Resumania: Cover letter should stress pertinent details

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A cover letter, whether it's in the form of an e-mail introduction or a formal cover page, should not simply rehash your resume. It should bring up new and pertinent information. A good tactic is to highlight one or two aspects of your professional background most relevant to a prospective employer's needs and expand upon those points in your letter. Unfortunately, many job seekers falter by providing information unrelated to their qualifications. For instance, these cover letters read more like personal essays:

COVER LETTER: "I love stepping stones. I keep on stepping until I find another stone that I feel happier on. I'm searching for the perfect stone. One stone may have everything I want and need with the exception of one or two things. Those one or two things could be on another stone, and I will keep looking until I find it."

He's off to a rocky start.

COVER LETTER: "Life is a highway, and no matter how many times we try to stay on that highway, we will always have to make stops. Then, when we are done on that exit, we continue on our way until we get to the next exit."

You've driven way off track.

This recent graduate applied for an accounting position, although you wouldn't know that from her cover letter:

COVER LETTER: "I'm especially interested in a position related to psychology, the environment, wildlife and bed-and-breakfasts."

That might be a hard job to find.

Calling attention to your weak points is another bad idea.

COVER LETTER: "I've always been a good worker. Although it's true that there were times I was a little late and lazy, that's beside the point."

We beg to differ.

COVER LETTER: "When I became a team leader recently, I finally started setting goals and being professional."

Better late than never.

Last but not least, this is no way to conclude a cover letter:

COVER LETTER: "P.S. You should know there are few things I like."

Based on this cryptic comment, we hesitate to ask what they are.

For more Resumania, and to submit samples you've come across, visit www.resumania.com. Examples can be sent to Resumania, Robert Half International, 2884 Sand Hill Road, Suite 200, Menlo Park, Calif., 94025, or faxed to 650-234-6998.

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RESUMANIA