A client recently wrote me that she was struggling with drafting a general closing for her cover letters. “I look forward to hearing from you” felt a bit presumptuous, and “When would be a good time to discuss the position?” a bit too pushy. “Thank you for your consideration” is nice, but too passive. She…
Category Archives: Cover Letters
30 Verbs for Sales Professionals
My last list of verbs was centered on executives. As promised, this time around I’ve collected 30 verbs targeted for sales and sales management professionals. Consider how using these verbs in a resume update or a social media profile could enhance the keyword searches that your resume or social media profiles are subject to during…
Write tight for smart phones
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but I recently read in website magazine that analysts are predicting that smart phones will go mainstream in the U.S. this year. Website magazine reported that market research firm Asymco predicts that 50% of the U.S. population will be using smart phones by the end of this year, an increase from 30%…
The scoop on cover letters
First of all… yes, that means you need to write one! Every so often cover letters become a hot topic of discussion, and this past week was no different. Everywhere I turned I was reading about the merits of cover letters – first, in articles such as this one by Eli Amdur and more recently, an eList conversation among…
4 tips for emailing cover letters
It’s become so common to email a cover letter and resume submission, but are you formatting it the right way? This is one of my most commonly asked questions among clients. Here are four details to consider when emailing your next cover letter: Remember the letter is being read on-screen – or nowadays, quite possibly on a Blackberry screen –…
Enter to win a free cover letter book & resume assessment
To celebrate five years in business, we’re raffling off one copy of Cover Letters for Dummies (3rd edition) by Joyce Lain Kennedy and a one-page resume assessment (total retail value of $61.99). To enter, please email your full name, address, and telephone number to contest@SterlingCareerConcepts.com. One entry per person, please. The drawing will be held April 15, 2009 at…
Cover letter secret #4: Stand-out formatting
Okay, so I said the third tip would be my last, but I have one more bonus tip to share with you when writing cover letters. We discussed earlier how the letter should be laid out—three paragraphs: intro, strengths, next steps. One of the easiest and most effective ways to avoid a full page of…
Cover letter secret #3: Unified look
My third and final suggestion is a very easy way to add a professional edge to all your career documents. Take your résumé and do a ‘save as’ of the document. Delete the body of your résumé, but leave your header up top (name, address, phone, email, etc.) to create a letterhead. (A bonus tip:…
Cover letter secret #2: Write hiring managers
It’s a much better use of your time and effort to have a hiring manager reviewing your résumé rather than a recruiter or human resources assistant. Mailing a letter directly to the hiring manager is smart for several reasons. First, they receive fewer résumés and may take more time in reviewing your credentials. Next, if…
-
As a career strategist and Certified Professional Resume Writer, Laurie successfully works with clients on projects related to resume development, career change and transition, job search strategy, interview coaching, and salary negotiation.
Through her love of words and expert ability to craft documents that capture clients’ strengths and highlight their unique value to potential employers, Laurie creates powerfully effective career documents by working with clients one on one to define their professional brand and core strengths.Email:Laurie@SterlingCareerConcepts.com
Phone: (201) 573-8282 -
-
-
-
Laurie's work, including resumes, cover letters, and job search advice, has been included in the following career books:
