Address Employer's Stated Criteria in Cover Letter

Continuing our series on a survey on cover letters conducted by Robin Ryan, author of Winning Cover Letters. Ryan advises, "Do not ignore the stated criteria."

Ryan quotes Kelly, a CFO with extensive hiring experience: "Applicants who do not address the qualifications requested in the advertisement or job listing make a huge mistake. And it seems so many don't address the employer's needs at all. Employers quickly search for those meeting the needs and throw out the rest." The best strategy, Ryan advises, is to address each specific qualification and state the experience and skills you possess to perform that task or function.