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How to Write a Success Cover Letter
1) Introduction
Who is deceived finds that to write cover letter is a big
mistake. Each time more recruiters have little time to read
resumes that daily arrives at their hands. Recently, a great
multinational company located in São Paulo, Brazil,
announced a vacancy in newspaper and received 17,000
resumes. Imagines at a moment where the companies are always
reducing its headcount, who will read all its? Of course,
gets to imagine that those that, quickly to get more
attention will be pre selected ones. And is much more easy
to read a letter than a resume. Thus being a well-written
letter will make the difference. Moreover, passed the pre-
qualification, when the same one will be read with well-
taken care of, it will be able to show some important points
about you. It will show:
a)if you communicate yourself well;
b)your easiness and domain of the written language;
c)resumes capacity;
d)your professionalism;
e)aspects of your personality;
f)if you are detailer;
g)how much you are oriented for the position.
2) Basic points of a cover letter.
a) Headline
One more time, taking in consideration the speed with that
the recruiters will go to select resumes of a specific
process, the first phrase will have to be of impact, that
one will get more attention of the recruiter. It uses your
better result in this item.
b) Description of the responsibilities and/or main results.
Your responsibilities description and the main ones of your
career written is necessary a criteria selection process of
the ones, looking for beyond the those most important ones,
and that more have to see with the position in question.
Therefore, it is necessary to know one that is applicant
yourself. It keeps the focus in the vacancy where you are
interested.
c) Talk about your qualities
Your letter must present you, therefore it speaks about how
much you will be able to make for the company and not how
much the company can make for you.
d) Conclusion.
The end, you will have to request a meeting for an
interview. Just to write the letter and not to present
conclusion, the interviewer could be in doubt on its desire.
e) Addresses for contact
Keeps yours addresses for contact clearly (telephones,
email, etc). It prevents to place them in baseboard with
very small types.
3) Tips to write your letter
a) Maximum one page
Your letter will not have to exceed one page. Remembers of
the displayed one in the introduction of this article about
the small time of the recruiters has and your objective and
concise capacity.
b) Short paragraphs
It is known the fact of be more difficult and tiring to read
extensive paragraphs. If it's placed in the form of small
item it will be more pleasant to be read.
c) Use of phrases and verbs that cause hard impact.
Here also there is the same tip to write a resume. It knows
the effect verbs and the phrases will help to get the
attention for what you desire to communicate.
d) It does not use phrases or words that cause negative
impressions It eliminates any negative item of your letter,
Prevents, for example to write: unemployed, not, I lost, I
did not obtain, I am in difficulties, etc.
e) It does not over value yourself. Is better to pass the
impression of a balanced person of whom to try to over value
yourself. It has a tendency of the people to find that you
are taking advantages, looking a bad professional.
f) Reads and rereads your letter. Reads your letter
exhaustingly until it is with your face and that does not
present errors of grammar and punctuation. Remembers
yourself that only one error will make its work all to go
water below. It shows for other people and it has asked for
that they try to find errors.
g) Printed letter. In case that you has to send your letter
of printed, takes care of so that the quality of the paper
is the best possible and of preference, white and of the
same color that the paper where your resume was written. It
provides so that the your printed letter at least be
impressed with a inkjet printer.
h) Check for who is addressed your letter. Never wrong the
name of the person or any another reference for who your
letter will be addressed. This is unforgivable and will
make you to lose, immediately, your chance.
i) Does not cite that you are unemployment. Beyond already
cited in the third item, this will not cause good first
impression and will reduce your possibilities.
j) Does not write obvious items as: attached follows my
resume, please find attached my resume etc.
k) Actual or last employer. Does not cite anything that puts
down against your actual or last employer. This is anti
ethical and it is not well accepted for the recruiting.
l) Wage. Does not mention about your actual/last wage or
wage pretension in your letter.
m) Talking about yourself. It uses the verb in the first
person of the singular. Example: I implemented the total
quality system or substantives: Implementing of the total
quality system
Richard Flink, MS
Director
ADVANCE ASSESSORIA
Executive Search / Outplacement
mailto: advance@advanceassessoria.com.br
http://www.advanceassessoria.com.br
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Copyright Richard Flink 2002
About the Author
Richard Flink, MS, is Director of
ADVANCE ASSESSORIA
Executive Search / Outplacement
mailto: advance@advanceassessoria.com.br
http://www.advanceassessoria.com.br