It’s wonderfully human…we all have our self-indulgent, downright selfish little moments. Relaxing in a steamy bubble bath, candles glowing, sipping wine, jazz playing, nothing in the world but you and happiness. Or kicking back, feet up in front of your favorite movie, freely popping a 2lb. box of Sees Candy in your mouth, grinning, with the phones shut off (I kind of like that one!).
It’s no crime, right? We work our butts off. And after slaving away all week, we certainly deserve our sweet, selfish little moments.
But when you’re creating your resume cover letter, it’s best to reach deep inside yourself and turn off this selfish mode. Completely.
When drafting your resume cover letter, one of the biggest mistakes you want to avoid is focusing too much on yourself. How far you want to move up in the company and the salary you’re after isn’t what the employer cares about. I think it’s safe to say, employers care most about one thing: exactly how you can benefit their company.
So here’s a great idea: before writing your resume cover letter, do some research on the company you want to work for. Yeah I know, it’s extra work, but believe me, it’s worth it. Find out what the latest happenings are. What particular challenges they might be facing. An exciting product they might have just developed. With our technological blessing we all know as the Internet, we can find information on just about any company these days.
The best way to find information is to take a trip to the company’s website. If you don’t have their web address, do a Google search–something is sure to pop up. When you find the website, read every single page, from start to finish. Read over the “About Us” section, recent press releases, their company philosophy, and the products/services they’re currently offering.
Now don’t grit your teeth if you can’t find the company’s website. There are other sites you can check out that specialize in helping you find information about a specific company. Two of these sites are Vault.com and WetFeet.com.
Mention something interesting you’ve learned about their company in your resume cover letter. Doing this will show that you have a genuine interest in their organization, and a strong drive to work for them. Why? Because you took valuable time and effort to learn about their company.
Here’s a paragraph from a resume cover letter that concentrates on the company’s needs (this person applied for a position as a copywriter with a marketing firm):
I’ve heard that you’re looking for a copywriter with great research skills and the ability to create persuasive sales copy. I have over 5 years experience
doing this, and would love to share a few ideas I have for your new ‘Healthy Diets’ ad campaign.
Focusing on what a company wants and showing them what you can bring to the table can add tons of value to your resume cover letter. It also helps you to greatly stand out as one of their worthy applicants.
And when you’re ultimately hired for the position you want, feel free to celebrate with your own creatively selfish little moment. You deserve it!