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Do I Need a Cover Letter?
Now that your formal resume’ is
complete, there are a couple more elements to the resume’ package that you will
need. The first is a cover.
You may be asking if a cover
letter is necessary when submitting your resume online or by “snail mail”. Yes
and yes! This is your opportunity for a pre-emptive strike, your chance to state
right up-front “what makes you right for the job”.
Your cover letter must do four
things. It must: spark the interest of the reviewer, get them to look (or look
more closely) at your resume, briefly identify your interests, and
succinctly summarize your qualifications for the job you desire. That’s a lot.
And that’s why the cover letter is so critically important.
In terms of format, err to the
side of formality when it comes to salutations and closings. You may know that
Mary Jones is the hiring manager but she’s Ms. Jones to you until you’ve been
given permission to be less formal. Your signoff should be equally
professional.
How long should a cover letter
be? Not long, but not too short, either. In 3-4 succinct paragraphs, you must
identify the position you are applying for and state your sincere interest …
state what makes you the right candidate for the job … express your gratitude
for being considered … and provide your contact information and planned
follow-up step (such as, I will follow-up with a phone call by such-and-such
date).
One final note …
In today’s tech-reliant times
when resume’s are zapped around the world via the internet, the good ol’
fashioned cover letter is still necessary. No matter how you deliver your
resume’ – online or via “snail mail” – craft a cover letter.
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