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Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.
Cover Letter Help: The Not-so-fine Line Between Obnoxious and Amusing
In an effort to stand out from the crowd, some job searchers turn to cute quips and humor in their cover letter. It is true that creativity and sharp writing skills will impress a prospective employer. If your attempt at humor misses the mark or your creative expressions are misunderstood, don’t expect an interview invitation. …
Cover Letter Help: Planning Your Message
Many candidates make the mistake of thinking a cover letter is just a formality. They do not make the effort to create a compelling marketing letter. Take a look at Bree’s letter inserted below. Don’t fall into Bree’s trap. The following are examples of how Bree can improve her cover letter. Use the opening paragraph…
Cover Letter Help: Defining the Next Step
Let’s put an end to the tired cover letter cliché: “I hope to hear from you soon.” It sounds so sad and desperate. Picture the candidate anxiously checking his phone and email on the chance that he will hear from the hiring company. Waiting for news creates a sense of anxiety. While waiting we feel…
Cover Letter Help: Add Accomplishments to Entice the Reader
Gordon was struggling with his cover letter. He did an adequate job of communicating the job to which he was applying as well as listing the type of work he has done. There is room for improvement. For example, most of his sentences start with “I.” It would be more interesting to use a variety…
Cover Letter Help: Write Clearly Using Plain English
Today’s candidate has painstakingly chosen every word in her cover letter. She wrote to me asking for help. She can’t understand why she has had no response to her cover letter and resume. I had to break it to her. The letter stinks, or as Dara would have written, it is regrettably deficient. Some candidates…
Cover Letter Help: Call to Action
We received a cover letter from Carrie. Her letter started with a punch and she included great examples of why she would be successful as a project manager for a construction company. As you can see in a snippet from her letter below, the last paragraph of the cover letter fell short. Carrie’s Closing Paragraph…
Cover Letter Help: Insulting the Reader
Today we are reviewing Jeremy’s cover letter. He’s a great candidate. Unfortunately his cover letter is such a turn-off that a hiring company may not take the time to get to know him. He fails in (at least) three ways. Awkward Writing & Bad Grammar Because cover letters are often customized for each position, there…
Cover Letter Help: Why Are You Writing?
Each week, we dedicate one blog entry to résumé writing. We examine a résumé submitted by a reader and provide tips for improvement. Today, we received a résumé and cover letter from a reader. The résumé was good. However, the cover letter definitely was an interview-blocker. Below you can see the horrendous letter. The biggest…
Six Things You Must “Nail” in a Cover Letter
Cover letter! Those are possibly the two most dreaded words known to any job seeker. If you feel your cover letter is weak, take a look at the list below of six things that you must “nail” in a cover letter. If you master these categories, you will have an effective cover letter. Not only…
Captivating Cover Letters, the Easy Way
Writing a cover letter does not have to be a pain-staking process. Perhaps it is the pressure of writing a perfect letter that makes the task so overwhelming. So, how do you write a captivating letter without pulling your hair out in frustration? Break it down into these simple steps. Start Strong: The opening paragraph. …