Cover Letter Format Frenzy!
You can use a cover letter format for ideas on how to put your cover letter together. Never just re-work a cover letter format and send it in to the prospective employer. The best thing to do when using cover letter formats is to look at more than one and take what works for your cover letter from each one. Then work on putting together your own cover letter that will look unique. You want your cover letter to look professional but at the same time you do not want it to look like ever other cover letter the prospective employer has already seen before.Another area where the cover letter format frenzy is hurting job seekers is that even when they do write up a unique cover letter they copy this cover letter and send it to all their prospective employers. This is harmful because each cover letter should be unique not only for the job seeker but to the place of employment that they are apply for a position at. You cover letter should address what the company is looking for and how you can fill their hiring need. When you send the same cover letter to each individual employer you are not addressing their individual needs.
When avoiding the cover letter format frenzy you should make sure that your cover letter tells the employer about you. Make sure you stand out and use this page to really sell yourself to the prospective employer. You have one page where part of it is going to be about showing the prospective employer how you can meet their hiring needs and how you are best fit for the job. Make them want to meet you for that interview. So highlight your strengths and qualifications for the position they are hiring for. This will need to rewritten to address each individual employer that you will be sending a cover letter to.
The other part of this one page cover letter is where you want to tell the employer what they have to offer that you like. This is basically going to be a compliment to the prospective employer. Again this needs to be written unique for each prospective employer that you are sending a cover letter to. If you do not know exactly what the company has to offer as an employer then take the time to learn more about the company and then write your cover letter. If you can not put together a good section on what they have to offer that you like, then this will show to the prospective employer. They will view this in a way that will make them think you should not be working there. So take your time and keep it brief but honest.
The last part of your cover letter should be assertive. This is where you are going to ask them for an interview. Let them know a date in which you are going to do a follow up call to set up an interview time and ask them to look over your resume in the mean time.
Remember to keep your cover letter unique, brief and professional at all times. By avoiding the cover letter format frenzy and not sending out the same over used cover letter to your prospective employers, you will land more interviews.