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The Scarlet Letter Part 1

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When you send people your resume, whether it's through regular mail, overnight mail, e-mail, or a fax, it's important to include a one-page cover letter. This letter must be carefully written so that it's just as convincing a document as your resume. The reason for this is that the only purpose of a cover letter is to provide information about yourself that will make people want to read your resume.

Gone are the days when a cover letter was a formality, where it sufficed to offer a few sentences explaining that you were enclosing your resume because you wanted to set up an interview. The cover letter has evolved to the point where, today, it's a key component of a job search, and in order to be effective it must include important facts about your background, most notably your accomplishments. Many people will judge your qualifications as much on this letter as they will on your resume. If properly prepared, your cover letter will play an active role in developing interviews. If poorly prepared, it can cost you interviews, with prospective employers and recruiters simply filing your letter and resume away. In other words, your cover letter can't make you, but it can easily break you.

You may need a cover letter for as many as five different situations: (1) contacting prospective employers on an unsolicited basis, (2) writing to a prospective employer on an unsolicited basis but with a referral from a mutual acquaintance, (3) approaching recruiting firms, (4) answering Internet postings and/or classified advertisements, and (5) contacting venture capital firms.

In addition to these letters, there's another type of correspondence for generating interviews: the networking letter. This is where you write to someone not for the purpose of setting up an interview but, instead, to elicit their help in arranging interviews. Depending on how well you know the person, you may or may not include a resume with your letter.

You can seek this networking assistance under four different conditions: (1) when you have an ongoing relationship with someone; (2) when you have met someone, let's say, only once or twice; (3) when you don't know the person you want to talk to but have been referred to him or her by a mutual acquaintance; and (4) when you know of someone who is very influential (this could be a businessperson, community or religious leader, politician, physician, attorney, etc.) who has a wide range of contacts and you need to approach the person cold, without an introduction.

The Scarlet Letter Part 1

You have just finished your new r'sum? and it is just perfect. Now you must include a covering letter to assure a swift interview. Do not make your covering letter an ?explanation? of your r'sum?. You might ask why a covering letter is so important, but it cannot be stressed enough that a good covering letter will be the introduction you need to your new job and may be the edge you have over the other applicants.

So many job candidates are disappointed when they don't get replies from the jobs they have applied for, and this could be because of a ?badly composed? covering letter. Recruitment sites such as job-interview.net, and free job classifieds like OzFreeOnline.com have many articles and that explain the do's and don'ts of interviews and covering letters, and if you make these your first stops when looking for a job then you'll find all the help you need at your fingertips. If you don't want to be left out like so many other job searchers, then it is important to make sure that your covering letter is better than the rest.

There is nothing worse than sending out a bundle of great r'sum's and waiting for days without a reply. Searching classifieds for a job seems unrelenting, but you can find just the job opportunity you want if you visit sites like jobsearch.gov.au and OzFreeOnline.com where job search listings are easy to find, and where you can match up with something in no time. After all, when the days turn into weeks after sending out your r'sum's, then it may be time to look at the covering letter you are sending along with your applications.

The bottom line is that you don't want to be sitting at home waiting for replies that don't arrive, because your purpose in sending out submissions and a good covering letter is to be interviewed within the shortest time possible. Being a job seeker, you search through dozens of classifieds whether online at tradingpost.com.au or OzFreeOnline.com, or at the local papers. Job hunting can be a long and arduous job in itself. Naturally, you don't want an unsatisfactory covering letter to spoil all of your hard work.

There are various views about whether a covering letter should be typed or handwritten. A typed letter is professional, neater and easier to read, and is your safest option. However, some old schools prefer a more personal handwritten letter. If you do opt for a handwritten covering letter, make sure it is legible, well arranged, tidy, and easy to read. Obviously, choose only the best quality writing paper. Nothing fancy or colored.

HOW TO BEGIN?

Try not to use ?Sir/Madam?. Not only is this impersonal, but the hiring manager will think you did not put an effort at all in getting your facts straight. It takes just a minute to pick up the phone, dial the company's number, and find out the name of person to whom you must apply. They'll be most glad to provide you all the details.

Begin your covering letter with ?You?, ?Your?, ?This?, e.g. ?This position particularly interests me because?? or ?The position you are offering interests me because??, or ?It is important that you are aware of the skills which have prompted me to apply?? Do not use ?I?, or ?Me?, or ?My? ? everyone begins that way, and it is boring. Don't be boring.

Bring attention to yourself because you are different, really interested in the job opportunity offered, and can make an enriching contribution to the company. Employers want to know their applicants are not just after a job; they need to be convinced that you will be an asset in the company.

As free job classifieds sites like seek.com.au and OzFreeOnline.com would tell you, don't just look for a job, but for a career. Conversely, in your cover letter, make sure you communicate well your desire to get that job opportunity and why you really deserve it. But do not just market yourself with this and that promises, but make the company believe what you can do for them. Shift the emphasis away from yourself; instead focus what you can do for the company. That way, they'll realise you are proving your interest, in not only winning over the other ?competitors? but in accomplishing it successfully.

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About Author

Both J. E. Burke & Barbara Thorp are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

J. E. Burke has sinced written about articles on various topics from Site Promotion, Cover Letter and The Internet. . J. E. Burke's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.

Barbara Thorp has sinced written about articles on various topics from Personal Desktop, Web Development and Stress Management. Barbara Thorp is an article contributor for section of OzFreeOnline.com. Barbara Thorp's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.

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