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OAKVILLE BEAVER, Wednesday, February 21, 2007 19 Developing a Great Cover Letter Sharon Graham, CPRW Principal Consultant, Graham Management Group Executive Director, Career Professionals of Canada A cover letter is an introduction, a sales pitch and a proposal for further action all in one. Your cover letter demonstrates to your prospective employer, that you can organize your thoughts, and express yourself clearly and appropriately. It reveals clues to your personality and your level of professionalism. A well-written cover letter persuades the reader to pay special attention to your resume. Here are some rules of cover letter writing: 1. Personalize your cover letter whenever possible. Your cover letter should be addressed to a specific person whenever that information is available. "To whom it may concern" form letters are likely to indicate that the writer is indiscriminately sending their resume to everyone. 2. Customize your cover letter to suit the industry, company, and position that you are applying for. Make sure to tell the reader that you are interested in this specific position and explain why. Highlight the aspects of your background that will be most relevant to the company. 3. Convey focused career goals. Even if you would be willing to take any job they would offer you, don't say so. 4. Be original. Give your prospective employer a taste of what is to come, not by simply summarizing the résumé. Make sure that you back up your claims with unique examples. 5. Do not say anything negative about your employment situation or your life in general. This is not the place to explain why you left or are leaving an employer. Negatives are best delivered in person so that your personality and humanity can counter them. 6. Cut to the chase. A cover letter is not an autobiography. It should be short and sweet, brief and to the point. It should demonstrate that you meet or exceed the requirements listed in the job description and that you are interested in the position. Any superfluous information will limit the chances of having all your marketing material read. 7. Your cover letter should be easy to scan. It should have a logical progression. Bunched up text and long paragraphs frustrate recruiters, who have to review many cover letters and resumes on an ongoing basis. 8. Talk more about what you can do for the prospective employer than about what they can do for you. Most employers hire people because they need to accomplish a task. Your cover letter should be centered on their needs, not your wants. Keep "I" and "me" to a minimum. 9. Avoid providing a salary history. This kind of information is more likely to cost you a job than not. If the job ad says that resumes without a salary history will not be considered, give a historical salary range and state that your salary requirements are flexible. 10. Check and recheck your cover letter for typos and other errors. Make sure to get other people's opinions of your letter before you send it. Keep copies of your cover letters easily accessible. Log how and when your letters were sent so that you can follow up on them and retrieve them when your prospective employer calls. It goes without saying that you must have an outstanding cover letter. If you need assistance in developing a stellar cover letter, take advantage of the services of a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. By paying meticulous attention to your letter, you will stand out and make a strong first impression, which will ultimately lead to a job offer! CAREER EVENT NOW HIRING: Sales Associates, Sales Experts, Garden/Horticulture Associates, Cashiers, Overnight Receiving, Department Supervisors and more BENEFITS: · NEW! Health & Dental Benefits (FT & PT) · Tuition Reimbursement · Deferred Profit Sharing Plan (DPSP) · Bonus Opportunities · Competitive Wages · Flexible Hours · A Career with Growth Opportunity Diamond Municipal Solutions, with offices in Paris ON, Edmonton AB, and Fargo ND, is a Microsoft Business Solutions partner and leader in Municipal and Utility Billing accounting application software with tight integration to Great Plains products. We are seeking individuals to fill the following positions: Diamond Municipal Solutions, a Microsoft Business Solutions partner, is a leader in municipal and utility accounting application software. Our open and highly flexible series of financial applications deliver on-demand access to information throughout the organization. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE? Are you looking for a job that rewards hard work, above average wages, benefits, & have incentive programs? Then we have positions for you! We are currently looking for: Career Fair Visit the Burlington Home Depot Friday March 2 ­ 2 pm to 8 pm Ready to join Canada's #1 Home Improvement Retailer? Apply in person at any store location or online today. Diamond Municipal Solutions specializes in the development, implementation and support of municipal and utility accounting Technical Consultant systems standardized on Microsoft technologies. We proBusiness/Application Consultant vide flexible, efficient, and costeffective solutions for municipaliSoftware Developer ties including property taxation, Support Analyst utility billing, job costing, payroll and general accounting functions. Research and Development Manager At the heart of our product suite is Great Plains. Driven by Windows, Product and Business Analyst Microsoft SQL, C++ and C#, Great Plains is the leading busiVisit our website NOW for more ness management software, delivdetails. Don't miss out on the ering unparalleled access to deciopportunity to be part of a great sion-driving information. ASSISTANT MANGERS with possibility of advancement. Bonus & incentive programs, health benefits & paid training Also looking for: F/T Counter Staff for all shifts P/T 5am-10am Monday-Fridays Please apply to: 5051 Harvester Rd., Tel: 905-681-1841 Fax: 905-681-3823 homedepot.ca We are commited to diversity as an equal opportunity employer. Available positions may vary by store. team of talented individuals! www.diamondmunicipal.com Diamond Municipal Solutions is a member of the Star Municipal Group. ACCOUNTING MANAGER Our passion is to be "The World Leader for Infrastructural Coatings". We create and market high performance protective coatings that protect and preserve the infrastructure upon which modern society depends. Our coatings are so effective that they can literally double or triple the life expectancy of the structures they protect. Canadian owned and operated, we compete on the world stage with great success. Madison's new Accounting Manager will join our team of results-oriented, motivated professionals. The incumbent will have 3 direct reports and be responsible for the general accounting, costing and inventory report accuracy, payroll (Canadian and US), receivables, payables and switchboard. This position will also assist with year end audit, annual budgets and special projects as required. We require a professional accounting designation or an individual who is within the final level of the designation coupled with 5-10 years hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment. Experience with Great Plains would be considered an asset. The successful candidate will be outgoing, internally motivated and ready to assume a broad, varied role in a small dynamic company. Success in this position will be dictated by the ability of the candidate to consistently deliver high quality results while managing multiple tasks and mentoring and developing the members of the team. If you are passionate about advancing your career with an industry leader, please forward your resume to: Exciting Sales and Marketing Opportunity in Retail Point of Sale DigiPoS Systems Inc. a fast growing, Burlington based company, is looking for a highly motivated, professional, sales support team member. DigiPoS is a high technology store solutions provider. Our high performance systems increase in-store productivity while driving down the cost of ownership. Closer inspection shows this leading edge technology also delivers far more in terms of reliability, flexibility and ease of maintenance. Requirements include: Inside Sales Experience · Process sales orders · Answer customer inquires · Execute territory Marketing Campaigns Problem Solving Skills · Problem Identification · Research Solutions · Detail Oriented Interpersonal Skills · Present technical information to non-technical personnel · Comfortable presenting to Senior Management · Team oriented · Customer Focused Tele-Marketer Required Seeking, mature, well spoken Tele-Marketer to work in a highly prestigious financial office in Burlington. Lucrative Compensation Berkshire Securities Inc. MADISON CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES INC. 490 McGeachie Drive, Milton, Ontario L9T 3Y5 Attn: Debbie Dickie, CHRP, Manager, Human Resources Debbie@madisonchemical.com FAX (905) 878-1449 We thank all applicants, however, only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted. (The Charlton Administration) 390 Brant Street, Suite 400 Burlington, Ontario L7R 4J4 Call The Charlton Administration at Qualified Individuals should apply by Feb 28th. Compensation commensurate with experience. All qualified candidates are invited to apply online. We thank all for applying, however only those candidates invited in for an interview will be contacted. Email Resume to: (905) 681-0330 ext 208 tdavis@digipos-systems.com