Cover Letters: 4 Rules For A Good Cover Letter
Marie Raperto, The Hiring HubCover letters. Are they important or not?In a recent survey by PayScale, only 18 percent of hiring managers said cover letters were an important part of the hiring process. On the other hand, some managers use them as a filter and others expect to see one.If you do a cover letter, follow these rules.
- It's about 'them,' not you. It's not I, I, I. It's about what you have to offer them.
- Know 'their' need. Make sure you have visited their web site and that you have read the job description thoroughly. Don't send a generic cover letter, send a targeted one.
- Meet 'their' specs. Read the description and match their requirements to yours. Make sure to drop those keywords in your cover letter and your resume.
- Have a 'name.' If you have a referral name, make sure you put it in the first paragraph. Name dropping can help and you want to make sure it doesn't get overlooked.
Just as you must customize a resume, you must do the same for your cover letter!