Were you wondering where to begin when it comes to drafting a cover letter? The amount of information you’ve gathered on cover letters may have left you feeling overwhelmed. Don’t get too worked up; drafting a cover letter is actually rather simple if you keep a few things in mind.
As you are probably well aware, a cover letter is essentially a sales letter. You are the product that you are trying to sell, and you are the product that you are trying to sell. To put it simply, your cover letter should demonstrate why the employer should engage you. Your cover letter must illustrate why you are a better candidate than any other contender for the job. You may add a personal touch to your resume with the help of a cover letter.
Keep it Short and to the point
When creating your own cover letter, another thing to keep in mind is to keep it brief and to the point. Remember that you are not the only candidate for the post. There’s a good chance the recruiting manager is sitting on a stack of resumes and cover letters. A lengthy cover letter isn’t likely to catch their attention, so don’t waste their time. If they read more than a few sentences of your CV and cover letter, they are likely to lose interest and discard it. Because of this, your cover letter should not exceed a single page in length or be more than a few paragraphs lengthy. It is nearly impossible to receive a second look at a cover letter that is more than one page lengthy.
The introduction should be the opening paragraph of your essay. Be precise about who you’re writing the letter to, whether it’s the recruiting manager or the HR representative. It’s critical that their name and title be spelled accurately. This is where you tell them a little bit about yourself and why you’ve reached out to them. In this section, you can explain why you’re interested in working for the firm. This paragraph might benefit from some background study on the firm.
Use of Highlights
Highlights from your CV should be used in your second paragraph to show how well-qualified you are for the post. Keep in mind that your resume doesn’t have to be word for word. Highlight just the areas of the document that are relevant to the job. The best way to market yourself is in this section. If you’re looking to impress, this is the paragraph to do it with style. Put yourself in the employer’s position and ask yourself whether and how you satisfy the company’s demands. This may be your longest paragraph, but don’t go overboard.
If you volunteer at a local community center every weekend, your employer doesn’t need to know about it. Keep in mind that these companies are on the lookout for the lone employee who can meet their exact specifications. This paragraph is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your suitability for the position.
Keep it tight
This is when you make yourself accessible for an interview in your final paragraph or closing paragraph. Because getting an interview is the whole point of a cover letter. It’s a good idea to advise the employer when they may expect a follow-up contact from you. Your letter should end by thanking them for their time and wishing them well.
Free cover letter samples are available online, so you may be tempted to utilize one. This is not something I suggest. It’s better to write your own cover letter rather than copying a pre-written sample letter. When you write your own cover letter, you tailor it to the exact organization and position you’re applying for. Chances are, if you were to send a simple letter, the recipient would just throw it away. Finally, make the design of the page as minimal as possible. Do not use misspelled or improperly punctuated words. Using outlandish typefaces and odd margins isn’t necessary. It’s essential to make the cover letter clean, simple, and uncomplicated to read.
As intimidating as it may appear, writing your own cover letter isn’t quite as difficult as you would think. Make the most of your cover letter by following these simple suggestions.
What Information Should Be Included in Your Cover Letter?
A cover letter isn’t the place to wax lyrical about your professional and personal accomplishments.
It’s important that your cover letter is a carefully crafted collection of anecdotes from your professional life that provide the reader a clear understanding of your identity and how you can contribute value to their firm.
When it comes to cover letters, the Society for Human Resources concluded that the three most important elements to include are:
Work experience that a candidate has in relation to the job’s criteria.
Candidate qualifications in relation to the job description.
What motivates a job seeker to work with your company.
If you want the reader to believe that you’re the right person for the position, your cover letter should include this information.
Use the job criteria to guide the content of your cover letter and follow these best practices in order to achieve this.
What are some examples of ways you can help people?
Saying that you’re a “problem-solver” is like claiming that you prefer chocolate croissants to normal ones. Don’t exaggerate your ability to solve problems. Give an example of a problem you had a vital role in resolving and how you went about it. It’s much better if you know the organization has a specific issue that you might assist with; then explain how you can do so.
Pick a voice and a tone that fit the subject matter at hand.
You should write in your own voice, but you should also select a tone and voice that is acceptable for the firm you’re applying to.
Investigating the firm and its industry before applying may help guide your writing style, which might vary widely based on the position for which you apply. If you’re writing to a legal consulting business, your letter will probably sound different than if you’re writing to a software startup.
Tell your tale.
You may demonstrate your talents and provide hiring managers insight into your personality and work style by telling anecdotes from your career.
Always check the job description for the specifics of the position you’re applying for while brainstorming story ideas.
The company’s culture might also be gleaned by doing more research on the company’s website. Before you begin writing your cover letter, check the job description to see whether your talents match those required.
Using Venn diagrams can help you brainstorm and identify the talents and experiences you wish to highlight. The content of your cover letter will be guided and inspired by the overlapping themes you discover after drawing this design and identifying what belongs in each circle.
Assume you’re submitting an application for the post of marketing director. Job requirements include many years of marketing experience, extensive understanding of lead generation, and excellent verbal and written communication abilities. Explane how you enhanced customer retention rates by training and mentoring new employees in your former work as a marketing manager and executing multiple initiatives that met or surpassed their goals for lead creation (include particular data, if possible).
Anecdotally, your story does a lot—it demonstrates one of your most important hard talents, leadership nurturing, and it illustrates how you work well with others and teach new employees about company procedures and customer interactions. You’re demonstrating your ability to satisfy their expectations in terms of communication and marketing expertise.