Top Cover Letter Tips for 2019 [21+ Examples]

Top titelbild Letter Tips for 2019 21+ Examples 21 titelblatt Letter Tips for 2019 (and Beyond)June 14, 2019 By Samuel Johns Reviewed by Mark Slack, CPRWWriting a great titelblatt letter is easy once youve read this list of titelbild letter tips and examples. Our titelblatt letter advice has been gathered from HR experts, and reflects the latest trends in job hunting.Build My Cover Letter NowCreating an effective application that catches the hiring managers eye is a challenge. Thats why weve compiled this list of titelbild letter writing tips to help you supercharge yur job hunt.Tips for Writing a Cover LetterThe FundamentalsLets start at the beginning. Before you set pen to paper (or mora likely, start typing), you have some research to do. But dont fret as long as you have a working internet connection, youre all set.1. Ditch To Whom It May Concern and Dear Sir/MadamNo one appreciates receiving mail from someone who hasnt bothered to find out their anthroponym. How do you feel w hen you receive mail addressed To the tenant or To the homeowner? It probably doesnt make your eyes light up with excitement. In fact, such mail likely earns a one-way flugticket to your recycling bin.Dont choose the lazy option of using To Whom It May Concern or Dear Sir/Madam unless you want to be overlooked.Its the same for recruiters and hiring managers. Dont choose the lazy option of using To Whom It May Concern or Dear Sir/Madam unless you want to be overlooked. TipRead our complete guide how to address a cover letter without a name for more details.Instead, find out the hiring managers name. If its not specified in the job posting, check the companys website. With a little bit of luck, you should be able to find it.If all else fails, call the company and ask for the right name they should be happy to give it to you if you say youre addressing a job application.Dont forget, if youre sending out a physical copy of your application, address it to the hiring manager so that itll get to the right person.2. Find Out How the Company WritesA surefire way of showing youre a good fit for a company is by writing your cover letter in a way that is similar to the content it has written in the past. You can learn how a company writes (i.e., its tone and style) by looking at its website perhaps it has a blog that you can check out to get a better idea.If the company keeps its language formal, then you should too in your cover letter. If its writing is more casual, then consider making your cover letter a little less serious.3. Research the CompanyRead up on the companys history, its goals, and the challenges its facing. This will give you some insight into what its looking for in potential candidates, and you can tailor your cover letter to satisfy the companys needs.As an added bonus, you can demonstrate your newfound knowledge in the interview to earn some brownie points. TipNot sure what to ask in the interview? Thinking of a few questions you can ask the intervi ewer indicates thoughtfulness, which hiring managers will appreciate.4. Match Your Cover Letter to Your ResumeThere are dozens of eye-catching cover letter templates available online.If you choose one, use a matching resume template so that your cover letter and resume complement each other aesthetically. This will make them stand out to recruiters. TipDont have Microsoft Word? No problem. There are tons of great looking cover letter templates for Google Docs available online.5. Double-Check the Companys Application RequirementsRead through all the requirements in the job posting you might miss something vital otherwise. And given hundreds of applications will be sent in for the average opening, missing even a small detail might see your application trashed. Some examples includeA required format for the email subject line (e.g., Name Position)All necessary attachments, such as your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. Remember to include your name in the filenames for all attach ments (e.g., Naomi Smalls Cover Letter.pdf)6. Review Cover Letter Examples from Your IndustryNo one expects you to write the perfect cover letter completely on your own. Before you start, gain some inspiration by checking out a few high-quality cover letter samples and noting what they do well.You will notice that the writers of these cover letters usenumbers to quantify their work successaction verbs to electrify their writingspecific job duties to make things clear for hiring managers TipIf youre changing fields and writing your career change cover letter, review samples from your new field so that you have an idea of what employers expect7. Write a Unique Cover Letter for Each ApplicationYou need a tailored cover letter for each application. Think about it each company is different, so every role requires something unique.If a hiring manager suspects that youve sent them a generic cover letter, your application will be headed straight for the trash.Your cover letter needs to pe rsuade the hiring manager that youre passionate about the job theyre posting, so youll have to create a custom one for each application youre sending out. If a hiring manager suspects that youve sent them a generic cover letter, your application will be headed straight for the trash. TipIf you absolutely have to use a general cover letter, learn how to do it the right way with our expert tips.Cover Letter Advice (Content Ideas)Once youre ready to start writing, these tips for writing a cover letter will ensure yours is high quality.8. Dont Regurgitate Your ResumeIt might seem like copy-pasting sections from your resume is an easy, quick way to fill your cover letter, but resist the urge. The hiring manager wont appreciate reading the same content twice.Instead, flesh out your resumes bullet points in your cover letter. Identify the personality attributes that ensured you performed well, as in this mechanic resume sampleIn this bullet point, the mechanic simply described his duties. By contrast, in his cover letter, he fleshes this out by describing how his personality allows him to greet and talk to visitorsMechanic cover letter sampleHe shows that he quickly gets on with other people, and even provided a statistic to prove this fact.Use your cover letter to flesh out the points youve made in your resume. TipTo see more ways you can write a cover letter that complements your resume without repeating it, check out our full catalog of cover letter samples.9. Quantify Your Previous AccomplishmentsIts not enough to list the responsibilities you had in your previous roles you need to add numbers or percentages to provide some context.For example, instead of saying he handled contractors bids, filed taxes, and found tenants for his properties, this property manager provides some insight into his performance by adding some statisticsThese statistics give hiring managers an idea of your performance and what youve accomplished thus far in your career.Always add numb ers to your cover letter to prove you go beyond your basic duties and show your new company that they will benefit by hiring you.10. Demonstrate That Youre a Cultural FitCompanies increasingly prefer to hire people who fit into their corporate culture.Many companies websites contain a page about their corporate cultures, like this example from GlaxoSmithKline, a prominent British pharmaceutical research companyThe lefthand article in this screenshot shows that GlaxoSmithKline values honesty, while the righthand article highlights their dedication to their work.By checking out these pages, you can ensure that a companys culture speaks to you. Plus, you can use the information to show youre a cultural fit in your cover letter.Then, read about the companys values on their about-us page, and be sure to mention them in your cover letter if they align with your own. TipYou can also explore the profiles of a companys current employees, and plektrum up on the tone they use to describe them selves. Is it quirky? Serious? Casual? These clues can inform you what voice to use in your cover letter.You can even take a look at a companys Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts to get a feel for its style.Finally, think back through your past projects, and mention any that sound similar to the projects youd likely be working on with the new company. Doing so will show the hiring manager that youd be able to hit the ground running. TipTake note of how the company youre applying to markets itself. If their website is serious and minimally designed, make sure you reflect that appearance by using a simple cover letter template.11. Dont Write Im Writing to Apply for Position NameThis phrase is an overused, borderline cliche cover-letter opening.The best cover letters use a creative opening. So, perhaps you can mention something you read in the news about the company that impressed you. Or explain where your passion for the companys product (or service) came from. A short anecdo te like this also has the advantage of giving them an insight into your personality.In this example, the applicant states that they read about the school in the local newspaper, which indicates that they do their research, care about their local community, and have a good memory for the schools successes. These are all good characteristics for a teacher. TipA creative introduction is especially important for anyone writing an entry-level cover letter, or any other time in which you need your cover letter to carry some extra weight.12. Avoid ClichsThe world of job applications is full of clichs and corporate buzzwords, so avoid describing yourself as self-motivated or a go-getter because doing so wont set you apart from any of the other hundreds of job seekers.And nothing screams unoriginality more than proudly proclaiming that you think outside the box, which most applicants will claim somewhere on their letter.Recruiters have heard it all before multiple times a day.Thus, aim for originality. After all, nothing says youd bring a new approach to the role than a creative cover letter.13. Pepper Action Verbs Throughout Your Cover LetterAction verbs help you show leadership, talent, and initiative in the way you performed your duties at previous companies.Compare the following examplesMet with representatives of other companies to improve relationships.Cultivated relationships with representatives of other companies.Cultivated is a better choice than met because it shows you had a much more active role in forming and maintaining relationships with other businesses. Met simply implies that you were present in meetings but doesnt reveal how you accomplished anything. TipFor more effective (and job-landing) actions verbs, weve put together the longest action verbs list in the universe.14. Mention the Job TitleDespite the advice in Tip No. 11, you should mention which role youre seeking somewhere in your cover letter. After all, the hiring manager might be filling several positions.If youre sending your application by email, include the job title in the subject (e.g., Vanessa Mateo Makeup Artist).On the other hand, if youre sending out a physical copy of your application, you can put the job title on its own line before the greetingRE Application for Automotive Technician15. Employ a Call-To-ActionA call-to-action does exactly what you would think it calls on someone to act. In the case of a cover letter, youre calling on the hiring manager to contact you. Give them an open invitation to get in touchPlease feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience.And repeat your phone number and email address here so that the hiring manager doesnt have to search for itI can be reached at 415-253-1470 or HarveyCastrogmail.com. TipDont use more than one email address and one phone number on your application. Otherwise, youll confuse the hiring manager.Finalizing Your Cover Letter Guidelines SuggestionsKey to a good cover letter are the details e nsure youve checked for consistency and have proofread it several times.16. Keep It to a Single Page MaxHiring managers are pressed for time, and they have no intention of reading a multi-page cover letter. Keep yours to one page. But dont fill the page 300500 words is about the sweet spot. TipCheck out our short cover letter examples if you need some help keeping your cover letter brief.17. Write Numbers ConsistentlyThe rules on how to write numbers are simple numbers between one and nine should be spelled out. Anything above 10 should be typed in numerals. TipRemember to add a comma after every third number from the right to make them easier to read (e.g., 1,701 and 2,047).18. Use an Eye-Catching Postscript (P.S.)Over 90% of readers read the P.S. before the letter because its short and digestible. You can use this fact to your advantage by summarizing why youd be a great fit at the company in your P.S.Heres an exampleP.S. Im looking forward to discussing how I achieved a 17% dec rease in customer complaints with you. TipAs well as a P.S., we have many more great ideas for what to include in a cover letter.19. Pick a Suitable FontWriting a cover letter is not the time to get adventurous with your font selections. Stick to a widely accepted font style, such as Times New Roman or Arial.Dont go below a 12-point font size either. Otherwise, the hiring manager will strain their eyes trying to read your application (which will not leave a good impression). TipOur tips on resume margins, font styles and sizes also apply to cover letters.20. Clarify Your AbbreviationsYou may have used a particular abbreviation so much in a previous role that using it has become second nature. But dont assume that everyone will understand it. Luckily, theres an easy fix dont use abbreviationsThis is particularly vital in complex industries, like law, IT, or medicine, where LLD might mean late-life depression or leg length differential()21. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread (Then Proo fread Again)Youd be surprised how easily a typo can slip into your cover letter. To catch them all, you need to go through your cover letter not just once, but several times. And enlist the help of a friend to proofread it again.Long sentences will make the hiring managers brain switch off, so avoid them.If you tend to use complex words instead of plain, simple language, use Readable or Hemingway, which will tell you if your text is hard to read.Long sentences will make the hiring managers brain switch off, so avoid them. TipSending your application by email? Make sure you read our tops tips on how to write a strong email cover letter.ConclusionThese tips are sure to turbocharge your cover letter and your overall application. But they arent the be-all and end-all of cover letter writing. Check out our full guide on how to write a good cover letter for a complete walkthrough.And if youre pushed for time, you can use our simple and free-to-use cover letter builder to generate a high- quality cover letter in minutes.

Why Sharing Viral Badass Working Parent Memes Actually Helps No One

Why Sharing Viral Badass Working Parent Memes Actually Helps No One In a piece for Macleans written earlier this year, Canadian writer Shannon Proudfoot tackled the problem with what she termed the badass-working-parent meme. According to Proudfoot, this phenomenon often perpetuated by executives, politicians, and otzu sich professionals propagates unrealistic ideals and ignores the very real challenges many working parents face as they navigate the working world. While some may disagree with Proudfoots assessment, I found myself repeatedly nodding in agreement while reading her piece. To those who know me, that might seem contradictory. For one, I am a proud working parents advocate. Ive co-chaired a Working Parents Committee through the local chapter of my state womens bar association for the past three years.I am also a plaintiff-side employment discrimination attorney who has represented numerous working parentsprimarily women who faced discrimination at work after becoming pre gnant or giving birth. Ive attended conferences on the rights of working parents. Ive presented on workplace pregnancy and lactation rights. I write articles about working parents, like this one.Moreover, I myself am a working parent. When my first child was born three years ago, I was fortunate to receive fur months of paid maternity leave followed by a flexible schedule upon my return to work. In the beginning, I worked from home on Wednesdays, balancing my caseload amid the needs of my infant son. Eventually, I worked from home mora and more until I switched status with my firm to of counsel and began working from home exclusivelyall with my son alongside me.Three months ago, I gave birth to twins, and, though I am now enjoying a long-term leave with the babies, I am also focusing on my writing careerfrom home. Not a single day has passed over the last three-plus years where I havent juggled work and kids in some manner.My oldest has been to my downtown office on several occasion s and loves visiting the big building. Ive fielded phone calls with opposing attorneys, clients, and even judges while my toddler babbled in the background. Ive written threatening emails while rocking babies to sleep. Ive drafted appellate briefs while wearing superhero masks, and Ive orchestrated networking events specifically for attorneys and their families.In many ways, I am the epitome of the bad-ass-working-parent meme, and yet I still wholeheartedly agree that this image high-achieving working parents portray can be problematic for several reasons.First, it completely disregards the need for a support system for working parents that includes things like paid parental leave and quality childcare. This is especially problematic in the United States where there is no federal paid parental leave, and where the various types of leave that are offered are frequently unpaid and leid available to everyone.It also ignores the fact that one in four women in this country return to wor k within two weeksof giving birth, a statistic that should shock every person with a conscience to their core.The meme is problematic because it perpetuates the warped sense of pride in working moms that forces them to one-up each other in online comment sections over how soon they returned to work after birth.Ive seen it in the comment sections of articles Ive written about problems with the U.S.s non-existent paid leave system women boasting about how they gave birth on Friday and were back to work doing payroll on Monday, or how they didnt take a single day off.How and why is that OK, and why should that be something toward which we aspire? It shouldnt.We shouldnt actively participate in dehumanizing ourselves, painting those who took longer to recover or who took more time off after birth as indulgent or weak. As a wise professor in law school once said, the problem with many Americans is that we look at others and we say, why them? when we really should be saying why not us?We should be looking at the paid parental leave and childcare systems offered around the world and saying, why dont we have that, and how do we get that? instead of angrily blustering that such a system would be untenable or unaffordable.Moreover, the bad-ass-working-parent meme also completely disregards the fact that we cant do it all, and that we shouldnt be expected to do it all. I dont know a single working parent who does it all alone. Every single one of them has a support structure of some kind.Its unrealistic to think that every working mom and dad should be a lone wolf and that success as a working parent requires winning some Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest contest.Finally, like Proudfoot so aptly pointed out, one of the ugliest problems with this meme is that it completely excludes people of a lower socioeconomic status. As she stated, youre never going to see a viral photo of a parent working a drive-thru window or mopping a floor with their infant strapped into a carri er, surrounded by co-workers and a shift manager smiling indulgently.In fact, where such workers do try to combine work and family, very different, much uglier outcomes can result, like the Rochester, N.Y. parents who were arrested in March 2017 after they left their children on a bench while they worked their shifts inside of a shopping mall. They were charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a childquite a contrast to the adoration and admiration festooned upon working professionals of the upper echelon who bring their children to work.Now, does all of this mean we should stop taking advantage of flex schedules and family-friendly policies, or that we shouldnt feel proud of our accomplishments as working parents? Absolutely not.However, it does mean we should be aware of our privilege if we find ourselves on the winning side of this meme, and that we should work and call for action from our representatives for policies that support ALL working parents.And, like Prou dfoot statedif you know or see a working parent out in the wildlend them a hand. Though they might not admit it, they need and appreciate your help.Finally, if you are self-proclaimed badass working parent, indulge us with some real talk. Here, Ill do it for you working parenthood is not easy. Its often hard and always challenging. It is not linear, either. There are ups and downs, and scribbles all over the page. So, dont feel bad if your working parenthood looks a little messy. It looks that way for all of us.--Candace is a practicing attorney, working parents advocate, freelance writer, and proud mom. Her legal practice focuses on workers rights. She can be found writing about law, motherhood, and more on her blog as The Mom at Law.