In movies and TV, the signal that a scene is about to end is the "fade to black"-the picture gradually darkens until the screen is completely black. The worst thing you can do in your third paragraph is fade to black. Avoid paragraphs like the following:
Thank you very much for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to peruse my resume. Although I have little experience, I still think that someone with my particular background could be a good paralegal. Thanks again for taking the time to read this. This paragraph is weak and apologetic. It cries out for an action step.
Compare it to this: I am looking forward to discussing your practice with you, and I will be calling you in ten days to see if we can arrange an interview.
If you are arriving in town, note that in your last paragraph. Ask them to call you-it's the logical consequence of your letter. If you fail to call for some kind of action, your letter will sound weak and pleading or non-directed and unenthusiastic. A fade to black third paragraph is downbeat and leaves a wrong impression. Use the following steps to help you write your action paragraph:
- Reiterate your interest
- Talk about availability
- Tell them to call you or
- Tell them you will call
- Explain special circumstances
- Be professional
- Don't beg.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Writing Your Cover Letter
The following examples are not exaggerations. Most are taken from actual letters.
- Awkward sentences and incorrect punctuation. "I have experience in drafting motions, motions for summary judgment and default judgment being some of them, though not all; with pleadings being occasional and sporadic."
- Overly complex sentences. "Though I have a strong professional background with management and administration, I am still able to take orders and facilitate projects in a teamwork setting; taking into account that my best work is really done when I am unsupervised and in a self-directed situation."
- Excessive explaining. "I used to work on WordStar and the initial WordPerfect system and feel that my typing skills, though adequate now, could be rapidly improved. Since you have asked for experience on Macintosh, I think that I could easily train into that in a matter of days."
- Too personal. "Through a series of personal changes that took place in my life in the last two years, I find myself in your city and very anxious to reestablish myself so that I can get on solid ground and ..."
- Too desperate. "I am anxious to speak with you about this opportunity. The combination of my enthusiasm, curiosity, and ambition will make me a great employee. If I can only be given the chance to speak with you ..."
- Too formal. "Please be informed that I am submitting my application for employment in the form of this letter and its accompanying resume. Note my educational background and an attached letter of reference for your perusal and consideration."
- Flattering assumptions. "A firm with your commitment to the highest of ethical and professional standards with a strong reputation in the community and a dynamic and progressive point of view would be.
- Too short. "Enclosed is my resume for your advertised job opening. Please call me if we can arrange an interview."
- Sounding overqualified. "With my 20 years of administration and management experience, I am certain that I possess all the needed skills to accomplish whatever task that might arise in the office."
- Using self-limiting statements. "Though I have no legal experience, I feel I could ..."
- Not employing "buzz words"
- Not signing your letters
- Not using language appropriate to specific practice areas
- Misspelling
- Date, margins, spacing errors
Cover Letters: Tiny Works of Art
Good cover letters are made up of many elements. First, they get to the point. You will notice from many of the negative examples just cited that they have a shapeless quality. They try to include too much, but say little. Good letters are easy for an intelligent, interested person to read. They do not belabor points, but breeze along quickly. They are straight forward, avoiding timidity or brashness. They attempt to be descriptive to a certain degree, using adjectives and adverbs when appropriate. They sound like a real person: They use enthusiasm and positivity, which they know are infectious. They envisage a relationship of mutual benefit, derived from the value that the applicant offers, and from the opportunity within the firm. They do not sound ostentatious or haughty; they use appropriate vocabulary and correct grammar.
All of these elements together make a good cover letter. The challenge is not to write an "unforgettable piece of literature/' but to spend enough time crafting these "tiny works of art" so that they beautifully reflect you, the professional paralegal, and your particular individual worth!
Creating a written presentation for a direct mail campaign is a particular challenge. You must write a letter that can go to a group of 50, 100, or 200 attorneys in a given city, or practice area or combination of geography/practice area. The goal then is to write a presentation that will have broad appeal and present a basically qualified and professional image.
The "variable document," created by a paralegal applicant, is a good example of a letter designed to go to a metropolitan area. All practice areas are targeted. She is attempting to get an interview with anyone who might have an opening.
A good direct mail cover letter neatly and crisply sums you up and supplies a snapshot of a qualified applicant. Without an advertisement or other connecting element to refer to, the letter should get to the point: Talk about your qualifications, ask for an interview, tell them you will call them, and close. It helps you focus on your basic skills and qualifications, and forces you to formally delineate them. A well-done, direct mail, written presentation can be the backbone of all of your other letters and the core of the "bio" that you create for your interviews.
Direct mail cover letter is written to a specific corporation or firm. In this kind of letter, the focus is on the company. The company is mentioned in the letter. This has much more focus and will be read with more interest by the employer. This kind of treatment can also be done with the use of a variable document. The name of the firm is in the body of the letter, because a command has been set up to insert it at that point.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Your skills for writing effective cover letters will improve with practice. In preparation for your job hunt, you may want to write a few sample cover letters before you are under the gun to respond to competitive job opportunity. Try writing the following:
- Write your own general direct mail cover letter. Include your background, education, skills. Conclude with a positive action step.
- Write a cover letter based upon a third party networking connection, in which you are asking for time to discuss paralegal work in a specific practice area, and any additional names of individuals who might be in need of paralegals in this practice area,
- Write a cover letter to an advertised lead from your school's placement board or the local newspaper.
Sample Cover Letters
Take a look at samples of cover letters, Decide which letter you like the best and for what reasons. Do bit research on those letters and the company in which they applied and the post it relates too. By doing this exercise you will definitely get a good results.
