EMAIL COVER LETTERS THAT GET YOU NOTICED

By Karen Conole

It’s no secret that, in this day of rapidly advancing technology, those job seekers who efficiently use on-line resources will have an advantage over those who stick to phone calls, faxes and regular, “snail” mail to find their next position.

Because most of us appreciate the importance of timing and access in job searches, we have been diligent in getting our resumes into an electronic format that can be sent quickly, is easy to read online and looks good when printed out.

But how many of us make the same effort to get our electronic cover letters just right, or even bother to compose one at all? As good as your resume may be, if you don’t have a cover letter that arouses the recipient’s interest and makes her want to read that resume, all your efforts are wasted, so follow these guidelines for creating an effective email cover letter:

1. Include a cogent subject line.

One great advantage of email over standard letters is the subject line, which allows the sender to indicate, and the receiver to know, the general contents of the message before it’s opened. That’s significant, because unremitting junk mail and viruses make it very tempting to delete any unsolicited email that does not make a case for itself, up front.

Don’t squander this email advantage. Vague or generic subject lines, such as “job seeker” won’t stand out from the hundreds of other job seeker emails out there. However, “tech-savvy transactional secretary with 10 years’ experience” will mean something to a hiring manager, and she’ll already appreciate your saving her time and effort by not forcing her to hunt for your critical information.

If you’ve already spoken to the recipient, or were referred by a mutual friend, include that in your subject line: “Mark Smith’s follow-up re: trial team paralegal,” or “Pat Wilson referral—Mark Smith resume.”

2. Be brief.

Email is most valued for saving us precious time. Bear that in mind and don’t devalue it by forcing the recipient to read a rehash of everything that’s in your resume because, odds are, he won’t bother. Your cover letter should just highlight your key skills and experience, relevant to the job you seek.

Pretend that you had to sell your suitability to a potential employer during a quick elevator ride. What would you say in that 45 seconds that would impress upon your subject the need to hear more? That’s what you want included in the cover letter.

Unlike elevator rides, however, the employer gets dozens or even hundreds of emails each day, so your cover letter has to have immediate impact and relevancy or he will hit that delete key, effectively “stepping off” to leave you to ride on alone.

3. Make yourself relevant.

Be sure you’re offering what the employer is seeking. Presenting yourself as the best family law secretary in town, for example, won’t help your case if you’re applying to work for an estate planning firm. Don’t compare apples to oranges, and force the reader to make some sort of connective leap.

Focus instead on how your skills can translate into filling their needs. You could, for example, stress how your experience handling volatile interactions in family law has made you perceptive of the family dynamic considerations inherent in estate planning.

Particularly if you’re applying for a position that is not a logical next step when considering your past work experience, you’ll need to explain why you’re making the career shift and how you’re best suited for it.

Keep in mind that administrators are constantly on the look-out for ways to save time, and many use cover letters as a quick screening tool for selecting candidates of instant interest to them.

They see right through bland, “opportunity to utilize my skills in a growing company” statements, which reveal nothing about you or your knowledge of the firm, so skip the generic wording and include only that which says you are well-informed about the firm and have reasons why you want to work there, specifically.

Try to determine the firm’s needs by researching articles about it or by checking out its website. If you’re responding to an advertised position, be sure to address the ad’s specific requirements in your letter.

Ideally, your interest and suitability will be contained in a couple of concise paragraphs. You want your readers moving right along to your resume, not scrolling down to read more of a wordy introduction, so grab their interest early and then direct them to your resume for a more comprehensive representation of who you are.

You can “automate” the process and save time by keeping a basic cover letter template with your overarching qualifications for employability and adapting it to the specifics of each new position, as needed.

Also, there’s no point in wasting space by stating your intent to follow up your email with a phone call. Employers know that most will not call and anyway, if they’re interested in your submission, they will be the ones calling you.

4. Spell check and proofread your cover letter.

Your cover letter is usually the first contact you have with a potential new boss, so make a positive impression. Take the time to proofread your cover letter and then proof it again before hitting that “Send” key—you won’t get another chance to do it right. Whenever possible, get someone whose writing skills you trust to proof your letter before submission.

A cover letter with grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes can indicate a lack of pride in what is being sent. Misspelling recipients’ names or titles really propels fingers toward delete keys because, to most employers, someone who doesn’t put much thought or effort into this important first step in their job search is someone who will likely not put any more thought or effort into their job, once obtained.

Because cover letters are often printed out along with resumes, make sure yours will print in a format that’s professional and readable. And since you never know who is ultimately going to see your email, a good rule of thumb is to avoid sending anything you would not want made public at some point.

When should you send via email, versus regular mail?

In general, use email when:

* Speed is critical. Sometimes, hours count in a competitive job market, so send an email if you think the immediacy of a swift query is more important than the added personalization of a hard copy on bond paper with a customized layout.

* You need to show that you’re tech savvy. Firms who want staff that can keep up with today’s evolving technology may be put off by candidates who communicate only via phone or regular mail. Older candidates, in particular, may want to be proactive in demonstrating their tech talents by communicating via email. Even if you’re not seeking a technical position per se, you’ll show that you can fit in with the firm’s “techie” culture.

Use regular mail when:

* The company and industry are low-tech. Find out if your prospective firm prefers emails or regularly mailed correspondence. Their website should be some indication, or you can simply call and politely ask the email address of the person in charge of hiring personnel. If it seems that email isn’t widely accepted there, send your correspondence with regular mail.

* Sending thank-you letters. In general, a visually appealing letter on high-quality bond paper makes a better impression than an emailed note. Perhaps it’s the association with all those thank-you notes we’ve had to write after important life events, such as birthdays, weddings and graduations, but whatever the reason, a handwritten note tends to appear more personal and sincere—always a good objective when saying “thank you.”

Remember: The object of every good cover letter is to motivate the reader to want to read your resume and learn more about you. That’s all, but that’s a lot, so give it some thought and make it your best pitch.