1. Tips for Writing a Successful Cover Letter That Gets You the Interview! Presented By: Geetha Sanmugalingham BSc BHA MSc Stacey He B. Mathematics CPA

2. Tips for Writing a Successful Cover Letter That Gets You the Interview! Agenda i.The basics of writing a good cover letter – key components ii.Dissecting the cover letter iii.Mistakes that gets your cover letter thrown in the trash bin iv.Success Tips on how to write the cover letter that all HR managers want to read v.How to make your cover letter stand out from the crowd

3. Step 1: Before you write a cover letter 1. Prepare a relevant, job-specific resume (CV)- Know yourself. 2. Research the employer/organization/hiring manager-Know the employer.

4. Step 2: Writing your cover letter 1. Your contact information 2. Today’s date 3. Recipient’s contact information Organization’s contact information

6. Cover Letter Candidate Name and contact info Date Organization Name and contact information

7. Step 3: Introductory Paragraph Who are you? Why are you sending this letter?

8. Case Study Part 2

9. Cover Letter Why are you sending this letter? Who are you?

10. Step 4: Body paragraph(s) Why are you a good candidate? Why do you want to work for the employer? Statement sentence: Problem  Action  Results

11. Address as many of the bullet points as you can in succinct sentences

12. Cover Letter What makes you a good candidate?

13. Understand the employers needs by reading the job description in depth.

14. Cover Letter Problem  Action  Results

15. End with a confident statement that addresses the global vision statement.

16. Cover Letter: Looking at it from the employer’s eyes 1.Top of cover letter “irrelevant” details - too much. 2.Using personal email address 3.Assumption – salutation 4.Spelling error – trails vs. trials 5.Submitting the application in Word. Inconsistent format. Use PDF as first choice 6.Sentences – not having “real value”

17. Cover Letter: Avoid These Common Mistakes  Writing the wrong employer name or worse: company name!  Submitting the application in Word. Inconsistent format. Use PDF as first choice  Sending a resume without a cover letter. Even if the job application says “Please attach your resume”  Not addressing the employer by name. Using general salutations: “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Hiring Manager”  Writing a cover letter longer than 1 page – it’s not a life story

18. Cover Letter: Avoid These Common Mistakes 3 Situations When a Great Cover Letter is Even More Critical 1.When you need to include information that should NOT go into the resume – career changes, relocation 2.When you want to reference a network connection - “Our mutual associate John Smith referred me to this role and says he thinks I will make a great fit for the job opening.” 3.When you want to emphasize why you’re interested in the company

19. Cover Letter: Bad Language “I Believe” “I believe I am a good match for the job” vs. “I will be a good match for this job.”

20. Cover Letter Success Points Sell what you are good at Requirement: Strong communication skills Weak Response: I believe I have excellent communications skills through my various roles as the school council president Strong: I have three years of public speaking experience as the school council president Weak Response: “I believe I have the skills to….” Strong: “I offer the following qualifications for your consideration.”

21. Example: “The job necessitates an individual who will manage the constant influx of content and promulgate information on a daily basis; my skill set in this arena will be perfect for this position.” A better choice: “My skills in publicizing important content will allow me to excel in this position.  Remember what a cover letter is for: to sell yourself and for employers to see how well you communicate Using difficult words

22. Spelling Errors “I’m very Detailed- oreinted”

23. Cover Letter Success Points Have a strong opening Weak Opening: “opening with a passive and clichéd statement such as 'Enclosed please find my resume highlighting my experience and skills that would help your company to grow and succeed,” Weak Opening : “I would like to be considered for the role of Project Coordinator.” Weak Opening: “ I am applying for the position listed on the University Website” Better Opening: “Your need for a Project Coordinator to work with steering committees is an excellent match to my experiences in working with program stakeholders. “ Better Opening: “In my 5 years as a lawyer, I handled all phases of litigation from investigation to appeal, assisting at 20 trials and helped the legal team recover more than $30 million in settlements

24.  Does this person have an interest in working for our company? Does he/she want to work for our company?  Why does this person want to work for our company?  Can the candidate communicate well? Will he/she fit into our culture? (Tone of the cover letter)  A good cover letter will move the odds in your favour when we are reading your resume. A bad cover letter could really hurt your chances of getting an interview, EVEN IF your resume was good What Goes On in the Hiring Manager’s Head?

25. Cover Letter: What Employers Want To See  Ask yourself this crucial question: Why am I writing this sentence on the cover letter? What am I trying to convey. Each sentence must be value-adding. Not just a space-filler  Opportunity to explain: gaps in resumes. But don’t get defensive!  Don’t be afraid to show your passion for your field of study and for the company  Being too generic: your cover letter needs to be tailored for the job. A really good way to showcase this is to bold words

26. Cover Letter Success Points Give Examples and Results As Much As Possible Requirement: Exceptional attention to detail Weak Response: I offer exceptional attention to detail, highly developed communication skills, and a talent for managing complex projects with a demonstrated ability to prioritize and multitask. Strong Response: I am extremely detailed-oriented, particularly when it comes to presentation. One of my recent projects involved coordinating a 200-page grant proposal: I proofed and edited the narratives provided by the division head, formatted spreadsheets, and made sure the entire finished product conformed to the specific guidelines of the RFP. (The result? A five-year, $1.5 million grant award.)

27. Cover Letter Success Points Give a Strong Closing Weak Closing: My accomplishments and qualifications are further detailed in the attached resume. I welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the value that I can bring to your organization. Strong closing: In closing, I am thrilled at the possibility of being involved in the organization, and would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the value that I can bring to the organization and the “fill in project.” I appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.

28. Q&A Geetha Sanmugalingham BSc BHA MSc Geetha.Sanmugalingham@alumni.uto ronto.ca Stacey He, B. Mathematics, CPA Stacey.he@investorsgroup.com

29. Comments for Geetha 1. “While I do not have ……this particular experience….” (don’t need that. Counterproductive 2. Convoluted sentences