Job Seekers’ Roundtable for Fri., Dec. 11: The Cover Letter

This Friday (12/11): The Customized Cover Letter
1-2:30 p.m. in Workforce Education (FOSS, 5000 bldg.)

The dreaded cover letter: As if building a carefully worded and detailed resume alone isn’t time consuming and tedious enough, additionally we’re forced to address in a short narrative the reasons why we believe we’re perfect for the position. And even if the process doesn’t require a cover letter, we should try to include one nonetheless.

I’ve seen plenty of letters that seem like they were lifted right off the Internet and don’t address very well the requirements to whatever job position the candidate is applying.  Responding to an ad? Before whisking off our resume and letter, we need to make sure we’ve studied the ad to determine how our qualifications match the employer’s requirements. Armed with this information, you can craft a cover letter that positions you as the ideal candidate. 

There’s a great method afloat and I’ll show you what it’s about!

We’ll go through a near perfect example of a customized cover letter and discover what those who are selected for interviews are doing, what they aren’t, and why. Bring your letter on a thumb drive, or email it to me (rcarnell@shoreline.edu), and we’ll project a few and go through them.

Also: Please take a couple hours to join us on Friday, December 18 – it’s a Holiday Treats Potluck and Social! I know there are a few connoisseurs of goodie-baking (or just procuring) on these lists, so I’m expecting some holiday sugary greatness. 

Got a good job hunting story from this year? Share it at the party! J  

And as always – Good Luck Out There!

December 10th, 2015 by