Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?: A Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job (17 page)

Q. What if the ad says “no cover letter”?

A.
If the ad says no cover letter, don’t send one. But prepare one anyway, and make it your business to find someone, anyone, who works at that company and can put your résumé—with a cover letter—directly into the hands of the person doing the hiring.

The cover letter is not to be taken lightly—especially after you’ve worked so hard on your résumé. The cover letter can—and should—do things your résumé can’t. It covers your résumé, both literally and figuratively. It’s the first impression an employer or Human Resources (HR) manager has of you, or the way to convey who recommended that
you apply—the information that can make the difference between your application being read or dead. This is not information found on your résumé; if your cover letter simply rehashes your experience, you need to go back to the drawing board.

You’ve probably heard that your résumé is what gets your foot in the door. But a résumé without a cover letter is barefoot. Who walks around barefoot in an office? (Actually, my boss used to pad around in his socks. But he was the boss.) Don’t go barefoot.

First, the cover letter needs to explain why you’re sending your résumé. Which job or internship are you applying for? Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the job you’re applying for is the only position an employer has open. Did someone tell you to send it? If so, the most important piece of information you can include is that person’s name. (More on that later.) Are you answering an ad for a specific job posting, or hoping to secure an informational interview? Did you hear from a friend that there was an opening? Have you identified this company as somewhere you want to work and are hoping there’s a job open?

The next crucial piece of information: Who are you? Are you someone who just graduated from college? Who interned at the company several years ago and now wants a full-time job? Who just spent a year working in a related industry? Who has many years of experience in the field? Let the reader know up front. Don’t bury your lead!

Organize your information in order of importance. Don’t follow a paragraph about what you did in college with one about a job you had in the industry—that’s the more important experience, even if you’ve just graduated. Don’t be a slave to chronology. Yes, perhaps getting your degree is the most recent thing you’ve done—but that doesn’t mean it’s the most significant to the employer. He may only be looking at candidates with college degrees—which means that if you have relevant industry experience from an internship or part-time or summer job, he will be intrigued.

Next: Why should the company be interested in you? In the “Ask Not” tradition, ask not what the employer can do for you, but what you can do for the employer. The employer doesn’t care whether or not this is your dream job—he’s looking for a dream employee.

Keep in mind that the cover letter is a brief introduction to who you are, not your chance to tell the story of your life. No one has time to read your autobiography. I remember reading one cover letter that was essentially a two-page personal statement with a Hemingway quote at the bottom.
Unprofessional and a big turnoff. (On the other hand, don’t go to the other extreme with a cursory “See enclosed.”)

The structure is simple: All you’ll need is an introduction, one to three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Last, the cover letter should contain clear contact info and a suggestion for the next course of action. Your contact info will appear on the top of your résumé, of course, but an employer may also glance at the last paragraph of your cover letter to see what your plan is. Will you call to follow up? Are you an out-of-town applicant who’ll be coming in at the beginning of the month? Will you wait to hear back?

Don’t take the risk of appearing presumptuous by using the addressee’s first name only. Address your letter using both first and last names, i.e., “Dear Sally Williams.” Make sure you have spelled the addressee’s name correctly and gotten the title right (Mr. versus Dr., for example) by checking the company’s website and calling the receptionist. (Tell him that you are calling to check the spelling of so-and-so’s name; it’s a common request that won’t come as a surprise.) Why bother to call when the information is available online? Because the Web is notoriously full of typos, errors, and out-of-date information. Do not mix title and full name. Write either “Dear Sally Williams” if the full name is given or “Dear Ms. Williams” if not, but not “Dear Ms. Sally Williams. (When you’re writing thank-you notes or any correspondence after a call or interview, you may use first names as appropriate, especially if you were encouraged to do so during the meeting.)

Q. I don’t know anyone where I’m applying. May I address my cover letter “To Whom This May Concern”?

A.
Others may tell you differently, but I think you absolutely need to find someone to whom to address your letter. I’m guessing you know someone—you just don’t know it. I’ll bet your mother’s cousin’s daughter’s boyfriend works for that company—or in the industry—and can find you a name. But you’ve got to spend time doing research. Once you come up with someone at the company—in any department—get in touch, introduce yourself, and find out to whom you might send your résumé. Look back at
chapter 2
for more on networking.

If you’ve truly exhausted every resource and can’t find a name, then you must rely on whatever information you do have: Dear Human Resource Department. Dear Sir or Madam. To: The Smith Corporation Re: Analyst Position. Being accurate will help to ensure that your cover letter and résumé end up in the right hands. Please don’t use terms like “Dear Associates” or “Dear Colleagues.” I’ve seen it done, and it’s a big no-no. They’re not your colleagues yet!

Good cover letters start with a hook, like the lead of any good news story. “Dear Crocodile Dundee: I’ve just returned from a semester in the Amazon and was thrilled to see you’re hiring tour guides.” A caveat: Though you want to grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning of your letter, you need to be professional. (That’s why the best way to get someone’s attention is by using a name he’ll recognize.) Throughout your letter you need to reveal as much voice and personality as you can while maintaining a professional and confident tone. In their quest for immediate attention, people sometimes go very, very wrong in their openings.

“Look no further!” (Gimmicky, juvenile.)

“How are you?” (Fawning, ridiculous. This is not a letter to a friend.)

Something written in a bubble on the top of the page as if it’s a cartoon.

Yes, these are all from real cover letters. See box, opposite, and page 85 for more examples of tragic cover-letter diction.

You want the reader to want to meet you, but remember, this is not a social encounter; the employer has a job he needs to get done. Even when e-mailing, make sure to use a proper greeting. No “Hey” or “Hi.” You are not writing a casual e-mail to a friend. Make sure to use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation; no IM language or abbreviations, emoticons, or text-message spelling or shorthand.

Q. My father’s friend recommended I use his name when applying to a company where he has a personal connection. I’ve met him only once. Isn’t it stretching it for me to mention him?

A.
A recognizable proper name in the opening of a cover letter is a real attention-grabber, and there’s no shame in using a contact, no matter how
distant—so long as you’ve been given permission to use it. Just make sure you explain the connection clearly and honestly: “When I met John McBride at a family wedding last week, he suggested …” Don’t imply that you know someone better than you do.

TERRIBLE OPENINGS …