Cover letters, like resumes, must be tailored specifically for each position. At times, they can feel more time-consuming than the resume and application, but there are some general guidelines you can use to ensure this document is going to stand out among the competition.
Related: How To Convey Value In A Cover Letter
The overall theme is to make your documents employer-oriented. If it doesn’t relate to the open position or the company’s needs, do not include it in your documents. Also avoid using the personal pronoun “I” too often. It can be a struggle, but it will improve your writing and make your statements stronger. Here are more important cover letter guidelines to review before you write your next one:
Get A Name
Use the company’s website or directory to get the name of the Hiring Manager. Try to not address it to “Dear Sir or Madam” or other generic parties. Getting a specific name will ensure your documents get to the right person.
Start Strong
Begin the first paragraph with a value-packed statement saying what you offer and how it ties into the company vacancy.
As a Sales Manager with a proven record of exceeding goals and streamlining processes, I am interested in your position for Sales Director.
Always emphasize the job title so it can catch the eye of a Hiring Manager, especially if they are skimming the documents quickly. Reference your enclosed resume in the first paragraph, so the reader can move on to that document if they choose. (Not all cover letters are read, but it’s much better to send one than not send one!)
Don’t state the obvious such as your name (you should have a contact information header that mimics your resume) or phrases such as, “I am writing to apply for…” It is a letter, so it is understood you are writing. Save space for more valuable text.
Meet Their Needs
There are two common approaches for the body of a cover letter. One is for quick and easy readability by bulleting your skills or qualifications so the employer can quickly see how you meet the position’s needs. Three to five bullets will suffice; more than that can look excessive.
Another approach is to continue writing in paragraphs, but explain in concise sentences how your skills match the needs of the position. Similar to the bullets, three to five sentences should be enough to make your point in each paragraph.
Use hard examples and quantify when possible to back up your claims. If you’re stating your achievements in saving money, say how much money you saved. When you provide evidence to support your skills, you paint a clear picture of your capabilities.
Have a copy of the job posting near you when promoting your knowledge and skill base. Mirror the terminology of the job posting so you and the employer begin to speak the same language.
If the job posting has a list of 20 different requirements, those requirements closer to the top of the list are going to be the most important of the group. Emphasize your skills and qualifications that match with the beginning of the list, and not the lesser tasks near the end.
Close With A Call-To-Action
For the closing paragraph, don’t simply state you hope to hear from them soon. Instead, state that you’d appreciate the opportunity to explain how your skills match their needs during an interview. Explain how and when you will follow up with them to schedule a mutually convenient meeting.
If no phone number is available or there is a request to not call the company, repeat your contact information so the employer may reach out to you.
If you have a professionally developed LinkedIn Profile or any other appropriate pages, you may reference one in the closing or include them in your contact information header, so the reader may go on to discover more detailed information about you.
If you’re not electronically sending the document, always write your signature by hand to close the letter.
Overall, customizing these documents will take time, but the cover letter is going to be the document that will introduce your resume. It is worth the effort to make the match and capture the reader’s interest with any opportunity you have to do so, to better your chances to advance on to the interview.
This post was originally published on an earlier date.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.