What is a Cover Letter?
Another name for a Cover Letter
What is an Application Letter?
What should you do to make a cover letter the way you want it?
Your cover letter serves as a FIRST IMPRESSION to the employer, so it’s important that the letter is:
NEAT, PROFESSIONAL and GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT, FREE OF TYPOS, and SPELLING ERRORS
An advertisement meant to attract job applicants
Job Posting
Headers can include ____________, _________, and _________ to show your experience and skills (these can be found more so in a functional resume).
volunteer work, hobbies and awards
What is requested in a Cover Letter?
Details about yourself, why you're interested in that organization, skills you have that are pertinent to that job.
Fill in the Blank:
A cover letter is one of the most _____________ tools when looking for a job.
Important
What are things you can do if you do not know the name of the person who will be reviewing the resumes?
Call the organization to try to find out the person’s name. Address the letter to “Dear Sir or Madam:”
In reverse chronological order (most recent first), list the employers, city and state where you worked, dates of employment, position held, responsibilities on the job, accomplishments made and skills developed or utilized. Remember to use action words.
Experience/Work History
Be ______!
HONEST
Where can you find "trigger words" to put on your cover letter?
What is on the organizations website, on the job career website.
When writing a cover letter you should over exaggerate your enthusiasm for the position.
False. Over exaggerating on a cover letter could risk you coming across as insecure, insincere or sycophantic. Professionalism, maturity and authenticity are vital qualities to communicate from the beginning of your relationship with the employer.
How long should your cover letter be?
Two to four paragraphs in length, but never longer than one page.
A short, targeted statement that clearly outlines your career direction while simultaneously positioning you as someone who fits what the employer is looking for.
Objective
Types of Action Words:
Designed, stocked, and coordinated.
How do you end your resume?
Request for action, express your appreciation
When writing a cover letter you should write in first person.
True. A cover letter is, after all, a letter, addressed directly to the employer. You are using this document to sell yourself, and while a cover letter’s tone of voice should be professional, it should also be sufficiently conversational to engage the reader and communicate your personality, values and interest in the role.
Before starting your cover letter you should?
Read the job posting, review your resume, research.
This is a document that candidates sometimes submit alongside their resume when applying for a job. It serves as a personal introduction to you as a professional, and enables you to briefly summarize why you are the right person for the job, before the reader goes on to find out more about you in your resume.
Cover Letter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark puts an ___ and a ___ when he goes through a job posting.
R (resume), C (cover letter)
The salutation includes: _____________, ______________, ____________ and ____________.
The date, name of the employer, the address of the company and a greetings statement (Dear ...)
What details about a Cover Letter can employer learn about a candidate just by looking at their cover letter.
How well they take direction, how organized they are, how good is their spelling and grammar, do they pay attention to detail, how serious they are about applying for this job.
What should you ALWAYS have in your resume (Mark stressed this).
What job title you are applying for and where you found it.
Name, company, address, and phone number of three individuals who are not relatives, know your abilities and will positively vouch for your character and work ethic.
References
When should you write your cover letter and resume?
When you are refreshed, awake, not stressed.