Tips for Writing An Effective Cover Letter

Always send a cover letter with your resume even if the company has not specified that you should include one. It gives you a chance to tell the company why you are a good fit for the job. It is also a chance to let them know that you have chosen them and that you are not just randomly submitting your resume.

Although a cover letter is meant to help your chances of getting the job, it might hurt your chances if it is not written effectively. Here are some tips for writing an effective cover letter:

1.    Make sure there are no spelling errors or grammar mistakes. Typos and grammar mistakes are a sign of carelessness, and that might reflect to an employer the type of employee you are. Be as clear as you can without any distractions.

2.    Address your reader correctly. If you know the name of your intended reader, use it. If you do not know who is going to be receiving your resume, do not specifically address the reader. For example, do not state, "Dear Sir," since it just as well might be a woman. You might lose all chances immediately! A good way to address your cover letter is by stating, "Greetings." Keep it friendly, professional, and non-gender related. 

3.    Show them you know who they are. Do some research about the company before submitting your resume. Let the company know you value their work and that you want to be a part of that. Tell them where you heard about the opened position. Always remember to customize your cover letter EVERY time you send it out. It is a sign of laziness to have a generic cover letter and it is usually pretty obvious when you have one.

4.    Tell them why you are the best choice. Be confident. Let your reader clearly see that you know what they are looking for. Point out your skills and experiences that are directly related to what their requirements are. Whatever skills you match, you might want to put them in BOLD font so they will jump out to your reader. Do not go into too much detail; that is what your resume is for. 

5.    Correct Format. Make sure your cover letter is brief, but just long enough to get across exactly what you want to say. Ideally, it should be only three paragraphs long. 

The first paragraph should state the position you are applying for and where you saw the posting.

The second paragraph should state why you are the person for the job. This is where you really need to sell yourself. It's a good idea to use easy-to-follow bullet points to illustrate your skills and experience. Customize this section to what the company is looking for. Do not include irrelevant information; they know what they are looking for so make it easy on them.

The third paragraph should be a quick, powerful closing. Keep it simple and leave them feeling confident about hiring you.

Be sure all your contact information is on BOTH your resume and cover letter. Be sure to include your email address, especially if you are sending it on line.

Remember your cover letter is the company's first impression of you. Be sure there are no mistakes and ALWAYS customize the cover letter to exactly what the employer is seeking. However, keep in mind that there is a good chance your cover letter might not make it all the way to the hiring manager. As important as your cover letter is, do not solely rely on all the information in your cover letter to tell your reader why you are the right person for the position. You must also customize your resume to the job you are seeking as well.

9 Reasons You're Not Getting Hired

You don't understand. You updated your CV, you're applying to jobs every day, you've cleaned up your digital dirt and you network. Yet here you still are on the unemployment list. What is wrong with employers?

Unfortunately, many job seekers don't stop to consider that the problem might not be employers but themselves. It's a hard concept that most job seekers have trouble wrapping their heads around, but applicants frequently (and inadvertently) display signs that tell an employer that they're not the best fit for the job.

Finding qualified applicants is one of the biggest hiring challenges for employers. Do you lack what they want? Yes, there are fewer jobs and there is more competition, but are you doing everything you can?

Here are 10 reasons why employers might have passed you by.

1. You Lie
Any lies you tell in your job search, whether on your CV or in an interview, will come back to haunt you. Everything you tell an employer can be discovered, so it behooves you to be honest from the get-go. If you're concerned about something in your past, invention is not the answer. Use your cover letter to tell your story, focusing on your strengths and accomplishments and explaining any areas of concern if needed.

2. You have a potty mouth
It's certainly tempting to tell anyone who will listen how big of a (insert expletive here) your current boss is, but a hiring manager for a new job is not that person. A recent CareerBuilder survey showed that 32 percent of employers said that talking negatively about current or previous employers was one of the most detrimental mistakes a candidate can make. Find a way to turn those negative things job into positives. If you can't get along with your co-workers, for example, tell the prospective employer that you're looking for a work environment where you feel like you're part of a team and your current position doesn't allow for that kind of atmosphere.

3. You didn't -- or can't -- give examples
Hiring managers want people who can prove that they will increase the organisation's revenues, decrease its costs or help it succeed in some way. If all you give to an employer is a bunch of empty words about your accomplishments, you don't demonstrate how you can help the company. In fact, 57 percent of employers said that the most detrimental mistake candidates make is not providing specific examples in the interview. The more you can quantify your work, the better.

4. You came unprepared
More than half of the employers (51 percent) said that not asking good questions cost candidates a job offer, according to the survey. Plain and simple, do your homework before an interview. Explore the company online, prepare answers to questions and have someone give you a mock interview. The more prepared you are, the more employers will take you seriously.

5. You don't show long-term potential
Employers want people in their organisation to work their way up, so it's best to show that you want to and can grow with the company. If you were asked where you see yourself in five years and you gave an answer that wasn't related to the position or company you're interviewing with, kiss your chances goodbye. Ask questions like, "What type of career movement do you envision for the most successful candidate in this role?" It shows that you have envisioned your future at the company.

6. You acted bored, cocky or disinterested
A little enthusiasm never hurt anyone, especially when it comes to a potential new job. Thirty percent of employers said in the survey that the biggest mistake candidates made in the interview was appearing disinterested or arrogant cost applicants the job. Every business wants to put their most enthusiastic people forward with important clients and customers, so acting the opposite will get you nowhere.

7. You were a little too personal
23 percent of employers said that candidates who provided too much personal information in the interview essentially blew their chances at the job, according to the survey. Not only does personal information offend some people, but anytime you talk about topics such as your hobbies, race, age or religion, you're setting yourself up for bias. Though it's illegal for employers to discriminate against applicants because of any of these factors, some will do so, regardless.

8. You were all money, no sense
As a general rule of thumb, you should never bring up salary before the employer does. Doing so is tacky and makes the employer think that you care about the money involved, not about helping the employer succeed. If the topic does arise, however, be honest about your salary history. Employers can verify your salary in a matter of minutes these days, so lying only makes you look bad.

9. You don't have enough experience
Managers don't have as much time as they used to have to train and mentor new employees. The more experience you have, the more likely you are to hit the ground running without a lot of hand-holding. The best way to show that you know what you're doing is to give the employer concrete examples of your experience in a given job duty.