PREPARING YOUR COVER LETTER

How to plan, write, and customize a winning document

M.Usman Aleem

M.Usman Aleem

COVER LETTERS
What experience are you offering? When do you need one? Why do you need one? What will you accomplish with your cover
letter? How can you use your cover letter for networking?
M.Usman Aleem 2

Tips for Creating a Powerful Cover Letter

Send an original letter
Keep it short, specific, and to the point You CAN use several basic cover letter templates, customized for the particular position and company to which you are applying

State the job title Explain why you want this job
NOT to make money
M.Usman Aleem 3

Tips for Creating a Powerful Cover Letter (contd)

Describe specific ways you will contribute
Refer to, but dont repeat, your resume Reflect your own self-confidence

Keep the content professional Maintain a tone of warmth State your follow-up plan
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Tips for Creating a Powerful Cover Letter (contd)

Proofread, revise, and edit
this is extremely important.

M.Usman Aleem

Business Letter Format

Your Contact Information The Date Employers Name, Position, and Address The Greeting Introductory Paragraph Body of the Letter Summary Paragraph Closing Your Name and Signature
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Opening Information
Street Address City, State, Zip Telephone Number Current Date Employers Name Title Department Organization Street Address City, State, Zip
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Dear Mr./Ms./ Dr./ Individuals Name:

Sample Opening
1309 E. 10th Street Zamzama, Karachi June 15, 2004

Ms. Amna Hameed ABZ Company New York, New York 00055

Dear Ms. Ayesha:

M.Usman Aleem

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
Limit paragraphs to two to five complete sentences Use appropriate vocabulary If this is a repeat contact type of letter:
Give specific details of any previous correspondence or conversation. State appreciation for past consideration.

Supply your credentials. List a specific job title. Indicate your knowledge of the company. Mention the name of a contact.
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Sample Intro Paragraph

I am responding to your ad in Business Week for a position as an Accounting Consultant. My experience and education make me an excellent candidate for this position.

M.Usman Aleem

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BODY OF THE LETTER

Elaborate on your resume
Use real examples (mini-STARs) State applicable work/internship experiences List relevant coursework Stress your key assets as they relate to this specific job technical skills writing ability proficiency in languages job-applicable personal interests
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Highlight applicable skill sets

Make reference to attachments

Sample body
Limit paragraphs to two to five complete sentences Use appropriate vocabulary My career has been built in non-profit management, commercial banking, public finance, accounting, management, and human resources. My success has come from identifying, leveraging, and combining my skills and knowledge with my passion to achieve. I have consistently met, even exceeded, the expectations of my employers.

M.Usman Aleem

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Sample body (contd)

Limit paragraphs to two to five complete sentences Use appropriate vocabulary
As noted on my resume, I am involved in many professional and community organizations. My leadership positions in these organizations, combined with my strong business background, show that I possess the skills needed to be a candidate for the Accounting Consultant position. I am outgoing, hardworking, and easy to get along with. I am willing to learn any new skills needed for this position.
M.Usman Aleem

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SOME VARIATIONS
You can use BULLET POINTS for
emphasis within a paragraph You can list qualifications mentioned in the job listing in BOLD print, then describe your corresponding skills or experiences You can try a two-column approach Employers Needs Your Skills
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CLOSING
Ask for an interview Indicate your next action Appropriate closing line, such as:
Sincerely, Truly yours, Typed name Enclosure: cc: (indicates to whom a copy has been sent)
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Sample Closing
I would like to discuss this position with you in person. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have. You may reach me at 03328291178 or musman@edu. I will follow up with you next week to check on the status of my application. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

M. Usman Aleem Enclosure: resume

M.Usman Aleem 16

EVERY WORD COUNTS

Use powerful action verbs (See examples) Search out appropriate self-descriptive
adjectives (See examples)

Use a thesaurus to select precise words What five key descriptive words will your
letter convey?
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ACTION VERBS

Achieved Administered Attained Built Coached Completed Coordinated Delivered Demonstrated Developed

Effected Established Expedited Formulated Generated Headed Implemented Improved Invented Launched

Led Maintained Managed Motivated Negotiated Organized Originated Planned Presented Proposed M.Usman Aleem

Reinforced Reorganized Researched Set up Simplified Solved Tackled Taught Updated 18

SELF-DESCRIPTIVE WORDS

Adaptable Analytical Assertive Confident Conscientious Creative Disciplined

Efficient Energetic Enterprising Enthusiastic Expressive Extroverted Ingenious

Innovative Manager Personable Persuasive Precise Productive Reliable

Responsible Self-reliant Self-starter Skilled Tactful Team player Technical

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M.Usman Aleem

Use Active Verbs, but not Cartoonishly Active

Verbs have either active or passive voice. The active voice is more powerful. Active: Pat Smith wrote the report. Passive: The report was written by Pat Smith. A passive verb always consists of a form of to be followed by a past participle. (was seen, had been taught, is guaranteed)
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so, lets re-write that first body paragraph in our earlier sample.
I have built my career on effective non-profit management, commercial banking, public finance, accounting, and management skills based on hard-won expertise in human resources. I have succeeded by identifying.
-RATHER THAN THE MORE PASSIVE-

My career has been built in non-profit management, commercial banking, public finance, accounting, management and human resources. My success has come from identifying.
M.Usman Aleem

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No-nos
Glib or cute More than one page Too many attachments Errors in grammar or spelling Too little information Non-standard terminology
and, watch out for the Notorious Confusables.
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Lay/Lie
To lay means to put down.
place=lay To lie means to assume a horizontal position. recline=lie PRESENT PAST PAST PARTICIPLE lay laid laid lie lay lain
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Affect/Effect
Affect, as a verb, means influence. Effect, as a verb, means to bring about.
As a noun, effect means results. In most cases, you will be safe if you remember to use affect for the verb and effect for the noun.
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All Together/Altogether
All together means in a group.
Altogether is an adverb meaning
entirely.

M.Usman Aleem

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Bring/Take
One brings something to a place where
one is or will be.

One takes it when one is leaving for

somewhere else.

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Accept/Except
Accept is a verb meaning to agree to
something.

Except, when used as a verb, means to

exclude. As a preposition, except means with the exclusion of.
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Less/Fewer
Use less for money and things that are not
countable, often singular nouns.

Use fewer for things that are countable,

often plural nouns. less time, fewer clocks
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Review of The Notorious Confusables

1. His dismissal (affected, effected) me. 2. My goal is to (affect, effect) a change in
this company. 3. We know that many obstacles (lay, lie) in our path. 4. You can (lay, lie) the report on my desk. 5. We were (all together, altogether) in the conference room.
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Review
6. His argument was (all together, altogether) wrong. 7. Be sure to (bring, take) your laptop to the meeting in Chicago. 8. Please (bring, take) me that memo. 9. I (accept, except) your offer. 10. Johns boss (accepted, excepted) him from the general criticism.
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Review
11. (Less, fewer) than 100 people work for our company. 12. Now that hes earning (less, fewer) money, hes making (less, fewer) large expenditures.

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Avoid X-rated Expressions

There is no x in: Espresso Etcetera Especially

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Spell-check wont catch these!

cite/site complement/compliment council/counsel farther/further liable/libel principal/principle stationary/stationery there/their/theyre
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Avoid Pompous Wordiness in Speech and Writing

At this point in time-NOW In spite of the fact that-ALTHOUGH Cooperate together-COOPERATE Owing to the fact that-BECAUSE,SINCE On account of the fact that-BECAUSE During the time that-WHILE In an efficient manner-EFFICIENTLY
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Use Non-Sexist Language

Nouns-chairperson, spokesperson Pronouns- he or she, his or her Use examples from both sexes Find out your companys policy on
sexist language regarding nouns and pronouns.
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REVISE, EDIT, REWRITE

Proofread the next day No errors are allowed Read the letter aloud Seek advice from qualified sources such
as career counselors, professors, business associates, relatives, and friends
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 Encourage communication

THE FOLLOW-UP

Enclose a reply postcard Request an email reply Suggest dates and times for an interview Follow up with a phone call (Be careful not to annoy the recruiter)

Request an application form- Deliver it

Personally Advise the employer when you will call to schedule an interview SHOW PERSONAL INITIATIVE, NOT OBNOXIOUS PUSHINESS
M.Usman Aleem

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EVALUATION QUESTIONS:
PREPARING YOUR COVER LETTER - #61 1. I found the presentation material easy to understand. 2. This Advantage session increased my knowledge of the subject presented. 3. I will be able to use some of the information from this session in the future.
USE:

a. Strongly agree b. Agree c. Disagree d. Strongly disagree e. Dont know

4. The presenter was well prepared for this Advantage session.

5. This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.
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