Candidate Services

The Resume Cover Letter

Your resume outlines factual pieces of information of your career that an employer needs to evaluate to determine if you have the skills and experience to do the job. Well, as any strong sales professional will tell you, features and attributes do not cause people to make a decision. It is the perceived benefit that they feel they will get from those features and attributes that will steer them in the direction of either saying yes or no to something.

As Search consultants, we are trained extensively in helping employers understand how the features and attributes of our candidates will benefit their organizations. Our recruiting professionals spend extensive amounts of time conducting research in specific industries. The knowledge that is collected allows for them to be aware of what employers really need to see in candidates at any given time, and therefore they know how various skills and experiences of a candidate need to be positioned in the market place.

Your cover letter is your chance to sell benefits! What is a benefit you ask? The answer is anything that will answer the employer's question of, "What is in it for me?"

To help you develop a cover letter that will give you a competitive advantage, follow these guidelines.

Develop a list of benefits you will bring to the company.

  • Do you have a unique ability to control costs?
  • Do you have a unique ability to develop ways to generate revenue?
  • Do your skills allow for you to solve problems quickly?
  • Do your project management skills allow for more efficiency?
  • Have you managed people that have been successful?
  1. Develop a list of accomplishments or skills that you have to support the benefits you have developed.
    • It is OK to repeat a few of the accomplishments you may have listed on your resume.
  2. Using the lists you have created, develop clear and concise sentences that will be put into a letter.
    • Be sure that you are using action words.
  3. Use high quality paper.
  4. When you type your letter:
    • Align the date on the right margin.
    • Align your name and address on the left margin.
    • Align the company's name and address on the left margin under your information.
    • The salutation should be formal and address your contact as Mr./Ms./Mrs. (Last Name).
    • Use no more than three (3) paragraphs.
    • Align your closing on the left margin.
    • Be sure that you have equal space between the top and bottom of the letter.
  5. Always personally sign your letter.
  6. Keep your letter to one (1) page.

Resume Cover Letter Sample

Month, Day, Year

Mr./Mrs./Ms. (Your First and Last Name)
Your Address 1
Your Address 2
City, State Zip

Mr./Mrs./Ms. (Your Contact’s First and Last Name)
Your Contact’s Position Title
The Company’s Address 1
The Company’s Address 2
City, State Zip

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (Your Contact’s Last Name),

Use the first paragraph to give the reader insight as to how you became aware of a certain position or their company. Use a powerful upbeat first sentence like; “It is with great enthusiasm that I provide you with my career profile.”

Use the second paragraph to highlight a few of the benefits you think you will bring to the employer. Be sure to use action words in your sentences like; develop, create, enhance, increase, or decrease. Remember, you need to create a visual picture of your abilities.

Use the third paragraph to invite the reader to review your attached resume for more information. Also, be sure to close with a statement like, “I would like to discuss my resume in person so that we may review my credentials together. I am available to meet with you (provide a few dates). Please let me know if that works with your schedule.” Asking for the interview is a sign of confidence and interest.

Respectfully,
Your First and Last Name

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FAB (Features - Achievements – Benefits) Exercise

List 3-5 items under each section. Make sure each item is related to the major requirements of the position, and illustrate why you would be the best choice.

Feature These are facts or attributes about you such as years of experience, skill sets, educational achievements, etc. Make sure they relate to and illustrate your suitability for this career move!

Achievements These illustrate instances where you have “delivered” value. Utilize the Summary of Accomplishments exercise and list below.

Benefits: Why should you be hired for this position? How will you add value?

FEATURES
Facts about candidate’s background, experience		 ACHIEVEMENTS
Measurable & quantifiable evidence of features 		BENEFITS
What and how employer can gain from features and achievements
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If you are considering a career change and would like to discuss your career objectives, please use our online Resume Submittal Format.