subject: Cover Letters - Do They Really Make a Difference? [print this page] Cover Letters - Do They Really Make a Difference?
Cover letters are possibly the most underestimated tool that you can bring to the table and for many employers that are actually required. If your reading this than you are probably looking for a job and have become or have been unemployed for a fair amount of time. Let me guess... You have submitted 10's maybe even 100's of applications and resumes and have yet to hear anything back.
Sound Familiar?
You may even have revised your resume several THOUSAND times by now! So why don't you have potential employers banging down your door with job offers?
My sister became unemployed almost a year ago. She has searched for jobs, and also is currently living on unemployment. For the first month she seemed to really enjoy it. She got to relax and sleep in and watch movies all day long. Who wouldn't enjoy that? But after a while you start to feel worthless. She felt like there was no way she was ever going to get a job again.
Once you hit this point your not going to be able to get a job even if its handed to you. Your attitude is poor and you quit caring.
She came to me and asked me what to do. So I took a look at her resume and made a few changes to it. Then I asked for her Cover letter... Her COVER LETTER.
She simply responded. "What cover letter Tim?" To make a long story short I kindly explained what a cover letter can do for her.
* Set you apart from your piers.
* 7 out of 10 resumes do not have a cover letter.
* Allow you to actually sell yourself before the initial interview
* Tell them about yourself instead of only about your work history
This one is extremely important. If you can build trust and rapport before the interview than you already have the job.
Once I explained this to her, I then helped her to build an AMAZING cover letter. After about 3 weeks she had several interviews and was offered a job. Not just any job, it was a job she had actually strived for several times in the past and failed.
