9 Ways to Get Your Cover Letter Read The stats: Career Directors International’s 2012 Global Hiring Trends Survey, 26% of hiring authorities state that they continue to read cover letters. That’s over one reader out of every four! 8 out of 10 HR professionals spend less than one minute reading a cover letter (2005 SHRM survey). 2011 Saddleback College in Orange County, California survey. Of 87 respondents: • 12.6 per cent preferred a full-page cover letter • 43.7 per cent preferred a half-page • 19.5 per cent had no preference • 24.1 per cent stated “the shorter the better” The tips: 1. Send your cover letter to a living, breathing human being. 2. State what you contribute to solving the company’s concerns right off the bat 3. Start your cover letter off strong. 4. Briefly spell out the obvious. Don’t make them guess which position you are applying for if you know there is an opening. 5. Name drop. It’s OK in this instance to drop the name of the person who is referring you to apply. 6. Transition to detailing your successes with a hard hitting statement. 7. List your main accomplishments in a bulleted list of three or four items. 8. Go ahead. Be assertive. 9. Don’t include the cover letter as an attachment. To see an example of how this looks all put together: http://www.professiondirection.net/for-job-seekers/resume-samples/sample-cover-letters/ Read more on the blog: http://www.professiondirection.net/nine-ways-to-get-your-cover-letter-read/ Excellent FREE resource! Adult Planning and Career Development Journal, Career Communications: The Now, the New, and the Next in Resumes, Cover Letters, LinkedIn Profiles...and more, Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark, Guest Editors http://www.careerthoughtleaders.com/journal

1. Kristin S. Johnson
CARW, CCMC, CJSS, COPNS, CG3C
Executive ResumeWriter, Job
Search Coach, Social Media
Consultant
Profession Direction, LLC
http://www.professiondirection.com/
(608) 276-9232
kristin@professiondirection.com

2. The Rumor vs. Reality
CDI 2012 Hiring Survey: 26% (1 out of every 4) hiring
authorities read cover letters!

3. The Facts
 8 out of 10 HR professionals spend less than one
minute reading a cover letter (2005 SHRM survey).

4. The Facts
 2011 Saddleback College in Orange County,
California survey. Of 87 respondents:
 12.6 per cent preferred a full-page cover letter
 43.7 per cent preferred a half-page
 19.5 per cent had no preference
 24.1 per cent stated “the shorter the better”

5. Yes! You Still Need a Cover Letter.
Here are
to Make Sure it Gets Read.

6. Use jigsaw.com, LinkedIn, and
company websites to send your
cover letter to a living,
breathing human being.
Not sure who to send it to? Try
informational interviewing!
#1 – Address it to a Real Person
To Whom
it May
Concern:

7. State what you contribute to solving the company’s
concerns. Research so your accomplishments meet
their need. Use:
 Press releases.
 Google, Yahoo! Finance, and Glassdoor.com
 Social media – follow comments.
#2 – Provide What They Need

8. Use the research you
gathered in #2 to create a
powerful opening statement
that describes exactly how
you have previously
contributed to solving their
problems they’re currently
experiencing.
#3 – Start Off Strong

9. “It’s with this track record of
creating streamlined
operations and amplified
profitability that I’d like to be
considered for your V.P. of
Operations position.”
#4 – Spell Out the Obvious
Don’t make them guess which position you are
applying for.

10.  People hire people they know
and like.
 Having an internal contact
increases the chance of an
interview.
 The contact can vouch for your
professionalism.
#5 – Drop Some Names
It’s OK in this instance to drop the name of the person
who is referring you to apply.

11. #5 – Drop Some Names
2012 CareerXroads SOH Survey stated 28% of
hires were referrals.

12. #6 – Use a Success Statement
Transition to detailing your successes with a hard
hitting statement.
“Proof of my impact on operational efficiency and
corporate bottom line:”

13. #7 – List Your Accomplishments
List your main accomplishments in a bulleted list of
three or four items, such as:
 Process Improvements
 Team Engagement
 Technology
Implementation

14. #8 – Be Assertive
This is the place to inform them,
politely, that your cover letter
and resume are not going to be
the final things they’ll hear from
you.
In fact, they can expect you to
call next week.

15. #9 – Don’t Attach It
Make reading your
cover letter as easy
as possible by
including the text of
your cover letter in
the email body
itself.

16. Resources
http://www.professiondirection.net/nine-ways-to-get-your-
cover-letter-read/
http://www.professiondirection.net/for-job-seekers/resume-
samples/sample-cover-letters/
http://www.careerthoughtleaders.com/journal
Need help? We’ll write it for you. Contact
Profession Direction today!

17. Target Your
Success
Today!
Sign up for my blog and receive a free copy of
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Kristin@ProfessionDirection.com | (608) 276-9232