英文履歴書の書き方 英語版
LANDING THE JOBS
Cover letter essentials in a nutshell
Ninth in a series
By ROCHELLE KOPP
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Be sure to get the correct spelling of the name, his or her proper title and find out if that person prefers to be addressed as Ms., Miss, Mrs., Mr., Dr., or otherwise.
If you cannot find out the name of the person who should read your letter, use generic titles. Do not use "To Whom it May Concern" as this is impersonal and outdated. Also, it is better not to use "Dear Sir" since it can be considered sexist.
Resorting to the traditional "Dear Madam/Sir" won't help matters much either as few women these days want to be addressed as madam.
If you don't have a specific name, the best generic title to use is the title for the person managing the department in which you would like to work, for example: "Dear IBM Sales Manager" or "Dear Treasury Manager."
Cover letter content
Cover letters should be personalized and specific to the particular job and organization to which you are writing. If you are applying for some 100 different jobs, you will have 100 different cover letters.Of course you can expect similarities in some of your cover letters, but you cannot simply reuse the exact same letter for every job.
Don't recap or repeat your resume. Instead, you should give new or additional information relevant to each specific position that you are applying for.
Use compelling or persuasive statements to sell yourself and back those statements up with examples of your experience or skills.
Demonstrate your knowledge of the company you are applying to or the industry, but use common words, not fancy buzzwords.
Avoid repetition of words, especially pronouns such as "I."
Active vs. passive voice
Your sentences should always be structured in active voice instead of passive voice. For example:Active: I sold over $12 million worth of product last quarter.
Passive: Over $12 million worth of product was sold last quarter.
Body of the letter
The body of your letter should contain three or four paragraphs:First paragraph: State the reason you are writing to the employer. Indicate the position you are applying for and how you learned of the opening, if applicable.
Second paragraph: Sell yourself to the company and stand out from the crowd. Indicate how your interests and experience match the employer's needs. Show your knowledge of the position and the company. Indicate what you can do for the organization, given your background and skills.
Third paragraph: (this information could be included in the second paragraph) Summarize your background and refer the reader to your enclosed resume.
Final paragraph: Thank the reader(s) for their time and consideration. Ask for an interview or tell how you will follow up.
Rochelle Kopp is the managing principal of Japan Intercultural Consulting (www.japanintercultural.com).
