Keep Negative Info Out of Your Cover Letter

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Clyde writes:

When writing a cover letter, should I mention I had been laid off and/or include the reason for the layoff?

The Career Doctor responds: Never, never — never ever — include any negative information in your cover letter. Negative information immediately puts your cover letter (and entire application) into the trash.

You need to think of your cover letter as a sales document. Thus, talk only of the great things about you and how you are going to make a contribution to your future employer. Discuss what you can bring to the employer; discuss your key skills and qualities.

I suggest you take some time to go through a wonderful tutorial on cover letters. Go to the Dynamic Cover Letters Tutorial For Developing a Stunningly Effective Cover Letter. You’ll find more than 100 pages of advice, hints, and samples to help you create successful cover letters.

You might also want to read an article from my partner, Katharine Hansen: Cover Letter Success is All About Specifics.

And if you are more of a book person, may I now suggest that you obtain a copy of the 3rd edition of Dynamic Cover Letters.