When you’re hungry for a sandwich you step up to the deli counter and ask for it. If you’re in the market for a new car, you go to a dealership and ask to see the model you’re interested in. And if you spot a book you’d like to buy, you ask the clerk to ring up your purchase.
ASKING is the first key to getting what you want. Asking effectively is the second and most important key. Yet many job hunters forget this essential key when it comes to an interview for the job they’re eager to fill.
4 Little-Known Secrets To Asking For The Job Interview In Your Cover Letter
- GRAB the hiring manager’s attention with a great HEADLINE written in Bold Title Caps just above the greeting in your cover letter. I Am Asking For The Opportunity To Interview For The Position Of [Insert Job Title here}.
- LIST your qualifications in the beginning of your letter.
Your description of the position of sales manager suits me perfectly. I’ve been recognized for all the attributes you mentioned. But I’m also interested in finding out your expectations for the person you hire. I’d be happy to come to your office for an in-person meeting. Meanwhile, following are some of the responsibilities I’ve had over the past three years. (Follow this with bullet points or a numbered list). - STATE a meeting time in your final paragraph.
Can we schedule an interview within the next two weeks? I’m available any afternoon between 1:00 and 5:00. I will arrive prepared and ready to listen and to answer any questions you may have. What works best for you? - COMMUNICATE your enthusiasm at the end of your letter.
I’m eager to meet you in person to discuss my qualifications and to hear what you have to say. [Insert Company Name Here] is at the top of my list of companies I’d like to work for. You can reach me any time on my cell phone: 555-555-5555.
Let go of waiting and hoping. These four secrets when applied strategically will land you more interviews that bring results! Take charge of your career today by asking for (and getting) what you want.
CareerJimmy is the author of the brand new, “Amazing Cover Letter Creator“. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books on Job Search Secrets. Visit our friends at Amazing Cover Letters for your “instant” cover letter today.
Great GREAT Post! I think a lot of people overlook the importance of the cover letter. It really is the FIRST impression you make when applying for a job, so I always recommend that people spend just as much time on it than their resume.
This is probably one of the best pieces of resume advice I’ve seen in a long time. And the more available you are the better …
It might just get you a phone call from an employer who’s dreading the thought of going through the stack of resumes in front of them if they can call you right then instead.
check this out.
Hey, Jimmy, you forgot to proof read your headliner. Interview is not spelled “inverview”!
Hey,Jimmy,
Sorry, I can’t clearness what you say, but, I will aegis you!
Cover letter is like the Brand name and Resume is the content. Both matter while buying any product
I love cover letters as an effective form of communication. I wish more employers would read them.
And next, I’d like to suggest some alterations for the purposes of building on enthusiasm, both on the hiring manager’s part and the jobseeker’s. Here goes:
1. Replace “But” with “And”, i.e., “I’ve been recognized for all the attributes you mentioned. And I’m also interested in finding out your expectations for the person you hire.”
“But” tends to have a negating effect. “And” signifies connecting and building.
2. Give them only one time that you’re available. They are an important person. And so are you. Reading “I’m available any time from 1 to 5 any day” can raise suspicions, why aren’t you like them and their colleagues who brag about working 14-hour days and missing out on their kids’ baseball games? This especially applies if you’re unemployed; in this overworked society, you must paint yourself as someone who is constantly in demand even if you’ve got all the time in the world.
So you can be assertive and courteous, e.g., “I will call you next week to see if we can meet Thursday April 19 at 5PM.” When you call, they can say if that time is good, and if not, potentially suggest another.
3. Although loyalty is pretty much dead from employer to employee and vice versa, you still are expected to be one who takes their current company seriously. The part about “reach me any time on my cell phone” might have them think “if this person comes work for me, they’ll take calls from other employers during my work hours too.” You can simply place your number in the letter’s heading or closing.
Hopefully this isn’t nitpicky, and helps restore the lost art of letter writing, enthusiastically.
P.S. Speaking of “market for a new car”, #2 and #3 here come from the marketing school of why auto dealers use phrases like “limited time only,” “special edition,” etc.