by Kevin Donlin - Guaranteed Resumes - Click for Info

Is your job search going nowhere?

Then take time to re-examine your approach. If the resumes and cover lettersyoure sending out have mistakes in them -- even one or two -- youreshooting yourself in the foot. And costing yourself thousands of dollars in lostsalary as your job search drags on, and on .

This week, well focus on eliminating errors in your cover letters.

To illustrate, I want to share the story of Tom from Seattle, WA, whowrote: I think Ive managed to do everything Im NOT supposed to do increating a hard-hitting, cover letter and resume, which would explain why Imnot receiving any calls from employers.

Learn from the cover letter mistakes of Tom (and others) below 

1) Proofread or perish

I live not too far from Seattle, says Tom. However, there was aterrific job in Phoenix I thought Id be great for, so I tweaked my genericcover letter and resume, then e-mailed them to the Director of HR.

One problem: the last time I used the same cover letter (for anotheremployer), I had written that I would be more than happy to relocate toPortland. Oops. So much for getting the job in Arizona.

2) The Bureau of Missing Persons effect

Tom didnt do this, but dont you forget to include your phone number andother crucial contact information.

A no-brainer, right? Wrong.

One cover letter that crossed my desk said, Please call me at your nextconvenience, but didnt include a phone number. Not good.

3) Assume nothing -- check your facts

Another mistake is making a name assumption based on an e-mail address,continues Tom.

The contact person for a job had this e-mail address -- jacksonny@xx.com.I assumed his name was Jack Sonny, so I sent my e-mail with the salutation: DearJack:  an aide wrote me back: HER real name was Nancy Y. Jackson.

Another blown job opportunity.

4) English, please

Dont write like someone who's been hit over the head with a legaldictionary.

Heres an example for one cover letter I finally gave up on reading: Ispecialize in the implementation of workplace solutions that leverageself-directed teams toward increased throughput.

Huh? Write as you would speak to a live human at a networking event.

You can avoid all four of the gaffes above if you do two things: take yourtime writing, then ask a trusted friend to review your letter.

Keep this final point in mind. After reading every sentence in your coverletter, ask yourself: So, what? Is that last sentence compelling, orfluff? Necessary? TRUE? If not, rewrite or remove it. Then ask yourself So,what? again. Revise until every sentence shines.

Best of luck to you!

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes.

Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others.

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