YOUR GENERIC COVER LETTER - WHOM MAY IT CONCERN?

If you're just getting ready to begin your job hunt armed with nothing more than a résumé and a generic cover letter addressed to "Personnel" or "To whom it may concern", you've got to ask yourself one question! "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya?

PC faxing and email capabilities have made bulk employment queries way too tempting, so if your answer is "Yes" or "With my qualifications, I don't need luck," it might benefit you to know what these "personnel" people who may (or may not) be concerned about your job query, have to say about generic job application letters:

"When I have to read 300 applications for one job, I don't want to see a generic one. I want to see the most specific information you can give me. Our company receives up to 10,000 resumes in a year, and I'm astounded by how many people address me as 'Dear Sir.' C'mon we're in the '90's now. Take the time to call the company and find out what my name is."

(Female Staffing Manager for leading convenience store operation and franchise company in the southwest.)

"I think it's important to find a personal contact in the company. A person to write to rather than just addressing the letter to the employment department. In this day and age, as competitive as it is, I just don't see anything resulting from a generic employment query. It's important for the job-searcher to do some research on our company and indicate, in the [cover] letter, how sincere you are about working for our company."

(Staffing Manager/Campus Recruiter at a leading automation and control corporation in the northwest.)

"A personalized cover letter is a necessity with me. I don't like to receive a generic job application [letter]. I think it shows the person who sent it has very little interest in our organization and its needs."

If you're still not convinced that you need a separate cover letter for every company you wish to apply to, ask yourself another question. Do you actually read with interest or even open the junk mail you receive, which is addressed to "resident" or "occupant?"

Now that you're convinced, the following steps should help you prepare a strong and targeted cover letter, guaranteed to let hiring managers know you're sincere and focused.

1) copy the letter head used on your résumé at the top of the letter. Sometimes multiple page submissions get separated. This will ensure that if your resume is misplaced, the employer will have backup information regarding your address and telephone number.

2) Address the letter to a specific person, and include their title. Personnel managers admit that sometimes it's best to send a copy of your résumé and cover letter to the manager of the position you are interested in. It's likely this person will have some say, if not the final say regarding whether you are considered, and ultimately hired.

3) List the title of the job and how you learned about it in the introductory paragraph.

3c) If you don't know anything about the positions the company has to offer, the best thing you can do is ask to learn something about them. You'll come across a lot more positively than those people simply asking for jobs.

4) In the body paragraphs, lot the person know you've researched their company and use bullet statements to prove you have what it takes to do the specific job they have available.

5) Close with a courteous 'thank you' , but include a statement which leaves you open for a follow-up by phone

6) If you can't find any information about the company, the next best thing to do is ask for it. Requesting an in-house newsletter or annual report shows sincerity and interest.

Specific and personalized cover letters can really help boost your odds of gaining employment interviews, especially if your letter demonstrates the attributes most employers look for in new hires: sincerity, career focus, attention to detail, and above all, a hard-worker, sincere attitude.

Tom R. Arterburn is an award-winning job-search journalist, syndicated careers columnist and professional résumé writer located in St. Louis, Missouri. He can be reached at (800) 669-3857 or jrnlyst@aol.com. Visit his web page at