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Writing a Balanced Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is an art and a cover letter can reveal much about the candidate to experienced reviewers. If the recruiter infers something against his or her liking in the cover letter itself, that can make him or her biased and reduces the chances of the candidate to receive an interview call. On the other hand, positive impressions created right at the beginning through the cover letter itself increases the chances of receiving an interview call for any candidate. This simple equation holds true as much for attorneys and legal jobs as for people in other occupational fields.

So, the first thing is to be cautious about what you put in a cover letter, for a cover letter is a personal statement coming from the candidate while a resume is a document that mentions the facts and particulars of the candidate. It is not possible to address the recruiter directly through a resume, for that is the job of the cover letter. Consequently, the cover letter creates a space through which you can directly impress a recruiter and differentiate yourself from others.

It is quite common to find career advice that cautions to stick only to facts in a cover letter, but that approach is far from ideal. A cover letter empowers a candidate to state something more than dry facts and that opportunity is difficult to squander. However, career coaches remind candidates to keep only to facts in a cover letter, since it is easy to get carried away and make mistakes. The recruiter is not interested in every aspect of your life, but only concerned with those that are relevant to fulfilling the responsibilities of the job for which candidates are being sought. He or she is more interested in learning what you have done, and what you can do that makes you a candidate worthy to receive an interview call.

A cover letter should have character. Like other documents, it should have a clear introduction, a body, and a concluding paragraph. Remember, even though actually what you are doing is making a sales pitch, recruiters are not common consumers, and catch phrases and hooks don't work with them. When applying for a job you don't open it with a phrase like ''Do you want your legal problems solved? etcetera. You talk about yourself, but in a manner that fits the expectations of the recruiter.

Usually, unless you are cold calling, a job application is in response to an advertisement or a reference. It is good to play safe and detached, especially in cover letters for attorney jobs, and a formal opening like ''This is in response to...'' or ''I have come to know from…'' is a much safer opening than jumping straight into your autobiography like '' I am...'' right there in the first sentence. The profession of law respects traditions and archaic expressions won't necessarily make you obsolete, but being over eager can obliterate your prospects.

So, be careful to keep a measured tone of respect throughout your cover letter and never allow it to turn into an autobiography filled with irrelevant facts. It is better to be safe than sorry, and it is better to state that you ''are ready to learn and contribute,'' than state that you ''will be positively delighted'' to join the company. Take my word, the recruiter won't feel ''delighted'' with blunt attempts to please, but subtle attempts are always appreciated for the legal profession values subtlety. Writing a cover letter is about introducing yourself as a candidate to the recruiter and requesting him or her to take a look at your resume. It is also a document that requires strict observance of social niceties since it substitutes direct speech from the applicant. Keeping these little things in mind can help you to write a better cover letter and a more balanced one.


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