Write a cover letter that actually gets read!
Everyone who is applying for a new job freezes for a few seconds when they see the phrase “Attach a Cover Letter (Optional)”. The question arising in their minds is obvious — should I submit one or not? Whether it is actually worth it? And it is high time one should fix an obvious answer to all such questions that — YES, it is absolutely worth the time and effort you would put in writing one and also one of the many important reasons for you landing that interview you really wanted.
So, what is actually a cover letter and how can you write one?
A Cover Letter is a short and crisp document that adds colors surrounding your experience mentioned in your resume or CV. It’s a part of your application where you put your personality on display and show the recruiter that you’re much more than that bunch of grades and work experience. Moreover, your cover letter should highlight your ability to add value to the role you’re applying for.
That being said, the only three word rule that applies while writing a cover letter is — Tell a story!
So, keep in mind (and also cross check at the end) the following 10 points to pen down the perfect cover letter that should give you an edge landing that *dream job* interview.
Let’s get started!
1.Start with name — of the Hiring Manager, whenever possible (definitely, not yours)
Go ahead with mentioning the concerned person’s name in a format <Mr./Ms./Mrs.><First Name> <Last Name>. Try never to use generic titles such as “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” and rudest of all — just a “Hello.” If in the worst case, even after several hours of search, you’re not able to find out the name of the exact person responsible for hiring. Then don’t use a name but still try to be as specific as possible in your greeting. You may use terms such as “Hiring Manager” or “Search Committee Manager” to show that you’re addressing to a specific audience.
2. Be real and normal!
Try to avoid using the starting sentences from sample cover letters you find online as much as possible. Most of them provide an image of you as “overly formal” or “just informal” — both of which are not good signs.
For instance: I am extremely thrilled to be applying for the Junior Analyst position at your esteemed organization. OR I came across your ad for the Assistant Manager position and would like to apply, respectively.
The former sentence seems robotic as well as unfriendly. The latter one shows you’re unsure about your own action as you’re already applying. Stay real and write in a normal tone (as you’d speak) and see how far it goes!
3. Be different, every single time!
Every recruiter looks for your enthusiasm about the position through the cover letter, which means you should draft a custom cover letter for every job you apply for. That’s why, always remember to add the exact position you’re applying for and the company name. Otherwise, it is no different than a mass-distributed piece of letter ready to be thrown into the trash throughout the city.
4. Don’t repeat your resume!
Just don’t reiterate your resume (telling again about your educational qualification, positions held, responsibilities etc). Use the cover letter to add the rest of the details that you couldn’t put in your 1-page resume. Build a story around the qualities you think would show you as the best fit for the position.
5. Think the other way around
Although in almost all the cases, both the company as well as the job seeker are in need of a suitable match but when applying for a job, focus on what you can do for the company and not the other way around. Don’t try to prove how great the position would be for you. Rather, show what you’re going to bring to the position and the company.
6. Use your past for your future
Instead of ranting about what all you did at your previous jobs, explain how you can make use of acquired skills in future. Read the requirements in the job description and make it instantly clear to the employer (with the help of examples) that you can deliver work as per their expectations.
7. Avoid cliches
Avoid describing yourself as “team player” or “out-of-the-box.” These phrases have been so overused that they have lost their meaning. Instead of relying on common language, use descriptive statements relating to some incident where you showed that particular personality trait. Also, make sure it’s relevant to the position. This makes your cover letter stronger.
8. Don’t apologize for skills you don’t have
It is not necessary for you to have all the skills as mentioned in the job description. There should be something left to learn on the go. So, there is no need to draw attention to your limited experience in the field, say for instance, marketing or teaching. Instead, focus on highlighting your strengths and capabilities that will help you excel in the new role.
9. Keep check on language
Highlighting important keywords as mentioned in the job description into your cover letter is a necessary point to be followed. Mostly people forget it while writing and go with the flow; bragging about themselves. But with algorithms being used in performing every single task of our daily life, they surely are being used to scan and shortlist the cover letters which have strong descriptive words used. Also, when you are done writing one, ensure that there are no typos or grammatical errors.
10. Have someone to check it for you
Ask a friend, or your professor to give your cover letter a read. Ask him/her a few questions such as: Did it excite it? Do I look like a good fit for the position? If you find even slight hesitation, sit and think about changes you could do. Make the edits and re-analyse.
So, here is an example of a cover letter which follows all the above points.
For convenience, we have divided it into 3 short paragraphs.
1. Opening paragraph:
Tell about the role you’re applying for and how your past work experience will help you be an asset to the new job.
For example: assuming you’re Priya from sales applying for a role of Sales Coordinator, you could say;
“Dear Prof. Daniel,
It is with great enthusiasm that I’m submitting my application for the position of Research Intern at the Department of Computer Science, Lancaster University. Being a final year computer science graduate student with around 2 years of experience working on research projects, I understand my diverse skills and qualifications that will make me an asset to your LEAR project team.”
2. Second and Third paragraph:
Here goes your short story that adds color to your experience. This is the main body of your cover letter. Keep it short, engaging, and direct. Let the reader know thoroughly who you are, what skills you excel at, and achievements you have bagged but in crisp. You’re literally selling yourself in here.
Understanding the flow of the paragraph is really important and the job description part of the advertisement does the work here. Link your experiences with what the employer is looking for and voila! — There you get a proper structured paragraph.
For example: Priya could include something like written below when applying for the job of Research Intern.
“As mentioned in my resume, I’ve worked in a variety of research areas since last year, writing code in different programming languages and also testing it on various platforms. I didn’t wear many hats just for the sake of it, rather I have sincerely enjoyed working on every project and fulfilled all responsibilities that came with it; I thrive in an environment where every single day at work is new and challenging.
Besides being flexible and responsive, I’m also a fanatic for details — particularly when it comes to presentation. One of my recent projects involved coordinating a 100 slides long presentation: I added content to 20, proofread and edited the rest and made sure every slide was perfect and that the entire finished presentation conformed to the specific guidelines of the conference. (The result? I ended up presenting our paper at the national level conference) I believe in applying this same level of attention to detail to tasks as visible as prepping the materials for an international-level conference or a journal article and as mundane as making sure the data collected in spreadsheets is not biased.”
Reading the two paragraphs will certainly impress any employer not just because of the experience the candidate has got but also for the way he/she has expressed it.
Tip: You could also add a line or two showing the knowledge you’ve or acquired about the firm/particular project (if it’s mentioned). A positive review on some of their works done earlier would also sound great. This will show your keen interest in working with them and also demonstrate your passion about the kind of work they do.
3. Closing sentence with a focus on your future:
It is indeed a great way to put an end to your cover letter keeping a focus on your ambitions for the future. This is one of the qualities of strong candidates.
So, in a single sentence, convey to them that you’re looking forward to hearing more about the opportunity, and also, you’re open to meet (e-meet), discuss, and share more details (if needed) and leave your contact details.
Good luck!
Apoorva Bhalla| Content & Marketing Fellow at Connectedreams.com
Also, do not miss our article “7 Must-Follow Tips To Bag That Awesome Internship”
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