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Do sign your letter. Recruiters report receiving a surprising number of un-
signed letters. They do not report interviewing these forgetful people.
As bizarre as these examples may seem, they happen, and they can happen
to you. To be sure they don’t, triple-check your actions when it comes to jobhunt-
ing. The job search is not the time for accidental mishaps that can jeopardize your
success. Chapter 10 contains a checklist to help you avoid such mishaps and to en-
sure that your letter is strong, direct, and properly presented.
10. IF IT AIN’T WORKING...FIX IT!
Don’t keep using a letter that’s not working.
You’ve composed a resume cover letter, sent it in response to 10 newspaper ad-
vertisements, and haven’t heard a thing; not a single person has called; not one in-
terview has been scheduled. Is it you? Is it your resume? It could be either. Or it
could be that you’re perfectly qualified, but your cover letter isn’t making the im-
pact you want. Worse, it might be hurting you.
Don’t despair. Writing about yourself is never easy, and (until you’ve read
this book) you’ve never been taught how to write self-promotional letters. Job-
hunting letters may be some of the most difficult letters you’ll ever create.
So if the letter you’re using isn’t working, try another approach. You can try
a more unusual opening by adopting a bolder tone of voice or a more conserva-
tive one. You can also summarize your strengths more succinctly, or provide a bit
more detail. The key is to try something different. Rewrite portions of your letter,
and then send this new letter in response to new ads. If you don’t get the results
you want, try changing something else. It may take a while, but don’t allow your-
self to get discouraged.
By doing such things, you’re employing the same tested marketing tech-
niques that advertisers have used for ages. How many approaches and slogans
has Burger King used? Or Ford? Or AT&T? These companies and their advertis-
ing agencies continually alter their strategic positioning to keep their profits up,
their objectives met, and their goals achieved. Why shouldn’t you?

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