Cover letters are the sales copy of the job hunter. They are used by employers as a way to separate candidates based on their communication skills and past performances. People looking for jobs should use cover letters as a way to sell their services and to develop a dialogue with a perspective employer early on, even before they land an interview. In this day and age of extremely competitive job markets, having an advantage is important to obtaining that dream job. A professional cover letter can be the one thing that gives you an advantage over the other applicants in your field.
Application packets should not read like an autobiography. While they should include relevant details about your past and your experience, you should not give a potential employer every minute detail about your life. There is more than enough time for getting to know each other on a personal level later on. The cover letter should simply get you an interview so that you can “sell” yourself to the manager face to face. There are a few specific ways that a cover letter can do this:
1. A cover letter portrays professionalism – Writing a clear and concise cover letter explaining why you should get the job is one of the best ways to show that you are professional and were born to work in this field. More than a note to the hiring committee, the cover letter can a mini report of your experiences and education.
2. Cover letters allow you to brag – The cover letter is one of the only places in business that it is not only okay, but recommended that you brag on yourself. Pull out all the stops and discuss every accomplishment that is applicable to the job you are applying for. Talk about how you kept your last project financially successful despite hard economic times or how you were the number one seller at your last company three years in a row. Make sure that all of the accomplishments make sense for the job you are applying for or at least “spin” them in such a way to make them make sense. It is always difficult to determine what will be of interest to a perspective employer and what will not be, but make your best guess based on their job ad.
3. Cover letters show that you care about detail – A well constructed cover letter that focuses on the aspects of the job mentioned in the job ad, lets the employer know that you not only pay attention but that you are concerned about what it is that the company does. Do some research on the company online and through old newspapers and find out about some of the issues surrounding the corporate structure. Knowing your interviewers names and addressing them personally in the header of the cover letter is one of the best ways to show attention to detail and showcase your knowledge of the company.