Employers count on the cover letter to help them choose or eliminate a candidate. In fact, they could put your entire submission in the "No" pile without even looking at your resume, simply because your letter does not interest them. You can stop this from happening. Follow some general guidelines to ensure your credentials are "Yes" material! Cover letters need to address three things: Why you are interested in the company, why the company should be interested in you, and your desire to meet and discuss your mutual interests
The Broadcast Cover Letter
You can approach companies with either of two types of cover letters. A broadcast cover letter, is a general letter that is used to blindly approach a company. This type of letter could be sent to practically any company. It lacks research, a specific focus, or any real knowledge of the company. Many applicants use this type of cover letter, bee ruse they know finding a job is a numbers game. In order to see a return on their efforts, they .end out a large number of resumes and cover letters. One way of doing this is to mail broadcast letters to as many companies you can-this is called a mass mailing. On the positive side, these letters are easy to write and take very little time and effort. Unfortunately, they have the worst response rate of any type of job search tool available. If you think about it, what sort of employer wants to hire someone who obviously does not know, or does not care, to address the employer's needs in his cover letter? This brings us to the other type of cover letter- -the targeted cover letter.
Looking for Ads
Ads come in all shapes and sizes. The company that places a large ad in the classifieds is probably a sizable company that does a lot of hiring. Some ads list a post office box number for your response. These ads often cause frustration for job seekers. Employers use them either because they don't want to be contacted by aggressive, unqualified job seekers, or they don't want their employees to know that a position will soon be open-especially if they are terminating a current employee. Although answering ads should not take precedence over networking, ads play an important role in the job search process. Therefore, when you are answering these ads, compose both your cover letter and resume with a target in mind.
Keep in mind that you do not have to be a perfect match for the qualifications an employer is seeking. You may have plenty of other qualifications that would be just as useful to them. Employers are looking for a close match, but they may be willing to consider a candidate with comparable qualifications. Whenever you are in any doubt, be proactive and follow up!
Published vs. Nonpublished Openings
We have established that ninety percent of openings are unadvertised, or nonpublished. That leaves ten percent for published openings-not a whole lot for all those job seekers who are relying on the classified ads for their sole job search tool. Nevertheless, the fact remains that somebody has to fill those positions in the paper-why not you? The name of the game is to follow every potential job lead and that includes answering classified ads. If you are going to use this job search tool, there are guidelines that can help you do it more efficiently than other applicants.
Answering the Ad
While you are composing your cover letter, address each qualification they are seeking in the ad by describing how you are qualified for that responsibility. If they list a qualification that you lack, don't ignore it. State that although you do not have experience in that situation, you do have experience with something similar. But make sure it is similar to what they are asking. It never hurts to say that you have investigated this certain qualification-say it is knowledge of a particular computer program-and you find it very fascinating and look forward to some hands-on experience. That can sometimes appease them.
Your salary requirement is another question that can be tricky to answer. Remember, you have to answer everything in your cover letter that the classified ad addresses! Salary requirements are requested because they usually serve as a screening device. This doesn't have to knock you out of the running for the position. Answer the question in a manner that will satisfy both you and the employer!
You may not know enough about the position or the company to state your salary expectation. But there are ways to address the question without stating a figure that is too high or too low. For instance:
- Tell them your salary requirement would be dependent upon other benefits and compensation offered by the company.
- Tell them your salary requirement would be commensurate with the duties and responsibilities you would be performing in your position, and that you look forward to discussing it in more detail in an interview.
- Most job seekers don't realize that there are manuals and catalogs at the library that focus on general salary ranges for a variety of professions and positions. Find out what the reference book says about the position you are interested in. Then state a general salary range in your cover letter.
Following Up
Follow up with a phone call a week or so after you have sent your credentials. Ask the employer how far along she is in the hiring process, and if she has received everything she needs from you. You can reiterate your enthusiasm and connect your credentials with a warm, friendly voice at the same time. You will automatically pique the employer's interest enough to pull your credentials and take a second look.
The cover letter is just as important in landing a job as any other document you may offer. Points to remember are:
- Cover letters should address three things: Why you are interested in the company, why the company should be interested in you, and your desire to meet and discuss your mutual interests.
- The cover letter is an excellent place to show your knowledge of a company.
- Targeted cover letters are more effective than broadcast cover letters because they are specifically directed towards the employer's needs.
- Respond to all information requested in advertisements for job openings. Sidestepping questions such as salary requirements may put your submission in the "No" pile.
- To give yourself an advantage in the screening process, concentrate on classified ads that list the company name. It is much easier to tailor your correspondence if you know who the recipient will be.
