Articles Resume & Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid If there is anything that can be the kiss of death to the job search it can be the use of free resume cover letters. You've worked so hard on that resume and sending a cover letter that you didn't write is only going to show the employer that you are unoriginal, uninventive and probably lazy. Why on earth would they call you in for an interview when no one wants a lazy person working for them? One of the biggest resume cover letter example mistakes to avoid is simply using one. The whole point of a cover letter is to get you in for an interview while advertising you and your resume. What good is it going to do you if you have a stellar resume accompanied by a mediocre cover letter sample you didn't write? It's amazing how many people believe that an employer will never know that the cover letter is not their own. They believe that they found a letter that will impress employers. The harsh reality is that these employers and hiring managers are trained to spot good cover letters. They know firsthand what their company needs. They know better than anyone else what skills and qualifications are needed to get the job done. Also keep in mind that they sometimes receive hundreds of applications. Do you really think they are going to spend their time reading a dry, bland cover letter you got online? It doesn't matter how good your resume is, using one of those sample cover letters will probably ruin any chance you had of getting in that door. Let's break the online letter down paragraph by paragraph to show how using a free example is a big mistake. The first paragraph alone should raise a red flag. It's important that you grab the employer's attention in this first paragraph. This is where you make your first impression and show that you have done some research on this company. Essentially you are telling the employer that you are not just applying to them to make money. You are showing that you have a real interest in the company and what you can do for them. That's really all the employer wants to know is what you can do for them. There are no online examples that can do that for you. Only you know what you can do for them. The second paragraph is your resume paragraph. You recap the highlights of your resume that will pertain to the position you are applying for. Now while some of those examples online can sound really fancy and professional, take a minute to reread them. Ask yourself this important question, "does this pertain to you?" Unless you wrote the example yourself, the answer is probably no. Here is where you prove why you are such a perfect match for the company. You have your resume to back it up. Using a cover letter that has nothing to do with your resume is a huge mistake and will almost guarantee your resume and letter a trip to the shredder. Another resume cover letter example mistake to avoid is not asking for that interview and not telling them you will follow up. The whole point of the letter is to get the interview and you are making it even easier for the employer by telling them your availability and even promising to call them to set it up. Not many examples follow this point. You'll find that a lot of these free examples will state when the applicant is available to start work, but that means nothing to the employers. Make sure you own cover letter states when you are available to interview. Another mistake is not mentioning when you will follow up with them. Even worse, you do say you're going to follow up and you never do. The completion for jobs can be very stiff. With so many applicants competing against each other, it's essential to have a cover letter that stands out amongst the rest. A cover letter with personality, flair and obvious knowledge of the company and what they expect is going to grab their attention. The biggest mistake you could make in your job search is taking a cover letter example and just adding your name to it. The best thing you can do for your job search is to avoid cover letter examples all together. Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on resume cover letter example checkout his recommended websites. How to Write a More Effective Cover Letter Your cover letter could be a very powerful tool when you're on the hunt for a job, but only if you use it to its maximum efficiency. A lot of people don't know how to get the best out of their cover letters, so you could have a serious edge if you do! A cover letter can give you the awesome power to determine exactly what sort of first impression a potential employer gets of you. Think about it! YOU control exactly what he or she thinks of you! Not everybody knows how to use a cover letter this well, so if you can get it working for you you'll be ahead of the vast majority of your competition. First, you need to make absolutely sure that you know all you can about the business you're going to apply to. Who's the boss, what does the company do, and what do they expect of their employees? What skills do you have that would benefit the company? Step one of the process is gathering as much information as possible. Next is to write the letter itself...and there are a lot of guidelines. A cover letter should never go over a page, which is commonly about 2-4 paragraphs. It should only cover very specifically relevant information, no extra biographical information or rehashing of the resume. Fix any spelling or grammar errors you can catch (have a friend help you as well, it really helps to find those ones you may miss on your own). Above all, make sure that your cover letter is specifically tailored to be completely uniquely relevant to the specific business that is going to receive it. Too many people make the serious mistake of printing off a bunch of identical copies of the same generic cover letter and sending them to a bunch of different companies. All this will get you is a lot of rejections, so make sure your cover letters are custom-made to really impress upon specific companies. Those are all tips for making your cover letter itself the most relevant and powerful for a given company...but it can still be a complete loss if it never gets to anybody important. As part of your preliminary research, find out who at the business has the power to simply hire you and make sure your cover letter and resume gets in front of him or her. Don't let the endless basins of papers at Human Resources devour your resume, instead send it directly to the office of whoever can hire you on the spot...THAT is the person you need to impress. Be proactive...don't wait around for people to get back to you or call you to set up an interview. Make the calls yourself, and be readily on-hand to answer any questions they may have or to supply any additional required information. Take the initiative and you'll get respect for it. Businesspeople like to have employees who have what it takes to get things done, so be one of those people and you'll have a lot going for you! If you can get your cover letter operating at maximum power, you'll have an excellent shot at getting almost any job you apply for. So few people understand just how powerful that simple sheet of paper can be, that coming across competition who know what you know is pretty rare, so most of the fights you'll be in will be no challenge at all! All you have to do is get out there and go for it! Looking for an idea of where to start? Get into the right frame of mind with free cover letter examples. Free tips and resources at http://www.squidoo.com/coverletterexamples . Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erik_Michaels Looking for a Resume and Cover Letter Sample? There is a lot writing on having that perfect resume and that perfect cover letter. It could mean the difference that perfect job or a mediocre job that you aren't really that happy at. It's no wonder that the pressure of writing a good resume and cover letter is a little intimating to job hunters everywhere. Millions of job hunters turn to books promising to provide them with the tools to write that perfect resume. People spend hundreds of dollars on computer software that is guaranteed to produce a resume and cover letter that will get them hired to the job of their choice. For those who don't' want to spend money there is a whole network of free samples and articles right at their fingertips every time they log into the internet. Some people actually become obsessed with finding the perfect sample of what their resume and cover letter should be like. While these job hunters are headed in the right direction, something that needs to be kept in mind is it's a strong and personalized cover letter that will get them that interview. As great as these samples might sound, people should not be tempted to pass them off as their own cover letters. Each cover letter needs to be customized to the position and the company they are applying for. A resume can be a little easier to write than a cover letter. Essentially a resume is a history of your work experience. It's not uncommon to have only one resume on file instead of multiple ones, because let's face it there is only so many ways you can list your experience. You can use the same resume to apply to company ABC and company XYZ. A good resume simply shows employers that you have the skills and experience that meet their criteria. The key to a good resume is to let your abilities and skills shine through. However it's not advisable to use the exact same cover letter for both companies because as we all know, no two jobs are alike. In fact no two companies are alike. Each company comes with its own sets of needs and you cover letter needs to state how you meet their specific needs. Why you might be a perfect match for one company might not hold true to another. Because of this it's unadvisable to use a sample cover letter that you might find online. That's not to say using these examples you find as a guideline or even "tweaking" the samples to make it fit YOUR skills, YOUR personality, and show that YOU understand what the company is looking for is a bad idea. In fact these types of resumes and cover letters are very specific and could help demonstrate that you fully understand the company's needs. Even more importantly they could help you get across the point that you are a perfect match for them. There are many avenues for you to pursue while looking for a resume and cover letter. As was mentioned before, you can always hire someone to help you write your resume and cover letter. Or even better they will write your resume and cover letter for you. This is a costly service though and not one that I would recommend. You don't really know these people, you only spend a small amount of time with them so why trust them with the most important tools you need for a job. An easier less expensive route is to check out your local book store. There is usually a whole section dedicated to books geared toward people looking for help writing that perfect resume. While these books will offer samples, they also arm you with the knowledge you need to write a good resume and cover letter yourself. To me this is the greatest advantage with a how to book, it educates you. You can't put on price on that sort of education. Lastly, the easiest way to look for resume and cover letter samples is your computer. Walk into any computer software shop and you will find a variety of programs that will help you with your resume. It's almost like having a professional resume maker but without the expensive cost. These programs guide you step by step through the process. If you really don't want spend the money on software, don't worry. There are plenty of sites dedicated to helping you write that perfect resume. Most of the time they will cost you either a small subscription fee or nothing at all. The only downside to this is that sometimes they don't go into as much detail as say a book would. They are not always as organized as a book would be either. As long as you are looking for resume and cover letters samples to assist you in your job search, which can only benefit you. However looking for them to copy and pass off on your own could mean sudden death in the job hunt. How to Create the Perfect Cover Letter Are you in the process of finding and applying for jobs? If you are, you may be ready to mail out your resume. Before you send out your resume or resumes, you will want to take a close look at the cover letter of your resume. For starters, are you even using a cover letter? If you are currently not using a cover letter, you will want to refrain from mailing out your resume, at least right away. Many businesses expect to receive cover letters attached to all resumes. In fact, many now require them, especially with mailed in applications or resumes. If you are unsure as to how you can go about creating the perfect resume or at least one that can benefit you, you will want to continue reading on. When it comes to creating the perfect cover letter, there are a number of important factors to take into consideration. One of those factors is the job that you are applying for and the wishes of that company. It is common for some employers to list exactly what they want cover letters to include. If you are given a sample or directions, you are advised to follow them. Not following instructions can result in your resume, as well as your cover letter ending up in the “don’t call,” pile. As previously stated, a company may have their own preferences as to what they would like cover letters to include. This is because no two companies are truly the same. That is why it is advised that you do not use the same cover letter for each resume that you send out. Instead, you will want to create and distribute different cover letters for each employer that you have. You can have a sample cover letter or a template to use, but it is advised that you take the time to personalize each cover letter in one way or another. Speaking of personalizing your cover letter, you will want to personalize each cover letter that you send out to the jobs that you are applying for and the companies in which you are sending your resume to. For instance, if you are applying for the position of a legal secretary, you will want to plainly state that position. This will automatically set you apart from a good percentage of your competition. Customizing each of your cover letters to the particular job that you are applying for is a great way to get yourself noticed, as you took a few extra steps not necessarily required. http://jobhuntingtip.09cn.com is a website that you can get some good tips for your job hunting It has numerous resources are sure to be able to get you the information you need. http://jobhuntingtip.09cn.com/How-to-Create-the-Perfect-Cover-Letter.html Cover Letter Format When applying for any new position, you will want to have a polished and attention-getting cover letter. In order to assure that it is laid out correctly, you will need to have a first-rate cover letter format. A cover letter should follow the same format as would a classic business letter, and should speak to three common issues: The first paragraph should explain to the employer why you are writing. Let him or her know the position you are interested in, and if you are replying to a job posting, also add the information of where you saw the posting. The middle paragraph, or paragraphs, should explain what you bring to the table. Your skills, any special achievements, projects/committees/special assignments; whatever will cast you in the best light possible. Stay on point and give examples, the prospective employer is going to want to have your accomplishments and successes verifiable. However, don't be afraid to break this paragraph into two paragraphs if it runs on too long; you'll want your cover letter to have a consistent flow and format. Your third paragraph, also referred to as the "concluding paragraph," should tell the employer how you will follow- up with him or her. Give a specific time when you will get back in touch with them, either by phone or letter, and then make sure you do it. Not following through on your promised follow-up will not be impressive to any prospective employer! There are many places that you can go to see for yourself a top-notch cover letter format. Probably the easiest and most widely used tool is the Internet. With a plethora of websites devoted to just about any topic you desire, this is a wonderful resource for you. Utilizing a high-quality search engine such as Google, you can simply enter the words "cover letter format," and instantly be flooded with different websites eager to help you, and to show you what they consider to be a superior cover letter format. Or, if you prefer the more traditional way of doing things, you can always go to the local library or bookstore. There are large sections focused solely on business and career issues, including job-hunting. It should be no problem finding several books with at least one example of a cover letter format. Last but not least, don't forget about the Student Services office at your college or University. It is there job to help you find employment and they will be happy to assist in your job search. Undoubtedly they will also be able to show you an excellent cover letter format, or two. Always keep in mind that no matter which cover letter format you choose, that is only part of creating a winning cover letter. You must make sure there are no spelling or grammar errors. Use your spellchecker, but remember that although this is a helpful tool it cannot catch every error. Proofread your cover letter yourself, silently and then out loud, and have one or two other people proofread it as well. By doing all that you can to assure that your cover letter is error-free, you are one step closer to the job of your dreams!