When preparing a cover letter to apply for a job, it’s the small things that matter. At best, a close to perfect cover letter will make your application stand out from the pool of applicants. Yes, we all dread writing one and to be frank the process can seem overwhelming, tempting you to just copy and paste from a previous application.
Truth is, cover letters do get read. In fact, numerous hiring managers consider them to be the most essential part of your job application. And yes, although your cautiously drafted stellar resume can speak for itself, it denies you the opportunity to sell yourself by showcasing the employer why they should hire you or why you’re the best fit for the role.
There are a lot of cover letter examples and tips available online on how to write a good cover letter. Apart from the most obvious one, which is to use excellent grammar, you can follow these six golden rules and craft a rockstar cover letter, sure to catch the hiring manager’s attention. But first, how about selecting the right type of cover letter?
There are various types of cover letters that can be sent to your contacts and employers, all of which are written for specific purposes. Therefore, depending on what you are applying for or requesting, ensure you choose the correct type of cover letter. These include:
Application letters
These are the traditional cover letters which are used when applying for a specific job opening. Typically, these types of letters are sent along with a resume.
Letters of interest
These are also referred to as prospecting letters and are used when you want to inquire if there is a potential job opening at a company.
Referral cover letter
These types of letters highlight the name of the person or organization who/which referred you to the job. Referral letters play an integral role in provoking an employer’s interest, more so, if the person or institution is well known in the company you are interested in.
Value proposition letter
These letters provide brief statements explaining why a specific applicant is qualified for a job role.
Networking letters
The key role of networking cover letters is to request for job hunting advice or assistance. Generally, these types of letters are addressed to contacts within your professional network such as colleagues, or contacts you’ve interacted with on social networking sites or met during events.
If you are wondering whether you should write a cover letter for a job application, the answer is yes. Truth is, while there are some exceptions to submitting a cover letter along with your resume, you should almost always include it. Additionally, most employers expect to receive a cover letter even if they didn’t request it in the job advertisement.
As already mentioned above, a cover letter allows you to sell yourself and prove why you are the ideal hire. Moreover, an effectively targeted cover letter will demonstrate just how much you are interested in the position. In addition, cover letters give you room to include details that are missing from your resume such as employment gaps, your stand on relocation (if needed), and so on.
However, if you don’t have time to craft a top-notch letter, then no letter is definitely better than a poorly written one. Similarly, if the job application instructs you not to include a cover letter, then don’t. Additionally, if your application is submitted through an online platform with no provision to submit your cover letter, don’t worry about it.
A cover letter should act as a complement for your resume. Its primary purpose should be to interpret your resume by painting a fuller picture of your qualifications with a personal touch. It is typically your first vital impression with the employer and you should make it count. Any typo or small error is sure to get your application knocked off the list. Therefore, as you draft your cover letter, remember you won’t get a second chance to make a first impression again, make sure it’s error-free, excellently written and most importantly, not generic.
Effective cover letters should explain why you are interested in the position or organization as well as establish your most relevant experiences, qualifications or skills. However, this information should be arranged in chronological order and polished manner. Below are the various sections your cover letter should contain:
Contact section
Here include your contact information and the date followed by the contact information of the employer at the top of the letter or the header section.
Salutation
In this section, address the recipient of the letter and begin the salutation with “Dr./Mr./Ms. Last Name.” But if you are unsure about the employer’s name simply write “Dear Hiring Manager.”
Introduction
Here, introduce yourself in a snappy yet polished manner and indicate the role you’re applying for. Also, briefly state how your skills and experience match what the company/position is looking for. Remember, the goal in this section is to get the reader’s attention.
Body section
In one or more paragraphs, explain why you’re interested in the role and why you’d make a great candidate. Mention specific qualifications listed in the job description, and using the ones that match your qualifications, illustrate how you meet those qualifications.
An appropriate closing
Here, restate your skills and how they make you a strong fit for the position/company. Also, state that you would like the opportunity to interview as well as what you will do to follow-up and when you will do it.
Signature
Use a complimentary close such as “Best regards, Best, Respectfully, Yours sincerely, etc.” and then end the letter with your handwritten signature, followed by your typed name. However, if this is an email, just include your typed name, followed by your contact information, after the complimentary close
Be sure to leave out personal information about your family or yourself. Also, don’t mention your salary expectations unless you’ve been asked to provide your salary requirements. In case you have questions about the job, payroll, benefits, schedule or whatever, don’t mention them on the cover letter.
Don’t repeat your resume
Don’t use your cover letter to regurgitate what’s already on your resume. Your cover letter will most likely be stapled or attached to your resume, so hiring managers will also have a look at it. Instead, use your cover letter to sell yourself, showcase your personality and interests as well as why you are the best candidate for the role you’re applying for. Alternatively, you can expand on the bullet points in your resume to paint a fuller picture of your experience and accomplishments while reiterating why you’d be a perfect fit for the role and the company. You can do this by merely picking three or more skills or abilities that you want to highlight and offer examples of circumstances you demonstrated those traits.
Whenever possible, throw in a few numbers to show how you added value in previous roles. However, if you’ve recently graduated or lack substantial work experience, you can highlight some of your transferable skills and provide evidence from classes, projects, or volunteer work that demonstrate these skills.
Keep it short and simple
Keeping it short and simple is the best way to go. Less is always more. Just bring it down to three paragraphs and skip lengthy introductions. Jump into the creative part and remember to focus on the details. You have five minutes or so to impress the hiring manager.
Try to find a contact person
Although there are exceptions to this rule, it’s good to go the extra mile and get personal. Whenever possible, find out as much information as you can about the company and the hiring manager and address your letter accordingly. You can check out the company’s website or even reach out to the company and ask. However, if you fail to get this information or aren’t absolutely sure who you need to address the letter to, go for the generic: “Dear Hiring Manager” or “To Whom It May Concern”.
If you have any contacts at the company, who referred you to the job or are willing to put in a good word for you or even be your professional reference, the better. This provides an excellent opportunity to craft a referral cover letter and mention their names in the first paragraph of your letter to pique the employer’s or hiring manager’s interest. But before doing this ensure you have checked with your contacts in advance.
Send it as a PDF
This is because not all computers can read .docx or .pages files. PDF files, on the other hand, can be opened in all computers without the need for conversion, as long as they have Adobe Reader installed. Also, Word files will show some formatting errors and spelling errors. You wouldn’t want that to be the case, so a PDF file will be better. This is because it can’t be easily tampered with, and you have more control as to how it will appear on somebody else’s screen.
Don’t overuse certain phrases
“My name is ___, and I am applying for the position as ____.” First, they already know this. Second, you will sound like you are inexperienced. The aim is to come across as polite and professional, therefore use language or phrases that feel comfortable and more natural. Also, avoid overused cliché phrases such as “team player” or “go-getter”. Instead, replace these words with power words such as “collaborated” or “initiated.”
What do you bring to the table
A typical cover letter mistake is to talk about how great the position would be for you and the experience section of your resume. Frankly, hiring managers are aware of that—what they really want to know is what you’re going to bring to the position and company. Therefore, start by identifying the company’s pain points that they require the potential hire to resolve and then emphasize your skills and experience to demonstrate your ability to tackle these problems.
Use the proper format
Your cover letter should not only include the right information but also look polished. Therefore, ensure you format your letter properly. If you are sending a physical letter, ensure you use the business letter format. However, if you are sending via email, the format will be slightly different as you will need to include a subject line that states your name and job title.
Remember, your cover letter should not be longer than a page (at most three to four paragraphs). Additionally, you should include a space between your greeting/salutation, between each paragraph and after your closing.
Customize your cover letter
Give your application the best shot by avoiding shortcuts. Remember, a hiring manager can tell if your letter is generic and used to apply for every job. Instead, you should target each cover letter to fit the specific role you are applying for. An easy way to do this is by matching your qualifications to the job. Go through the job descriptions and select three or more qualifications, skills, abilities, or experiences that are relevant to the position and also matches your qualifications. Furthermore, remember to provide examples of instances where you demonstrated these skills.
Additionally, consider using keywords from the job description because most hiring managers use applicant tracking software that browses for keywords and analyzes how closely your cover letter matches the desired skills and experience.
Don’t apologize for what you’re missing
Never mention or apologize for the missing experience or lack of a particular required skill. Indicating what you lack will only emphasize the fact that you don’t have them in the first place. Instead, concentrate on skills, experiences, and qualifications that you actually have and explain how these make you a suitable candidate for the position.
However, you can use your cover letter to explain recent employment gaps, but do so briefly and quickly return to selling your qualifications and skills for the position.
Close strong
Beyond explaining what you’ve done in the past, show hiring managers what you’ll bring to the table. Determine the essential requirements and priorities for this job from the job description, and make it clear to the reviewer that you can deliver and are up to the challenge. Don’t throw away your final lines, but use them to accurately emphasize your enthusiasm and sell yourself even further.
Finally, ensure that your cover letter is correctly formatted, edited, and most importantly, follows the employer’s instructions.
Do you know any other tips for writing a solid cover letter? Do share in the comments below.
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