Cover Letters

I- A Good Cover-Letter = A Good First Impression

 

A cover letter is a letter of introduction sent with your resume when you apply for a job.  A good cover letter should be well-written and personalized.  It is often the first chance a potential employer has to form an opinion of you, and first impressions are important, so make it good.  A strong cover letter needs to include:

·   What position you are applying for and where you learned about the opportunity

·          A brief summary of your experience

·          Why you are interested in working for that company

·          A courteous offer to provide more information 

 

Don't forget, ask a friend to proofread it before you send it.  Also, be persistent, professional and always follow up.  Don't just send a letter and a resume and wait for your phone to ring.  Keep an organized list of everyone you have contacted and continue to follow up with them until they agree to meet with you or tell you they are not interested.

 

II- What Makes a Good Cover Letter?

 

Cover letters are an important part of the job application process. The following tips will help to ensure your cover letter gets noticed:

  • Address the letter to a specific person even if it means you must make several phone calls to determine the correct name spelling and title of the person you are sending it to. A touch of formality is good - address the person as "Mr." or "Ms."

  • Be specific about the job you are seeking. The opening sentence should state the purpose of your letter. If you are responding to a job advertisement, please tell them so. For example: "I am applying to the Sales Manager position advertised on VietnamWorks.com and would like to tell you about my qualifications."

  • Show what you know about the company and the industry. Make your letter stand out from the rest of other job-seekers - Do your research. And make it clear that you know who they are, what they do and you have chosen them.

  • Mention what you have done that directly relates to the job you want to get. Also, let potential employers know what you have to offer.

  • Stick to less than one page in length. Your cover letter should be short and to the point.

  • Closing the letter. The letter should end with Sincerely, Sincerely Yours, Yours Truly or Cordially. End the letter for the reader to act. Let them know you would like to talk or meet.

  • Check spelling and grammar carefully. Ask others to proofread it for you.

 

III- Sample Cover Letters

A1111 Dien Bien Phu Street
Ward. 2, Tan Binh District
HoChiMinh City, Vietnam
(08) 888 8888

Thursday, April 08, 2004

Ms. Hoang Thi Anh
162/B1/9 Dien Bien Phu Street
                           Ward. 17, Binh Thanh District
                           HoChiMinh City, Vietnam

Dear Ms. Anh,

I am writing to you because your company may be in need of someone with my office management experience. While my enclosed resume provides a good overview of my strengths and achievements, I have also highlighted some of the things I have recently accomplished:

  • Experience in supervising 6 office employees.
     
  • Expertise in office management background.
     
  • Excellent computer proficiency such as: Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook.
     
  • Fluent in Vietnamese and English in both verbal and written skills.
     
  • Significant experience giving presentations, speaking persuasively, and interacting successfully with diverse individuals.

I look forward to talking with you to discuss your needs and my ability to meet them in more detail. In the mean time, please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions you may have.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Nguyen Thanh Hung

 
IV- What Does Your Email Address Say To Employers?

An "unconventional" email address can definitely be held against you when it comes to applying for a job. It may seem unfair, but it's no more unusual than employers making judgments about applicants based on other superficial criteria, like, showing up for an interview with a dozen facial piercing or in t-shirt and jeans.

An oddball email address may raise red flags. A recruiter named Joe told his own story, "It looks like we've got a great candidate for customer service here," said Joe. "The only problem is, this person's email address makes me wonder about her: [email protected]. It certainly conjured up an image, but not the one we can associate with friendly, efficient customer service.

"I have to be ME..." you may argue. "If employers can't accept me the way I am I don't want to work with them either." You can weed out employers that way if you want to. In fact, even at fabjob.com, a website of how-to information that assists fabulous people, they still offers advice that people should be careful with email address. For example, if your dream is to become a celebrity personal assistant, and your email address is [email protected], you likely will not be as successful as someone whose email address is [email protected].

If you're not sure what kind of message your email address conveys, get feedback from friends and even some employers, if you can. Find out what messages your email address is communicating.

If your email address is one that employers may judge negatively, consider getting another, more professional sounding address through a free email service. Most employers would almost certainly look more favorably on a basic email address using your name, such as [email protected], than an address such as [email protected].

 

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