At last, create a cover letter guaranteed to get you a great job without any stress…

In 5th grade I failed a test. It was an easy test – very easy. In fact, I was the only one in the entire class to fail it. Somehow, I worked on that test for 45 minutes and still managed to fail, even though the rest of the class finished in 2 minutes. The reason I failed that test is the same reason that many cover letters never get read. Let me explain.

The first line of the test was, “Directions: Read every question of the test before proceeding.” Did I follow the directions and read every question before proceeding? Of course not….directions are for suckers. However, turns out my teacher was up to something. The second to last question of the test was “When you read this question, raise your hand and I’ll collect your test. If it’s before 9:45 am, then you’ve passed the test.” Holy smokes! I was duped by my teacher. I thought I was being an overachiever (and a rebel) by skipping the directions and jumping into the test, but I was really just failing a 5th grade test.

How does this apply to cover letters and applications? Read the directions! I used to work for a company that had specific instructions of “Don’t attach a resume.” Truthfully, if anyone attached a resume then we instantly deleted their email. Even if the email itself was brilliant, we would never call them back. Someone that can’t follow the most basic instruction of “Don’t attach a resume” is likely someone that won’t work out. If a company asks a question like, “Tell us about a time you went above and beyond” then tell them about a time you went above and beyond. Don’t talk about whatever the heck you want instead. Follow the instructions or you just might fail your job search. Which, is much worse than failing a 5th grade test.

First things first. I need to give myself a high five for that title. <high five>. Now, I must drink some celebratory chocolate milk. <gulp>. Now, the post.

Don’t you dare ever send out a single cover letter to a bunch of different jobs. If you do that then stop reading this blog because you’re wasting your time. You’re a lost cause. Ok, that was a bit harsh, but I’m hoping it will help you learn never ever to send the same cover letter to a bunch of jobs. Every cover letter must be personalized to the job you’re applying to.

The easiest way for a company to tell that your letter is not personalized is that if they were BCC’d. Never in the history of cover letters has a letter that has been sent BCC ever been read. Don’t you dare do it. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

Most cover letters start with “Dear Sir or Madam”. It sounds really weird doesn’t it? Personally, I like it when someone calls me Sir Phillip because I feel like a knight. However, most people aren’t as strange as me. The problem with most people starting their letters with “Dear Sir or Madam” is that most people start their letters that way. You’re certainly not going to stand out. The second problem with starting a cover letter this way is that it doesn’t say “I care about you.”

A bit cheesy? You bet. We’ve talked a lot on this blog about making the company you’re applying to (and the HR person in particular) feel special. Focus less on you, and more on the company (and the HR person). By starting your cover letter with “Dear Sir or Madam” you are instantly saying, “This is a generic cover letter and I don’t care enough about YOU to find your name and include it here. I’m too busy not having a job to take the time to look up your info, but hopefully you won’t notice and you’ll give me a call anyway.”

Get the person’s name who does the hiring, and use it.

Congratulations to me for just winning the Most Confusing Post Title award. As confusing as it sounds I promise that it kind of makes sense.

A common mistake in cover letters is that people say “I” and “my” way too much.

• I studied at such-and-such school
• I have x credentials which make me very qualified
• My ability to multi-task is one reason I always excel

The problem is, the company you’re applying to doesn’t care about you! I know this may sound counter intuitive, but it’s true. The HR person you’re applying to cares about two things: themselves and the company. Therefore, focus your cover letter on the results you will achieve, and the benefits you will give to the company. Use “I” and “my” sparingly, and when you do, make sure they’re followed up with a benefit that you will provide to the job you’re applying to.

All winning cover letters abide by the same rules. It doesn’t matter what industry or what level of job you’re applying for. There are certain mistakes that will make sure you DON’T get the job, and there are certain things that all winning cover letters have in common. I guarantee it.

Anyway, enough ranting. Here’s a link that might be helpful for people looking for construction jobs. http://newconstructionjobs.com/ways-of-securing-a-construction-job/300/

Your cover letter is not the place to showcase your knock knock jokes. It’s also not the place to display how great you are with texting language. No LOL or ROFL in your cover letter please. Again, you’d be surprised how much of this is seen. Your cover letter needs to have a professional tone – without being too laid back or too uptight. Actually, finding the right balance is one of the hardest things to do.

In advertising, it’s been known for a long time that silliness doesn’t sell. In fact, generally, the cuter and funnier an advertisement, the worse it does. Apply this advertising knowledge to your cover letter because – after all – your cover letter is your way of advertising yourself.

Often I get asked, “If I was fired, should I write it in my cover letter?” Whenever I hear this I yell at the top of my lungs, “No way!” Sure, it makes me look weird, but it gets the point across.

Think about it this way. If you just recently got divorced would you bring it up on the first date? Of course not…unless you want to remain single. Or, if you recently got a ticket for speeding, would you tell the next cop that pulled you over? Nope…not unless you want another ticket and a dirty look.

You SHOULD be completely open in your job search, but your cover letter is no place to talk about a layoff. Generally, you should talk about it in an interview when the company brings it up. Cover letters are for first impressions and selling yourself.

If they’re not done correctly, cover letters can do more harm than good. This won’t come as a huge shock, but one spelling error or grammar mistake could instantly move your application to the “No Pile”. It’s not exactly fair, because everyone makes mistakes. And, we all know never to judge a book by its cover. However, in the world of job applications, your next mistake will be your last.

I guess this means you have two choices.

1) Write a half-assed cover letter with correct spelling and grammar.

2) Write an awesome cover letter with correct spelling and grammar.

Yup, let’s go with number 2. To get there, after spending all that time writing your cover letter have at least 5 people proof read it. Make sure that the people proof reading it know their stuff. There’s no point in having 5 Kindergarten students proof your letter . In fact, if you want, I’d be willing to proof your letter. Just email it to me.

As an added bonus, check out this link: http://www.linkedin.com/answers/hiring-human-resources/staffing-recruiting/HRH_SFF/650564-25239187

It’s a discussion board of HR professionals talking about cover letters, and how one mistake could mean you don’t get a job.