Stephen Van Vreede of No Stone Unturned believes job-seekers should take a few extra moments to personalize cover letters, noting that he is especially impressed by letters that answer these questions:
- Why are you choosing to apply here? (Whatever you do, make it sound like you are interested in the company as a whole, not just because you want a job.)
- What do you know about my company?
- What do you know about the products/services we provide?
- What types of clients do we serve?
- How do you see yourself fitting in to the mission of our organization?
“A simple perusal of the company website can certainly help answer these questions,” Van Vreede observes. “I don’t think anyone expects you to have insider knowledge. But it is nice to know that you are considering a candidate who took a few extra minutes to tailor the letter to your company. No one likes to think they are potentially hiring someone who is willing to work anywhere, even if that is true.”
[This entry was excerpted from an article that appears here.]
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