Here’s my secret for writing an outstanding cover letter: Think of your letter as the basis of the ideal script for the job interview you’ll have with the person to whom you’re writing. Let your letter indicate the following things to the reader:
- What topic could break the ice at the beginning of the interview.
- What kind of personality you have.
- What types of things you have to talk about in your meeting.
- What you hope to get from the interview.
If your cover letter can say these four things, it will make an employer start imagining that you and she are having a conversation. When she does that, she’ll be more apt to read your resume and then reach for the phone to call you for an interview!
Salary Small Talk
You may run into a job posting that asks for your salary expectations. Most job seekers don’t feel comfortable talking about these details before the interview. If, however, you feel compelled to do so in your cover letter (maybe you worry that you’ll be disqualified if you don’t comply with the ad’s request), do so gingerly.
I suggest that you first find out what the position typically pays. You can do this by asking a job counselor or employment agency, by reading ads for similar jobs in the newspaper, or by going online to some of the salary information sites. Then do one of the following:
- Mention your salary expectations in your cover letter, using language that gives you room for negotiations, such as, “I am look ing for a position in the $X to $Y salary range.”
- Indicate that you would prefer to discuss salary during the interview
In either case, you’ve addressed the issue, and you’ll likely stand a chance at winning an interview where you can discuss the full compensation package, not just the take-home pay (which is what a salary range implies).
Career Casualty
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your cover letter. If the employer doesn’t like who you are, you probably won’t like working for her.
The Template of Zoom
Here’s how to zoom through your letter-writing process: As I go through each step of writing a cover letter, follow the template in this chapter. That will help you understand what goes where.
You can choose from any of the following format types for your cover letter:
- Block
- Semi-block
- Full-block
- Simplified
Because the semi-block format is widely accepted in both personal and professional realms, I used it for the following template. If you’re interested in learning about the other formats, consult a writing manual such as The Chicago Manual of Style. Check out the following sample generic cover letter; it should teach you what you need to know about the format–as well as the contents–of a cover letter.
