While most of my articles are aimed at the executive resume writer, we must not ignore the importance of the cover letter.
It introduces your resume and should create excitement about you.
Since many resumes are delivered using email, I wanted to touch on what I believe are the four keys to a successful email cover letter.
Be neat - Avoid those cute gadgets offered on most email programs.
A "stationary" full of daises does not present you as a professional.
Neither do the "emoticons" used to create smiley faces.
Consider each email as a clean, crisp sheet of white paper.
The only marks are your words.
Having said that, some email options, like font choices, can add value to your email.
Select a font that is a standard font, like Times New Roman, Tahoma or Arial.
If offered a "plain text" format, do not use it.
This option usually removes all formatting and adds a hard return at the end of each line.
This can lead to emails that look choppy and are difficult to read.
Finally, avoid use of formatting, like bold or italics.
Excessive or improper use of these cheapens your email.
Be brief - You are writing to someone who probably reads hundreds of email and resumes each day.
Since this person will probably decide resumes' fate, you really want to make his or her workday easy.
Brevity will help you accomplish this.
All emails begin with a subject line.
Combine the words used by the employer to describe job with your unique qualification.
An example might be, "MBA Applying for Sales Manager Position.
" This catches the reader's attention.
Your email message must build on this information using impactful sentences and paragraphs.
Impact is created by using a very few words to deliver a powerful message.
The "few words" part of this is extremely important.
Apply the following questions to each of your sentences: Is this information important and valuable to this reader? Is there a way to shorten the sentence, but retain all the important information? Use keywords - Whether your email and resume are scanned electronically or read by a person, including the key terms used to advertise the job is critical.
This tells employers that you are attuned to their needs.
Study the job advertisement and the potential employer's website for insights into these important key terms.
Look professional - Look at what you have written and ask, "Would I invest in this person?" A professional format, combined with a well-shaped and delivered message improves your chances.
Finally, use a professional, like "Dear Mr.
X.
" If you lack the person's name, consider "Dear Personnel Director," or "Attention Hiring Manager.
" Conclude your email cover letter as you would any other letter, with "Sincerely," or "Cordially.
" Email cover letters can be a challenge, but they are also a way of getting your resume in the hands of a decision maker as quickly as possible.
Be sure you take time to make that all-important good first impression.