Tag: cover letter tips

Talent Tip #174: Hiring Horror Stories

October 21, 2025

The Shape-Shifting Applicant

Once upon a dark, stormy job search, a candidate submitted six applications to different roles within 24 hours. His resume was consistent, showing a solid career in marketing, but his cover letters were like something out of a twisted AI experiment. One cover letter painted him as an expert in Congressional rules and procedures, while another claimed significant experience with foundation relations. Then there was the expert in employment law letter, the seasoned major gifts…

Talent Tip #159: Airing of Application Grievances: Holiday Lessons For Job Seekers

December 13, 2023

The Talent Market Team

Pour the eggnog and erect the Festivus pole – it’s time for our annual Airing of the Application Grievances!

Now, before we jump in, keep in mind that the ladies of Talent Market see a sleigh full of job applications each year (4,000+ this year!). That means we see thousands of reasons for people to land on Santa’s Nice List…and just as many (if not more) for them to end up on…

Talent Tip #141: Five Gifts to Give a Hiring Manager

December 14, 2021

It’s that time of year again! I can’t wait to drink egg nog, watch Christmas Vacation for the 7641st time, and erect the Festivus pole/prepare for the airing of grievances.

Speaking of grievances, have you ever gotten a really terrible holiday gift?

Many moons ago, a boyfriend of mine got me a stunning, likely expensive, gold bracelet. The design was lovely and it really was beautiful…except for the fact it was gold. What’s wrong with gold, you…

Talent Tip #89: Becoming Billy Shakespeare: Crafting a Powerful Cover Letter

March 26, 2017

I read a lot of cover letters.

With most of them, I feel as though I’m reading standard newspaper AP fare.  Nothing earth-shattering, but it gets the job done.  Others are harder to digest — it’s more like reading furniture assembly instructions…in a language I don’t speak.

But every once in a while I come across a cover letter that captivates me like a great piece of literature. It accomplishes exactly what it should: it makes me want to keep…

Talent Tip #69: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: How to Make Your Cover Letter Stand Out

June 17, 2015

Talent Tip #69: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: How to Make Your Cover Letter Stand Out  

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…

Call me Ishmael…

Who doesn’t love a good story?

Everyone loves a good story! And hiring managers are no exception.

That’s why they cringe when they read the same generic, banal cover letters…

Talent Tip #57: The Cover Letter: Common Pitfalls and Secret Ingredients

June 15, 2014

Like Mickey Rourke and Twinkies, some things just deserve a comeback. That’s why our Talent Tip is going to tackle the topic of cover letters once again!

As you might imagine, I have the great fortune of reading many cover letters each day. Some are fabulous; some make me question humanity.

The good news is that it doesn’t take Billy Shakespeare to craft a good cover letter. By avoiding a few common pitfalls and including some key ingredients, anyone can…

Talent Tip #37: Mom Knows Best: Proofreed Proofread

September 17, 2012

My mother was an English teacher. Growing up in our house involved lots of mini-grammar lessons, Oxford commas, and endless streams of red ink on papers. It might sound torturous for a kid, but even then I realized how valuable the guidance was.

This is probably why I cringe when I receive a cover letter or résumé with an error. Or two. Or three.

The errors that could have been avoided by using Spell-Check are the ones that drive me to drink.…

Talent Tip #26: Show me the Money! (Or I’ll Keep Quoting Overused Movie Lines)

October 18, 2011

Job hunters, huddle up.

I care about you guys. So, it pains me when I see you do things to shoot yourself in the foot. Namely, when you don’t provide salary information when requested in job postings.

Let’s first think about the main reason nonprofits want your salary requirements up front: they need to know whether you’re in the range they have budgeted for the role. It’s just that simple. There’s no evil conspiracy to tell your ex-wife how much you…