cover letter tips

Cover Letter Tips for Substance Abuse Jobs

When applying for a large, or even just several, substance abuse jobs too many people make the mistake of putting all of their time and effort into the resume and almost none into the cover letter.  As the cover letter generally sits on top of the resume and is glanced at first, this is a big mistake.   Here are some tips to make sure that your cover letters are hitting on all cylinders:

Cover Letter Tips for Substance Abuse Jobs

  • Address it properly.  Do not address your cover letter “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Human Resources”.  Most times, you’ll substance abuse jobsbe able to find the name of the hiring manager in the company even if it is not in the job listing.  Sending your cover letter and resume to the head of the department for the open position is always a great option.  If you can’t find that, look for the head of human resources for the company online and address your letter specifically to them.  At the same time, ensure that you are spelling the company name correctly and sending your letter and resume to the correct address.
  • Follow Instructions.  Quite frequently, in a job listing, there will be some specific instructions with regards to applications and cover letters. There may be a cover letter word limit, such as 300 words or a request for a writing or assignment sample along with your application package.  Be sure that you are following instructions exactly, not providing any more or less than what is asked.  This is done by design to see if you are paying attention and can follow directions.  If you can’t, you’ll never make it to the next round.
  • Give pertinent information.  You’ll want to provide some job-specific information that is not listed on your resume.  Don’t just mimic or re-write everything that is on your resume.  Look at the job that you are applying for, it’s requirements and address how your experience and education specifically qualifies you for this position.
  • Avoid canned phrases.  Look up “overused resume phrases” and don’t use them in your cover letter either.  We list a bunch of them and talk about them in this article.  These are things like “self starter” and “strategic”.
  • Show some personality.  This is sometimes a risk but it can really pay off.  Hiring managers often go through stacks of resumes and, when they find one that injects a bit of a friendly tone and sense of humor, they remember it and it has an impact.  If this is you and you feel that you can pull this off and remain professional, do it.
  • Mistakes and Formatting.  Check your cover letter over carefully for spelling and grammar mistakes.  These are not likely to be forgiven.  Your cover letter should be formatted the same as your resume.

There is an amazing career in your future and you can get started on that career path so much sooner if you are able to impress hiring managers with your cover letter and resume.  While there are a lot of substance abuse jobs to be filled, you will likely not be the only applicant so put some effort into these items in the beginning and it is sure to pay off.

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