOT On Getting Hired
When most people write their cover letter, they have in their mind the goal of getting the job. They forget that applying for a job is 2 step process. You first have to get an interview in order to get a job. When the hiring manager reads your cover letter, they are focused on who to bring in for an interview, not who to hire, so that should be your focus too. I can't emphasize the importance of this enough.
You Should Specifically Ask For the Interview
It is well known in business that one of the most effective ways to increase sales is to actually ask for sales. You can apply this strategy to your cover letter as well. If you specifically ask for the interview in your letter, this will drastically increase your odds of actually getting the interview. Notice I didn't say ask for the job. Of course, this has to be done with finesse to be effective (read the bonus tip to learn how to do this).
You Should Definitely Keep It Short and Sweet
Don't be long-winded and don't try to cram in too many details. You want the hiring manager to notice you and invite you in for the interview - that's all - end of letter. You can give them more details in the interview. Yes, I know it can be difficult to be succinct and almost painful to edit out certain things... BUT if you really want to get hired, your cover letter needs to be short and sweet.
How Does Your Cover Letter Look When You Squint Your Eyes?
Beyond what it actually says, you want your letter to be as visually pleasing as possible. Think of your letter as a piece of abstract artwork and blur out the words as you look at it. How does it look? Remember, white space can be really important in how your cover letter appears visually. How are the blocks of text laid out? Is there any way to move them around and make them more visually appealing? You may need to play around with the formatting and borders.
Will They Want To Ask You Out For a Beer After Reading Your Cover Letter?
People hire people they like. Yes, it REALLY IS this simple! This is true even when they try to be "objective." In reality, no one really is completely objective, no matter how hard they try to be. They may be doing it subconsciously but the hiring manager will hire the person they like the most 99% of the time. If you come across as a likable person, someone they might like to have a beer with (or maybe a cup of joe), your odds of being hired improve drastically. Again though, conveying this in your succinct cover letter will take some finesse and you may need some help in the writing of your cover letter to get this point across without actually saying it.
You Should NEVER EVER Use a Cover Letter Template!
Again, I work in a job center and the vast majority of job seekers that come through my door that have been struggling to find a job pulled a cover letter template off the net or from a book and then modified it. This is a big mistake I assure you!! While this may get you a "professional" sounding cover letter, "professional" (at least what's in those templates) is NOT what you need to get the interview. In our testing, unique letters beat templates virtually every time. In fact, when I work with someone who is has been looking for work unsuccessfully for months, it often only takes this one change to their application to start getting interviews. In fact, this is the most important thing I've learned working with my clients - and it's the thing that has made the most difference to the most people.
Do You Understand the Magic of Marketing?
You can have the best product in the world but if it isn't marketed well, it will never sell well. When you are applying for a job, you need to think of yourself as the product. One of the most effective ways to sell yourself is by using time-tested marketing phrases in your letter that will push all the right psychological buttons. You also need some marketing mojo throughout and some finesse.
It's Probably Better If You Don't Write the Cover Letter Yourself
The vast majority of job candidates can not write the kind of cover letter I describe above. This doesn't mean you aren't the best person for the job. It just means you you don't have the ability to write the best possible cover letter that is going to market you in a way that they can see that. Getting help with your cover letter is probably the most important thing you can do to give yourself very best chance possible to get the job you want.
For a REALLY Easy and Effective Solution, You Should Use This Software
In working with my clients I have discovered this software - it is by far the easiest method I have found for creating the perfect cover letter that will market you well. It was developed by a true marketing genius. This guy gets paid a fortune just to write one page of sales copy - he's known throughout the marketing world as a wizard with words and is in very high demand. With this software, you can get his help without having to spend a fortune. You can go here and get more details. It is the best cover letter help I have seen on the market anywhere and I've reviewed and tested MANY products. In addition to creating a really great cover letter, this software is super simple to use. You simply answer a few questions and then click a button... and yes, it is set up to be tailored for each job industry and will create a cover letter that is UNIQUE to you and you alone (these are the questions I get asked most often). Many of my clients have created a cover letter using this software and we have seen tremendous success with it.
The vast majority of job candidates can not write the kind of cover letter I describe above. This doesn't mean you aren't the best person for the job. It just means you you don't have the ability to write the best possible cover letter that is going to market you in a way that they can see that. Getting help with your cover letter is probably the most important thing you can do to give yourself very best chance possible to get the job you want.
For a REALLY Easy and Effective Solution, You Should Use This Software
In working with my clients I have discovered this software - it is by far the easiest method I have found for creating the perfect cover letter that will market you well. It was developed by a true marketing genius. This guy gets paid a fortune just to write one page of sales copy - he's known throughout the marketing world as a wizard with words and is in very high demand. With this software, you can get his help without having to spend a fortune. You can go here and get more details. It is the best cover letter help I have seen on the market anywhere and I've reviewed and tested MANY products. In addition to creating a really great cover letter, this software is super simple to use. You simply answer a few questions and then click a button... and yes, it is set up to be tailored for each job industry and will create a cover letter that is UNIQUE to you and you alone (these are the questions I get asked most often). Many of my clients have created a cover letter using this software and we have seen tremendous success with it.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Is Your Cover Letter Focused On the Wrong Thing?
Working in a job center, I read a lot of cover letters. Most of them seem to focus on wrong thing and I can truthfully say that the vast majority of job applicants would help their chances a lot if they would just ask for help on their cover letter.
Now, most experts will tell you that you are making a mistake if you focus on listing your accomplishments in your cover letter, no matter how good they are. They tell you to shift this focus to what you can offer to them. I don't disagree with the latter being better than the first but I have a very different take on what you should focus on in your cover letter - and my take is based on experience helping real clients in a job center.
Here's the bottom line. Both strategies above focus on getting hired when you should instead be submitting a cover letter that will inspire those reading it to invite you in for the interview.
That bears repeating and rephrasing:
In your cover letter, you should focus on getting an interview - NOT on getting the job - and to do this you need help.
Getting called for an interview is more than 90% of the battle - and you can't get the job if you don't first get the interview for 99% of all jobs. Let your cover letter serve as your first impression that gets you noticed and liked enough for them to want to meet you in person. Your cover letter needs charisma and charm. You need to come across as a dynamic person they just have to meet.
You need marketing language to accomplish this. You need succinct marketing language that draws them in with just a few sentences. To do this, I can't recommend highly enough this software. It has worked so well for so many of my clients I know it can help you too. It will definitely give you an "unfair advantage."
Now, most experts will tell you that you are making a mistake if you focus on listing your accomplishments in your cover letter, no matter how good they are. They tell you to shift this focus to what you can offer to them. I don't disagree with the latter being better than the first but I have a very different take on what you should focus on in your cover letter - and my take is based on experience helping real clients in a job center.
Here's the bottom line. Both strategies above focus on getting hired when you should instead be submitting a cover letter that will inspire those reading it to invite you in for the interview.
That bears repeating and rephrasing:
In your cover letter, you should focus on getting an interview - NOT on getting the job - and to do this you need help.
Getting called for an interview is more than 90% of the battle - and you can't get the job if you don't first get the interview for 99% of all jobs. Let your cover letter serve as your first impression that gets you noticed and liked enough for them to want to meet you in person. Your cover letter needs charisma and charm. You need to come across as a dynamic person they just have to meet.
You need marketing language to accomplish this. You need succinct marketing language that draws them in with just a few sentences. To do this, I can't recommend highly enough this software. It has worked so well for so many of my clients I know it can help you too. It will definitely give you an "unfair advantage."
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