Writing to impress: Cover letter tips

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Q. I hate writing cover letters. They take too long and I never seem to get them right. There must be an easier way. Do you have any tips on how to write great cover letter?

A. If you use your current method of writing a cover letter, it will take you on average five hours to write a good one. If you use the method explained in this article, you will write it in 45 minutes.

Heart

Your first paragraph is all about why you want the position. It’s about heart.

But, unfortunately, most people say things like, “I am applying for the position of ‘blank’ because I feel my skills and experience would be an asset to your firm.” Boring!

If you have dreamed of working for a non-profit organization for 10 years, say so. If you have used the company’s product on many occasions and love it, say so.

Skill sets

In your second paragraph, you simply give an example from your past experience where you demonstrated the use of one of the top skills required for the job.

If it’s analytical skills, you use the SAR (Situation, Action, Result) technique to respond.

For example, as Project Manager in 2006 (situation), I ran a team of four on a project to implement a new product launch (action), and the assignement was completed two weeks ahead of schedule (result).

In paragraph three, repeat the above using another skill required for the job.

Follow up

Ask for an interview and state you will follow uo to determine the next step.

Next step

Ask yourself why you want the position. Pick the top two skills required for the job and state your experience to prove you have them. Set your stopwatch to 45 minutes and voila!

Email your questions to: info@Dr-Career.com. Listen to Career FastTrack “Live” Mondays at 5.30 p.m. on CiTR 101.9 FM or online at citr.ca

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