Cover Letters For Dummies

You’ve probably suspected that passive and sleepy cover letters merely hugging resumes won’t get you where you want to go. Especially in a shaky job market. The verdict’s in. Since the last edition of Cover Letters For Dummies, blazing fast change in tools, technology, and how hiring managers come calling and how we invite them to look us over, means big dramatic changes in our job messages.

In this exceptional handbook of contemporary job messages, you’ll discover fresh ways of thinking about cover letters that captain an entire team of new-style job messages.

The major annoyance I had was with the sample letters that are included, and with some of Joyce Kennedy's suggestions, which seemed more obnoxious than anything. I can see how some employers may find them amusing, but if I were in a human resources department, I would not hire many of the people who wrote these examples.

To be sure, some of the samples are alright, and there is much to learn in the many tips that Kennedy provides. If you're seeking to be a competitive prospective employee, you may find it worthwhile to get this book. I hope, however, that there is another book on cover letters out there with sample letters that are still interesting to read, but more serious and intelligent.


Cover Letters for Dummies   December 19, 2001
Scott Aylor (USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I had no idea how I was going to help my friend write a good cover letter until I read your book. The first time I read your book I concentrated on you top ten "do" and "don't do" things for a "red hot cover letter". That list and the examples provided of "cover letters" in your books was a tremendous help.
It is a must book to have for anyone looking to sell themselves to an employer for a job.


A tremendous job hunting resource   December 6, 2000
Joe Buchberger (Tampa, FL United States)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is not just a book on cover letters; it's a wealth of knowledge on the entire job-hunting process. Joyce Lain Kennedy has put together a tremendous resource for the current or soon to be job hunter, which is really most of us.

I know people scoff at Dummies books, especially for highly technical subjects, but this book is the perfect format for the vast collection of job-hunting facts, ideas and wisdom in this book. The author does an excellent job of presenting a lot of material in a way that is clear, entertaining and extremely readable.

I highly recommend this book, and liked it so much I went out and bought her other two books, Resumes' and Job Interviews for Dummies, which I will be reviewing as I finish them.