| When you answer a job ad, you -- along with a lot of | | | | Too many job hunters, failing to understand this |
| other people -- are providing a catalog of your labor | | | | important fact, neglect the cover letter. Even if they |
| qualifications to the shopper, the employer. The | | | | send it, they don't give it enough attention. That's bad |
| employer looks over the sale materials and selects a | | | | for them, but good for the smart job hunter who |
| group of candidates to scrutinize further. If you don't | | | | makes the effort to write a good letter selling the |
| include a well-crafted cover letter with your resume, it's | | | | interview. |
| like publishing a list of computer specifications with no | | | | In a seller's market -- one with many buyers and few |
| ad copy. | | | | sellers -- the sellers can get away with posting a list of |
| No matter what they're buying, hardly anybody does | | | | specifications. But when the competition ramps up -- |
| that, because it doesn't work as well. Cereal | | | | when a lot of sellers are chasing fewer buyers -- as in |
| companies show pictures of healthy people or cartoon | | | | a downturn in the employment market, smart sellers |
| characters on the front and nutritional information in a | | | | learn to focus on the often intangible solutions to the |
| little box on the back. The book dealer tells you what | | | | buyers' problems. |
| you'll learn from the book and who else liked it, and you | | | | They don't just sell coffee; they sell atmosphere. They |
| have to look to find out how big it is, how many pages | | | | don't just sell a book; they sell a way of life. They don't |
| it has or whether it has an index. The online computer | | | | just sell an audio device; they sell a select community |
| distributor tells you the new model lightning fast and will | | | | of true believers. And they don't just sell a college |
| hold all your photos and let you play advanced 3-D | | | | degree; they sell the mental discipline and capacity for |
| games, and you have to click a separate tab to get | | | | learning that a college degree implies. |
| the RAM and speed and ports. | | | | Employers must make more-or-less rational decisions |
| What do these master marketers know that too | | | | in choosing employees, because the bottom line gives |
| many job hunters forget? | | | | concrete feedback on how well they've done. But that |
| People make their initial selection based on benefits | | | | rational decision includes the personal qualities of an |
| and then their final pick based on features. Your | | | | employee that the resume can't capture. Your cover |
| resume, as important as it is, is your list of | | | | letter is your opportunity to showcase your intangible |
| specifications. Your cover letter is your explanation of | | | | benefits to your future employer. |
| the benefits of buying your labor. | | | | Don't sent out your resume without it. |