We’re all looking for shortcuts, tips, and tricks to make life easier—and why not job searching too? Here are my top four hacks for creating a cover letter that will help you stand out:
Related: 5 Key Steps To A Cover Letter That Opens Doors
Lead With A Question
What is the employer looking for, and how are you a fit for them? You can tell the employer what you bring to the table by asking them a question about what they need—but by phrasing it in a way that shows them YOU are the answer! An example would be:
Do you need a sales director who can generate $1M in new business by the end of the 3rd quarter of 2016?
The question itself implies that you’re the answer. And you can do this for any industry or position; all you need to know is what the employer needs and how you can solve the problem(s) they currently face.
Keep It Short
Employers are short on time, and so simply hoping they’ll open a Word document cover letter isn’t ideal—and it probably won’t be read. Instead, when you e-mail your resume include your cover letter in the body of the e-mail and write it for a “mobile” audience. More and more employers are reviewing e-mails on mobile devices, so make sure your cover letter is short and doesn’t require a lot of scrolling to be read. Cap your cover letter at 150 words. Keeping it short will ensure you keep the employer’s attention.
Include Metrics
Give the employer three short bullets that are metric-driven. It serves to validate your experience and accomplishments and gives them a picture of what you can offer. Make sure the three you choose are most relevant to the position and the employer’s needs—and also speak to how you’re a great FIT for the role.
An example could be:
85% of my clients secured multiple interviews within 2 weeks.
99% of my clients had 5 or more interviews within 60 days.
50% of my clients increased their salary by 10%-30%.
Compel Them (In Your Close) To Connect
When you are ready to close your cover letter there are several ways you can keep the lines of communication open between yourself and the employer. Invite them to call you to schedule an interview (and provide your phone number); another option is to use a PS at the end of the cover letter with a great one-line statement that will entice them to pick up the phone to chat. You could also include a link to your LinkedIn profile (which I strongly urge you to do!), inviting them to connect with you on LinkedIn or review your profile for more information about what you do and how you’re a great fit for the role. You could also choose to direct them to your professional website or blog, professional video, or any number of other alternatives. The point is to keep them engaged by having them learn more about you!
These are just four quick tips to help you stand out; it’s by no means an all-inclusive list, but it will help you get started creating a cover letter that will get and keep the employer’s attention.
I love to connect and network. Feel free to send me an invite on LinkedIn here.
You can also find me at Great Resumes Fast, where I help busy job seekers create interviewing-winning resumes, shorten their job searches, and increase their earning potential.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a Work It Daily-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.Photo Credit: Bigstock
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.