I F****** HATE COVER LETTERS!!!! (Help!)

[illdoitlater]

Why is it that when you write one it always sucks?:cry: I try to go against the grain by writing creative letters or being honest by being interpersonal, Either way, they always end up too long and I worry that they're too creative or not generic enough. :torn: There's no such thing as a perfect cover letter, but I fear that these employers want something generic like, "I believe I can offer your company the support it needs due to my five years of administrative experience." Ugh! How robotic.:mad: Any advice?:question: And believe me, I've just about exhausted the 'net for samples and the're all the same as well as contradictory to ther advice they give.:mad:

[illdoitlater]

I just realized someone already wrote a similar post a while ago...

[Skyblade]

I feel like there's ways of writing cover letters that allow you to be creative but also allow you to get your point across in a concise, professional manner. After all, you are writing it, personalize it ...brag about your accomplishments and how they can help you succeed in the potential position you are applying for.

[E11e]

I think they always seem robotic for the person who writes them. But then again, resumes are kind of robotic too if you think about it, pretty standard formats. The key for a cover letter is to plainly state all the conclusions that you want the reader to come to when they look at your resume. Don't make them think and piece together your skills and what you'd be good at. TELL them. Don't just say "I have done this and I have done that," make the connection to how your experiences relate to the position and company. This also helps to make you look very interested in the company since you had to research what they do etc.

It always feels really egotistical for me when I write cover letters. But you just have to tell yourself that you don't have anything to lose!! Put yourself out there, sell your business self as if you were a new car.

Also, I've gotten the advice to end the letter on a positive note. End with something you are looking forward to. Like, I'm looking forward to this opportunity, or I'm looking forward to hearing from you. I'll have to dig out my cover letters and see if there is anything else interesting I can remember!

Good luck!

[Skyblade]

Another way I always end my cover letters is by indicating when I will contact them if they don't contact me first. Saying something like "I will contact you Thursday afternoon to discuss my qualifications." That way they can expect your phone call.

[PoBoy321]

I think that with a lot of jobs that you're applying for, concise writing is going to be an incredibly important part of the job, so if you're able to write a cover letter which is as precise as possible, even if it's boring, will showcase that better than something more verbose.

[dave134]

I just use a template and replace the position title and company name. I don't know who would bother reading a cover letter anyways. I don't think it has helped or hurt me thus far, but I can't be sure.

[FrankDest!]

I work at a company that hires a lot of recent college graduates (out of 180 employees, 2/3 are under the age of 30), and we're growing quickly. I asked our head recruiter about cover letters, and he said "I actually don't usually read them. They all sound alike. If there isn't one, that doesn't look good, but I skip right to the resume."

Take it with a grain of salt, but basically, try not to stress about cover letters.