Career Tips: Writing a Great Cover Letter

As published in DominoPower.com, apply these principles to your situation.

You need to stand out from the pack to get the right job. To do this, you'll need to go through a few steps. One trick of the trade is to make your cover letter read just like the job requirement. Follow this example; below is an excerpt from actual job posting from http://www.lotusnotesjobs.com/. This position is in San Diego.

Senior Domino System Administrator: Come join a challenging and cutting-edge team! [Name of company], an IBM premier partner, is a fast growing Internet software consulting company that needs individuals to architect exciting e-business solutions, design Domino infrastructures, assist with detailed network problem analysis, and support our large expanding customer base. We create secure, interactive business solutions for the Internet and corporate intranets. Our company rapidly builds, deploys, and manages applications that help our clients, partners, and customers communicate, collaborate and coordinate critical business activities on-line.

The ideal candidate would have four or more years of proven advanced experience in system administration with Notes and Domino. All candidates need to have a Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited university. Candidate should have good verbal and written communication skills, a good working knowledge of the Internet, information systems, networking issues, and standard protocols. If you are a technical, creative team player, this is the right opportunity for you! Expect an environment where continued learning, innovative consulting, elegant technical solutions, and team camaraderie are experienced daily.

We do not have a VISA sponsorship program at this time. Candidates must possess documents that allow them to work legally in the United States.

First thing's first, if you have lived your whole life in New England, don't rush to apply for this job. Remember, companies are more likely to hire locally or regionally. Secondly, if you only have two years of systems admin experience or most of your time has been spent developing applications, you're probably wasting your time.

Now read the job posting's requirements closely. Most ads have this specifically spelled out. Our goal is to match the position's requirements and responsibilities with your experience, so your resume or cover letter reads very similar to the job posting. Now there's no mistake that you are the perfect fit for the job!

Compare this cover letter to the position above:

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am submitting my resume for the position of Senior Domino System Administrator. I believe you'll find that my 5 years of experience in system administration while working for [name of company], a Fortune 1000 manufacturer and [name of company] a leading consulting company, as well as my Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a minor in Information Technology from State University has prepared me for this opportunity. The position's responsibilities are also of great interest to me.

Much of my time as a Domino Administrator and Systems Engineer has been spent architecting critical e-business solutions for retailers and manufacturers. I also have designed Domino infrastructures for midsize organizations and have been a member of a team that designed the infrastructure for three manufacturing plants. I have a solid experience base with Internet, intranet, and client/server application development. This development experience coupled with a strong "hands on" understanding of networking principles lead me to believe I could be an asset to your firm.

I desire a position in which I regularly interact with my peers; I feel my people skills and industry knowledge will allow me to perform well as a member of your team. I am a permanent resident of the United States with the ability to work for any employer.

My present salary is near the range advertised. I have visited your Web site and researched your company's culture, and I believe I could flourish in such an environment. I am available to interview with your firm on a few days notice and appreciate your time in reviewing my resume.

Regards,
John Q. Public

Do you see how the job advertisement and your credentials have merged to become one? Your experience is so clearly highlighted that a rookie recruiter with a hangover can see that you are perfect for this position. Remember, this same recruiter is getting flooded with resumes; most of them will be filed in the circular bin. Stay out of that dreaded file by closely matching your skills with the job description.
One important point: Don't lie just to match your skills with the position description. You'll eventually get busted, and everyone's time will be wasted. Find a position where you can write a cover letter that intertwines your experience with the job requirements and you may have found the perfect job!

Do the same thing for your resume as you did for your cover letter by changing the summary and objective sections on your resume to match the position description. Again, dissect the job posting and make certain your resume contains all applicable information--and is easily found. Generic resumes are tossed out; use yours to show why you are right for the position by highlighting responsibilities and achievements that mirror the responsibilities and requirements on the job positing. Follow these "insider" tricks of the trade, and you'll stand out from the pack every time.