Part 4: Sprucing Up That Cover Letter

Patricia Kitchen | Change@work

October 19, 2003

Part 4 of a weekly series helping people with job searches.

If you think working a regular job is hard, just wait until you hear what you have to do when writing cover letters to help you get that job. It takes a custom-tailored letter for each potential employer, experts say.

The reason: Recruiters can recite form letters in their sleep -- and they're not impressed.

Students can be "genuinely shocked" when they hear that, but those who put in the extra work have the most job-search success, says Julianna Blunt, assistant career center director at Adelphi University.

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Such a letter tells an employer a lot -- the initiative you're taking in researching the company, your attention to detail -- even your personality, which can be a real plus, says Susan Ireland, as the letter reader is "a person, not a cement building." And they're "bored stiff" by all those mechanical-sounding letters, says Ireland, author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Cover Letter."

You can punch yours up through varied wording and telling what others have to say about you. (Examples follow, and for more guidance see susanireland.com.) It's all about "revealing who we are," says Ireland, of Berkeley, Calif., "not rehashing what we've done."

Wendy Birnbaum, a May graduate of Binghamton University, knew that last year, when she and other English majors critiqued each others' letters before their internship searches. She's now coaching friends a year behind her to "flair it up a bit" language-wise.

Job hunting since May, Birnbaum, of Flushing, just got a part-time internship with SpaFinder.com in Manhattan. Yet her cover letter could use fine- tuning.

You can see it and Ireland's suggestions here.

Now on to the letter's sections:

First, in the salutation, if you don't know the recipient's name, Blunt suggests "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear Recruiter" instead of the more stilted "Dear Sir or Madam."

Next, the first paragraph should tell the job you're applying for, how you found out about it, and why you're interested. This is like "an icebreaker at a social event," says Ireland, so don't shoot out the information.

Instead of saying the generic "Enclosed is my resume for an entry-level marketing position," she says to work something up like, "While doing job-search research, I read in XYZ newsletter that you just won the ABC account. With my internship experience in marketing, I believe I can help you."

Or, "My marketing professor, Marta Jones, told me you could use someone just like me." (It's a real bonus, Ireland says, when you're referred by someone the recruiter knows.)

If you are responding to an ad that does not give an employer's name, you can still work in something you learn though research about the industry or job function.

The next section is what Ireland calls the sales pitch. If you're responding to an ad, set up two columns. In the "You Want" column, list each skill or quality asked for that you have a match for. And in the "I've Got" column, tell your related experience.

So if the ad asks for customer service experience, list that in the first column and next to it in the second say, for example, "I've held a summer internship at a call center, plus worked part- time at Burger King."

And, remember the personality angle. If the employer asks for someone who's assertive, you can say in the "I've Got" column, "I'm the one friends look to when we challenge a bill in restaurants."

If you're not responding to an ad, this second section is the place to give a hint of what you might talk about in an interview, such as, "I know your company is working on such-and-such [or I know most companies in your industry are interested in such-and-such], and I have some ideas for you." Employers find that intriguing, Ireland says. A person who'll have something to say!

In the last paragraph, you ask for an interview -- but don't say "I hope to hear from you soon." Too meek. Instead, try, "I know you're working to meet your sales goals, and I can help you do that. Please call me for an interview."

If you have the person's phone number, say you'll call in a week to follow up, and then do it.

Marie Artim, an entry-level and corporate staff recruiter with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, says most people who say they'll call never do. When you call, you'll stand out, and you'll send another important message -- about your follow-through.