They say that good guys always finish last. And when it comes to cover letters many people assume that this adage holds true. In an industry like information technology where professionals are valued based on their knowledge and experience it's difficult to see how an ethical cover letter could compete with those who have not let the truth get in the way of their career ambitions. So is it possible to stay true to your values whilst remaining a genuine contender in a competitive market?
Outstanding cover letters are relative to the offered position. That is, you could have a brain surgeon apply for a carpenter job without landing the position. Why? Because other, more experienced carpenters, would be better suited to the position. The same notion applies to any advertised job. Take a computer technician application. One can list key criteria of a good computer technician and apply their own experience to key points in the cover letter. For example;
Sample Cover Letters Criterion for a PC Technician; 'Excellent PC hardware knowledge'
Lets flesh out this criterion by listing any PC hardware experience in your current workplace. Mention makes, models and versions for credibility. Also mention any studies including the Institution, Course, subject as well as relevant activities and theory. Talk about any projects, interests or memberships including the duration, responsibilities and deliverables.
Sample Response;
I have completed an Associate Diploma in Engineering Computer systems from the IT-Pathways College of Technology. This course included the subjects PC Hardware and Architecture where we built a number of PCs from components. During this time I gained a solid understanding of motherboard technologies including the meaning of 32 and 64 bit bus architectures and their relationship to video cards, memory and CPU. My major project also involved the manipulation of an RS-232 serial connection to create an interface device to a custom made electronics sensor device.
Completing four weeks of work experience I have also applied my PC hardware knowledge in a commercial environment. I have included in this application a written reference from my supervisor who has also been kind enough to make himself available as a referee. During this time I worked directly with the HP Compaq PC hardware to assist with the development of an enterprise wide SOE (Standard Operating Environment). My direct responsibilities in this project were to test hardware and drivers in accordance to the Quality Assurance test plan. This project gave me significant exposure to the systems drivers and event viewer components of the desktop PC.
Further to this experience I have built and supported home PCs for over five years. This includes anti-virus installs and updates, personal firewall and windows update patches. My small home network also consists of a network printer and two virtual machines.
In this instance the applicant has shown a clear relevant history of education, experience and interest in the field. Nothing was left to the imagination, including the portions of the course that were relevant. Underlying the entire response is a demonstrated understanding of what the criterion 'excellent PC hardware knowledge' actually means. The applicant reinforces his position by providing details of knowledge gained through a number of different avenues.
Ultimately, the applicant has provided a truthful detailed appraisal of why he meets this particular criterion. The ethical component of this response has allowed the applicant to provide detail that not only demonstrates an advanced knowledge of the subject but also serves as a credible source of information.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
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