How to write an effective cover letter

I had a candidate reach out to me last week seeking advice on how to write the "perfect" cover letter.  She wanted to get her resume to the top of the pile and make a good first impression.  All good goals, but I believe my advice may have surprised her at first.

How many times have you seen online posts for cover letter writing tips?  Or the guide to a perfect cover letter?  Most of those authors have solid ideas and if implemented correctly could really have an impact.  But I'm here to argue the opposite - writing a cover letter can harm you as much as it can hurt you.  Here's why:

1)  Being too generic shows lack of thought process.  I can't tell you how many cover letters I get that start with "Hello, Ms. Winterboer."  I may not be the most handsome man, but I would sure like to think that if someone had taken enough time to look at our company website or my Linked In profile that I am not a female.  Seems like a minor point and even a bit humorous, but I will let you guess where those emails end up in a priority rating in my inbox.......

2)  Being too assumptive or arrogant is a death sentence.  Another common way to start a cover letter is to say something along the lines of "Don't look at another resume, I'm the person you are going to hire next."  While some may argue that is a differentiating factor and could wake up the reader, I tend to think again this person didn't research the position at all and just hopes to get on the phone with me to sweet talk me into an interview.  I am looking for facts and objective reasons first why you might be worth a second look.

3)  Being redundant shows lack of effort.  When a candidate sends me their resume for different positions, yet has the same cover letter, that lets me know again they are just seeking a token interview.  If you are a sales/service hybrid and want to apply to both a sales and a service position separately, I am actually okay with that.  But clearly outline in each case why you are good at sales and why you are good at service.  Then follow up directly with me to let me know you may fit in the middle, but wanted to talk through what your greatest strengths and weaknesses are.

4)  Being unable to have a grammatically correct cover letter is a bad thing.  If you have plenty of time to create and structure a complete message that provides me with a first impression of your writing skills, be sure you have at the very least conducted a spell check.  It is incredibly simple and seems like a "no duh" sort of thing, but I receive cover letters all the time with misspellings, grammatical errors, and no sense of what a paragraph should look like.  It is hard to make me believe you will be effective in your job if you cannot even complete this task with a fair amount of clarity.

I almost titled this blog "Why NOT to write a cover letter", but I think they can still play a role in an introduction.  You just have to really think things through if you really want to make it to the top of the pile.

Any other ideas regarding a cover letter?  Have you ever seen horror stories like mine?

How to weather a storm in your career search

It is officially storm season here in Iowa with some up and down weather patterns.  My family spent a good portion of last evening in our basement through a severe thunderstorm and tornado warning.  As usual when I can't sleep I start thinking about work.  I thought this would be an apropos blog topic for this morning after waking up this morning thankfully to minimal damage and kids who weren't too terribly tired.

Over my years of recruiting I have assisted many candidates through a "stormy" interview process or career decision.  There a few keys to survival that mimic what you would do in an actual weather event:

1)  Be aware of what may be ahead.  This may be an obvious one, but not many people adhere to the philosophy.  Just as you can't wait until the tornado sirens to go off to make sure the batteries in your flashlight are charged, you can't wait until an obstacle pops up to overcome it.  Be ready for your current employer to find out you are in an active search mode.  Be ready for a difficult resignation if you are nearing that turning point.  Be ready for your boss asking why you were seen in another agency's office by a marketing rep or old friend.  If you are not aware of these possibilities they can really trip you up in the midst of a search.  Last night we had the TV on late to watch the weather report, charged our cell phones for weather alerts, and jumped out of bed as soon as the sirens went off to shuffle our kids to the basement.

2)  Stick to the basics.  When bad weather approaches many people panic and forget the things you were taught all the way back in elementary school - go to an interior room, don't be near a window, don't go outside, unplug major appliances, etc.  There are also some really basic ideas when it comes to a search as well - always be professional in interviews, never bad mouth a former employer or colleague, be courteous even when told no regarding a new opportunity, don't become too impatient.....the list could go on and on.  But there is a reason there are career counselors all over the place - we all need them!

3)  Don't panic.  If something does go bad during an interview or search process, oftentimes people panic and make a decision they will later regret.  If you were caught in a bad storm, forgot that you left something outside from the day before, and then went outside only to get injured by a falling tree branch, that would seem like a bad choice afterward.  Similarly, don't make a decision you will later regret if something doesn't quite shake out the way you had anticipated with your search.

4)  Use common sense.  Yet another one that should be a no-brainer.  During one of the weather reports last night they were talking about flash flooding and reminding viewers that it only takes a couple of inches of standing water to possibly sweep your car away.  But how many people would see a few inches of water and think they could just drive right on through?  When faced with decisions during an interview or a search, listening to your gut and using common sense will benefit you 90-95% of the time.

Despite all of this advice, sometimes you just have to go through a storm to fully appreciate all of the tips that come before the storm even hits.  Have you ever been through a storm in your search, survived to tell the tale, and vowed to not repeat any mistakes?

How to make a winning bet with your career choices

The Kentucky Derby seems to be the quietest yet grandest sporting event in our country each year.  People who do not follow horse racing at all still tune in once a year to see the pageantry, pomp, and circumstance.  Oh yeah, and the the actual race itself.  My son actually picked the winner this year, and thinking about it afterward gave me some great insight when it comes to a job search or possible career change.

The first thing my son did was a little research.  While I was preparing supper and not paying attention, he was listening to what the commentator had to say about the horses, the trainers, and the general conditions of the track.  I didn't know he had been listening, but he processed an amazing amount of information in about twenty minutes leading up to the race.  You should do the same when considering a new employer.  To make a bet on your future without that seems reckless.

The second thing he did was to weigh the odds.  You may not have the luxury of a scrolling line on the TV or computer ahead of an interview or conversation with a potential new employer, but you should be able to draw some conclusions or comparisons with your current employment.  Which company has better odds of providing room for advancement, work/life balance, attractive overall culture, or even employee benefits/perks?  Although not a pure mathematical science, it does bring a little bit of objectivity to the process when making a final determination.

The third thing he did was to ask some questions.  He asked me why there was only one female rider.  He asked me how the horses' names were chosen.  He asked me about how many people attended the event.  He asked me how bets were made.  None of these answers necessarily framed his final selection, but it showed that he was collecting and disseminating information to know he was on the right track.

The final thing was he simply went with his gut.  I tell candidates all the time that you have to feel comfortable with any decision before making any decision to stay or go.  Sometimes that gut decision pays off and sometimes it doesn't.  But more often than not your intuition will not let you down.  Especially if you have followed these previous steps to provide some objective balance to your search.

The bottom line is that when thinking about career choices you don't want to gamble.  But if you want to take a bet on yourself there are always risks and rewards.  Here's to hoping the risks don't prevent you from going for the reward occasionally.

Have you made a bet on yourself that paid off recently with a job search/change?