What To Do With A Free Cover Letter Sample

Posted: Nov 10, 2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 64 | Bookmark and Share

Your free cover letter could be the kiss of death for your resume for many reasons. Cover letters are designed to get you an interview. There are many things wrong with free cover letters that instead of getting you an interview, they end up getting your resume sent to the trash can by a prospective employer. Once a prospective employer sends your resume to the trash can that is it with that company. There are seldom times when you will get a second chance with that company.

Free cover letters usually address the letter to sir/madam. Some of these free cover letters also address the cover letter 'to whom it may concern'. Both of these versions are wrong. A cover letter should be addressed to an actual person. This person is usually the contact person listed with the job advertisement. Prospective employers like to see that you care enough to find out the name of the person for whom the cover letter and resume are going to. Most junk mail that people receive ends up in the trash never even looked at. When you do not address your cover letter to an actual person you have made your cover letter look like the same junk mail everyone throws out. The former types of addressing is why your free cover letter could be the kiss of death for your resume.

Free cover letters also address a company in general with a position in which the job seeker will be applying for. Free cover letters never address a specific company with a specific need. You cover letter needs to address the specific company in which you are applying for and it also needs to address their hiring needs. When a prospective employer posts an ad for a position they will list qualifications they are looking for. When you don't address the specific hiring needs that the company has you are showing that you did not pay attention to their job advertisement. Prospective employers look closely at this and when they don't see that you have taken the time to address their needs and how you can fill their needs then they move on to the next applicant. Again this is another reason why your free cover letter is the kiss of death for your resume.

Free cover letters are used by almost anyone who has access to the same place where you got your free cover letter. This means that your prospective employer is seeing the same old cover letter over and over again. Your cover letter needs to be original and unique enough to capture your prospective employers attention thus landing you an interview. Free cover letters also do not show you how to make your cover letter look unique and fresh to prospective employers. While a cover letter does show a generalized idea of how to write a cover letter it does not show you have to make one look unique and fresh to your prospective employer. If your cover letter is not fresh and unique and the prospective employer is seeing it over and over again only with a different name attached then more than likely it will wind up in the trash can along with all the other applicants that tried to use the same free cover letter.

Another reason your free cover letter could be the kiss of death for your resume is that you are using the same free cover letter for each company you are applying for. Not only have you landed your resume in the trash with one company by submitting a cover letter such as the free one you obtained but you landed your resume in the trash with each place you have applied at. Your cover letter should not only be fresh and unique it must be a fresh and unique cover letter for each place in which you are applying. Never submit the same cover letter to more than one prospective employer. Make sure that you have written a new cover letter that is personalized for each and every prospective employer. This way you can avoid all the reasons why free cover letters could be the kiss of death for your resume.

(ArticlesBase SC #256365)

Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    RSS
    Print
    Email
    Re-Publish

    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/what-to-do-with-a-free-cover-letter-sample-256365.html

    Article Tags:

    free cover letter sample

    Does emailing mean that your cover letter can be more informal?

    This video discusses if a cover letter can be informal when emailed to a potential employer. (00:56)

    How should I deliver my cover letter?

    This video shows how you should deliver your cover letter when applying for jobs. (01:19)

    Can I use my cover letter to tailor my experience to the job?

    This video talks about how to tailor your cover letter towards the jobs for which you are applying. (00:42)

    What do I put in my cover letter without repeating my resume?

    This video will talk about how not to repeat your resume when writing a cover letter for a job application. (01:30)

    Sending a Cover Letter with Your Resume

    Do I need to send a cover letter with every resume? (00:23)

    If you're searching for free cover letter samples, but you're not finding the type of high quality letter you're looking for, then this article will shed some light onto this problem for you.

    By: Ryan Carlton l Careers > Resumes l Apr 11, 2009 l Views: 212

    Free Cover Letter Sample

    By: Derek Rake l Careers > Resumes l Dec 09, 2009 l Views: 62

    Free Cover Letters Samples

    By: Naomi West l Careers > Resumes l Dec 23, 2009 l Views: 3

    First impressions count when you're competing for a job. Here's how free cover letter samples can show you ways to get your resume noticed.

    By: Nigel Patterson l Careers > Resumes l Jul 13, 2006 l Views: 1,430

    In a world of technology the internet has made it possible for people who are not very good at writing a cover letter for their resume to obtain a free cover letter off the internet. Now this may allow for someone who is not knowledgeable in writing a cover letter...

    By: Mario Churchill l Careers > Resumes l Oct 25, 2007 l Views: 30

    We all need a little assistance, especially when we're about to send an application letter to help us land a job that promises huge professional and personal rewards. So why not use a free cover letter template? It's easy, it seems okay and it's readily available. Well,...

    By: Mario Churchill l Careers > Resumes l Jun 26, 2007 l Views: 269

    Have you met free cover letters and their best friend the trashcan? They go hand in hand. Whenever you see a free cover letter, and you're tempted to borrow it and tweak it to pass it off as your own, you should know that letter is going to probably end...

    By: Mario Churchill l Careers > Resumes l Oct 25, 2007 l Views: 19

    Though some people are born with natural ability to communicate, you can learn to be a better communicator with a little practice. This article has a random series of observations regarding good communicators and what you can do to be a better communicator.

    By: Gordon Walter l Careers > Resumes l Feb 10, 2010

    Tips for graduates on applying to graduate roles. Advice on writing a cover letter, filling in application forms, and what a good CV looks like

    By: Naomi Blackbourn l Careers > Resumes l Feb 09, 2010 l Views: 2
    Bruce Blackwell

    If you’re looking to make a big change in your career – changing industries, applying for different types of positions than you’ve previously held, etc., you need to adjust more than your resume. An impressive career change cover letter can make the difference between getting called in for an interview or getting lumped in with the “do not call” list. To help you along your way, here are four tips for writing a career change cover letter that will wow your future employers:

    By: Bruce Blackwell l Careers > Resumes l Feb 08, 2010 l Views: 7

    'They' say that good guys finish last. But 'we' say nuts to that. Not only are ethical cover letters incredibly persuasive but they will also score well on credibility. You can ace you cover letter even without experience, ethically.

    By: Andres Villalva l Careers > Resumes l Feb 08, 2010 l Views: 8

    When we talk about ‘functional resume samples’, many people make the mistake of thinking that their resume must be objective, direct, businesslike, and devoid of personality. Nothing could be further from the truth. We call it a ‘functional resume’ because it performs its function, ie it gets them ringing you and wanting you to come in for interview.

    By: Alun Maxwell l Careers > Resumes l Feb 08, 2010 l Views: 8
    Peggy McKee

    Don't be fooled by people who tell you that resume objective statements are optional, or that you shouldn't have one at all. Their reasoning is usually that they fence you in and limit your job-seeking focus. On the surface, that seems like good advice, but it really isn't. You need a good resume objective to lead the reader in to reading the rest of your resume, and to help him or her figure out who you are and what you want--without fencing you in.

    By: Peggy McKee l Careers > Resumes l Feb 05, 2010 l Views: 11

    How to write an Effective Cv One or two pages CV would be sufficient to express and describe yourself in a comprehensive way. Using smaller font size don't cram your information.

    By: Professor l Careers > Resumes l Feb 05, 2010 l Views: 15

    If you are looking for resume writing examples to get inspiration from, then using tired old formats that everyone else is using is probably not the way to go. Put yourself in the position of the person who has to wade through countless examples of resumes – including ones that look like a five-year-old produced them. What you need to know is that your resume, which must have a compelling cover letter too, is part of a sales process.

    By: Alun Maxwell l Careers > Resumes l Feb 05, 2010 l Views: 6

    This would be a really great idea if it were really true. In some cases when you do a search for free education online you do get results, however after you go to the web site to see more about it, then you find the truth about free education online. It...

    By: Mario Churchill l Education l Jan 20, 2008 l Views: 115

    Did you know there is actually a difference in finding a free online education and going through a free online class or course? Well, there is. With a free online education you are actually going to take on the entire process of whatever subject you are training for. While taking free...

    By: Mario Churchill l Education l Jan 20, 2008 l Views: 68

    You have started a web site and now you are in the search or the need for a web copywriter. There are so many you can choose from you have no idea which one to go with. You put the words into the search bar and it comes up with...

    By: Mario Churchill l Careers l Jan 20, 2008 l Views: 49

    What can be said about a good Internet copywriter? Well, if it's a good one, then the work speaks for itself. How is it that their work defines how good they are? Well this little tidbit of information is obvious. The way you can tell a really good Internet copywriting person...

    By: Mario Churchill l Internet l Jan 19, 2008 l Views: 41

    It usually takes most people 4 years to earn a college degree. This can be a long period of time, especially if you need a good-paying job right now. Fortunately, there is another option. If you decide to sign up for an online career training program, you can get a...

    By: Mario Churchill l Careers l Jan 19, 2008 l Views: 42

    When you are in the market for a top-notch resume, it may behoove you to search out a resume maker. These can be found simply by doing a search on the Internet for, you guessed it, "resume maker." These sites can provide you with everything from a template resume to...

    By: Mario Churchill l Careers l Jan 17, 2008 l Views: 122

    Over the past few years technology has taken off tremendously in the Internet world. Now, there are web based training options as well as all the other options for learning on the Internet. In some cases software is available. In fact there are web based training web sites that will inform...

    By: Mario Churchill l Education l Jan 17, 2008 l Views: 82

    This would be like asking a milking company why they have to have cows, someone has to do the initial work right? Okay, every business whether small or large, has to promote itself. Regardless if it is on the Internet or off of the Internet a copywriter is needed. Because all...

    By: Mario Churchill l Careers l Jan 17, 2008 l Views: 47

    Add new Comment

     
    * Required fields
    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    1