Capturing the attention of a recruiter with your cover letter is challenging to say the least. It is common knowledge that cover letters need to be customized for each position. But what details do recruiters really want to read in a cover letter? What format do they like best? Customize A cover letter should indicate that you are familiar with the company, and/or job, and show how you would be a great fit. Include some rel...

Yes, employers still read cover letters. Let me just start with that since I’m asked that question quite frequently these days. I will say that I’m sure not all of them do, but the majority still take a few moments to scan through the cover letter—and so having an attention-grabbing cover letter is important. Especially if you have something significant you need to say. And I assure you, if you’re applying for a posit...

These days, the professional cover letter has taken a backseat to its much more popular cousin, the resume. Although it is often seen as stuffy, antiquated, and even frivolous, the cover letter actually has the power to establish the all-important first impression (at least for employers that accept them). And what you put in that letter could be the catalyst that sets you apart and gets you an interview. Though many people...

Writing the perfect cover letter that screams “call me” takes practice -- a lot of practice. After having reviewed and written tens of thousands of resumes and cover letters, I can verify that for the right candidate a well-written resume and cover letter could open a world of opportunities. Unfortunately, many job seekers do not take this aspect of their job search campaign very seriously. Worse still, some choose to follo...

Why is it that career seekers spend numerous hours creating their resumes and then treat their cover letters like the forgotten stepchild? The cover letter is a critical component to your career search package and can help you stand out from the crowd. Here are some helpful hints to help your cover letter work for you. The cardinal sin You should never use ‘To whom it may concern’ in your cover letter. Get the name of a pe...

Job seekers everywhere stress over how to write a cover letter. Some dread the task of writing the letter so much that they forego the letter entirely. The cover letter is essential. Not only does it entice the reader to read your resume, it is a sample of your writing. The cover letter must be professional and concise as you make a specific call to action. The final paragraph is where you conclude your message and comp...

You see an exciting job posting and email your resume, hoping to get a response from the employer, but unfortunately you are left feeling frustrated, thinking days later, “How come they did not phone me about the position after I sent them my resume?” Here are four possible reasons why, no one is reading your resume. Your resume is not optimized for computer scanning software: With the growth of the Internet, the way we fin...

Cover Letters are one of the most perplexing challenges for the Job Seeker. The Job Ads ask for one. The guides all suggest we send one. Why is it that so many resumes go out without a proper cover letter? (most of them may never be read, but they will be… for the right candidates)Careful taking license with what I just said: Yes, most cover letters will never be read.In a world where there are often 3–5,000 resumes sent in...

NO! You can’t write the same cover letter for every job. It then is just an extra document, extra page, with no extra information. Almost every day I get this question from a client or inquirer: Can I use the same cover letter for all of them? or “Just write me a cover letter” (and some of those people don’t even bother to find a job they are targeting first. The confusion about what a cover letter is and is not never seems...

Some things get super-sized, like fast-food portions. Others get minimized…like cover letters? Just when I thought I knew everything there was to know about writing cover letters (not really), I started seeing references to e-notes. Apparently, we now have to start thinking in terms of the old quote about “less is more” with regard to cover letters. So, hello, e-notes! Difference between a Cover Letter and an E-Note As I un...