| You just graduated from school, and you have all the | | | | In short, a generic cover letter can make you appear |
| enthusiasm, credentials, and clout to back you up. | | | | like a generic employee: all format and person, but no |
| You're ready to take on the task of job seeking, and | | | | personality. What company would like to have an |
| joining the thousands of other graduates in the rat | | | | employee like that? What you need is a personalized |
| race. You have your transcript of records with your | | | | cover letter, with all the elements of a good cover |
| perfect grades, your recommendation letters from | | | | letter that your prospective employer will read through |
| your very encouraging former professors, and a | | | | and appreciate. |
| resume detailing both school and extracurricular work. | | | | What are the main mistakes made by generic cover |
| All you need to do is write a cover letter, which is | | | | letters? Many of them begin with a non-specific |
| easy. | | | | address, such as "Dear Sir," or "Dear Miss," or the |
| Think again: your cover letter has to cover all your | | | | even more horrendous, "To whom it may concern." |
| credentials and make you appear like a star. You | | | | Such a cover letter can make you appear careless, |
| might choose to look online for a generic cover letter, | | | | and can show that you know nothing about the |
| or search through writing and journalism books for the | | | | company. If you do not take the time to learn more |
| perfect letter template for your job application. This | | | | about a company, how can you be more resourceful |
| may make the job easier for you, but if you succumb | | | | in the future when your real job will demand it? If you |
| to the temptations of a generic cover letter, your | | | | do not take care to make a simple cover letter, how |
| transcript, recommendation letters, and resume will be | | | | can you be more creative and careful in the future |
| useless. | | | | when your real job requires you to do even more |
| A cover letter is more than just a summary of things | | | | demanding tasks? |
| that you have enclosed for your prospective employer | | | | Many generic cover letters are flat because they |
| to read and browse through. A cover letter will show | | | | expect their reader to go through any attached |
| your personality, your ability to sell yourself, and even | | | | material, and then make a decision based on the |
| your ability to apply the things you learned in school. In | | | | material. What a real cover letter should do is to |
| other words, a cover letter will do what a transcript, | | | | anticipate a good outcome; if you are writing a cover |
| recommendation letters, and resume cannot. | | | | letter, say that you can be interviewed, and give all |
| Many young graduates or naïve job applicants | | | | your contact information. Anticipate the interview and a |
| often resort to the generic cover letter for their needs. | | | | positive response from the prospective employer - |
| This generic letter, with its non-descript address, boring | | | | and sign your name personally at the bottom. |
| tone, and often flat body, will bore your prospective | | | | The key to making a good cover letter is to not only |
| employers and earn your application a place in the | | | | look professional, but to be personal, show personality, |
| trash pile. This can be all the more problematic if you | | | | and stand out. Don't be naïve, and don't be misled |
| consider how many people are vying for the same | | | | by the seeming ease that comes with using a generic |
| place as yours: your resume needs to stand out from | | | | cover letter. Write a cover letter on your own and be |
| the rest of the crowd, and to show that you are | | | | your enthusiastic but tactful self - and you can get the |
| unique. | | | | job that you want. |