What magic is involved in preparing a cover letter?
The cover letter, sometimes known as a job application letter, literally covers, or comes first, over your submitted or mailed resume. Usually read first, it is intended to encourage a potential employer to read your included resume. In addition, it is a personal narrative written communication that could decisively influence an employer’s view of the applicant as a potentially suitable job candidate or one who fails that first step in gaining recognition for an interview.
Cover letters reveal written communication skills and personality traits that recruiters discover when selecting prospects for ideal profiles that match advertised candidate descriptions. A cover letter, therefore, may well be a job seeker’s most powerful tool in competing for a job, completing a more personal portrait than the accompanying resume, which is written in a more skeletal format. Furthermore, a sloppy, poorly written, error-infested letter will meet an immediate and certain fate for the candidate’s chances of winning an interview, the first step to getting hired, and the letter and accompanying resume will likely be quickly discarded.
Can a well-written cover letter magically overcome my competitive weaknesses?
A cleverly crafted and carefully written cover letter can pique the interest of a prospective employer in asking you to sit in on an interview, despite your comparatively weak resume. But you, the applicant, must express enthusiasm, illustrate excellent and persuasive writing and language skills, and exude an honest and engaging personality to prove that you deserve a closer look than your attached resume may have warranted. This first impression you give the reader reveals the level of your initiative and drive, often important assets in an entry-level or job-changing candidate. With communication skills high on recruiters’ list of demands in hiring, they acknowledge that well-written letters often signal a candidate’s future success within a large organization where upward mobility to management levels is more seniors is preceded by more than basic job skills.
Six Magic Tips for Writing a Powerful Cover Letter
1. Begin the letter by stating where and when you found or learned about the vacancyand the reason(s) why you are writing. If you are writing a cover letter in response to an advertised, advertised position, please indicate where and when you found or learned about the vacancy, and include a very brief job description (there may be several other vacancies advertised or known, so it may specific here).
A good strategy to follow is to show enthusiasm in the first sentence: “I was very interested to read in the Providence Sunday Journal, July 30, 20XX, about an opening at ABC Systems Corporation for a Senior LAN Systems Engineer. My reaction to this position was to contact you today to express my great interest in this opportunity.” Another example is: “As a proven, experienced, and results-oriented professional, I would like to discuss my marketing qualifications and achievements that I believe will match or exceed the profile of your ideal candidate for Chief Marketing Officer in your pharmaceutical division.” Also, be sure to address and greet the intended reader by name and title, if possible. NEVER use “To Whom It May Concern”. Mention your attached resume.
If you are inquiring about a job opening that has not been advertised or may not yet exist, please contact the company to find out the name and title of the person who will receive your application. Use some of the techniques found in the first paragraph above to stimulate the reader’s interest in giving your interview.
If you are seeking an informational interview or site visit in hopes of securing a position at a later time, open your letter by saying so. Please state your intent to learn more about the organization, accompanied by brief supporting qualifications to merit this visit. Ask that your interest be remembered and your resume saved in case a position arises in the future.
2. Convince the reader, with supporting evidence, that your qualifications, experience, and skills can benefit the organization. The second paragraph should highlight your strengths in summary form, but not in the repetitive language of your resume. Convince the reader to form a positive impression of you that will lead to a careful examination of your attached resume. Include in the narrative writing your experiences and contributions as a leader or participant in a research project that result in positive advances for a company, creativity in “outside the box” thinking, and other distinctive achievements that support your claim of qualifications .
3. Demonstrate your enthusiasm for working in this field and with this organization. Using selective language and careful writing, outline your uniqueness as an individual with the right things to become a long-term, important contributor to the company. Mention company statistics or recent good news found in the media, i.e., The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, The New York Times, Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s Industry Surveys, the stock market, industry literature, etc. company found on the Internet and the latest annual report. to demonstrate your personal interest in employment with this company and an understanding of your field and your competitors.
An example of the above is: “It has been my goal to become a member of the XYZ advertising team because I accept the challenges of a fast-paced and creative professional environment. I am prepared to contribute my energy, experience and enthusiasm.” to help generate creative ideas to further XYZ’s already prominent position in the field of advertising.”
4. Be professional, but somewhat personal, when describing your qualifications and strengths. A well-written cover letter should create a clear picture of a candidate who is eager and ready to be part of a team environment or take on a management position that will benefit the company or organization in its long-term goals. Businesses strive to grow through planning and proper implementation of planning goals, so your cover letter should gloss over your willingness and willingness to become an important part of that model. Use industry-specific technical language that links your own development to the goals of this company and the industry. Show your own individuality and personality when composing the letter. The technical terminology in your cover letter can be expressed in a personal tone that will be interpreted, if you are hired, as a potential quality to make you a personable collaborator while conducting business within your corporate cultural environment.
5. Close the letter by requesting an interview, expressing your thanks, and initiating a follow-up. Example: “I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to demonstrate that I fit XYZ’s ideal profile for this role. If I don’t hear from you by August 10, I will contact your office in hopes of setting up a meeting at a later time.” that is convenient for you or another member of your staff. You can reach me on my cell phone any day or night at (111) 222-3333. Thank you for considering my application for this position.”
6. Check carefully and edit your letter to improve language, sentence construction, and correct all spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Ask a competent person to do the same before sending the letter.