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The issue of including salary on your cover letter
It's a known poker theory that the first player to show his hand is at a disadvantage. The same applies to salary negotiations. Avoid stating your salary expect ations until after hearing what range the employer is offering.
Terms of Employment Don't confuse salary with compensation. Salary is the amount of money you bring home in paycheck s in one year. Compensation is your salary, benefits (such as insurance and retirement plan), and perks (such as travel and time off).
A Head Start
Your heading should contain the same info as the one on your resume.
- Name
- Address
- Telephone number(s)
- E-mail address (optional)
- Fax number (optional)
Set the Date and the Place
Immediately under the heading, place the date and inside address. Theinside address is your recipient's name and mailing address. (There's noneed to include the recipient's phone, e-mail, or fax numbers.)
Hello, Hello!
The salutation is very simple: Dear so-and-so. Hopefully you know the person's name and can use it in the salutation. If not, a quick call to the company's Human Resources department can give you that information. If you know the person on a first-name basis, use just her first name (for example, Dear Jane). If you've never met her or you have a formal rapport with her, use her last name (for example, Dear Ms.Graham).
If you don't know the manager's name and have no way of finding it out, start your letter with a job title that makes sense for your letter, as shown in the following examples:
- Dear Manager
- Dear Director
- Dear Recruiter
Job-Hunt Hint
With all the good networking you'll be doing during your job search, you're bound to have a friend suggest you send your resume and cover letter to a friend of his. When writing a cover letter to that person, ask your friend whether you should use the person's first name or her surname in the salutation (for instance, "Dear Mary" or "Dear Ms. Kramer"). The answer will probably depend on how well your friend knows the person he's referring.
Jumping In
The opening line is one of the most important parts of your letter. It has to be a good one,or you could lose the employer before you even begin. Think of a grabber that will make the employer want to keep reading.
Bonus Check
Be creative in how you start with letter. Avoid openings with ho-hum phrases so many jobseekers use, such as
- Enclosed please find my resume for ...
- I'm responding to your ad in the ...
- I'm applying for the position as ...
These overused openers are boring and show no personality or originality. They sound like a form letter, which is the very thing you want to avoid.
The Meat of the Matter
The middle of your letter is your opportunity to paint the picture of what you'll be able to contribute to the interview. Use this section to point out
- Topics you want to discuss that relate to the organization's issues.
- Your understanding of what it takes to fill the specific position and be a good employee.
- That you've done your homework and therefore have a hunch as to what the company's up to and how you would fit in.