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The Perfect Cover Letter

Phil — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:53:36 +0000

Sometimes, it’s okay not to be perfect. In fact, often times, being perfect can hurt you. When applying for a job it’s easy to get so worked up that you can’t get started. You want your cover letter to be so perfect that you can’t get the courage to start. My advice….just start. Even if you send a crappy cover letter, you have a better chance of getting the job than if you don’t send one.

Check out this article: http://www.ajc.com/business/dont-be-a-perfectionist-579489.html

New York Times Cover Letter

Phil — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 05:52:34 +0000

The New York Times just had an interesting article on what it’s like to hire someone. Check it out:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/jobs/25pre.html?_r=1

This reminds me of one of my top 5 rules of cover letters – “you” needs to be your favorite word. It’s great to talk about yourself, but remember to talk about what you can do for the person interviewing you, and for the company.

Do you Have the Cover Letter Fever?

Phil — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 04:58:35 +0000

Whether or not I agree with this post doesn’t matter. This guy has the FEVER!!!!!

http://letterbusiness.thecompanymarketing.com/2010/05/31/put-some-fever-in-your-cover-letters/

The Man in the Mirror is Telling you to Write a Cover Letter

Phil — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 04:52:22 +0000

One of the keys to building rapport and networking in person is to mirror the person you’re talking to. I’m not going to go in-depth into this since it doesn’t directly relate to cover letters, but check out this book…How To Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less.

Well, this same theory can be used in writing your cover letter. I go in-depth with this in my cover letter packet, but on the most basic level you can mirror the tone of the job posting. If the post is casual, have a more casual cover letter. If it’s very formal, then have a more formal cover letter. If it sounds like common sense, then it’s because it is – but I’m surprised how many people get it wrong.

Because Caring is Half the Cover Letter Battle

Phil — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:51:06 +0000

Should you write a cover letter? Of course. I could list 72 reasons why you should definitely write a cover letter (one of those would be “because I said so”). However, the simplest reason is because writing a cover letter shows you care enough to write a cover letter. At the very least, it shows you researched the company, and took the time to write a letter. Sometimes (this time) caring is half of the battle.

You are not Slim Shady…Why Eminem couldn’t get another job

Phil — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:16:57 +0000

Eminem wrote a song called “My Name Is”. I’ll quote it here:

Hi! My name is.. (what?) My name is.. (who?)
My name is.. [scratches] Slim Shady
Hi! My name is.. (huh?) My name is.. (what?)
My name is.. [scratches] Slim Shady
This song alone explains why Eminem is a rapper – he couldn’t get any other job! Anyone who introduces themselves by saying “My name is…” so many times will never get a job. In fact, if you say “My name is” one time in your cover letter, then you can kiss the job goodbye. Don’t waste valuable space by starting your cover letter off this way.

Cover letter vs contacts…Let the games begin

Phil — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 20:11:34 +0000

I’m always talking about cover letters. I’m cool like that. People often tell me, “Is it better to have a great cover letter, or to have lots of contacts and know people at the company you’re applying to?” The answer is, “It is better to have both.” Duh. But, if you had to choose one, then having a lot of contacts wins hands down. Even a cover letter guru like me knows that .

Why choosing a right font has never been so hard

Phil — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 20:04:17 +0000

Oh boy, I just read an article that made choosing a font sound like the most important, most difficult decision of all time. Here’s a link to the article: http://grandresume.com/blog/free-tips/resume-font You could read the entire article or I could summarize it in two sentences for you.

The theory of relativity was a piece of cake compared to choosing a font. If Einstein was really smart, he would’ve picked the perfect cover letter font.

Now, I’m going to make it really simply for you. It doesn’t matter what font you choose, as long as it’s a serif font. There are a billion to choose from. Just search for “serif font list” in Google. Times New Roman is a serif font. My personal favorite is Cambria. Basically, serif fonts look professional and are easier to read….so use them. Don’t hurt your head by thinking too long about it.

Will you please try using a two column cover letter?

Phil — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:00:21 +0000

I’ve always loved this idea, but don’t know anyone who has tried it – a two column cover letter. Everyone knows I’m big on studying cover letters to find out what has been proven to work. I never give cover letter advice unless I’ve seen it work time and time again. I like to think that’s what sets me apart when it comes to cover letter consultation. However, the idea of a two column cover letter is just too powerful to pass up. So, I preface all of this by saying that I’ve never seen anyone do this, so I don’t know if it works, but I can tell you why I think it ought to work .

Here are two key reasons why putting your cover letter into two columns is a great idea:

1) It’s easier to read – Text is easiest to read when there are about 10 words per line, and the columns are justified. This is why newspapers, The New Yorker, and most direct marketing comes in columns. Check out this famous direct marketing ad from Joe Sugarman (a direct marketing legend): http://robertrosenthal.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c511c53ef0120a618b81b970c-pi

2) You’ll stand out – I’ve looked at hundred of cover letters and NEVER seen one in a two column format. For better or worse, it’s going to make you stand out and get noticed. Often times, that’s all you need. The little thing that makes you stand out might just get you an interview.

The 5th Grade Test You Failed, and Why It Means Your Cover Letters Aren’t Getting Read

Phil — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:00:35 +0000

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.