Yes, employers still read cover letters. Let me just start with that since I’m asked that question quite frequently these days. I will say that I’m sure not all of them do, but the majority still take a few moments to scan through the cover letter—and so having an attention-grabbing cover letter is important (especially if you have something significant you need to say). That's why a great cover letter introduction is crucial.
And I assure you, if you’re applying for a position you really want, you have something very significant to say! Something like: “Hey! I want this job; I’m the best person for it, and here’s why.” I wouldn’t recommend starting your cover letter off that way, but you get the gist of what I’m trying to say.
How To Write A Great Cover Letter Introduction
Your cover letter has a message to convey, and you want to be sure that it’s communicating that message in the most effective way possible. Well, here are a few other ways that I would NOT use to start your cover letter—followed by some suggestions for how to write a better cover letter opening line that WILL grab the employer’s attention and keep it.
With more than X number of years’ experience in XYZ…
My unique mix of experience and education…
My experience in X and Y make me the ideal candidate…
Here are some suggestions for creating a great opening line for your cover letter:
1. Speak To Their Need
You know your industry and position better than anyone else. You know what is relevant to the needs of businesses looking for a great candidate who does what you do. Start with an opening line that reflects the fact that you know the needs of their organization and can meet those needs.
2. Ask A Question
And not just any question either—ask a question you know they’re asking themselves daily, and then answer that question by stating how you’ve successfully addressed the issue with your previous employers.
3. Relate
Share how you’ve tackled obstacles for other organizations that would apply to this new opportunity.
4. Show You’re An Overcomer
Use an example in your cover letter of how you overcame a challenge that directly relates to the new position you’re applying for, and make that connection in your cover letter. State the problem and your solution. Just don’t get long-winded.
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Whether you're new to LinkedIn or you're a seasoned user, connecting with new people can be a challenge, especially when you're not sure what to write in your LinkedIn invitation. You might be tempted to use the generic "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn" template, but beware! By not personalizing your message, you could lose a precious opportunity to network.
Here are seven great tips on writing LinkedIn invitations from our approved career experts:
1. Be Honest
"Explain why you want to connect with the person," says Amanda Haddaway, author of Destination Real World: Success After Graduation For New And Soon-To-Be College Graduates. "Just say something. There's nothing worse than receiving a LinkedIn request with the standard, generic format and not having any earthly idea who the person is or why he/she wants to connect with you."
Dorothy Tannahill-Moran of Next Chapter New Life says honesty is the best policy when trying to connect with someone, especially if you're looking to do some serious networking. "If you want to work for their company," Tannahill-Moran says, "don't be shy about admitting that they are working for your targeted company and are looking for insights about that company. Open communication is always best."
2. Tell Them How You Know Them
"I get a lot of requests and I always appreciate a brief mention of why the person wants to connect," says Jenny Yerrick Martin of Your Industry Insider. "Whether they saw my post on LinkedIn Groups, found me through my website, or know someone who knows me in real life, that extra step usually gets me to accept the invitation."
3. Find Something In Common
When trying to to find something in common with your potential connection, Haddaway suggests asking yourself these questions:
Is it a mutual career field or interest?
Do you have connections in common?
Are you connected through LinkedIn Groups?
Here's a request example offered by Debra Wheatman of Careers Done Write...
Dear Jane: I see that you are a member of X Group. I am also engaged with this group and would like to share some ideas with you. Please accept my invitation to connect.
This example is short and sweet, but it gets the point across effectively.
4. Make It Personal
"One-size-fits-all invitations are a waste of time," says Cheryl Simpson of Executive Resume Rescue. Always personalize your invitation to connect in some way, she advises. Mention a shared group membership, note a common contact, or point out similar backgrounds, education, or experience. If all else fails, tell the prospective contact what you hope you both will gain from the connection.
5. Be Enthusiastic
"If you're approaching the CEO/founder of a startup on LinkedIn, as part of a job search, you want to start and end by showing your enthusiasm for their business," says Kathy Ver Eecke of Working For Wonka. "Your expertise, background, and skill set should take a backseat to your enthusiasm and passion for their business. You want to get their attention and break the ice? Lead with that and you're in."
6. Reference Their Profile
Ben Eubanks of Upstart HR suggests taking a moment to check out your potential connection's profile and referencing something in it.
Example: "Hey, Mike! I saw on your profile that you attended XYZ University. I have a good friend who went there and have heard great things about it. I'd love the opportunity to connect with you. Thanks! Have a great day."
"Reaching out without offering some reason is a quick way to get your message relegated to the 'spam' folder, and LinkedIn will eventually suspend your account if you hit the limit of those responses," he says.
7. Thank Them
Arnie Fertig of Job Hunter Coach says it's important to thank the person in advance for agreeing to connect. Not only that, but you also want to offer to help him/her in any way possible and encourage them to call on you. That way, your potential contact feels like they can benefit from the connection. It's all about providing value. Remember, you get what you give!
The next time you're trying to connect with someone on LinkedIn, follow these seven tips. You'll grow your professional network faster than you think!
Or, join our career growth club today and get access to one-on-one career coaching, resume and cover letter reviews, online tutorials, and unlimited networking opportunities—all in your back pocket!
Check out Work It Daily's Incredible Companies page to see snapshots of companies hiring. Work It Daily also highlights job opportunities on a daily basis on TikTok.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
TikTok, the popular social media platform that allows users to make and share short-form videos, is not just for individuals looking for funny and entertaining content. It's also an amazing opportunity for employers to step up their employer branding efforts and engage with job seekers in a new and exciting way.
If your company hasn't considered using TikTok for employer branding, or you're on the fence about it, here are three reasons why you should incorporate TikTok into your employer branding efforts today.
Reach A New Audience
Think about your current employer branding strategy. You're probably reaching a pretty consistent audience in the various channels where you post and share content about your company. With TikTok though, you could reach a new audience every single day.
Depending on factors like hashtags, video content, and the sound you use, your videos will reach the audience most likely to interact with them, due to TikTok's insanely accurate algorithm. For example, if one day you post a funny video about your product to promote it and get people thinking about your brand in a new way, that video will reach users who have liked similar videos and content in the past. And then if on another day you post a video about your company's unique employee benefits, and mention that you're hiring, that video will likely reach a completely different audience, one that's full of job seekers.
Connect With A Younger Generation Of Talented Workers
Reaching a new audience might also mean connecting with younger job seekers. Although TikTok is for everyone, the vast majority of users are between the ages of 16-24. This means millions of recent college grads are using the platform—and are probably looking for their first "real" job out of school at the same time. Wouldn't you love to connect with young and talented job seekers and attract the right candidates to your open positions?
This younger generation is Gen Z, and in order to gain their attention and show that your company is modern and can keep up with the times, a TikTok account is almost essential. Nobody wants to work for a boring and outdated company! Think about how you can connect with a younger generation of talented workers with your current employer branding strategy. If there's some room for improvement, give TikTok a try.
Attract Job Seekers With Fun & Educational Content
The content you create on TikTok is what will determine how successful you are at achieving your employer branding goals. At the end of the day, TikTok is a great opportunity to attract job seekers who otherwise might not have thought about applying to your company for a job if they hadn't seen your videos or connected with your company in some way on the social media platform.
To attract job seekers, create fun and educational videos about your company, highlighting employee benefits, company culture, and unique job opportunities. Interact with commenters and followers. Consider what a job seeker's impression of you would be if they stumbled across one of your videos and checked out your profile. Is your company relevant? Why would someone want to work for you? What makes you stand out from other employers? Think about these questions when you add TikTok to your employer branding strategy to ensure your content is helping you attract job seekers.
As an employer, you need to stay on top of your employer branding strategy, using every tool out there to your advantage, or else other companies will attract more job seekers and you'll miss out on talented professionals of all ages. If you were unsure about the importance of TikTok in your employer branding strategy before, we hope this article motivated you to give TikTok a try. You'll attract the right job candidates (and have a lot of fun, too!).
Could your employer branding strategy use a boost? We can help!
Check out our employer branding services today and start attracting the right talent to your organization!
In this article, I'll provide you with an analysis user guide, complete with templates and examples and, most importantly, how to leverage this analysis during your strategic plans.
What Analysis Tools Should I Use?
There are tons of business analysis models that can help you better understand your business, but some of the most effective ones are the SWOT and PESTLE strategic analysis models.
SWOT stands for:
INTERNAL FACTORS
Strengths and weaknesses represent your company's internal environment—things that are happening now. They represent things that you have control over and can change.
EXTERNAL FACTORS
Opportunities and threats represent your company's external environment—things that are happening in the future. They are things going on outside of your company and are not something you can control or change.
A PESTLE analysis can be done in conjunction with a SWOT to more deeply analyze the external section in the SWOT. It is more valuable than SWOT for longer term strategic plans. PESTLE stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental.
POLITICAL: Government policy, corruption levels, trade controls, import and export restrictions, taxation changes
ECONOMIC: Exchange rates, disposable income levels, interest rates, unemployment rates, wealth distribution
SOCIAL: Education levels, population growth rate, religious harmony, attitude towards health, social welfare programs, generational shifts
TECHNOLOGICAL: New technology considerations, internet penetration, access to basic infrastructure, software privacy, technology competency of workforce
LEGAL: Tax laws and regulations, labor laws and firing policies, copyright and anti-piracy laws
ENVIRONMENTAL: Weather patterns, attitude towards recycling, attitude towards organic and green products
SWOT and PESTLE are simple tools that, when combined, provide a complete picture of your business environment for an effective strategic planning process.
