by ktarcus

Created on: August 13, 2011

Anyone who has used any job search websites will know that the amount of jobs available is not a finite resource any more. To maximise one's chances of securing new employment, every possible means must be utilised; one of these resources being hailed is the use of "cover letter templates".

During normal times, people would automatically take up a pen and write a cover letter to any perspective employer to best relate their own experiences within a work place environment so as to point out the advantages to the employer of picking them over some other guy whose professional credentials may very well be an equal match. By using this personal approach a job applicant may feel that the words he/she writes may have the desired impact and secure the position or at least the chance to get sat down in front of the potential employer.

The dark side to this of course is the amount of time the applicant needs to put into the application for a job he/she may not be totally sold on,By that I mean they may indeed welcome the job should they get it but it is not the number one priority on their life at this time (for example the applicant may have a six/eight months notice period before actual unemployment). For those kinds of jobs I would suggest the use of cover letter templates. Simply put the format is set out in neat chronological order similar to the applicants C.V. but with the omission of academic achievements the emphasis should be on achievements during the working life such as promotion for "X" initiative or extra credit for courses passed. It should also hold general information about the applicants home life, numbers of children time married etc. In short, again a summary of the applicant's biography to date allows the employer to judge whether this is the kind of person they are looking for.

Both kinds of letters have advantages and disadvantages to them and to any prospective employer/employee. The personal letter can contain every relevant up to date information including any notice period required or perhaps a deadline given by any current employer. The disadvantage is that being under pressure as many in today's workplace are there is a tendency to over guild the lilly, resulting in the offer of a personal interview where unfortunately the facts cannot be substantiated resulting in failure.

The cover letter template can be used of course to apply for many more jobs at once after pre-filling the relevant information it is simply a case of printing and sending. So as soon as a job is notified from whatever source be it employment agency job club or just word of mouth you are on the case immediately. The disadvantage is the fact that being first may be good to get noticed but you have not had any real time to address what it is the employer is actually looking for and you are hopeful that what you may have written perhaps six months previous is still relevant to today's job search market.

Personally, whenever I have had to do a job search and application I have researched the company I am applying to and tried to write a cover letter pointing out the positive aspects of my life as it applies to them, which is something one can't do with a stock drafted pre-filled cover letter.

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