On December 9, 2010, I presented a strategic Cover Letter Evaluation workshop for members of the Metropolitan New York Library Council(METRO) Career Transition Special Interest Group. Along with colleague Deb Falik, I discussed different types of cover letters, basic components of cover letters, and relevant resources. The heart of the presentation was a 20 minute interactive cover letter evaluation in which participants worked in pairs to create new cover letters or improve on older cover letters that they brought with them. The participants then re-convened to share newly discovered strategies and techniques with the entire group. A total of eight METRO members participated.
If you are interested in creating customized cover letters that complement your resume and increase the likelihood of being called for interviews by prospective employers, some resources that I recommend are:
Cover Letter Magic. Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark
The inside front cover lists "The Nine Types of Cover Letters" and "Six Steps to the Perfect Cover Letter."
202 Great Cover Letters. Michael Betrus
Page 6 diagrams the basic components of a sample cover letter.
Knock'em Dead Cover Letters. Martin Yates
Page 35 has an alphabetized list of relevant action verbs that is useful for discussing your experience and skills in the crucial second and third paragraphs that constitute the body of the cover letter. Martin Yates' website has updated career information at http://www.knockemdead.com
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