Joined: 23 Mar 2011
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 Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 3:39 pm?? ?Post subject: Cover Letter in Job Application Process |  |
| Hey everybody. I am applying for four different positions at a very large business. They are all very similar but are with different divisions within the company.
I am submitting an application and my resume via the Careers portion of their website and was wondering if I should submit cover letters for each individual position. Would it reflect negatively to have 4 cover letters that read the same except for the "position I am applying for" section? | |
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| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 4:30 pm?? ?Post subject: | |
| I work at a MegaCorp and if the jobs are in different business units then the recruiters will likely be different and they will have no idea that you applied to another position let alone used the same cover letter for that other position.
That being said, my field requires excellent writing skills so I carefully write and tailor my cover letter to each position. Last time I looked for jobs, my cover letter was mentioned and complimented in about 75% of my interviews. Surprisingly, people do notice. As an aside, the careers section of our website is a big black hole for resumes. If the resume doesn't land in the inbox of the hiring manager through an internal reference then it gets lost in deep space. For best results, try to find a connection to the position through a person instead of the general HR website. | |
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| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 4:38 pm?? ?Post subject: | |
| I review resumes. In this climate I am getting 4 - 500 resumes for a single position. I do an initial review tossing out complete undesireables - ie geographically far away, way overqualified, way underqualified.
When it comes to me picking my 20 or so resumes I start in on the process I do look at cover letters. They are usually what makes or breaks it for me. And in fact, I've discovered people who write cover letters are usually more eager for a position than the resume only's I receive. I too can read and reject a resume in 15 seconds. | |
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| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 5:08 pm?? ?Post subject: | | ||
| Thanks for the fast responses...
Three of the four positions are nearly identical, but with different divisions. I'll adjust it a bit more for the fourth position. Thanks again! EDIT:
Definitely on the + side of things... When you put it like that though, it makes me wonder why I wouldn't... | |||
Talking myself up is not one of my strong suits...
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| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 5:13 pm?? ?Post subject: | |
| I think that it is too easy to use a template for a cover letter.
Or, if you write a great cover letter, it might look like a template. I know you wouldn't want that, but that's how it will seem to some people. Last I tried, it seemed that using the FAX machine would get the resume read more often. I felt that mail was too slow, and that too many people would email resumes. Also, you can email a *.doc or a *.pdf or a *.docx etcetera - some might not be able to get or view your attachments (people have trouble with this). If a company has a form on their website to submit a resume, I felt like nobody ever got it. But, when you fax a resume, it spits out of the machine and winds up on someone's desk. You get a confirmation. Of course YMMV. | |
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| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 5:17 pm?? ?Post subject: | | ||
I have wondered this myself. I have a college degree, but it's not always required for every position I want to apply for. I'm afraid of looking "too good" or "overqualified." Plus, nobody wants a braggart, a self-centered employee, or someone needy for praise. I still write (brief) letters though. | |||
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| Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 5:21 pm?? ?Post subject: | | ||
Maybe so, but you never know who your interviewer will be. In the off chance that the interviewer is old school, I'd include one and a separate one to the extent that the positions are different. Unless perhaps my writing was suspect. Then I'd forgo the cover letter. JT | |||
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| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 8:15 am?? ?Post subject: | |
| How about a brief, handwritten letter?
An example (handwritten of course): Dear Hiring Guy (Gal), I'm good at making widgets. My resume's attached. Here's my number: 123-456-7890
Thanks for your time and consideration. Very truly yours, Joe Schmoe I also suggest putting a "Smiley Face" on your envelope.
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| Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 8:47 am?? ?Post subject: | |
| If you are taking the time to write a cover letter, for God's sake do not make it generic. To me the Cover Letter should spell out clearly for the recruiter how you fit the requirements of the position.
One approach I take is to pull out 5 of the most important 'qualifications' from the job description, bullet them, and list how you meet that criteria. As an example: [*]Previous supervisory experience - As marketing manager for Acme Inc I managed 15 employees as part of the Global Research Group. I was fully responsible for all decisions of the team and while manager increased sales in North America by 75%. ----
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| Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 9:10 am?? ?Post subject: | |
| You may want to do a search for a "T" cover letter.
for positions that I really wanted, I have taken the time to tailor the cover letter and resume. The "T" cover letter contains a table where the left column has the requirements of the role in bullet form and has a title of something like "Your Requirements". The right column is titled something like "My Qualifications". You put in bullets of exactly how you meet each requirement. If there are a lot of requirements then you may have to hit the major ones. Doing this effort takes extra time but also confirms fit to role in your mind and possibly the recruiter's mind. In the case where there is a requirement that does not exactly fit for you then you can be honest about it and write something that talks about how would address that requirement (you can say...in the process of doing x and target date of completion is y). this is just an example. I have worked with many job seekers and often they are excited about new postings on websites. They state emphatically that they are the "perfect" fit for the role. That is not always true. I've been asked by some to provide the recruiter contact info at my company so they can follow up. I usually take a quick glance at their resume and found that there was absolutely no fit at all. I gave them that feedback in email. if the job posting has requirements for "SQL skills" or "business analyst skills" and your resume doesn't even use those words then you have to ask yourself why? I've let that job seekers know that perhaps they are capable of doing the role, however the resume does not indicate as such. I find there is a gap between the resume and the mind of the job seeker vs the job posting requirements. Going through the analysis (map and gap) of the job role requirements of to a job seekers skills/experiences really highlights that fit. Even if there are some gaps in the fit, there still might be a way to address them. I hear recruiters tell me if there is over an 80% fit then its worth applying for the role. Throwing the resume over the fence without some effort doesn't work as well. Have the right skills is only part of the effort. Researching the company, networking, and having informational interviews are activities that advance your progress with your list a target companies. | |
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| Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 2:26 pm?? ?Post subject: | |
| In my cover letters I have included, in a two column format, each area of expertise they are seeking and my qualifications for that expertise. It sums up that I am exactly what they are seeking.
However, it has been my experience that some/many HR departments strip off the cover letter and send only the resume to the hiring manager. That is why it is best to find out who the hiring manager is and send the resume and cover letter direct to that person. How do you find the hiring manager? It takes some undercover work. Look up corporate information including annual reports and press releases. If you don't have the complete information, call the company and tell them that you need to send a lettter to the manager of whatever and ask their name and exact title. Give the manager a few days to get to your resume and then call them and ask if they have any questions about your qualifications. Good luck! | |
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Source: http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=74342&start=0&mrr=1316370377
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