Don’t make these 13 cover letter mistakes and you will be ahead of the game:

1. Forgetting to include a cover letter.
For reasons noted, the cover letter is important, especially if the job description requests it. When you leave it off, you may look lazy (at best) or appear to be someone who cannot follow instructions (at worst).

2. Addressing your cover letter generically.
“Dear Sir” is totally out of the question, since it is sexist and “To whom it may concern” makes it clear that you didn’t think it was important enough to try to identify the person in charge of the search. It may be difficult to identify the correct person to address your letter, but you should try. Make a valiant effort to identify a name to include. Contact the company to ask for the correct name and use your Internet research skills to see if you can confirm a specific person to send your letter. As a very last resort, “Dear Hiring Manager” may not keep you totally out of the running, especially if the company has gone to great lengths to shield the exact name from the applicant pool.

3. Adding your cover letter as an attachment and writing a brief note in the body of the email.
If you apply via email, include your cover letter’s contents as the body of the email you send. That way, it is very easy for the hiring manager to decide whether to open your attached resume or press delete.

4. Sending a boring or terse cover letter.
If you’re going to include a letter, it might as well be good enough to give you a better chance to land the job. If you send a formulaic sounding letter with nothing more interesting than the fact that you are applying for job No. 123 and that you saw the ad in XYZ.com, you won’t pass the cover letter test for those sticklers who demand a cover letter. Make sure you write a letter that is interesting enough to read.

5. Missing an opportunity to make a great connection or to tell an interesting story.
Not everyone has a great story or reason for applying for a position, but if you do, use the cover letter to tell it. Was it the company where you launched your career, and you are ready to come back? Say so. Did you always admire the organization’s television ads growing up, and now you are applying to help create new ones? That’s a great story, and the cover letter is the place to share it.

6. Being self-centered.
The cover letter should not be a note detailing what you want. If you appear self-centered, that delete key is always handy.

7. Including errors or typos in your letter.
This is the kiss of death for many job application materials. Even if the job does not require you to wax eloquent regularly or to or create written materials for the company, if you misspell words or send a letter with typos and grammatical errors, it’s a mark against you in a competitive field. Edit your own note carefully and ask a trusted friend to review it. Read it out loud to be sure you haven’t left off words or made a typo that spell-check doesn’t pick up — for example, if you’ve said, “I’d be a terrific manger” instead of “manager.”

8. Not targeting your letter.
Just as you should target your resume for every job so you’re most likely to pass the company’s computerized resume screening system, you should also target your cover letter to each position and organization. Include specifics about the company and describe why you are a good fit for their job. Use the job description and information you can find out about the job and organization online to choose the best details to include. If you send the same cover letter to every company, you are missing an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

9. Writing a novel.
No one needs a three-page cover letter, no matter how interesting or perfect the candidate may be for the job. Just as you don’t want to be too terse, don’t think you need to tell your life story. Write the equivalent of about one typed page at most.

10. Using the cover letter to repeat everything in the resume.
While you should make sure to include everything important in your resume (in case this hiring manager does not read cover letters), don’t just summarize your resume in your cover letter. Take the opportunity to make direct connections between the job description and your skills. Consider creating three headlines based on information in the job description the employer wants and listing under each topic why you are a good fit. The more you can make a direct correlation between their needs and what you offer, the better your letter will be.

11. Exaggerating.
Don’t say, “I’m perfect for the job” if you know you are not. Be honest in your cover letter and identify the best matches between your skills and their needs.

12. Being too humble.
The opposite of the braggart, who is “ideal” for every job, the overly humble job seeker may actually apologize for applying and explain the skills he or she does not have for the job. Hopefully, it’s obvious why the “why I’m not qualified” strategy is less than optimal! You may be applying for jobs that are a reach, and when you do, focus on what makes you a good fit and don’t dwell on the negatives.

13. Going overboard with the sell.
Unless you are actually applying for a sales job, think twice before including language such as, “I’ll call you on Friday to schedule an interview.” This may be a turnoff for some hiring managers. Is it appropriate to indicate that you hope they agree you’re a good match and that you will follow up as of a certain date, but you could lose the interviewer’s attention if you act as if you are in charge of the process.

photo by robpatrick

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In my guide, I explain:

• Why you should use Google+. (Recruiters are sharing tips and tricks about how to use Google+ with their colleagues and touting Google profiles as wonderful resources to find and source candidates..don’t miss out!)
• How to find people to follow
• How to make it easier for recruiters and potential clients to find you
• Tips, tricks and links to make your Google+ experience more efficient, effective and successful!

You don’t want to spend all of your time Googling advice and resources to use Google+  effortlessly and conveniently. Now, you don’t have to; I did the work for you. In addition to my advice about how to use this new tool, this guide has links to numerous, vetted resources full of information you’ll need to know. No more wading through information to find exactly what you need. Save time, money and your sanity by purchasing this guide to get you started.

I believe it’s important to explain WHY you should use Google+, so I start out with persuasive arguments explaining why you should get started. You’ll need a top-notch Google profile, and I walk you through, step-by-step.

I offer lists of resources to help you find people on Google+, tips to be sure you are easy to find, resources to help you identify and use your keywords (crucial for using social media tools), links to information about how to maintain your privacy and other resources for continued, updated details about Google+.

All for the low, starting price of $6.95. Don’t wait until I raise the price…Click the button below to purchase via PayPal or your credit card. You’ll receive the guide as soon as you pay. Be sure to let me know what you think!

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Another important tip? Use your time well if you are not currently working. Itâ€s easy to let hours, days and weeks pass by before setting up a strategy that will help you succeed in your  hunt.

Iâ€ve already shared great reasons to volunteer if you have some free time. Here are a few additional tips to consider if youâ€re not quite sure what to do with your time.

If you havenâ€t started, dive into social media and Web 2.0 applications! Yes, this can take some time if you are going to do it full force. But, you have time, so go for it! Start searching for blogs in your niche. Guy Kawasakiâ€s Alltop list is a perfect place to find blogs in an array of topics, but you can certainly use Google to find current information in your field of interest. Spend some time researching and exploring. See if you can identify the stars in your field. Use online mechanisms to connect to them!

How? Post smart comments on their blogs. See if they use Twitter and follow them. (Read more of my suggestions about using Twitter for the job hunt HERE or check out my book, Social Networking for Career Success. (You can even get in on Kindle for a great price on Amazon.) Make sure you are using LinkedIn effectively. You may be amazed at  how quickly you can connect and “befriend” people online. (Learn more about my book and my Google+ Guide!)

Consider authoring a blog. If you are a strong writer, there isnâ€t a better way to influence your Google rankings and demonstrate authority in your subject matter. If you have the time, why not try? You have nothing to lose. (If you want to learn more about what you’d put on your own website/social resume, but sure to check out my site. I can even help you get into your own site if you’re not technically inclined.)

Stop and think about what you really want to do. Use your time to assess yourself, your goals and plans for the future. How often are we forced to take a moment to really think about the future. This is your chance. Do you like the way your life is going? Are you happy with your path? If not, consider a coach to help you figure out a new direction.

Learn a new skill. Have you been thinking about taking a class in something that will help you with your job? Maybe youâ€ve always wanted to learn how to knit? This is a good time. Doing something new and learning a new skill is good for your attitude and will help you in multiple ways.

There is so much information and opportunities to learn new things online for free. High-profile and talented people are offering free teleclasses, webinars and seminars all of the time. If you plug in, youâ€ll learn about these opportunities and benefit from them. Take advantage of your public library as a resource for information. Check in with the librarian for information you might be missing!

Donâ€t wait until you have an interview scheduled to prepare for the interview! Do you know what youâ€ll wear to an interview? Does it fit? Is it clean and pressed? How about your shoes? Do they pass muster? Dont†wait until youâ€ve been searching for two months and get a call for an interview tomorrow to look in your closet!

Once you have an outfit ready, start planning and practicing what you will say in an interview, in a networking situation…Use your time to get ready. I work with clients on mock interviews, so you will really know what skills you can improve. If you are prepared, when you start pulling in opportunities, you wonâ€t panic!

Of course, much of your “free” time will be taken up with job hunting. Donâ€t forget, many of the activities listed above are part of your job hunt. I would be remiss if I didnâ€t specifically mention that networking (in person and online) is key – spend more time doing this than searching for online postings. Make sure your resume and materials are top-notch and use your time to prep for everything you will need.

What ideas do you have?

photo by Earls37a

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In the video, Derek was outlining things to think about regarding website design and how to pull together a site to encourage people to take the actions you want them to take. Watching it, I realized a lot of the advice Derek offered is similar to advice to I give to help people optimize resumes.

The first thing he said, “Just because you know what you’re about doesn’t mean others do,” got me taking notes for a resume post! It’s so true, and something a lot of people don’t think about when they write their own resumes. It could be very clear to you what you’d like to do next, but if your resume (or online materials) don’t make it obvious where you are headed, you will probably lose your audience. On a website, that means the reader will immediately click away. On a resume, it means you won’t get a chance to interview for the job.

Today, I reviewed a resume from someone I thought was interested in working in the medical field. (Based on something I had seen her post elsewhere.) However, the resume itself had nothing about the medical field on it at all. I’m now assuming I was wrong about what I previously saw, but someone in a position to hire someone in the medical field will simply put the resume aside, assuming there is no direct connection between the candidate and his or her hiring needs.

Another thing Derek points out in the video: “Welcome is not a good benefit – make a promise.” This, in relation to how to encourage people on your website to DO what you want them to do. Just “welcoming” them doesn’t cut it. Think about this regarding both cover letters and resumes — how are you showcasing something (a promise) to encourage readers to be interested in learning more about you? And no, just saying, “look at me” isn’t enough.

Which leads to Derek’s suggestion to use a headline at the top of a website! The best resumes today take advantage of headlines to reel readers in. The headline needs to be about your future, not your past. It’s about the job you want NEXT. Do you use headlines in your resume? They can be your targeted title, focus on your accomplishments, skills…The headline needs to be what will interest your reader. The headline is like a “promise” saying you are what the reader wants.

Derek kept talking about making that promise. He reminded viewers of an interesting point:  “Cluttered (web) pages used to convert better because people would be confused and click on ads.” I thought that was so interesting! Maybe that is why there are so many cluttered web pages out there – people are focusing on strategies that USED TO work. Same with resumes — so many resumes look dated and old fashioned. It’s time to think about what works today. Don’t get caught up in yesterday’s best practices.

Derek also gives advice regarding regarding font size, color, encouraging people to take action once they land on your website…While font sizes and use of color on resumes is a little different, the touch points between his web advice and resume advice are similar: you need to spell out your message clearly and make it easy to read and understand in order to convert readers to fans. Take a look at the video and be sure to visit Chris Brogan’s site for lots of useful and interesting information about social media and other topics.

photo by >^..^< maggz >^..^<

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