ShareThisCover letters should expand upon -- not merely recap -- your resume. Delve further into the skills and attributes that make you the ideal person for the job and offer a prospective employer concrete examples of how you'll benefit the organization. The following candidate said very little despite his wordplay:COVER LETTER: "I am presently fishing around for a new position to anchor my craft. While trolling through 'the Net,' I caught your job listing. With much enthusiasm, I am dropping you this note and pondering how I might catch your attention long enough to lure you into an interview."We're not hooked yet.After several more sentences full of fishy language, he offered this conclusion:"Please forgive this catchy cover letter. Though I may appear to creatively drift out to sea on occasion, I am harbored in goals and experienced at uniquely handling the big fish."When it comes to this candidate, all we can say is "Holy mackerel!"This next applicant didn't stay on point either:COVER LETTER: "World travel is magnificent, challenging, adventurous, even dangerous on occasion. If it was interesting enough for Sir Walter Raleigh and Vasco da Gama, it's interesting enough for me."His favorite holiday: Columbus Day.This job seeker failed to proofread, which is ironic considering her message:COVER LETTER: "I am contacting you reguarding my writing. I have some greats work that has not been published."We can't imagine why.In addition to checking for typos and grammatical errors, review your cover letter for clarity. Does every sentence make sense? Is your meaning clear, or could your statements be read in more than one way? For instance, is this job hunter truly miserable or just trying to be funny?COVER LETTER: "I now write celebrity news. My soul hurts sometimes."Sounds like a case of tabloid trauma.For more Resumania, and to submit samples you've come across, visit www.resumania.com. Keep the Resumania coming. Examples can be sent to Resumania, in care of Robert Half International, 2884 Sand Hill Road, Suite 200, Menlo Park, Calif., 94025, or faxed to 650-234-6998.Max Messmer is chairman and CEO of Robert Half International, a specialized staffing firm.????????1
Don't go fishing with cover letters
Submitted by SHNS on Tue, 09/30/2008 - 18:50
Paying taxes unites us. It also divides us. People can pay five and even six times more in state and local taxes than other folks in similar circumstances making similar incomes.
Who's got your number?
In one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft, crooks are stealing tax refunds by swiping personal information and using it to trick the Internal Revenue Service.
