How to Write A Great Cover Letter
It is an indisputable fact: crafting cover letters is the most annoying part of the job search process. I loathe them but alas, they are a required and very important aspect of finding the right job.
To help you make the laborious cover letter process a little bit easier, I’ve provided a fool-proof outline to make a stellar cover letter.
Format your cover letter
Hopefully, your resume has a cute template with a professional but distinctive look to it. Make sure that your cover letter matches your resume’s look.
The colors and font should match your resume. Your header, with your name and contact information, should also match the look of your resume.
Again, just like your resume, your cover letter should be limited to one-page.
Address your cover letter to someone
Don’t use “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madame” because you don’t talk like that in real life – because nobody talks like that in real life.
Try your best to find the name of the person who will be your boss, the head of the department, or a recruiter. If you can’t find real names, you can address it:
· To the team you are applying to: “Dear Marketing Department”
· To the Recruitment or Talent Acquisition team: “Dear Recruiting Team”
At the very least, you can always use “Dear Hiring Manager”.
Have an engaging opening line
Personally, I find this to be the hardest part of the cover letter process but it is critical. An engaging opening line will pull the reader in quickly and lead them to read the really important information they need to know to hire you that comes after.
Your opening line should set the tone and message of the rest of your cover letter.
The theme of your opening line could highlight:
· To show you are passionate about what you do: “When I was growing up…”
· To demonstrate that you’re a seasoned pro: “As the top salesperson at my current company…”
· To illustrate that you’re good at what you do: “My boss once told me that…”
· To let them know you’re creative (and willing to take a risk): “There’s only one reason you wouldn’t hire me and that’s…let me explain why you should…”
Why you are applying to this organization
One of the best ways to stand out is to show that you are connected to the organization and driven by its vision and mission. This shows the company that you really want to be there and that when times get tough, you will stick through it because you are motivated by something bigger than a paycheck.
In your first paragraph you can include one or more of the following reasons you are connected to the organization:
· How you learned of the company
· Your connection to their mission
· A company value that you believe in and why
Why you are qualified for the role
The next part of your cover letter is showing the company why you will be a rock star at the job. This makes it really clear how you will help them achieve their goals.
Review the job description and take 1-2 things they are looking for to highlight in your resume. Applicant Tracking Systems are robots that screen resumes and cover letters for relevant keywords. Make sure to include relevant keywords that you found from their own job description in there.
Then show (don’t tell) why you have mastered this skill by providing a concrete example. Follow this template: Situation + Action + Impact.
Describe the situation or challenge that was facing you and/or the organization. Then, describe the action you took to solve it, highlighting the skills you took to accomplish this goal. Finish up by describing the impact you ultimately made or how the challenge was resolved.
Close it out
Thank them for their time and let them know you are excited about the next steps in the process.
“Thank you so much for your consideration. I look forward to contributing my skills and experiences as a [Name of the Role] at [Company Name} and hope to have the opportunity to speak with you further about how I can be an asset to your team.”
