Powerful Tips to Make Your Cover Letter Stand Out Snaphunt
Powerful tips to Make Your Cover Letter Stand Out | Snaphunt #
Excerpt #
Do hiring managers even read cover letters anymore?
Do you really need a cover letter to accompany your job application or resume in the era of digital recruitment? Do hiring managers even read cover letters anymore? #
The simple answer to both these questions is “yes.”
Still, quite often, crafting a cover letter seems to be an afterthought to submitting a resume for many candidates. Some don’t even bother to write one at all!
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Importance of a Cover Letter #
Think of the cover letter as your first introduction to a potential employer. It also provides job seekers the chance to make a solid initial impression and demonstrate why they’re the best fit for a particular position. So, don’t miss this opportunity.
Of course, these days, you’re unlikely to make hard copies of your resume and cover letter before sending them to a hiring manager via courier. In fact, it might not even be a typical “letter” format. The savviest job hunters tend to write a targeted cover letter within the body of an email or online employment application.
Starting a Cover Letter #
Don’t just start rehashing the info from your resume. Repeating salient details that are already on the resume is a waste of your as well as the recruiter’s and hiring manager’s time. The idea behind writing engaging cover letters is to promote and sell yourself, depict your passion, and showcase your eagerness for a particular position.
Below are some pointers to create a targeted cover letter.
Match your experience and skills to the job description.
Explain why you want this job.
Talk about the company’s mission, vision, and key objectives. Connect them to your own goals while discussing how you plan to pursue them. Doing so will indicate that you’ve spent time researching the company.
End with a strong CTA (Call to Action) that invites the hiring manager or recruiter to follow up with you.
Less Is More… #
Say more in fewer words. Information overload in the digital age has shortened attention spans considerably. And your cover letter is vying for those few minutes of coveted attention from the hiring manager who might be swamped with work. Therefore, the “economy of words” is vital.
Ideally, you should keep it to around 3 to 4 paragraphs. Utilize each of these paras to focus on a specific aspect of your application. Below is a tentative structure.
Begin with an attention-grabbing intro that shows your enthusiasm for the job and the company. Also, mention your referral’s name here, if you have one.
This portion is your sales pitch. Now is the time to discuss your top skills, talk up attributes and accomplishments, and explain why your credentials are exactly what the company is looking for.
Towards the end, briefly restate what value you bring to the table, thank the hiring manager for taking the time out to read your letter, and initiate the next step by mentioning that you look forward to a response in due course.
Customize Your Cover Letter for Every Job #
Don’t adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. Sure, it’s okay to keep a basic template around and create customized cover letters according to the structure mentioned in the previous section. However, if you use a generic cover letter template and just change the date and (prospective) employer name every time, then you’re missing out on a golden opportunity to make the right first impression.
The whole concept of a cover letter revolves around creating a document that’s targeted to a particular job, demonstrating how your skill set matches the job description and why your credentials are exactly what the employer needs.
So, try to write an engaging and irresistible cover letter by tying it to the parts of the job that fit in with your competencies and experience. What do they need that you’re specifically good at? How will your contributions stand out? Ask yourself such questions whenever you sit down to write a cover letter to accompany any job application.
Furthermore, if possible, add some numbers and statistics that support your claims. For instance, when applying for a manager-level position, mention the size of the budgets and teams that you supervised. Similarly, for sales roles, talk about revenue targets or unit sales goals that you achieved.
You can also customize the cover letter further by highlighting your familiarity with a particular industry, company, organizational culture, and type of role.
Proudly Demonstrate Past Accomplishments #
Every employer wants confident people who are passionate about their work. Such individuals usually end up outperforming their peers, serve as invaluable team players, and show the potential to grow alongside the firm.
Hence, provide specific examples in your cover letter that prove you’re the right person for the job. In fact, you can even brag a little (without going overboard) about your biggest accomplishments. Just make sure that you aren’t simply duplicating stuff from your resume. Instead, use this part of the cover letter to give more context to the achievements listed in the “other document.”
Personally Address the Hiring Manager #
Always try to address the cover letter to the person responsible for making the hiring decisions. Don’t start with generic greetings like “Dear Employer” or “To Whom It May Concern.” The name and designation of the hiring manager are often mentioned in the job ad. If not, look for the company’s employees on LinkedIn to find the focal person. In case this turns out to be a bust as well, try calling the firm’s main phone line and asking to speak to someone in HR. Moreover, if you’re fresh out of school and looking for your first job, perhaps your career services office can help you identify the right contact at a particular organization.
Add Relevant Keywords Mentioned In the Job Description #
Nowadays, most employers use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) or some kind of resume-filtering software. These systems typically scan for keywords mentioned in the job description to assess the relevance of received applications with the required skills and experiences. Therefore, it’s vital that your resume and cover letter include matching key phrases from the job description. Don’t overdo it, though. Add the terms and phrases that genuinely match your credentials.
While writing, go through the employment ad carefully to understand the degree requirements, desired soft and technical skills, preferred experience, needed communication and time management abilities, etc.
Proofread Your Document Carefully #
Once you’re done with the writing, it’s time to edit and proofread every word for clarity and precision. Check and double-check every line to give your letter a final polish. Also, it never hurts to have another pair of eyes go over your work. So, ask a friend or family member with strong grammar and writing chops to review the document.
Lastly, while sending your application, include a copy of the job listing to ensure that you’ve hit all the right notes!
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