Take Cover…

Writing a cover letter can often be difficult even for seasoned veteran career résumé writers.  Like the résumé, the cover letter should be easy to read and not an autobiography. The primary goal of writing a cover letter is to get the hiring manager to read your résumé, and invite you in for an interview.  With that goal in mind, your cover letter should enhance your résumé’s objective.  

When designing your cover letter, you should consider the position you are applying for and what that position’s function or impact is within the company.  The cover letter should contain well defined keywords that best match the job description and also complement it.  When choosing key words for your cover letter, be careful not to use those that are overused and found in all cover letter examples – such as “team work”, “team player”, and “hard worker”.  One thing you do want to highlight is your versatility and ability to pick up new skills and take on new tasks...

© Copyright Vet2Work/Naturallysilver 2010-11. No re-publication of this article is permitted without express permission. This is an excerpt from "Successful Career Moves" by C.A. Stapleton. About the author:  C.A. Stapleton, A.S., B.S., M.B.A., is an experienced, published professional career consultant, mentor, and résumé/ biographical writer.