2016 Cover Letter Tips -

2016 Cover Letter Tips -2016 Cover Letter TipsYou can listen to this article insteadIn May Microsoft published an interesting study detailing research on the changes in ur attention spans over the last several years. From 2000 to 2013 our attention spans dropped from 12 seconds to a mere eight seconds. We now have an attention span one second shorter than that of a goldfish. Let that sink in for a minute Which makes me wonder What effect does dwindling attention span have on our job searchesand our cover letters? It means the cover letter as we know it is dead.HOW WE WRITE COVER LETTERS NOW Super text-dense, making up one full pagesometimes morein content. A long-winded introduction that doesnt add value to the candidate but merely states where you heard about the stelle and why you may be interested. A lengthy body of text consisting of 2-3 paragraphsthat typically either repeats points in the resume or tries to make a connection between experience and the position to which youre applying. A long closing paragraphwhich may or may not include a follow-up method or contact information. Some people get carried away and delve into a long career narrative or life story.HOW WE NEED TO WRITE COVER LETTERS Also referred to as an E-Note, Power Note, or Value aussage Letter.2016 Cover Letter Tip 1 Keep It Short Before You Lose ThemOur shortened attention spans are the result of the digital ageit has changed the way we consume information our brains are changing, and its affecting more than just how we use our mobile devices or consume content online. Its changing how we conduct our job searches, requiring that we state only the most critical informationin the most concise way.For those who arent professional writers, have a hard time writing about themselves, or find it hard to spare the details, it is creating a real challenge. So what do you do? First forget the cover letter as you know it. Its a part of the pastand were moving on to better strategies for job sear ching.2016 Cover Letter Tip 2 Mobile Devices Rule the DayE-notes, power notes, or value aussage letters (the new cover letters) have to meet the demand of an increasingly mobile device-dependent audience. Mobile device content consumption and e-mails have seen massive increases over a short time some research indicates increases of 80%, while others have tracked a 123% surge in usage. Meaning employers are reading your e-mails and opening your resumes on their mobile phones. An e-notewhich is the content in the e-mail that your resume is attached toshould be brief and fit on a single screen without having to scroll. Please dont expect to write a concise e-note with your first draftnot even the best professional writers in the world nail it the first time. We are masters at editing. Go through and write your first draftthen go back and edit. Strive to use fewer than 150 words so the entire text will be optimized to fit on a mobile screen without scrolling.2016 Cover Letter Tip 3 Crea te SpaceIncorporate plenty of white space when you write your e-note. Using white space in your e-note breaks up content into digestible pieces. Consider Twitter and the impact that it has had on our entire generation. Were required to say it in 140 characters or fewer. Twitter had the foresight to recognize that their audiences attention span was shortand they didnt want to lose it. Not only is your audiences attention span shorter than it used to be, but hiring managers are just plain pressed for time. Make Twitters 140-character limit your guide and endeavor to create tweet-sized sentences in your cover letters.2016 Cover Letter Tip 4 Ask and State to Engage and FascinateI teach job seekers to write a Value Proposition Letterthat always departures with an interesting question or fascinating fact. For example, my value proposition letter might start out by askingAre you a hectic CIO with no time to write your resume?Or it might sayAre you a time-pressed executive being recruited f or a dream role that requires a resume yesterday?landsee how Im speaking to my audience? Busy CIOs and time-pressed executiveswhile also recognizing and acknowledging their dicke bretter bohren mssen. They need a resume NOWand they dont have the time to do it themselves.Start your e-note, power note, or value proposition in the same way. Talk to your audience ask a question or state an engaging fact that points to their biggest need. You always want to speak to the need.2016 Cover Letter Tip 5 The Solution to the ProblemHave their attention? Great. Now show them you have the solution to their problem YOUUse 3 short bullets with provable resultsMy clients enjoy results like behauptung In 2 weeks or less my clients are going on several interviews. Resume response rates increase immediately by 75%. 80% are employed in 2 months or less, crushing the average job search time by more than 50%.Then tie the need and the solutionYOUinto your brand and what you do I work with busy C-level exec utives on tight deadlines to create interview-winning resumes within 3-5 business days.You can change the wording to accommodate your audience, the results, the problems, the space you have, or any number of other factors. Whats great is that its completely customizable.2016 Cover Letter Tip 6 A Formula to FollowUse the following point to keep your e-note creation easy. You wont have to start from scratch every time you write a new one, and writing will be easier and faster.Remember to keep each point shortEngage or fascinateTarget the needYou are the solutionProve itMoney Employers want to know how you made it, saved it, or contributed to itBrand Make the connectionClose with a call to actionEdit 150 words or fewer2016 Cover Letter Tip 7 Call to ActionWhen I write value proposition letters for my clients I end with a call to action. Mine might sayReady for results like these? Lets chatYours could sayWant to learn more? Visit my website http//www.greatresumesfast.comOrInterested? Lets talk Call me at 1.800.991.5187Customize your call to action in any way you want. Get them to take actionwhether that action is to call you, e-mail, view your LinkedIn profile, or visit your online resume. Dont let them stop after reading your e-note you want them to be so compelled by the solution you provide that they just have to act.Keep these tips in mind as you write your next cover letter, and youll be miles ahead of your competitors.Having a hard time writing your own cover letter? Lets chat Visit my website at http//www.greatresumesfast.com, call my office at 1.800.991.5187 or connect with me on LinkedIn to discuss how I help busy job seekers create interview-winning cover letters, resumes, and LinkedIn profiles that cut their job search time by 50% or more and secure interviews in 2 weeks or less.WANT MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS? Check outINFOGRAPHIC What Employers See When You Apply on LinkedIn