In our current business world, a lot of employers have begun to request many job seekers’ most feared phrase: the Cover Letter. Cover letters are supposed to be attached to resumes as yet another way for managers to differentiate between job seekers and make right decisions regarding the hiring of employees within the company. As the number of applicants with college degrees constantly increases, it becomes hard for employers to differentiate between applicants solely based on their education and/or experience. Therefore, the cover letter becomes a way for the employer to get to know a little about the potential candidates and how they present themselves (at least on paper). Cover letters can act as a starting dialogue between a company and a potential employee and also could set the stage for the applicant to potentially get a call back for an interview.
There are a couple of general tips to creating good resume cover letters that all job hunters should know. Like many things in the business world, having a well written cover letter is not the “silver bullet” to getting a job interview, however it could very well help stack the deck in your favor.
As a typical job seeker, you are most likely pursuing many job leads. Rather than just copying some generic cover letters, it is more powerful to customize each cover letter to the exact job opportunity that you are applying for. Generic cover letters tell an employer that you did not research their opportunity specifically but instead just stumbled upon it. Some managers may see this as a nonchalant attitude and may just throw out your application as a result. Letters that are customized to the position itself show that you were devoted and focused when researching the opportunity to apply for a job within the company.
Tailor your cover letters by studying the person who will be reading your cover letter and application. Address the letter to them specifically by name instead of using a “To Whom It May Concern:” type greeting. This shows the employer you have done your homework and are not afraid to put in a little extra effort. Tailor your accomplishments and experience explanation to the company as well. Find out the kinds of things that are recognized within the company or that set the company apart from others in their field. Highlight those accomplishments and experiences that would attract the interest of an industry insider rather than just show how astute you are.
Put in your most up to date contact information so that the employer can contact you as easily and quickly as possible. Let them know that you are extremely interested in the job and in one sentence restate why you are the best candidate. Thank the reader for their time and then end with a professional salutation such as “Sincerely” or “Kind Regards”.