Cover letters are not easy to write, and everyone who’s ever given it a shot knows this.
To learn how to write a great cover letter doesn’t only require refined writing skills.
A great cover letter is a combination of great formatting, organization, highlights, as well as the right set of qualifications and skills.
Eventually, it is the cover letter and the remaining parts of your job application that give you a true shot at the job you strive to get.
Because of this, here are 10 amazing tips that will teach you how to write a cover letter that will impress.
1. Don’t Use Generic Salutations
Things like ‘to whom it may concern’ are used in more than half of the resumes applicants send.
As you can assume, this is annoying and repetitive. This is an outdated practice.
If you want to peek someone’s interest, tweak the salutation line.
2. Don’t Just Rewrite Your Resume
It can be tempting to copy the information from your resume into your cover letter if you have it ready.
The assignment isn’t to do the same thing twice. As a matter of fact, a cover letter has an entirely different structure, but also different purpose from other parts of the application.
Every assignment has its cover sheet that you must know of before you complete it.
Do you know what is a cover sheet for an assignment?
If you don’t have a clue what it should look like, check some cover letter examples before you begin.
3. Do Your Research
You can only create a great cover letter if you know who will read it. Research the potential employers a bit to see what they are looking for.
Don’t just use a cover letter template and send the same application to everyone.
4. Start It the Right Way
It can be hard to start a cover letter, but keep in mind that this part is the most crucial element of it.
This will determine the interest of the employer on whether or not to keep going through your cover letter and your application.
Open with an amazing and convincing pitch.
5. Focus on What the Company Needs
All that research should teach you what your company needs from its employees.
Go through the job description and present only the skills and qualifications that are relevant to that job.
You may have some great accomplishments, but if they are of no use to the employer, eliminate them from the cover letter.
6. Keep It Short
Go through the assignment sheet or the job post to see what is expected of you.
Is there a set of questions you are asked to answer? Is there a limited word count?
Even if there isn’t, don’t go overboard. Use just the crucial information and keep it short.
7. Omit Your Weaknesses
People will often tell you to be honest in a job application, but that doesn’t mean that you should get everything out in the open. Don’t lie in a resume, but don’t volunteer your weaknesses, either.
8. Tell Your Story
The resume is used to present your skills and qualifications, which gives your cover letter a different purpose – to help you present those skills in a way that associates you with the company.
This is the place where you connect with the employer and give them an idea of who you are.
Tell your story in the resume – don’t just state the facts.
9. Customize It for Each Individual Company/ Job
You have much lower odds at landing a job and an interview if you send the same generic cover letter to every potential employer.
If you want your application to impress and convince people to call you in for an interview, you need to tailor it for their specific offer.
Base your cover letter on the job description, the demands of the company, and your research of the same.
It will take longer, but it will yield much better results.
10. Make It Personal
This is the time and place to get personal. The cover letter is the spot where the employee and the reader connect.
You’re a real human being with some qualities that fit the company you’re applying it.
Show this in your words. Make the cover letter professional, but inject some personality in it, too.
Conclusion
Have you tried to write a cover letter? The first attempt might fail, and so might the tenth.
But, once you get the hang of it and invest a sufficient amount of time in your job application, you can get any job you want!
Author’s bio:
Nicholas Walker is a career consultant and an expert psychologist.
With a Doctorate in psychology, he works with young people by giving them life and career advice.
His task is to shape and guide the young minds into finding the right path.