Dear friends,

We have circulated our Ten Rules for a Great Resume (link below) but
hadn't done the same for cover letters until now. So, I wanted to share
this list:

A PERFECT COVER LETTER...

1) Talks at least as much about the employer - based on the job-
seeker's careful research - as it talks about the job-seeker him- or
herself.

2) Shares a specific accomplishment, statement, position or activity
that the company has recently made/publicized/embarked upon/celebrated, and
talks about its relevance to the job opening.

3) Makes an educated guess about the company's most likely challenge(s) in the
area of the job-seeker's expertise.

4) Lays out a logical bridge between the company's likely challenge and the
job-seeker's skills and experiences.

5) Shares at least one specific way in which the job-seeker has
excelled when facing a challenge like the one we presume the company
faces now.

6) Expresses excitement about the job opportunity and a desire to learn more
about it.

7) Avoids the use of cliches like "Enclosed please find my resume"
and "I would be happy to meet at your convenience."

8) Says nothing outright that the cover letter itself should convey
(e.g. "I am smart," "I have excellent communication skills" or "I am a good
riter.")

9) Has perfect punctuation, spelling and grammar, and doesn't exceed 400 words
(300 is better)!

10) Is unique for each opportunity the job-seeker pursues, and doesn't include
any three-word-or-longer phrases that are also found in the resume.


Our Ten Tips for a Great Resume are at
http://www.practicaljobsearchadvice.blogspot.com

Cheers - Liz