Cover letters are the ambiguous white elephants in the room while applying for a position. Especially when most students in college have little experience in writing cover letters, because their jobs have been hardly more than a part-time job at Jamba Juice or Carl’s Jr. So when applying for important positions, it’s important to go into it with a great resume which includes a cover letter. Cover letters introduce you to the employer and help them get a feel for what kind of person you are, while also looking at your writing abilities. While some employers focus on the cover letter, others focus on the resume.
Cover letters should clearly display a person’s strengths and anything else they would like to stress to employers. When you develop a good cover letter, keep it forever. For convenience’s sake, you will be able to change this letter based off the needs of the position you are applying for. This will save time, and will display all of the gifts you have to offer. Here are a few tips to make sure your cover letter is hiring status—introducing and confirming the employer’s good thoughts about you.
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Write the correct type of cover letter.
There are two types of cover letters: A letter of application and a letter of inquiry. A letter of application is used when applying for a specific position that has been advertised. In this kind of letter, be sure to state the source of the position (i.e. Monster Jobs). A letter of inquiry is written when the applicant has no previous knowledge of the employer and is inquiring about information on what positions are available for employment.
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Don’t be general.
Address the cover letter to the employee who is making the hiring decision (using the appropriate Mr., Mrs., Miss, Dr. titles). If it doesn’t say who this person is in the ad, call the company and ask them what their name is, how to spell it and what their position is. If you aren’t able to locate this person, address it to “Hiring Manager.”
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Get to the point.
Employers have hundreds of cover letters to read through, so do them a favor and be concise. Saying something that will catch their attention with all of your abilities, strengths and skills in a small space is challenging—but redraft, reedit, revise—and it will land you a job.
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Be you.
Use vocabulary that gets your personality across; do not try to impress the reader by using words that you can’t define. Read over the letter aloud to make sure it flows. And while still displaying personality, triple check grammar and spelling errors. Allow a couple different people to read through and make any necessary edits.
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Show what you know.
Adding into the cover letter what you already know about the company and the position will increase your chances of being hired. This will show the employer that you know something about them, the industry, and it will reiterate the fact that you chose them and want to work for them.
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Ask for an interview.
You want the interview? Ask for it. This is something that a lot of applicants shy away from. But don’t beat around the bush! Tell them that you are looking forward to meeting them for an interview, with a phone number they can reach you at. This confidence will, again, show the employer that you want the job.
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Add a P.S.
This last statement is impossible to ignore. By putting an additional comment at the bottom you are forcing the hiring employer’s eyes to the closing words. This can be an additional reiteration of thanks to them, or your phone number letting them know they can call you as soon as possible for the interview.
The cover letter is an employer’s introduction to your life and all you can offer to their company. While this can be overwhelming, knowing your personality will be judged based on grammar and content, let the pressure motivate you to follow these suggestions and write a killer cover letter!
