Cover Letter Tips For The Canadian Job Market

As someone who is looking to enter the Canadian job market, it's difficult to know exactly what to put in a cover letter, so here are some tips to help you with this task.

Don't let this happen to you!

Even though you may be highly qualified and suited for an advertised job, you may be overlooked for those job opportunities, if you fail to adhere to some basic guidelines for cover letters.

The tips to help you with cover letters are outlined below in point form, as cover letter do's and don'ts, to make it easier to cross-check them with your letter, as you prepare it.

Cover Letter Don'ts

• Do Not rewrite your resume in your cover letter.
• Do Not state your previous salary or current salary expectations.
• Do Not explain your job objectives. List how your job accomplishments can help the company achieve its objective. It's not about what you want.
• Do Not write about your personality traits or 'blow your own trumpet'.
• Do Not include your personal information such as your date of birth, marital status, your religion, your health condition, or your country of origin.

Cover Letter Tips - Do's

Here are some Cover Letter Do's to assist you in creating a powerful cover letter.

Your cover letter serves as a brief introduction to your resume.

Its objective is to get decision makers to want to read your resume. It addresses the reasons why you think you should get the job interview.

Therefore it should be brief, interesting, and so well written that the employer would want to read your resume.

Note: To an employer, first impressions are very important and plays a major role in the hiring decision.

So having a well-written cover letter and a well-prepared resume can mean the difference between getting the interview and getting declined.

So, make a good first impression with yours!

Cover Letter Do's

• Do - keep your cover letter concise. It should be short and to the point. One page is the maximum length. Any longer, and you run the risk of both your letter and resume not getting read.
• Do - use correct grammar and spelling. Use your computer's spell-check or a dictionary. An unusually high number of cover letters and resumes are rejected because of bad spelling and/or poor grammar.
• Do - address your cover letter to the Human Resources Manager by name whenever possible. Research the company's website or telephone the company to ask for his or her name and full official title.
• Do - follow, at all times, the correct format and etiquette of a business letter. Include the company's name and address in your letter.
• Do - match your letter to the job advertisement, using the same descriptive words or phrases to describe your experience as those used in advertisement.
• Do - highlight one or two of your job accomplishments that directly relate to the job advertisement. Avoid repeating those that are already on your resume
• Do - follow up with an e-mail or phone call.

So don't leave your job search to chance... Impress potential employers with your outstanding cover letter.

By using these Cover Letter do's and don'ts you can greatly improve your success at getting the job interview, and the job.

Take care in your job search, and keep these cover letter tips in mind when drafting your letters!