Cover letters are a controversial thing when it comes to the job search. Some recruiters love them. Some recruiters require them. And some recruiters advice against them all together. The ones who love them like to see a quick snapshot of the candidate before even opening the resume attachment. The ones who require them are simply looking for individuals who can follow directions. How do you know the right way to craft a cover letter? Here are some great tips for writing your own the next time you apply for a job.
- The killer opening. If you can, address your cover letter to a specific person. Find out the name of the recruiter or human resources manager. Before giving in and addressing it generically consider using LinkedIn to find the appropriate individual. Once it is addressed you must craft a perfect introductory sentence. Make sure this sentence tells the recruiter why you’re interested in this job specifically, not just any job.
- Your awesome things. The recruiter or hiring manager want to know why you are someone they should consider further. Think about three, four, or five significant accomplishments in your history and include them in your letter. Peak their curiosity so they will want to talk to you more.
- Marketing tool. You are selling your skills and talents to this company so you want to treat your cover letter just like a marketing manager would treat any correspondence. Use language that can close the sale. Most importantly, include your contact information directly in the body of the letter so the manager doesn’t have to dig for it to give you a call.
- A few additional tips. The format of your cover letter should be formal. Keep your resume heading (name, address, email, and phone number) the same at the top of the page to provide consistency. Make sure you keep it short and separate your paragraphs well so it doesn’t look like an unmanageable block of text. Finally, be sure to proofread it several times before it ever sees a recruiter’s inbox. Read it out loud and don’t rely on spell check to catch your errors.
Are you looking for more professional tips for your job search? Contact the team at Harvard Resource Solutions to see how we can help.
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