Feature Article: Four Cover Letters for Four Job-Search Strategies
Special Feature: Don't Make These 10 Cover Letter Mistakes
Bonus Feature: Cover Letters Count!
Q&A with a Career Expert: Norine Dagliano
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
What's New on Quintessential Careers
The Career Doctor: Answering Your Questions
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search
Notes from the Editor: About this Issue...
Cover letters, cover letters, cover letters... It's a topic about which we get many inquiries --
and this issue is loaded with information that can answer your cover-letter questions.
We offer an article on four types of cover letters, one on the importance of cover letters, another on
cover-letter mistakes to avoid, and a Q&A interview that focuses on cover letters. If your questions
still aren't answered, check out our Cover Letter Resources.
In conjunction with this issue on cover letters, you might want to
test your cover-letter savvy with our Cover
Letter Quiz, historically the first of several semi-interactive quizzes we created for Quintessential Careers. More than
2,500 visitors have taken the quiz.
And while this issue focuses on cover letters, we also spotlight
the fact that September has been declared the official month for updating your
cover letter's partner -- your resume. Read more below.
To our U.S. readers, we wish a relaxing and refreshing Labor Day.
--Katharine Hansen, Credentialed Career Master, Certified Electronic Career Coach,
and editor at
kathy@quintcareers.com
Feature Article: Four Types of Cover Letters
Four Cover Letters for Four Job-Search Strategies
by Deborah Walker
If you are like many who have resolved to move your job search into high gear,
don't forget the importance of the cover letter as part of your self-marketing materials.
The cover letter is essential for creating a positive first impression. Additionally it
answers questions such as:
"Why should I bother reading one more resume?"
"What’s this applicant’s interest level?"
"How is this prospective candidate unique?"
Cover letters should be customized according to each of the four basic job-search strategies:
Responding to job postings.
Resume distribution to employers of your target market.
Contacting recruiters or headhunters.
Networking among your professional contacts.
Each strategy requires a different type of cover letter.
To maximize your job opportunities, you'll need to cover a lot of ground. One way to do that is to post your resume
on all the best job boards, large and small. It may take some time, but it's well worth the effort. If you want
to save 60 hours of research and data entry, consider using professional resume-posting service like
ResumeRabbit.com.
After filling in one simple online form, they'll instantly post your resume on up to 85 of the top career sites at once.
Within minutes you'll be seen on Monster, HotJobs, FlipDog, Dice, CareerBuilder and more, where 1.5 million employers
and recruiters search for candidates daily.
The Professional Resume Writing and Research Association (PRWRA) has proclaimed September
the official Update Your Resume Month.
"Too often job seekers avoid taking this crucial step until the last minute, when they need their resume yesterday,"
explains Laurie J. Roy, PRWRA president, who points out that the awareness generated declaring September
as the official update month will give people "the opportunity to better control and champion
their own futures."
During Update Your Resume Month, members of PRWRA, including Quintessential Resumes and
Cover Letters, are reminding job-seekers of the value of taking this important step
in their career development.
Members of PRWRA have written helpful articles that
will help in the job-search process.
Check them out.
Special Feature: Avoid Cover Letter Mistakes
Don't Make These 10 Cover Letter Mistakes
by Katharine Hansen
Your cover letter shows employers how well you express yourself. It can also demonstrate that you are savvy in
the ways of marketing yourself and selling your best qualifications. A good cover letter can entice the recipient
to review your resume. A bad cover letter, on the other hand, can nip your chances in the bud. Here are 10 mistakes that
contribute to bad cover letters. To ensure that your cover letter is effective,
avoid the 10 mistakes
we've outlined in our article.
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How frequently I am asked the questions, "Do cover letters really count?" or "Does anyone ever really read cover letters?"
My answer is always the same, "Some do, some don't!" But what I can never answer is how any one recruiter or hiring
individual will react to an applicant's letter and/or resume. The fact is that you can never know. It is a
very individual response. We do know that recruiters react negatively to poorly written and poorly edited,
proofed, or formatted documents. We know that you must make your documents reader-friendly and to the point,
clearly expressing what that reader needs to know about you as a candidate. Fluff, cliches, and generalities do
not pass muster.
So you -- as writer and job-seeker -- must give employers what counts: a letter that complements your resume, serves
as your first writing sample, and focuses the reader on what you have to offer, what you bring to the position, and why
you are a suitable candidate. It elaborates, clarifies, or adds material in clear language that is compelling and sharp.
A terrific resume might never get read if the cover letter doesn't hook the reader. Make a strong case for why you
are a good fit for the job, providing specific examples matched to the employer's needs as stated in the job
description. Point the reader to qualifications and experiences that clearly show your fit.
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QuintZine's Q&A with Career Expert Norine Dagliano
Norine Dagliano is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career-management consultant.
"I believe very strongly in the power of a well-written and personalized cover letter and encourage all of my
clients to include one," said Norine Dagliano in the Q&A interview she did with us. "Will it always gets read or
will it get tossed? It is difficult to speculate, but my philosophy is that I would rather send one, only to have
it thrown away, than not send one and make an unfavorable first impression.
"I still think a personal approach in the search process is always the best," Dagliano continues. "The cover letter
provides job-seekers an opportunity to 'speak' to the
employer in their own words; to give the employer a little 'window into
their personality;' to address the employer's needs by describing specific contributions they are prepared to make. We don't
want to rewrite the resume for each job, but a well-constructed cover letter can expand upon the resume and bring to the employer's
attention the key selling points to be considered."
Read more of Norine's advice, including following up after sending a cover letter, the role of "sales" in the job search, the best
way to determine what career is best for you, and the biggest mistake job-seekers make by going to our
Q&A with her.
At WillTrainJobs.com job-seekers can find job listings from employers that provide detailed training and specialization
programs for new hires. Many job and internship postings require little or no experience. Job-seekers can browse or search
postings by job category, state, and keywords.
Willtrainjobs.com strives to accommodate the vast, yet overlooked market for entry-level, training-level, and internship positions,
bridging the gap between the millions of new or minimally experienced job-seekers and the constantly expanding database
of employment positions that are in demand, but not currently presented in any other organized location.
The site also posts certifications for those who wish to further pursue their education.
Unlike other job posting engines that post jobs that require many prior years of experience or advanced degrees, Willtrainjobs.com
is a clear-cut way to expose those just out of college or with a preference for a hands-on approach toward their career
development to a host of employment positions at their fingertips.
The site offers job, internship, and certification search engines, in addition to a free newsletter.
Instantly email your resume to 1000s of recruiters,
headhunters, and direct hiring companies! With the most
comprehensive and targeted network of recruiters on the
net, you can rest assured you have taken the steps
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CEOTRAK Executive Career Network --
a powerful job and career site for senior-level executives and professionals. Job-seekers can
view featured job listings or search the job database (industry, function, and location), as well
as create a career profile. Also include an email job alert and networking opportunities. Free to job-seekers.
Kansas Educational Employment Board -- where
job-seekers who want to teach in Kansas can browse job listings by location and discipline. You can
also register for an email job alert. Also includes online application and many other Kansas-related resources.
Free to job-seekers.
notyetretired.com -- a career inspiration site for
job-seekers 50 and above. Includes information on starting a business, freelancing, finding a post-retirement
job, and much more. The site is dedicated to reinventing retirement and re-imagining the meanings of work.
Free to job-seekers.
Studentjobs.gov -- from the United States
Office of Personnel Management, a site for students to explore career and job opportunities with the
federal government. Job-seekers must register to use all features of the site, including searching
job listings and posting your resume. Free to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest Additions section.
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Jacqueline writes: "I have a question regarding the closing 'Take Care' at the end of business cover letters. Is that
considered less professional than all the traditional closings?"
Mike writes: "I am looking for a career, but I am not too sure of what I want to do. I have thought about something
in criminal investigation, but I also would like to open my own business. I am also looking for a Web site that has
a list of jobs/careers with requirements for that job. Which careers would you tell the young people of today
to consider if they want to become successful?"
Laura writes: "I am trying to get work in production companies as I want to make the move into helping
people make TV programs and documentaries. It has proven extremely difficult, but I will continue
to keep trying this year. Not knowing the position I am applying for makes it
hard for me to write a letter to the company
because I don't really know what's involved
in making a show. Does this make sense? I am happy to work as an assistant and all that
to start off with, but is there a way that you can cover this in a cold cover letter? I basically
just want to get into the company -- find out what's going on and work my way up."
LaShun writes: "It seems every piece of advice about cover letters says to call the company you
want to work for to get a SPECIFIC NAME of the person who has the authority to call you for an
interview. But what if the company refuses to give that information? Most of the companies I call say
just send a resume to the HR department at an email address or fax number but won't give a name. And when
I do get a specific name, I'm sure I'm not the only one who called. What else can I do?"
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Think most hiring managers don't read cover letters? The perception that cover letters aren't important
anymore is likely fed by the fact that some online job boards don't have a mechanism for submitting cover letters. But
a recent study by CareerBuilder.com of 290 hiring managers across the U.S. revealed that 66 percent prefer an appropriate cover letter
with the resume. Since you don't know which two-thirds of hiring managers like cover letters and which third don't, you need to always
include a cover letter with your resume.
Further breaking down that 66 percent, Wendy Enelow, president of Career Masters Institute points out that 33 percent of all
recipients ALWAYS read the cover letter first; the other 33 percent glance at the cover letter after they've read the resume.
Therefore, says Enelow, "Your letter must immediately communicate your value to an organization, for you never know which
33 percent will receive it."
Cover-letter statistics are similar for human-resource managers, more than two-thirds of whom view well-written, PERSONALIZED cover
letters as advantageous to a job applicant, as reported in Resume Writer's Digest. Nearly half believe that cover letters are more
important -- or as important as -- resumes. In still another poll, this one from HRnext/BenefitsNext, 7 percent of respondents
said the cover letter is so important that it can clinch a job, and nearly 40 percent characterized cover letters as "among the
important factors" in the hiring process." "It depends on the job" was the response of 22 percent, which is important to note for
those aspiring to jobs in which they will be judged by how well they express themselves. According to almost 20 percent of respondents,
a good cover won't necessarily land you the job, but an awful one will throw you out of contention.
We recently performed a Google search on our Quintessential Careers fax number to prove a point. We advise job-seekers to
follow up with employers after sending out their resume and cover letter, but sometimes ads and job postings provide only
a fax number, so you don't even know what company you're writing to, let alone the name of the hiring manager. But if
you try entering the fax number into Google,
as we did, there's a good chance the name of the company will
come up (as it did for the QuintCareers fax number), enabling you to further research the name of the hiring manager.
You can also try reverse phone lookup feature at a site such as AnyWho.
Employers will likely admire your resourcefulness if you can tailor the letter to their organization
when only a fax number appeared in the job posting.
College students and new grads should check out this e-book,
The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need:
How to Find -- and Get -- The Job or Internship of Your Dreams!
The book contains must-read contributions from 149 of North America's top employment experts
and is available risk-free for 90 days.
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* Volunteering and working in nonprofits/community service
* Answers to common college admissions questions
* Letters of recommendation
* Dealing with a bad boss
* Don't wait by the phone: Following up on all job leads
* Dining etiquette
* What employers are really looking for
* New series: 10 mistakes to avoid in: resumes, cover letters, interviews, salary
negotiation, career change, networking, job-search
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
the email version of QuintZine by completing our
subscription form.
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The Professional Resume Writing and Research Association (PRWRA) has proclaimed September
the official Update Your Resume Month.
