| Being popular is a bit of an art form. You never know | | | | criteria. He (the employer) is searching for ‘xyz' |
| who will take a shining to you and who won't. As a | | | | and you can provide ‘xyz' as demonstrated by |
| youth, I remember that something as simple as witty | | | | some experience where you learned extensively |
| print on a t-shirt could mean the difference between | | | | about ‘xy' and some other experience where |
| popularity and isolation. | | | | you worked with ‘z'. |
| Since growing up – and I do use the term loosely | | | | In order to press my point, I'll put forward this |
| – I've discovered that the popularity contests | | | | example. Imagine that you were lost in a foreign city |
| don't end in high school. When it comes to job | | | | and that you asked for directions to your hotel room. |
| applications, cover letters are the proverbial witty | | | | A kind stranger obliges with directions to the hotel |
| t-shirts. A good cover letter will progress your | | | | and then goes on to explain the travel path to a |
| application, while a bad one will end in rejection. | | | | neighbouring country. Whilst the information pertaining |
| There are many theories on what constitutes a good | | | | to the international travel is impressive, it does not |
| cover letter. Researching cover letters on the web | | | | add value to your immediate goal – to find your |
| can be a bit confusing because almost everybody | | | | hotel room. Employers are in the same boat. |
| stakes a claim to having phenomenal material. Some | | | | Additional irrelevant talents and witty one liners do |
| of those claims may be true, but in my opinion, most | | | | not belong in a cover letter because they do not add |
| are not. Not through a lack of imagination but | | | | value. |
| because the content is shallow. | | | | By now you may be alluding to the fact that my |
| You see in my opinion cover letters should say very | | | | article title is cynical. In my opinion Information |
| little about ‘who' you are as an individual and a | | | | Technology cover letters should be reasonably dry. |
| lot about ‘what' you can contribute as an | | | | They should include rich, relevant content about your |
| employee. This means dropping the gaudy one liners | | | | experience and they should form obvious connections |
| and replacing them with meaningful content. | | | | between the job advertisement criteria and your |
| Because cover letters are relatively short each | | | | training, certifications and experience. |
| portion of the printed real estate is extremely | | | | This popularity contest is all about contribution. If you |
| valuable. Every sentence should work towards | | | | can show that you are capable of making a quality |
| establishing common ground with the employer. | | | | contribution to the advertised job then you are |
| Finding common ground simply means meeting his | | | | putting your best foot forward. |