How To Write The Perfect Cover Letter In 2022
Have you found your dream job? Don't be too sure that you'll get hired: There are very likely multiple other qualified individuals vying for the same post.
While a well-written CV highlights a job seeker's skill set, a good cover letter provides a different but related opportunity: the potential to illustrate why you're the best candidate for the job on one concise page.
This is when the cover letter comes into play. Including a cover letter to go with your resume will help you impress hiring managers: It demonstrates your exceptional writing abilities, distinguishes you from other applicants, and demonstrates that you went above and beyond.
This piece will give you great tips on crafting a winning cover letter. So, stick around.
6 Tips To Write A Winning Cover Letter
First and foremost, we can promise you that cover letters are read. Some hiring managers consider them the most crucial aspect of your job application. And, while it would be simpler to let your CV speak for itself, you'd miss out on the opportunity to tell prospective employers who you are, why they should hire you, and differentiate yourself from the competition.
Are you ready to jump in? Consider the following six pointers to help your cover letter stand out from the pack.
A strong cover letter responds to two crucial questions:
- Why are you the best candidate for the job?
- How will you contribute to the organization's success?
The average employer reviews these materials in around seven seconds. They are not reading; instead, they are skimming. As a result, you must make it apparent how you can provide value right away.
So…
1. Personalize it;
While you may be able to get away with reusing your CV for many positions, doing so with your cover letter is an absolute no-no. Why? Because cover letters are all about demonstrating how your history, talents, and experience align with the needs of a firm as they relate to the job for which you're applying.
Cover letters that work are anything but cookie-cutter. Instead, each cover letter should be carefully tailored to the job at hand.
Making it personal also entails addressing the letter to a real person. While locating the appropriate department head or recruiting manager may take some time, doing so indicates initiative and resourcefulness.
2. Do not restate your entire résumé;
You're not composing a 1,000-word essay summarizing your resume. The cover letter is your opportunity to explain why you're so passionate about the firm and its mission.
There's no need to be overly formal, either. Use your voice and include some unique flourishes to make the letter more intriguing.
If you have relevant education or job experience, make sure to highlight it with one or two notable instances. Emphasize job-related talents or abilities. Make sure to accomplish this confidently, and keep in mind that the reader will see your letter as an example of your writing abilities.
3. Create a new cover letter for each job;
Yes, it's faster and easier to rename the cover letter you produced for your last application and send it off. However, most employers want to see that you're genuinely interested in the individual position and organization, which means writing a unique letter for each post you apply for.
While it's acceptable to reuse a few solid sentences and phrases from one cover letter to the next, don't even consider sending out an utterly generic letter. "Dear Hiring Manager, I am eager to apply..." sends a clear message to recruiters and hiring managers that you're resume-bombing every job posting in town. Mistakes like these can result in your application being discarded. Do research, include the hiring manager's name; it'd give you extra points to get it read.
4. Attract Their Attention;
Every day, a recruiting manager may get hundreds of resumes. How do you ensure that yours is noticed? Instead of the traditional "five-paragraph" letter, use bullet points to showcase your strengths. This saves hiring managers time sifting through your writing to find the essential elements. Instead, it does the work for them. You'll still need an introduction and a conclusion, but use bullets to express the information you want to stress.
5. Use action words and avoid using the pronoun "I" excessively;
Use action words instead of flowery phrases and trite assertions like "fast thinker" and "very creative."
Here are some action verbs to employ when emphasizing specific skills:
- To display leadership abilities, you must: complete, contract, assign, direct, choreographed, led, and delegated
- To demonstrate communication abilities, you must: addressing, translate, present, negotiate, moderate, promote, and edit.
- To show research abilities, construct, examine, critique, systematize, investigate, model, and formulate.
- To demonstrate your creative skills: Rejuvenated, revamped, developed, merged, imagined, fashioned, and formed.
Avoid using too many "I" statements because they may give the impression that you are only concerned about what you may get from the firm. The emphasis should be on what the company stands to gain from you.
6. Maintain consistency in formatting;
The importance of visual uniformity cannot be overstated. Limit your letter to one page and use the same font (and size) as your resume. If you're converting the letter to PDF, check the formatting correctly translated. Finally, if a solid cover letter gets you a foot in the door, a call to action allows you to turn that food into something bigger.
And here's a pro tip: if you say you're going to follow up, FOLLOW UP.
While it is impossible to fully comprehend what is going through a hiring manager's head while reviewing candidates, a cover letter allows you to make an excellent first impression.
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