Cover Letter Etiquette
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Posted By:
Heather Eagar In: Job Seeker - Cover Letters
Whether you’ve written one or one hundred cover letters in
your lifetime, they can present enough challenges to make you
dread the process each time. It’s for this reason that many
people resort to the “carbon copy” cover letter as opposed to
creating an original one for each job application. If you want
to make sure that your cover letter is unique and appropriate,
let’s take a look at some cover letter etiquette tips to
consider.
Whether you’ve written one or one hundred cover letters in your
lifetime, they can present enough challenges to make you dread
the process each time. It’s for this reason that many people
resort to the “carbon copy” cover letter as opposed to creating
an original one for each job application.
The “carbon copy” cover letter is not recommended because it
lacks authenticity. Even worse, it forces you to turn your back
on cover letter etiquette. If you want to make sure that your
cover letter is unique and appropriate, let’s take a look at
some cover letter etiquette tips to consider.
Tip #1: Keep the Cover Letter Personal
The first tip to keep in mind when writing a cover letter is
that you want to make sure that it’s personal. You may have read
in a business writing book at some point that it’s common to
address the reader as “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It May
Concern.” While these terms can be appropriate when absolutely
necessary, it’s better to track down the hiring manager at a
company so that you may address him or her directly (ex. Dear
Mr. Smith) in your salutation.
Tip #2: Focus on the Employer’s Needs
Another etiquette tip to keep in mind when creating your cover
letter is focusing on the employer’s needs. This concept goes
back to the “carbon copy” cover letter that looks just like the
last 15 you’ve written. It’s always important to keep in mind
that no two jobs are exactly the same, which is why your cover
letters shouldn’t be the same either. To honor these
differences, it’s good to focus on the specific needs of the
employer and afterward addressing your own strengths and how
they can help the company achieve their desired success. This
way, you can help the hiring manager more easily align the
company’s goals with your qualifications, which in turn can
increase your chances of being hired.
Tip #3: Dot Your I’s and Cross Your T’s
Another aspect of cover letter etiquette is making sure that you
proofread every word, ensure all grammar is correct, and most
importantly, make sure that every bit of information you offer
is 100% honest. You don’t want the employer to run a background
check only to find out you’ve lied on any of your documentation.
So before submitting your cover letter, it’s important to ensure
every I is dotted and every T is crossed.
Tip #4: Keep it Short and Sweet
The fourth tip to consider when writing your cover letter is
length. If you become passionate about what you’re writing, you
can easily say too much, which can frustrate the hiring manager
who has many more to read. So in the writing process, your job
is to explain why you’re qualified and why you want the job as
concisely as possible. This way, the hiring manager won’t trash
your cover letter before getting to all of those great
qualifications that would have otherwise gotten you hired for
the job.
Now that you’ve learned a little about cover letter etiquette,
it’s time to get started on your own. What are you waiting for?
Your next job is just a great cover letter away. |
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