I recently had the privilege of serving on a committee to review the resumes of applicants for an executive position for one of Clinton County's premier not-for-profit organizations.
Given the nature of the position, Clinton County's high unemployment rate and the dismal state of the economy in general, I was anticipating that we would receive numerous resumes from highly qualified applicants. I thought that it would be challenging to whittle the applicant pool down to a manageable number of candidates to interview.
Surprisingly, I was wrong on every count. Hard to imagine, I know, but true nonetheless.
First, we received fewer resumes than I expected. Some were from highly qualified applicants, some from marginally qualified applicants and a few from totally unqualified applicants.
Second, the process to whittle the candidate pool down was easy. Many of the candidates, qualified or not, took themselves out of the mix by submitting poorly written cover letters.
Even at an executive level, many people don't understand the value of a well-crafted cover letter. I don't know why I was surprised, I've been in this business long enough to know that while many people think they understand cover letters and resumes, they really don't.
Let me provide you with three examples. First, there was the person who not only didn't take the time or show the initiative to research who the chairperson of the board was, the salutation on his cover letter read "Dear Sirs." The only upside was that the women on the review committee finally found a bigger chauvinist than yours truly.
Second, there was the person for whom this position would have been a significant career change. He chose to submit a three-sentence cover letter that didn't explain why he thought his experience was relevant to the position we were trying to fill. I actually thought he submitted his credentials in error.
Third, were the candidates who didn't even bother to submit a cover letter.
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for people to treat the cover letter as an afterthought. Most people expend their time and energy to create a killer resume and view the cover letter as a mere formality.
Big mistake.
Until you've been through a hiring process, you don't know how little time employers actually spend reviewing resumes. There simply isn't time.
In this economy, employers usually have more applicants than they can possibly interview. Many look for ways to eliminate candidates; don't make it easy for them by submitting a cover letter that is rambling or poorly written.
The adage that "you never get a second chance to make a first impression" is as true in applying for a job as it is in personal relationships.
The cover letter can be that first impression.
It's your opportunity to engage a prospective employer and to express the intangibles that may not be apparent in your resume. It's the bait to hook the employer to spend more time considering your candidacy.
The following are a few tips on how to create a good cover letter. But to become a real expert at writing a cover letter or creating a resume, I suggest you meet with Kellie Lathrop and Katie Duffy who run the Community Computer & Employment Resource Center at the Plattsburgh Public Library.
In the meantime, here are a few things to consider in writing your cover letter:
▶ It should be employer-focused and addressed to a specific person.
▶ It should answer three questions quickly and clearly: "Who are you?" "Why have you contacted me?" and "Why should I be interested in meeting you?"
▶ It should emphasize how you can best meet the employer's specific needs and demonstrate that you are familiar with their particular organization. This requires a modicum of research. If you're not willing to show the initiative to do the research, why should the employer expect you to show initiative on the job?
▶ It should explain things that your resume can't, if necessary. For example, if you have gaps in your employment history or are changing careers, a cover letter can explain these circumstances in a positive way.
Underestimate the importance of your cover letter at your own risk. So doing can result in an employer eliminating you from consideration without with even glancing at your carefully crafted resume.
