Gaining
A Competitive Edge With Your Cover Letter
All too often, a cover letter is the after thought to a well-planned
and executed resume. The problem with this is that your cover letter
may be the only thing a recruiter reads about you. A poorly written or
badly presented cover letter will see your resume cast aside without a
second thought. A second thought is exactly what you are after, so how
do you make people think twice about you? Give them something that they
don't have, your competitive edge. The cover letter is a great place to
start your marketing campaign. It is the ideal way to promote your
skills to potential employers and set yourself up for future success.
A cover letter is your first opportunity to present your marketable
attributes to potential employers. It is your chance to set yourself
apart from other applicants. A professional and effective cover letter
will give you an edge over your competitors. Instead of having to scan
through information in your resume, the recruiter will be able to
access valuable specific information without any effort. Your cover
letter will provide the most important information employers are
looking for, what you can do for them. Above anything else, this is the
one thing they want to know and the sooner you can show them the better
off you will be.
A cover letter is like a short advertisement for the whole package that
is your qualifications, skills and experience. It should be dynamic and
make the reader want to know more. Employers want to know what you are
about, what you can do and what proven results you have achieved and
they don't want to read through pages of information to find that out.
Think of the advantages if your recruiter can get this information in
one page.
Your cover letter not only gives you the chance to showcase your
abilities in relation to what you can do for the company it is also a
great way to present your other attributes. A well-written cover letter
portrays professionalism, attention to detail, marketing knowledge,
initiative and innovation. These are all skills that will be highly
valued in any business. You cover letter can be your competitive edge.
The key to gaining a competitive edge with your cover letter is to give
employers what they want. Easy to read, accessible, relevant and
demonstrative information about you and what makes you more suited for
the job than the other 50 applicants. The cover letter is a great way
to provide this information in a simple and time effective manner.
If you have a professional cover letter to accompany your resume, you
are already making life easier for your potential employer. They will
appreciate that and in turn give you a second thought. It makes sense
to spend as much time on your cover letter as you would on your resume.
Look at it as another opportunity to sell yourself. A cover letter is
not only a professional way to introduce your application it is a great
way to highlight your unique attributes.
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