Cover Letter Writing Tips

For the past few months I have been searching for a job. I finally got one.

These days it seems the only reflection of someone’s work and experience can be expressed on two sheets of paper: the cover letter and resume. These two together represent whether you get an interview or not. Remember the point of the cover letter and the resume is to get an interview. It’s up to you at the interview to get the job.

My first approach to writing a cover letter was to follow what the online sites recommended. This is what one of my first paragraphs looked like:

My goal-orientated personality and my “nothing is impossible attitude” has allowed me to graduate college and run a web design business. Utilizing my forward thinking design approach and my awareness of non-visual web browsers, I am able to create web pages that lower overhead cost and easily allow for future updates. My design philosophies coupled with my personable personality, my experience and my education would be a great addition to the University of Alaska.

Sounds great right? Wrong! It’s the same thing everyone else writes, you want to stand out. Not be like everyone else.

Details, details, details. You don’t want to sound desperate and that you must have this job. Make it sound like they need you and if you get an offer you may turn it down.

Start off, with a personal touch – An attention grabber. Some advice I have read says don’t waste any real estate with non job orientated information. What’s the point of writing a great cover letter if your reader chucks the letter after the first paragraph? Start out with something like this:

San Francisco is the most beautiful place to live. The city is full of life. In the mornings, I run the beach and in the evenings I dance at the local clubs. I would love to make San Francisco my home, but I need a job. I am hoping this job allows me to stay.

The second paragraph sounds much better than the first. It’s much more interesting. It screams read the next paragraph and see why I am qualified.

Here are a couple more examples I used and got phones calls. The first one has gotten me a job and two interviews.

I moved to Chico in 1997 as an exchange student from Alaska. Within a semester at Chico State, I fell in love with Chico. I’m a recent graduate from Chico State and would love an opportunity to remain in the area. I hope the Systems Analyst/Programmer position is the one, which allows me to stay.

Here is one I used while in Seattle:

I recently moved to the Seattle area. So far, I love it here; I have visited Alki Beach, rode my bike on the Tapeworm trails in Renton, played badminton with the Seattle Badminton Club and danced at the Century Ballroom. The only thing lacking is a job; I aim to change that.

Everyone wants a job and everyone is “goal orientated” etc. Give your cover letter personality.