Page 18 - 201 Killer Cover Letters

02 6/27/03 9:20 AM Page 5
EXPECT TO BE CHECKED
Be sure to read Chapter 2, “The Top 10 Rules for Writing Killer Cover Letters.”
Every rule is vital to an effective job search. Recent events illustrate just how vital.
Take the following rule, for example: “Tell the Truth or Pay the Consequences.”
This rule is crucial in light of today’s corporate scandals, a by-product of which is
the fact that background checks are now conducted with greater regularity and
greater scrutiny. Therefore, if there is anything questionable in your past or any-
thing that might be misconstrued, don’t hope it won’t be discovered. State it your-
self—it’s the only way you can control how this information is presented! Telling
your next employer up-front what she will discover anyway can only make you
appear honest and trustworthy. If you’re lucky, you’ll find that your next boss is
someone who believes that everyone deserves a second chance!

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGY
The Internet and the World Wide Web offer astonishing benefits to jobhunters. Be
certain to avail yourself of these new technologies. Whether you’re new to the
Web or a skilled user, take time to master the Internet as a job search tool. An im-
portant part of your search involves identifying organizations that might be hir-
ing. The Internet makes this easier than it’s ever been before. You’ll find dozens of
jobhunting sites on the Web. If you’re not certain where to start, visit any search
engine and enter the word “jobs” or “career.” You’ll find links that will transport
you to hundreds of valuable resources. Choose one jobhunting Web site and prac-
tice navigating through it. Do the same with the Web site of an organization for
which you’d like to work. Visit its home page and career center. Become familiar
with the firm, the types of openings it is attempting to fill, and the qualifications
it seeks in the ideal candidate for those positions. Also look for Web sites hosted
by associations that exist within your industry or specialty, or your alma mater; fre-
quently, such sites maintain a job bank and referral network or offer training. The
Internet is an amazing source of information, career advice and assistance, com-
pany Web sites, job postings, and sometimes, total confusion. It’s worth your time
up-front to master this vital tool so that you can use it to your benefit.

LEARN HOW TO USE E-MAIL
If you don’t know how to use e-mail, do whatever you must to learn. Not only has
it become ubiquitous in the workplace, e-mail delivers advantages that can prove
pivotal to your job search. For starters, making cold calls or attempting to secure
face-to-face meetings with busy executives is not at the top of most of our lists of
thrilling activities. But now that it is perfectly acceptable—in fact, even prefer-
able—to compose and send brief e-mail notes, networking has become far, far eas-

5