This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Jacqueline writes:
I have a question regarding the closing, “Take Care,” at the end of business cover letters. Is that considered “less” professional than all the traditional closings?
The Career Doctor responds:
I consider “take care” as a bit too informal for traditional cover letters. I have seen it in email cover letters, and I find it a bit more acceptable there. When writing conventional cover letters, I would stick with the traditional closings: sincerely and cordially.
In the grand scheme of cover-letter writing, though, I think how you close the letter is of little consequence compared to the much bigger issues that I list below.
Key cover letter strategies:
- Addressing the letter to a named individual. Job-seekers must address the letter to a person — the hiring manager. And if you make the effort to get the name, make sure you spell it correctly. Do not write to the Human Resources department.
- The first paragraph must engage the reader and entice him/her to read more of your letter. Do not waste this opening paragraph with the typical boring one that many job-seekers use.
- The second and third paragraphs must show how well you fit the position you are seeking — as well as highlight key accomplishments. Focus on what you can do for the company rather than what the company can do for you.
- The last paragraph must state how you plan to follow-up the letter (usually with a phone call). Be sure to give a timeframe — and then be sure to do what you say you are going to do.
Finally, be sure also to avoid:
- Long (read boring) sentences and paragraphs;
- Letters longer than one page;
- Typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors;
- Simply rehashing/highlighting your resume
And remember to follow-up all cover letters with a phone call — showing your continued interest in the position and the employer.
Read more in this article published on Quintessential Careers: Don’t Make These 10 Cover Letter Mistakes.
And to find just about everything you ever wanted to know about cover letters, including numerous samples, go to the Cover Letter Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Diane writes: I would like to send my resume with a cover letter to recruiters/employment agencies. The career development office I’m working with advises that it is better to have someone’s name to address the cover letter to. Since it would require a great deal of time to try and get a staff member’s name for each agency, would it be acceptable to use a generic salutation, such as Dear Recruiter?
The Career Doctor responds:
The rules of cover-letter writing are a bit different when writing letters to headhunters than when writing letters to employers, but the one rule of all cover letter writing is that the job-seeker must — as best as possible — address the letters to named individuals. Think about it, when was the last time you read (junk mail) addressed to “Dear Homeowner” or “Dear Pet Owner.” If you don’t read these kinds of letters, why should busy professionals? Job-seekers must always take the time to get names and titles for cover letters.
Before I get to the differences in content, let me also address one other red flag
in your question. Why would you be sending off so many letters to recruiters?
Take the time to research the recruiting agencies that specialize in your field
and in your preferred location — and contact only those recruiters. Don’t waste
your time — and the time of those recruiters — by writing to recruiters who don’t
work in your area.
One other comment about strategy. The majority of recruiters say that the resume is the single most important document they look at when evaluating job-seekers; cover letters are a distant second. The message here? Make sure your resume is exceptional.
Your cover letter to a recruiter should focus on these elements:
- Contact information
- Why you are on the job market
- Job titles and industries of interest to you
- Salary history and salary expectations
For more information about this topic, please read the article published on Quintessential Careers written by my partner Katharine Hansen: Cover Letters to Recruiters Require Special Handling.
You can also follow this link to a sample cover letter to a recruiter.
And don’t forget to follow all the other guidelines for good cover letters — especially avoiding typos and misspellings and always being truthful. Find more resources in this section of Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Jacqueline writes:
I have a question regarding the closing, “Take Care,” at the end of business cover letters. Is that considered “less” professional than all the traditional closings?
The Career Doctor responds:
I consider “take care” as a bit too informal for traditional cover letters. I have seen it in email cover letters, and I find it a bit more acceptable there. When writing conventional cover letters, I would stick with the traditional closings: sincerely and cordially.
In the grand scheme of cover-letter writing, though, I think how you close the letter is of little consequence compared to the much bigger issues that I list below.
Key cover letter strategies:
- Addressing the letter to a named individual. Job-seekers must address the letter to a person — the hiring manager. And if you make the effort to get the name, make sure you spell it correctly. Do not write to the Human Resources department.
- The first paragraph must engage the reader and entice him/her to read more of your letter. Do not waste this opening paragraph with the typical boring one that many job-seekers use.
- The second and third paragraphs must show how well you fit the position you are seeking — as well as highlight key accomplishments. Focus on what you can do for the company rather than what the company can do for you.
- The last paragraph must state how you plan to follow-up the letter (usually with a phone call). Be sure to give a timeframe — and then be sure to do what you say you are going to do.
Finally, be sure also to avoid:
- Long (read boring) sentences and paragraphs;
- Letters longer than one page;
- Typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors;
- Simply rehashing/highlighting your resume
And remember to follow-up all cover letters with a phone call — showing your continued interest in the position and the employer.
Read more in this article published on Quintessential Careers: Don’t Make These 10 Cover Letter Mistakes.
And to find just about everything you ever wanted to know about cover letters, including numerous samples, go to the Cover Letter Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Diane writes: I would like to send my resume with a cover letter to recruiters/employment agencies. The career development office I’m working with advises that it is better to have someone’s name to address the cover letter to. Since it would require a great deal of time to try and get a staff member’s name for each agency, would it be acceptable to use a generic salutation, such as Dear Recruiter?
The Career Doctor responds:
The rules of cover-letter writing are a bit different when writing letters to headhunters than when writing letters to employers, but the one rule of all cover letter writing is that the job-seeker must — as best as possible — address the letters to named individuals. Think about it, when was the last time you read (junk mail) addressed to “Dear Homeowner” or “Dear Pet Owner.” If you don’t read these kinds of letters, why should busy professionals? Job-seekers must always take the time to get names and titles for cover letters.
Before I get to the differences in content, let me also address one other red flag
in your question. Why would you be sending off so many letters to recruiters?
Take the time to research the recruiting agencies that specialize in your field
and in your preferred location — and contact only those recruiters. Don’t waste
your time — and the time of those recruiters — by writing to recruiters who don’t
work in your area.
One other comment about strategy. The majority of recruiters say that the resume is the single most important document they look at when evaluating job-seekers; cover letters are a distant second. The message here? Make sure your resume is exceptional.
Your cover letter to a recruiter should focus on these elements:
- Contact information
- Why you are on the job market
- Job titles and industries of interest to you
- Salary history and salary expectations
For more information about this topic, please read the article published on Quintessential Careers written by my partner Katharine Hansen: Cover Letters to Recruiters Require Special Handling.
You can also follow this link to a sample cover letter to a recruiter.
And don’t forget to follow all the other guidelines for good cover letters — especially avoiding typos and misspellings and always being truthful. Find more resources in this section of Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
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