| Do not think that you can make any of the | | | | two or three paragraphs and no more. The |
| following errors when writing your cover letter | | | | interviewer is not going to read any more than |
| and still get the interview. The time and energy | | | | that. He or she has maybe a hundred resumes |
| that you put into your cover letter will pay off - | | | | and cover letters on his desk. Keep that in mind. |
| providing you have not allowed any of the | | | | Concise and to the point. Brief but professionally |
| following errors to creep into your writing. To help | | | | polite. Persuasive, but not over done. You'll find |
| prevent these critical errors, consider downloading | | | | that if you stick to the template, it will help you in |
| and using a cover letter template. | | | | this area. |
| Cover Letter Error #1: Using your cover letter to | | | | Cover Letter Error #5: Not easy to read. No |
| restate your resume. What sense is there in | | | | bullets, long paragraphs, small fonts, squished |
| writing a coverletter that just restates your | | | | margins, etc. All of these are just going to |
| resume? There is none! Your letter introduces | | | | overwhelm your potential interviewer and make |
| you. You may use a point of your resume in your | | | | him set your letter and resume aside for when he |
| coverletter that shows why you would be a good | | | | or she has "more time", which of course, we all |
| candidate, but that is all. A good template will help | | | | know will not be any time soon! Use an |
| you avoid this error. | | | | acceptable font for business writing, such as |
| Cover Letter Error #2: "Typos & Grammos" | | | | Times New Roman 12. Use a margin setting of at |
| will kill your interview every time. Just as you | | | | least an inch top and bottom and both sides. Use |
| know from your resume, a typo or a | | | | bullets if you can to break up a paragraph. Limit |
| grammatical error cannot be present. The cover | | | | your paragraph size and as already discussed, limit |
| letter must have the same attention to detail and | | | | the number of paragraphs. Again, use a template |
| the same fine presentation as the resume. You | | | | to guide you. |
| wouldn't go to a resume poorly groomed, so why | | | | Cover Letter Error #6: Failing to explain why you |
| would you allow your cover letter or resume to | | | | are inquiring and for what position you are inquiring |
| appear "poorly groomed"? Make sure you have | | | | about? You'd be amazed at how many people |
| everything correct before you submit. Make sure | | | | don't explain that they are looking for a position in |
| you get a quality template so that you get the | | | | the secretarial department as a result of recently |
| help you need. | | | | relocating and hearing that their company had |
| Cover Letter Error #3: It is obvious that your | | | | such a position open. (Or whatever the "why" and |
| cover letter was "mass produced", in other | | | | "what" is). If you are applying at a large company |
| words, you are sending the same cover letter to | | | | and you don't state the simple facts, they will not |
| every potential employer. You don't want to do | | | | know what you are applying for as they have |
| that. You want your letter to be a direct | | | | many positions open perhaps, and they will not |
| communication and letter of introduction from you | | | | know why you chose them. |
| to that potential employer. Take a few minutes | | | | Start with a good cover letter template to make |
| and make a call. Find out who is doing the | | | | sure you have all the right pieces in all the places. |
| interviews at that company. Address your letter | | | | Then your cover letter will get you in front of an |
| to the interviewer. Speak to him or her in your | | | | interviewer who has read your resume and wants |
| cover letter. | | | | to truly find out if you are the right person for |
| Cover Letter Error #4: You have written a novel | | | | the job. |
| as a letter of introduction! No. No. No. One page, | | | | |