[PDF] [PDF] Cover Letter Magic Trade Secrets Of Professional Resume

[PDF] RESUMES and COVER LETTERS - Harvard Web Publishing

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[PDF] RESUMES & COVER LETTERS - Harvard Ash Center

Office of Career Services 54 Dunster Street Harvard Cambridge, MA 02138 Your cover letter is a writing sample and a part of the screening process

[PDF] Resumes & Cover Letters For Masters Students - Harvard Web

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[PDF] CVs and Cover Letters - Harvard Web Publishing - Harvard University

Unlike a resume, there is no page limit, but most graduate students' CVs are two to five pages in For example, the same experience could page – the left side should have important details like university, degree, job title, etc from recent graduates of your department, and others in your field, to ensure you are following

[PDF] Résumés & Cover Letters for Masters Students - Duke Economics

job or internship, a good résumé is an important element towards obtaining an interview Be sure to Sample Résumés and Cover Letters The samples below  

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- BEAM, Stanford Career Education

President and Fellows of Harvard College CAREER FIELDS sample resumes, cover letters, and email correspondence Your graduate GRADUATE STUDENT, Lance Taylor, Department of Neuroscience, Stanford University 2009 –2014

[PDF] Cover Letter Magic Trade Secrets Of Professional Resume

Top 5 Cover Letter–Writing Tips for Technical and Scientific life” cover letters written by members of the Career Masters Institute— physicians, medical office staff, and hospital administrators I M B A —Harvard University—1996

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[PDF] MIT Career Development Handbook - MIT CAPD

Resumes and Career Writing 40 Ames Street, Bldg E17-294, Cambridge, MA 02139 • capd mit edu How does the work of your group/division/office fit into the work of the overall organization? o contains content from your resume, cover letter, and references for others to see Harvard University Allston Campus

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[PDF] Resume and Cover Letter Writing for Internships - Marquette University

[PDF] sample cover letter - Harvard Law School

[PDF] sample cover letter - Harvard Law School

[PDF] sample cover letter - Harvard Law School

[PDF] sample cover letter - Harvard Law School

[PDF] Sample Cover Letters - Fasken Martineau

[PDF] RESUMES and COVER LETTERS - Harvard Office of Career Services

[PDF] RESUMES and COVER LETTERS - Harvard Office of Career Services

[PDF] PhD Resume Cover Letter Guide - Harvard Office of Career

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[PDF] CVs and Cover Letters - Harvard Office of Career Services

Wendy S.Enelow and Louise M.KursmarkCoverLetter

Magic

Second

EditionTrade

Secrets of

Professional

Resume

WritersFM 11/5/03 4:58 PM Page i

Cover Letter Magic,Second Edition

© 2004 by Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark Published by JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc.

8902 Otis Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033

Phone: 1-800-648-JIST Fax: 1-800-JIST-FAX E-mail: info@jist.com Visit our Web site at www.jist.comfor information on JIST, free job search tips, book chap- ters, and how to order our many products! Quantity discounts are available for JIST books. Please call our Sales D epartment at

1-800-648-5478 for a free catalog and more information.

Acquisitions and Development Editor: Lori Cates Hand

Series Editor: Susan Britton Whitcomb

Cover Designer: Aleata Howard

Interior Designer: designLab, Seattle

Page Layout: Trudy Coler

Proofreaders: Gayle Johnson, Jeanne Clark

Indexer: Tina Trettin

Printed in the United States of America

07 06 05 04 03 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Enelow, Wendy S.

Cover letter magic / Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark.-- 2nd ed. p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 1-56370-986-4

1. Cover letters. I. Kursmark, Louise. II. Title.

HF5383.E4787 2004

650.14'2--dc22 2003023186

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews. Making copies of any part of this book for any purpose other than your own personal use is a vio lation of United

States copyright laws.

We have been careful to provide accurate information in this book, but it is possible that errors and omissions have been introduced. Please consider this in making any c areer plans or other important decisions. Trust your own judgment above all else and in all things. Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective own ers.

ISBN 1-56370-986-4

FM 11/5/03 4:58 PM Page ii

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii The Cover Letter Is How It All Starts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii How This Book Is Organized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix A Short History of Cover Letters and Their Evolution . .xi The Purpose and Objectives of a Cover Letter . . . . . . . .xii

The Importance of Cover Letters in Your

Winning Job Search Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv The Rules: There Aren't Any! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xvi

Part I:Creating and Distributing

Your Cover Letter...........................................1

Chapter 1 Cover Letter Formats and Types for

Every Situation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Cover Letter Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The 10 Types of Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Chapter 2 Preparing to Write . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Six Steps to Better Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Step 1: Identify Your Key Selling Points . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Chapter 3 Writing Your Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Step 2: Pre-Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Step 3: Write the Opening Paragraph . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Step 4: Write the Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Step 5: Write the Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97 Step 6: Polish, Proofread, and Finalize . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 Chapter 4 The Anatomy of a Winning Electronic Cover Letter (Plus Electronic Resume Tips) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 Electronic Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 Electronic and Scannable Resumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Chapter 5 Cover Letter Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 Developing Winning Visual Presentations . . . . . . . . . . .125 Design Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

FM 11/5/03 4:58 PM Page iii

ivCover Letter Magic Chapter 6 Answers to Common Cover Letter Questions - and Tips to Help You Beat the Odds . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Frequently Asked Cover Letter and

Resume Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Using Your PC in Your Job Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 Distributing Your Resumes and Cover Letters . . . . . . . .150

Managing the Paperwork and the Job

Search Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 Part II:Sample Cover Letters.........................................159 Chapter 7 Before-and-After Cover Letter Transformations . . . . .161 How to Use the Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 Chapter 8 Winning Cover Letters for Blue-Collar and Trades Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 9

The Top 5 Cover LetterÐWriting Tips for

Blue-Collar and Trades Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Chapter 9 Winning Cover Letters for Young Professionals/ New Graduates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189

The Top 5 Cover LetterÐWriting Tips for Young

Professionals/New Graduates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189

Chapter 10 Winning Cover Letters for Mid-Career

Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

Top 5 Cover LetterÐWriting Tips for

Mid-Career Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 Chapter 11 Winning Cover Letters for Senior Managers and Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

Top 5 Cover LetterÐWriting Tips for Senior

Managers and Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241 Chapter 12 Winning Cover Letters for Technical and Scientific Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 Top 5 Cover LetterÐWriting Tips for Technical and Scientific Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

FM 11/5/03 4:58 PM Page iv

v

Contents

Chapter 13 Winning Cover Letters for Career Changers . . . . . . . .281

Top 5 Cover LetterÐWriting Tips for

Career Changers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 Part III:The Total Job Search:Thank-You Letters,Recruiters,andResumes Chapter 14 Winning Thank-You Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297

How Thank-You Letters Can Help You Land

a Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299

Frequently Asked Questions About

Thank-You Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302 Thank-You Letter Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303 One Final Recommendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304 Sample Thank-You Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305

Chapter 15 Cover Letter Tips and Techniques from

Recruiters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311 Advice from the Recruiters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311 Key Points to Remember . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323 Chapter 16 Winning Resume Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325 Resume Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326 Resume Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330 Resume Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338 Recommended Resume Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .340 Magical Tips on Resume Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358 Part IV:Appendixes....................................................363 Appendix A Using Keywords to Win in Your Job Search . . . . . . . . .365

What Are Keywords, and Where Did

They Come From? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .366

What Is All This Talk About Keywords and

Scanning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 7

FM 11/5/03 4:58 PM Page v

viCover Letter Magic How Do I Use Keywords in My Cover Letters? . . . . . . .368

Which Keywords Are Right for Me, My Profession,

and My Industry? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .370 Appendix B Action Verbs for Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .387 Appendix C Recommended Job Search and Career Web Sites . . . . .389 Job Search Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .390 Company Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .397 Dictionaries and Glossaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398 Interviewing Tips and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .399 Salary and Compensation Information . . . . . . . . . . . . .400 Appendix D Index of Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .401 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .409

FM 11/5/03 4:58 PM Page vi

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Introduction

vii

Introduction

The Cover Letter Is How It All Starts

Whether youÕre selling yourself for a new position or proposing a new book, product, service, or advertising campaign, you begin with a cover let- ter. You write a letter in an attempt to generate interest, enthusiasm, and action from your reader. That is precisely what we did to interest JIST in publishing this book. And, see, it worked!

Intro 11/5/03 4:59 PM Page vii

viii Your job search is no different. You have a commodity to sell - yourself - and you must approach your search campaign just as you would any other sales or marketing campaign. You begin by identifying the key features and ben- efits of that product (you!) and then work to develop a resume and cov er letter that clearly communicate those specific points. It's that easy, yet that complex. In this book, we focus almost exclusively on cover letter writing, altho ugh we do include a brief, yet solid introduction to resume writing in chapt er

16, "Winning Resume Strategies." Although you might think that writing

job search materials is all the same, the difference between writing resumes and writing cover letters is dramatic. They are two entirely different docu- ments, each with its own structure, strategy, and agenda. TipIf you have not yet written your resume,are having trouble with one section,are questioning the wording that you used,or are uncertain about its overall effectiveness,we recommend that you pick up RŽsumŽ Magic,the companion to this book,by Susan Britton Whitcomb,CCMC,CCM,NCRW,CPRW. SusanÕs book is one of the most comprehensive resources weÕve ever seen.It covers virtually every topic imaginable related to resume development,strategy,writing, and production.No matter how obscure your questions are,you will find the answers in RŽsumŽ Magic. Consider the following. When you're writing your resume, you're wr iting a document that you hope to use over and over, for almost every job search opportunity, advertisement, or referral. Of course, at times you might have to modify your resume a bit, and in some situations you might have two o r three different versions (depending on your objectives). The bottom line, however, is that you are writing a single document that gives a broad-based overview of your entire career. The cover letter process is entirely different from resume writing. Almost every time you write a cover letter, you are writing a unique letter to a specific person for a particular reason and with a unique message. That process, in and of itself, requires that you tailor your letters to each individ- ual situation.Cover Letter Magic

Intro 11/5/03 4:59 PM Page viii

ix TipTo optimize the impact of your cover letters and the response that they generate,you must be willing to invest the time and energy to create customized letters that sell you for a specific opportunity.Anything less will reduce your chances of capturing your reader's attention and being offered the opportunity for an interview.

How This Book Is Organized

Cover letter writing is an art that requires you to write a brief, hard-hitting document that catches a readerÕs attention. If youÕre not an experienced writer or havenÕt used your writing skills in years, this can be a daunting task. But have no fear. WeÕve made it easy for you with Cover Letter Magic!

HereÕs how the book is structured.

The Introduction offers an exploration of the history of cover letters, how they have evolved, their purpose, and why cover letters are so important to your job search. The Introduction ends with the top 10 strategies for wr it- ing winning cover letters. Chapter 1 contains a comprehensive discussion of the 10 different kinds of cover letters. YouÕll learn to identify the one thatÕs right for each particular situation you encounter. In chapter 2, youÕll begin your preparation by developing your cover letter strategy and your key Òselling points.Ó This up-front work will ma ke the actual writing of your cover letters much simpler and faster; you wonÕ t have to plan and write each letter from the ground up. Then itÕs time to write. In chapter 3 weÕll coach you in the process of writ- ing a winning cover letter, from the strategy behind the words to the actual words themselves. WeÕll teach you how to write the three essential sections of every cover letter and give you a cover letter checklist to guarantee that your letters are appropriate, on target, and designed to produce results.Introduction

Intro 11/5/03 4:59 PM Page ix

x Chapter 4 follows with the unique characteristics of electronic cover letters - their similarities to and their differences from the more "tradition- al" cover letter. Chapter 5 furnishes you with tools of the trade, so that you can improve the visual presentation and impact of your cover letters. Fonts, format, and paper are just a few of the topics we'll cover. Then we'll move on to discuss related technology issues such as mail merge, e-mail broadcast campaigns, and other PC-based methods for cover letter reproduction and distribution. Before we begin reviewing actual cover letter samples, chapter 6 rounds out our discussion with answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). Should your letter alwaysfit on one page? When should you discuss salary in a cover letter, and when is this topic best left for the interview? This chapter also includes tips and tricks from the top - insider strategies gleaned from our decades of experience in writing cover letters for ever y imaginable job search situation. Chapters 7 through 13 are what this book is all about: more than 100 " real- life" cover letters written by members of the Career Masters Institut e - professional resume writers, career coaches, career counselors, recruiters, military and government transition specialists, and others in the career and employment industry. These letters were used in actual job search campaigns - successful campaigns with powerful resumes and cover letters as their foundation. Chapter 7 shows the "magic" of before-and-aft er cover letter transformations. Chapters 8 through 11 include letters for blue- collar/trades positions, new graduates/young professionals, mid-career professionals, and senior managers/executives. Chapter 12 is devoted to technical and scientific professionals; and in chapter 13, you'll fin d cover letters for people who are making a significant career change, from one field to another. You can quickly identify the chapter that is most pertinent to your situation and use the examples in that chapter as inspiration fo r your own cover letters. Chapter 14 is dedicated to writing winning thank-you letters, the strate gy behind them, and the style in which to present them. Also included are several outstanding samples that will help you make your thank-you lette rs work as powerful marketing tools.Cover Letter Magic

Intro 11/5/03 4:59 PM Page x

xi In chapter 15, after you've read more than 200 pages showing the rules for writing powerful cover letters, we'll show you cover letters written by recruiters. Many of these letters break all the rules! In chapter 16, we share information on writing winning resumes. Learn the best strategies, formats, and presentations for developing resumes that are powerful and well-positioned and produce the results that you want - interviews and offers! Finally, the Appendix provides valuable career resources to help you plan and manage your winning job search campaign. Throughout the book, "Tips" and "Examples" are highlighted with special symbols. These sections provide quick insights to enhance the section you've just read, further explain specific strategies, and share insider strate- gies we've developed in our many years of writing cover letters. And per-quotesdbs_dbs7.pdfusesText_13