Picture by:Stephen Poff
What does a cover letter mean? Why should I write a cover letter? When should it be written? How? Who should write my cover letter? Where can I find sample cover letters?
I think that anybody who sought a job has asked himself these questions. I cannot answer the first and the second ones. Maybe you could ask the companies hiring us, the employment bureau experts that release the job ads, the human resource specialists. If you are reading these lines you already know the answer to the third question. Concerning the last questions – you can find the answers written below. They may not be exactly the right ones for you, the most competent, but at least they’re frank. Coming from my heart.
I hope that you find two minutes to read my opinion.
How is a cover letter written?
I’ve been searching for the right answer of this question in the summer of 2008, but I wasn’t able to find a universal know-how. Maybe I’ve read hundreds of sites for tips, help, directions, etc. I bought the bestsellers on the subject from Amazon.com.
I paid for some amazing and killing programs on writing cover letters and resumes. The money spent, the sleepless nights in front of the computer did not give me a definite answer.
There will always exist people that are overweight who filled with hope will buy the next slimming product. Therefore there will be advices, methods, books and courses for writing resumes and cover letters.
If today somebody asks me how I wrote my cover letter, I’ll answer only in one sentence: “I listened to my heart!” It’s just that after so much information, I’ve been collecting, the words came out on the blank sheet by themselves. Try it out! You are surely stuck with so many facts, examples and advices like I am! Give yourself some rest for a few days! Don’t think about it! Enjoy life however hard it may be! And then grab the pen. You won’t understand how fast you’ll fill the white sheet!
Who should write a cover letter?
I also thought of using the services of a professional resume writer. A day before I pay for the service I watched a film – “The Secret”. It made me stop for a while and think.
“I am 26 years old. If I am appointed for the position I applied for, I’ll receive 80 thousand a year. Let’s assume that I work on the same position 25 years later(example). This makes two million. Why should my future depend on somebody else?”
“If I pay for the writing of a resume and cover letter, does that guarantee me an interview?”
These two questions pushed me in another direction. I took up with the composition of a cover letter and a resume.
Where can I find sample cover letters?
As I’ve already written here, this was the most difficult task. I didn’t want to see just ordinary cover letters. I wanted to read true, real ones. Written from people, who have got to an interview.
I still can’t give a definite answer to this question. The idea of this blog is to publish cover letters, written from us. The ones that sought and found a job! I hope that my dream comes true as time flows.
My two minutes have passed. Finally I’d like to ask you for one more thing. If you like the blog content or if you don’t – write to me! You’d like other people to see how you’ve written your cover letter – send it to me and I’ll publish it! Or you’ve added a link to my site? – at least let me thank you!
Use the contact form to send me a message or directly this email:
suggestions[at]realcoverletter.com
“Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”
Albert Camus