Resume Cover Letters: Helping Or Hurting Your Job Search?

There is little dispute about the value of a well written and focused resume cover letter. Sending out resumes has only one purpose; to generate interviews.

The sad fact is that many job hunters still slow up their job hunting progress by using cover letters that directly hurt their job search. Here are three mistakes to avoid in using and writing your letter.

1. Failure to understand the needs and purposes the recipients will be looking for in the cover letter. Generally you send your resume to three groups: hiring managers, resume screeners and recruiters working for a third-party.

The hiring managers are searching for candidates who can solve a problem for them. Resume screeners will select candidates who closely match the skills and qualifications listed in the requirements for the job. Third party recruiters are primarily interested in selling your qualifications to a prospective client.

Keeping these three different interests in mind when you write your letter will increase your ability to catch and hold the attention of your specific audience. This in turn will clearly establish that you appear to be one of the strongest candidates.

2. Your cover letter should not be a rehash of what is in your resume. The letter's primary purpose is to introduce your resume rather than repeat what you've written in the resume.

This mistake leads the reader to go over the same information twice and you've lost a great opportunity to more effectively communicate the skills and accomplishments you have to offer. Effectively selling your skills to match the needs of the employer requires some research and creativity. Your letter should motivate the reader to want more and move them to read your resume.

3. The cover letter is boring because it's all about you. The employer wants to know what's in it for them. They are buying and you are selling. Get this right and you are well on your way to writing a compelling letter.

Get rid of the "I" word. Write about the needs of the employer. Show your interest in the company and in the job. Sell the reader in what you can do for the company. Answer the question: How can you make a difference?

A well crafted letter will get your resume read and possibly you get moved to the next level. On the other hand a poorly focused cover letter will be ignored and your resume will never be read. This is one of those times where to have to make a good impression and a well written cover letter will do just that.

Don't think a generic cover letter will cover all the bases, take the extra time to effectively communicate and introduce your resume. The presentation made by your cover letter can make all the difference in you job search. Take the time to get it right. It will pay off in generating additional interviews.

John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about changing careers, writing resumes and cover letters and career planning at http://careersafter50.com/. Discover how others over age 50, built winning career plans and found the right careers by effective job hunting after 50.