114 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
114 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
# Cover Letter Best Practices
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## Structure and Content Guidelines
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### Opening Paragraph Elements
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- Specific position title
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- How you learned about the opportunity (if relevant)
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- Brief compelling hook (your unique value in 1-2 sentences)
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- Genuine enthusiasm for the role
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### Body Paragraph Strategy
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**Selection Criteria Addressing Format:**
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1. Lead with the criterion or requirement
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2. Provide specific evidence from past experience
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3. Include quantifiable results when possible
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4. Connect to organizational needs
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5. Show progression and growth
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**Example Pattern:**
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"Your requirement for [specific criterion] aligns perfectly with my experience in [area]. At [Company], I [specific achievement with quantifiable result], which [benefit/outcome]. This demonstrates [capability/skill] that I would bring to [aspect of new role]."
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### Closing Paragraph Checklist
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- Reiterate 2-3 key strengths
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- Express genuine interest in organization
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- Request for interview/further discussion
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- Thank you statement
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- Reference to attached/enclosed CV
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---
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## Tone and Language
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### Effective Action Verbs
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**Leadership:** Led, directed, orchestrated, championed, spearheaded, guided
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**Achievement:** Achieved, delivered, exceeded, attained, accomplished, realized
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**Innovation:** Developed, created, designed, implemented, established, pioneered
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**Improvement:** Enhanced, optimized, streamlined, transformed, upgraded, modernized
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**Problem-Solving:** Resolved, diagnosed, remediated, troubleshot, addressed, mitigated
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**Collaboration:** Partnered, collaborated, coordinated, facilitated, engaged, aligned
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### What to Avoid
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- Passive voice: "Was responsible for" → "Led" or "Managed"
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- Weak qualifiers: "Helped with," "Assisted in," "Somewhat experienced"
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- Generic claims: "Hard worker," "Team player," "Fast learner"
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- Clichés: "Think outside the box," "Hit the ground running"
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- Apologetic language: "Although I haven't," "While I may lack"
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- Presumptuous statements: "I look forward to starting," "When I join your team"
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---
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## Quantification Guidelines
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### Metrics to Include
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- Percentage improvements (efficiency, performance, revenue)
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- Time savings or speed improvements
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- Cost reductions or budget management
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- Team sizes led or supported
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- Project scope (users affected, systems managed)
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- Compliance or quality improvements
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### Quantification Examples
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**Before:** "Improved system performance"
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**After:** "Improved system performance by 40%, reducing page load time from 5 seconds to 3 seconds"
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**Before:** "Managed cybersecurity incident"
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**After:** "Led critical cyberattack response, restoring all affected systems within 12 hours and preventing estimated $200K+ in potential damages"
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---
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## Addressing Selection Criteria
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### Direct Addressing Template
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"Your requirement for [criterion] is demonstrated through my [X years] of experience in [field/role]. Specifically, at [Organization], I [achievement with metrics] which [outcome/benefit]. This experience has equipped me with [skills/knowledge] directly applicable to [aspect of advertised role]."
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### Transferable Skills Approach
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When experience doesn't directly match:
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"While my background is in [your field], the [specific skills/competencies] required for [criterion] align closely with my experience in [related area]. For example, [specific achievement] demonstrates [transferable capability] that would enable me to [contribution to new role]."
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---
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## Customization Checklist
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Before sending cover letter, verify:
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- [ ] Company name spelled correctly throughout
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- [ ] Position title matches advertisement exactly
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- [ ] Industry-specific terminology used appropriately
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- [ ] Organizational values or mission referenced
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- [ ] No generic template language remaining
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- [ ] Tone matches company culture (formal vs. contemporary)
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- [ ] All claims supported by CV evidence
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- [ ] Contact information matches CV exactly
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---
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## Length Guidelines
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- **Ideal:** 300-450 words (3-4 paragraphs)
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- **Maximum:** 500 words
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- **Opening:** 3-4 sentences
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- **Body:** 2-3 paragraphs (4-6 sentences each)
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- **Closing:** 3-4 sentences
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---
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## Common Mistakes
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1. **Repeating CV without adding value** - Use cover letter to provide context and narrative
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2. **Focusing on what job offers you** - Focus on what you offer the organization
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3. **Generic applications** - Must be tailored to specific role and organization
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4. **Poor evidence** - Vague claims without specific examples
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5. **Wrong tone** - Too casual, too formal, or mismatched to culture
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6. **Typos and errors** - Proofread multiple times
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7. **Missing selection criteria** - Every key criterion must be addressed
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8. **Too long** - Hiring managers spend 30 seconds on first review
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